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But what worried Ezul was how tired Kylok was becoming, exhaustion written all over his face. Wherever his replicas were in the forest, they must be dying at an alarming rate.
How much longer could his brother last before he slipped into unconsciousness? Would it happen before or after they came to Cordelia’s aid.
Ezul had never shed so much blood on his own planet, and he felt slightly disgusted with the fact he was on the frontlines of a hostile takeover when all he wanted was to find his mate.
His heart felt nearly frozen inside of his chest, incapable of beating steadily as he grew more desperate. All he wanted was to cradle his Cordelia in his arms, to know she and their child were alright.
Instead, she was either lost in the woods or being taken to an isolated location. Both thoughts made his legs weak with dread.
He didn’t know anything other than the fact that Cordelia was alive. The warmth of her body flowing through the connection with his mist was like a balm to his soul, pressing against his fingertips. But was she conscious or hurt? He couldn’t tell.
Ever so slowly, Ezul began to pull his mist back, hoping he could pinpoint an approximate location, using its pull as a beacon.
He had never tried anything like this before and didn’t really expect it to work. But a spark of hope ignited within him when he felt a tug coming from the south of the wood. Turning eagerly, he shouted out to his brother.
Kylok was wiping one of the spikes in his hands free of blood when his knees buckled and he crumpled suddenly to the ground. Panicked, Ezul rushed to his brother’s side, unaware of an arrow coming straight for him until it slammed into his back, shredding through his shoulder.
Ezul roared in pain as another arrow hit its mark, piercing his side, followed by one more wedging itself in his arm, tearing through muscle.
He fell to the ground just as his brother struggled to his feet, launching his spike at someone off in the distance. A grunt of pain could be heard from the shadows followed by a thud. Then nothing but Ezul’s pained breathing.
Kylok squinted into the growing darkness of the wood, releasing another spike at an enemy Ezul couldn’t even see. His brother smirked when they heard a faint cry from through the trees before looking down at him, a frown forming on his face.
“Only one month retired as a warrior and you are bested by an arrow? Remind me never to become a mated male.”
Ezul choked on a laugh, his left side pulsating with waves of agony while Kylok walked over and crouched down beside him. Without a word, he snapped the metal arrow tips, pulling each base free from his body in swift succession. Ezul slumped over, breathing heavily.
“You say that now,” he muttered painfully. “But you’ll be a fool for your mate, just like the rest of us. And it wasthreearrows.”
Kylok huffed, ripping off pieces of his tunic. He dabbed at the white blood sliding from Ezul’s wounds, careful to keep from touching his bare skin. “I do not have anything here to treat the wounds, and we cannot delay. Are you alright to move?”
“Yes,” Ezul lied, clasping his brother’s hand and standing proudly despite the searing pain coursing through him. “Did you lose another clone?”
Kylok nodded. “One more and I’ll be down for a while,” he muttered angrily. “We need to hurry.”
They both looked battered as they continued their quick pace toward the south, the pull to Cordelia increasing in strength with each step.
Ezul was covered in his own blood, face pinched with pain, his body slowly weakening. Kylok was just as worse off, his deep gray skin dimming to a light metallic shade that seriously worried Ezul. He knew his brother wouldn’t fully admit to his own exhaustion.
He limped along, urging himself to ignore the pain. He would go on for however long it took to find his Runa. He only hoped he wasn’t too late.
Cordelia slammed into a hard body, nearly falling before strong arms caught her. She jerked back, expecting Vermile to have somehow caught up to her. But glancing up, she sighed in relief, sniffling when she saw it was Kylok.
Poor Arombk really had called her family to help her, and this gruff man had come to her rescue immediately.
“You make too much noise when you run,” Kylok told her sternly, and Cordelia burst into tears, throwing her arms around his waist.
Kylok grunted when he was hit with a shock from Ezul’s mist, patting Cordelia awkwardly on the shoulder until she finally pulled back. The mist around her seemed to sift through them both, almost as if it was dissipating.
“I’m so sorry,” she cried, running a frantic hand through her hair as she began pacing. “I’m so glad you’re here, Kylok. There is this–Vermileis chasing me through the woods, and I–”
The sound of a heavy object slamming through flesh was followed by a small spray of black blood on her dress. Cordelia jumped backwards, a horrified scream passing her lips as Kylok collapsed in front of her, a metal rod protruding from his chest.
“Oh my God,” she cried, dropping to her knees beside him. His dead, sightless eyes stared straight ahead. Her hand flew to her mouth, more tears clouding her vision.
After a few horrifying seconds, his body shimmered in front of her, disappearing a moment later. Cordelia fell backwards, shock drying her tears. What the hell was happening?
That was a clone? A clone could die? Cordelia released a shuddering breath, so thankful she wasn’t responsible for Kylok’s death.
