Arkas led the way, forging a path through the snow.It was chest deep on him in some spots.He kept his senses alert, hoping to feel one of the other knights in the small town they were closing in on.
“I can’t sense anyone,” Oaklie said when they reached the first house.The town was quaint and picturesque even half-buried beneath snowdrifts.“I bet it’s nice here in the summer,” she mused.
“No one’s been through here recently,” the warrior said.“Not in a vehicle anyway.”
“There’s plenty of wildlife, at least,” Oaklie said, spotting tracks made by various animals.“It doesn’t look like a blight or a plague has swept through here.”
They continued to barge through the snow and came to a bookstore.
“It’s empty,” Arkas said, seeing the shelves had been stripped.“I can see bodies lying inside,” he told her.
“Ugh, I’ve seen enough bodies to last me a lifetime,” she said with a shiver.
They continued on until they reached a crossroads.Oaklie felt dread rising even as she sensed they were being watched.She turned to Arkas just as a loud bang came from somewhere behind her.The knight staggered backwards, gasping in pain.Oaklie doubled over, pressing a hand on her chest that now blazed with agony.Her warrior collapsed and she saw a gaping wound in his chest.
Spinning around, the cambion saw a human in the distance.He was pointing a rifle with a scope at her.Ducking down, she knew she had to kill him before he shot her next.Arkas was still alive, but she knew he was in serious trouble.The bullet had hit far too close to his heart.
Staying low, she moved closer to the hunter, forging a tunnel in the snow in a zigzagging pattern.Oaklie sent her magic ahead of her.It latched onto a tree behind the human and a branch above him abruptly bent in half.It smashed into the man’s head just as he fired again.Dropping down flat, she sank into the snow, feeling the bullet whizz past her head.She was close enough to sense the sniper was now dead.
“Two snipers in one day?”she asked incredulously.Anarchy had to be behind it.If Rahab and his men couldn’t catch them, the entity was trying to make sure they wouldn’t reach Amaros and his squad.
Oaklie dug her way out of the snow and raced back to Arkas.The snow beneath him had turned scarlet and blood was running from his mouth.He opened his pale blue eyes and smiled.“My raven-haired cambion,” he said barely loudly enough for her to hear him.“I’m going to have to leave you now,” he said, eyes drifting shut again.
“No!”Oaklie shouted, grabbing hold of his jacket and shaking him.“You can’t leave me, Arkas!I need you!”
He tried to smile again, but she could sense his strength was fading.“I’m glad I met you, my female,” he murmured.“Say you’re mine,” he pleaded.“Just once.”
Tears were pouring from Oaklie’s eyes by now.“I’m yours!”she sobbed, silently begging Fate to intervene and save her knight’s life.“I’ve always been yours,” she said, leaning down to kiss his bloody lips.
He lifted his hand to stroke her hair one last time, then it fell into the snow as his heart stopped beating.
Oaklie’s head rose and she screamed in denial, raging that the man she’d fallen for was gone.The agony in her chest had faded to nothing.She couldn’t sense him in her head anymore.He’d died in her arms and she was helpless to do anything about it.
She felt several beings appear from out of nowhere and hands grabbed hold of her.Fighting against them, she was held fast by someone far stronger than she was.
“We’re here to help, female,” the stone-faced man who was holding her said.He had black hair, dark brown eyes and Asian features.
A blonde woman and another woman with smooth brown skin moved to kneel next to Arkas.
“Leave him alone!”Oaklie screamed.Her knight was dead and now they were going to desecrate his body.
“We’re going to save his life, girl,” the dark-haired female said.
“Shock him, Tor,” the blonde said after briefly placing her hand on Arkas’ chest.
Oaklie gaped as white sparks flared to life on the other woman’s hands.She put them on the warrior’s chest, then lightning flowed into him.Now feeling as if her entire body was on fire, Oaklie reached out with her magic.It latched onto the roots of nearby trees.They raced through the soil to boil out of the ground, ready to ensnare the strangers.
Arkas gasped and blood exploded from his mouth.The blonde put her hands on his chest while her friend fended off the roots.The man released Oaklie and a familiar sword appeared in his hand.It looked exactly like the shiny gold and silver sword with huge diamonds Arkas had used.
Oaklie reached for more roots when the ones she’d called on were chopped to pieces.Then Arkas groaned.Freezing, the artist realized she could feel the pain in his chest again, but it was rapidly dwindling.
“My mate, Qiana, has the power to heal even the direst of wounds,” the strange man said in a tone full of love.“She and Tori just saved my brother’s life.”
Oaklie’s gaze shot to his face.“You’re a Knight of Order?”she asked in sudden realization.
“I’m Kochab,” he said.“Qiana and Tori are cambions like you.”
“Fate sent us to find you, I just hope you didn’t arrive too late,” she added bleakly.Kochab had cut down all of the roots, but remained alert.
