Page 39 of Hope Forged
With a cry, she staggered, then sprinted toward Seba, but it was too late. As one, they swept forward, scooping Seba onto their backs and tossing him off the side.
“No,” Ziamee shouted, stunning and slaughtering as she drove through the wall of ucdeas.
Ice squeezed his chest, freezing the air in his lungs.Is she insane?Even as he thought this, he barreled toward her. He didn’t dare blink as she skirted the edge. When he was three meters from her, he met her gaze for but a second.
Fiery agony exploded across his back. Dazed, a glance down showed a mandible piercing his chest. He couldn’t turn or move while he was skewered. “Ziamee,” he croaked, his lungs ablaze.
“Illan?” she called, gaping at his wound.
She bit her lip and leaped into action, firing and stabbing at the ucdeas attached to him. He tried to keep her safe while she freed him, but every time the creature yanked, fresh painlanced through him. The numbing of his skin expanded, and his breathing became labored.
Then with one last slash of her dagger, he tumbled to his knees. His vision blurred, his nostrils burned, and he couldn’t gather the energy to rise. The pincer remained lodged in place, no doubt leaching its venom into him.
“We must jump,” she said, but he wasn’t sure he heard her.
“What?” he rasped, blinking at the blaster in his loose grip. It was almost too hot to hold. Tiny tendrils of steam curled out of the muzzle.
“We follow Seba; it’s the only way,” she said, throwing an arm over his shoulders.
She grunted as she hefted him to his feet, then with him tucked against her, she shifted them so no creatures would take them by surprise.
The mass ushered them to the cliff’s edge. The nearer they drew, the more a damp breeze cooled his flushed face. His wits returned, but he wasn’t sure for how long. A peek below showed the glimmering surface of the lake. If they survived the fall, they’d plunge into the deep depths that she feared.
“No,” he said, his tone firm despite the agony clenching his jaw.
“If we don’t, we’ll die for sure,” she gritted out, tossing aside her blaster when it had stopped working. She waved her dagger before her, holding the hoards back by inches.
He handed her his weapon even though he wasn’t sure it would help. Bringing his wrist to his chin, he activated his O.D.I. “Ulta, we are desperate.”
“Illan!” Never had the male’s voice been sweeter. “The signal… Move away—”
Ahh, yes, why did I not remember that?“We need distance,” Illan said to her. “Something in this rock is affecting the O.D.I. locators.”
“Go where?” she snapped, shoving him behind her when a creature lunged at them. “It’s down or die.”
“Ziamee, your fear—”
“Ulta will port us before we drown,” she said, catching his hand and tugging him with her. “I can’t hold them back anymore.”
Scratches across her arms, shoulders, thighs, and down her cheek to her chin bled; the skin around each mark was stained, and the venom was spreading. His blaster smoked, and the dagger in her grip dripped brown ooze. That same substance coated her wounds and shredded garments.
“All right,” he said. “But stay close to me.”
She grabbed his forearm, threw down his blaster, then with a nod, dragged him off the edge.
He swallowed a scream. The wind whipped his hair back, and despite the water coming toward them too fast, he tightened his grip on her hand. The urge to flail was natural but served no purpose.
“Feet first,” he roared.
“Do you see Seba?” she asked, her eyes glistening. “I never taught him to swim.”
“Can you?” He tossed her a smile he was far from feeling.
“Good point.” She froze, then locked her knees together moments before they hit the water.
The force tore the pincer from his chest, and he garbled, swallowing gulps of water. The cold shock ripped her hand from his arm, tearing a hole in his heart. Fear followed. Darkness engulfed his vision, but he focused on reaching the surface and keeping his mouth shut. Every movement of his arms pierced him anew. Black spots blurred his vision. He was losing consciousness, which he couldn’t afford to do.
“Ziamee?” he bellowed the second he could breathe.
