AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Just as I was about to hit the call button, something slammed into my side, throwing me stumbling back into the wall, the unit falling from my hands.
“What the—” A blow cut off the words, the punch aimed right at my nose, the quick impact whipping my head backward, cracking it against the stone wall behind me.
I struggled to get my bearings, blood trickling down my face as I scrabbled for my Amalgam Blade and triggered the release on the silver dagger. Even if this was a Shrivika, I could do some serious damage.
The figure in front of me was hooded, the dark navy cloak covering most of their face, their snarling lips the only thing visible. Even though I couldn’t see them, I could guess they were a female, based on their height being and their slight, curvy build under the thick cloak. I took a deep whiff, wanting to commit this idiot’s scent to memory just in case. But, no matter how many deep pulls of air I took, all I got was the dank and dirty alley, nothing of the person standing in front of me.
That couldn’t be right. I couldn’t catch their scent.
I shook my head, trying to clear my bleary vision from the two blows this woman somehow got on me. I stumbled forward, feeling separated from my upper half.
Damnit, she must have given me a concussion.I slashed with my blade, trying my best to connect it with any part of my attacker, but my movements were sluggish, my arms slow as if the air around me had been thickened with honey.
“Help!”I screamed to everyone in the tavern. “Attack!”
“Kas?”Lucas’s voice filled my mind, but I didn’t have time to respond; the hooded figure was too quick. I just had to hope they would find me.
My attacker could tell she had the advantage, her triumphant snarl cutting through the fog that still tainted my vision and mind. I kept trying to block her precise strikes, willing every bit of my training to my aid until the group got here. I just need to delay—
I screamed into the darkness before I even realized where a sudden burst of pain radiated from, my eyes flicking down just in time to watch the woman pull her dagger from my side, above my hipbone.
“Help.”I whispered again to all of them, my hand pressed against the gushing wound, blood already soaking half of my tunic.
“Where are you?”I heard Ollie first.
“Alley,”was all I could get out as I staggered clear of another swipe.“Attack. Backup.”
“Hold on.”
I gave all of my attention back to the attacker in front of me; she thought she had the best of me, but she didn’t know me.
As she tensed to strike, a cackle escaping her smirking lips, I lunged forward with the last of my strength, my blade slamming into her shoulder.
She shrieked into the night sky, stumbling backward. The two of us stared at each other, nothing but our heavy breathing filling the air between us. Neither of us moved for a second, until the pounding of my friends’ footsteps round the corner.
My attacker straightened at the noise, giving me one last snarl before running in the opposite direction, jumping over the low wall and disappearing from sight.
I finally allowed myself to collapse just as the group reached me. “Go...” I coughed on my own words. “After…”
Lucas and Taylor didn’t say anything as they dashed down the alley, jumping the wall with ease, disappearing from sight.
“We have to get you back to Compound. To Beckett.” Eden moved my hands from my side, pressing hers into the wound. Ollie and Greyson crouched on either side of her.
“No, I need to see Nolan…” I coughed a few more times, blood bubbling from between my lips. The wound was deeper than I’d thought. “Theory…”
“Kas, you have a hole in your side!” Ollie grasped my face between his hands, forcing me to look at him, his face blurry in my impaired vision.
“I’ll be…fine.” They knew that too. Only a blow with the Ogdala Blade could kill me. This wound, although painful and burning along half my body, would be gone soon enough.
“Nolan is back at the Compound with Beckett,” Greyson said. “Talk to them together if you want, but either way, we have to get you back.”
“Drink first.” Eden pulled out her blade, slicing a shallow cut just above her wrist. “It’s the only thing that will stabilize her enough. Ollie, go find a carriage, she won’t be able to ride a cycle safely. Grey, clear the area in front of the tavern and make sure there’s space. After that, connect with Taylor and Lucas and tell them to return to Compound once they’re done with their hunt.”
Both men nodded, rushing off.
“You’re so bossy,” I laughed weakly, numbness spreading through my fingers and up my arm.
“Don’t act surprised, now do as you’re told.” Without another word, she shoved her wrist into my mouth, forcing me to drink until I could once again feel my whole body.
