Page 39 of The Quoram Effect

“I never said I hate it.”

An incredulous smile full of forlorn played on his lips. “Then why are you planning on leaving?”

Shit.That was one thing I didn’t need to lay on his shoulders right now. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to transfer anymore. “Saul told you.” It was a statement rather than a question.

“He’s worried about you. As am I.”

Pieces of my dignity cracked and shattered on the ground, and it was my turn to look towards the willow tree. “I’m fine,” I retorted softly. “I’m concerned about Zuli. About you.”

“It’s not your problem, Rems.”

“Shit, Torz, of course it is! I may be a stern-faced bitch, but I do care. I care about how the hell we’re going to get out of this. Not just you. We. Us. And that has nothing to do with our bond.” In the corner of my eye, I saw him nod.

“Then it’s a good thing I now know what I need to do.”

With a new hope rising within me, I glanced at him. His shoulders were still coiled, his frown etching craters into his forehead.

“But I can’t do it without you.” Finally, he turned to face me. Those beautiful, asymmetrically patterned irises met minewith a plea written with sincerity. “Please don’t transfer, Rems. Please don’t run away. I need you.”

I searched his eyes, humbled by his words; petrified by what the declaration meant.

“I need to start a rebellion,” he said with conviction. “A proper one that will make a formidable stand.”

Pride swelled in my chest, and I took a step closer, holding his gaze with a fervent, stabilising focus. In that moment, I realised whatever the future held, bond or not, I’d never walk away from him. I couldn’t. Not now.Never again.

But before I could declare my loyalty and admiration for him, a dark shadow moved in my periphery. Then another.

I flinched, snapping my head in their direction. “Did you see that?”

Torz didn’t answer, but he scanned the trees surrounding us, alert and alarmed.

A panicked scream pierced the air, and Torz’s fingers clasped my arm, pulling me down into the long grass. A colourfully dressed woman emerged on the other side of the bridge, running towards the exit with a small child in her arms. Something had spooked her. Something or someone.

I pulled my gun from my hip holster, my eyes scrutinising the foliage for movement. Torz did the same, his body moving in front of me to gain a better view of the bridge and beyond.

Movement flashed from the right, and I held my breath, spotting a dark figure ducking behind a thicket of bushes. The black clothing and stealthy prowess screamed danger in the same way those men who’d attacked Marla and me did, and I had no intention of allowing them to take the upper hand this time.

Through narrowed eyes, keeping my head low, I slowly inched in their direction.

A daunting silence grew thick and charged, and my mind fell to the family I’d seen by the entrance; the elderly couple sitting on the hill. I prayed they had vacated the park. I had no doubt something bad was about to happen.

A snap of twigs and rushed movement had me wrenching my body back towards Torz. A dark figure ran from the foliage with a gun raised in his direction. My primal instincts roared into play, and I lunged towards my commander. Torz twisted, aiming his gun at the hostile arrival, but I collided with him, sending him to the ground among the tall grasses with me on top of him.

I pointed my firearm at the black-clad figure sprinting up the shallow incline. Their face was obscured by a helmet with a black visor—identical to the men who had attacked me on Delta Ring. As the figure drew closer, reaching into their jacket, my mind jumped to the dagger that had landed in my shoulder days ago. And on instinct, I lifted my head and aimed my gun at the top of their arm.

With a tug of my finger, the bullet found its mark. A feminine yelp and a thud confirmed the attacker was a woman and no longer able to wield a weapon. She sank to the ground, gripping her arm, but I pulled my attention away, suddenly aware of the warm hands resting on my hip.

Looking down at Torz beneath me, I realised I was straddling his midriff. His breaths were ragged, his expression flustered. I swallowed back the spark of desire entwining itself with the roar of adrenaline at our closeness, at the feel of him between my legs. But I quickly snapped back to reality when Torz’s eyes flicked behind me, widening with fear. He raised his gun, the trigger popping too close to my ear.

I jumped off him, rotating to see his target. Another black-clad individual was moving towards us along the lake’s bank. With a snarl of anger, I launched towards the figure, ignoring Torz’s protests. Pushing through a thicket of bushes, I lost sight ofhim. Frantic splashing confirmed he was retreating, clambering through the sparkling water towards the opposite bank.

As he came into view, I aimed my gun, ready to take him down. But when frightened spectators rushed away from the trees directly behind him, I couldn’t risk the shot. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I injured or hurt an innocent civilian, let alone a child.

Lowering my gun, I marched into the lake, pushing my legs through the drag of the tepid water. The heaviness of my boots weighed me down, and my hips ached from the lag. Water splashed and slapped against my trousers, my ears filling with the sound of rapid sloshing.

The man stumbled out onto the opposing bank, slipping as he pushed through the weeping branches of the willow tree—Torz’s and my willow tree.

His gun tumbled into the soil, and as he stooped to pick it up, he caught sight of me. I was on him before he could grasp the weapon, sending him crashing to the mossy ground with a force that jolted us both.