A voice far too familiar, yet strange. Perhaps it was because of the panic evident within, how it cracked at the end.
The shot went off, but someone stepped in front of me, spinning as arms swung around me. Their weight knocked the breath out of my lungs. I jolted, as if the bullet had pierced me, but the pain never surged, only the heavy body of…
Lionel.
His head pressed against my shoulder, his auburn hair tickling against my neck.
“Wha—” I stammered. “Lionel!?”
He panted, not saying a word as his arms tightened around me, trembling.
I heard Nicron grunt behind him. “The sniper?”
“Lionel, where did he… are you hurt?” I asked, my hands patting him down to find the wound.
Had he missed? No way…
Then I heard something sizzling, like burning flesh. My eyes widened and I looked down to see that it had struck his chest.
But why did it sound like that if not…
Quartz.
“You—” I stuttered, confused.
“I made it,” he smiled. “I came just in time.”
“But…” I was at a loss for words, watching him, the smile on his face seemed strange, unfamiliar. Yet he was here, taking a bullet for me, like we were back to the old days.
Lionel was here, protecting me once again. My lips trembled. “Thank you.”
The auburn hair shifted, slowly turning white and silvery, his body changing around me. I only now noticed the smell of ash and leather, the familiar scent that I had grown to care for, as those impossible eyes turned vividly red.
My breath caught. “Malakai?!”
CHAPTER
41
His body was heavy in my arms, as if he was slowly giving in, but his eyes were locked with mine, unwavering.
“I figured… you would rather see him than me right now… besides I wanted to grant you your wish,” Malakai whispered, his voice weak, almost far away. “Forhimto be there for you, one last time, without arguing… Sorry for not being able to uphold the illusion for a bit longer.”
Malakai wanted to… My heart tightened, something breaking inside of me. “Why?”
He smiled lazily. “You’remy spark, sweetie.”
Malakai’s words dissolved into a cough, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. The sight ignited my flames anew, fury blazing hot in my chest. What did that even mean!?
“Oh, you came back?” Nicron’s voice dripped with amusement as he reloaded his gun, each click deliberate, unhurried. “I thought you’d be off drinking with your shiny demon lords by now, claiming your price and leading them here to devour the rest of these worthless humans.”
“I did,” Malakai said, chuckling dryly despite the blood. “Gave them a warmsend-off.”
Nicron froze for a fraction of a second. His eyes sharpened.
“You killedourreinforcements?”he clipped, before he eased up again. “I guess you’re arrogant enough to want to claim the victory all by yourself? That was a neat trick. Where did you pick up shapeshifting?”
Malakai hissed, not able to respond as the quartz burned deeper into his chest, the sound raw, guttural.
