“You son of a bitch!” Maalik screamed. “Hold him!”
The soldiers looked unsure, but after a sharp order from Aurelius they stepped forward and took the older soldier by the arms. Maalik began raining blows on the man.
“How. Fucking. DARE. You?” he screamed, each word punctuated by a blow. “I am your Prince!”
I tried to think how long it would take me to get back to the hallway, but the sight of Betts unconscious form made my decision for me. Her eyes were open, her pupils blown. She was bleeding within her brain. I couldn’t get back to the storage room quickly enough. If I didn’t act quickly, she would die.
I just had to hope Elex would forgive me for acting without him.
I let the power that had been building behind my eyes wash over me. Time to see what I could do.
Chapter 22
Elex
Ihad to hope Hel would forgive me for acting without him. I’d waited in the hallway for what felt like forever. I’d used my Air magic to funnel the noises from the barracks to me, and when I heard Betts’ retort to Maalik I had to move.
My heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest as I headed toward the barracks.
I thought of all the Mageia in that room - Luke, Betts, Tik, Deliah, and so many others. I had convinced them to join this rebellion. If they died, it would be on me.
I paused just out of sight of the entry. I could hear sniffles, some weeping, and the sound of skin smacking skin. I recognized that sound and my eyes narrowed. Someone was taking a beating.
Here went nothing.
I walked around the corner as if I didn’t have a care in the world, tossing my backpack to the floor, the scrape of the material as it slid across the stone abnormally loud.
“Hey, Luke! Wait ‘til you hear what I saw—” a sharp gasp came from someone in the back of the barracks.
I heard Luke’s startled “Run, Kat!”
I took in the tableau in front of me, and it wasn’t exactly what I had expected.
Luke was on his face in one corner, the knee of an Elusian in his back. Most of the Mageia were huddled toward the back of the barracks, some doubled over as they were obviously under the effects of the Elusian Suppression. Tik was huddled protectively over Betts, who appeared unconscious. Goddess, let her only be unconscious!
I couldn’t see how many were hurt, but I saw bloodied faces everywhere. They had certainly put up a fight, but they couldn’t fight the Suppression.
Toward the front of the room stood Maalik, his knuckles bloody as he beat the soldier in front of him while two others held the man by the arms. A familiar crop of silvered dark hair sat above a face that was barely recognizable. Shit. Allard.
“You look like you need some alone time, brother. Should I come back later…?” I asked, eying Maalik, cocking an eyebrow at him.
He looked up at me in disbelief, only just seeming to realize that I was there.
“Kataramenos,” he said, spittle flying from a split lip.
Suddenly I felt the power of his Suppression brought full force upon me. I stumbled and fell to my knees, a few of the Mageia crying out as they felt the ambient Suppression field spread.
I knelt where I fell, head down, fingers steepled on the ground like a runner to keep me from pitching forward. My hair fell forward across my face as the familiar waves of pain and nausea began to flow through me.
“The prodigal returns,” Maalik drawled, stepping away from Allard. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him gesture for the guards to drop the veteran. I kept my head down, allowing my hair to fall forward and cover my face.
I felt the Suppression field intensify, and I fell to the floor.
“I knew you’d show up eventually, Kat,” he said, roughly grabbing the back of my head and jerking me up. “You’re like a bad penny. But you’re just in time for all the fun!”
He cackled as he gestured to the guard with their knee in Luke’s back. The guard stepped off him then forced him up. Luke stumbled to his feet, then started to run forward, only for the guard to kick him viciously in the back of the knee, sending him sprawling forward.
“Luke!” I cried out. I couldn’t help it; I stretched forward toward my brother, using my Air powers to cushion his fall.
