“It’s okay, you’re okay.”
He held the Forgotten’s limp arm as it fell, keeping it still as he knelt and gathered her to himself. A red mist flew past her lips when she coughed, landing on his skin, and he wanted to burn the entire fucking world down.
A cluster of fledgling Forgotten had been trapped inside the shield, swarming him like gnats, little more than a nuisance at his size. Still, when claws slashed across his thigh, he swung blindly, shrieks in the wake of his sword’s edge. More piled against the outside of the barrier, scraping their nails down its sides, groaning as they tried to get in.
Ignoring them, Brand turned Luna and pulled the long spikes from her back, pressing his hand to the gush of red as each one left her.
“B—Br—” Her lids slipped closed even as her lips tried to work.
“Shh. I’ve got you. You’re going to be fine.”
It was easy to lie if it comforted her.
Mag’s question echoed—Is one male really worth the risk?—and Brand finally had his answer.
No. Sisters forgive him, butno.
He was on his feet without another thought, running back the way they’d?—
The shield stuttered, blinking in bursts before glowing around them again.
“Luna?” Weeping Sisters, he wanted to shake her. “Stay with me. Stay. Please.”
The shield winked out—and didn’t come back.
“Fuck. Fuck!”
Dust skittered as his legs ate the distance, the ground rumbling. Without her power to stop them, the Forgotten were gaining, even half-formed as they were. And the shadows were slinking down from above, snapping out to test the air, like they were unsure whether it was safe for them yet.
Any minute, they would realize and come for them.
“Heal yourself, damn you.” His breaths sawed as his eyes landed on the last step he’d made, so close and yet so fucking far away. “Use some of that ridiculous power and do something.”
Brand called to the rock and the earth, tearing down huge swaths of the chasm walls behind him, screeches echoing in the near distance before they were buried.
A sting in his chest, and he looked down to find Luna staring back, nails digging into him.
“C-c-can’t.” Sweat soaked the hair at her scalp, her lips void of all color.
“You can. You can!”
He hugged her tighter and searched for their nascent bond, desperate to use what he fuckingknewwas there. Brand would give her his own willpower, his strength. Anything.
The shield formed around them, tight to their bodies but so dreadfully dim.
“Yes, that’s it. You’re fine. It’s fine.”
His feet hit the landing and he leapt, launching into the dark and commanding a new one to form. And another. Up and up, until he reached the stairs from before and made himself climb faster than he ever had before.
“Need… b-bl-ood.” Each word was its own crushing burden, Luna gasping between syllables.
He knew that. Had wanted to make it to the surface, to safety, but there wasn’t time.
Brand spun and slammed his fist into the cliffside, picturing a cave tall and wide enough to fit him comfortably, a raised platform for her to rest upon.
Power flowed out of him and pebble-sized sections of rock compressed and collapsed in a blur. Indents grew into holes, and the holes spread wider and wider until they ran into each other,forming a small opening. He pushed into the space and sealed the wall behind as a small cavern erupted around them.
With a thought, he commanded some of the stone to glow, imbuing the cave with a soft light that was entirely at odds with the situation.
