Page 82 of Cops and Robbers

The mystification of the moment was lost to the severity of the situation.

“Lewis. I need you. Now.” Raz’s ravaged words tore through her like the image of Caige’s comatose body had.

Her stomach churned. Why? Why did you hurt him, Naomi?

“He’s already on his way,” Sid’s voice crackled in her Micron Ear.

It’s too late. She raised her head, a tear stinging her eyes. No one could have survived that fall. Except Naomi had, which could only mean that Caige had saved her somehow, but why would he do that?

Something white drifted in the breeze.

A feather.

Kate dashed forward and grabbed it. A green rachis lined the middle, blood tinging the white. Naomi?

Feathers lay before her, catching in the brush and trunks of trees.

Did she…heal Caige?

Kate whipped around to where Raz’s hunched form lay over Caige. A powerful gust of rain knocked Kate onto her backside. A dragon, glistening like obsidian from scaled snout to feathered wingtip, had slowed its descent and landed next to the lake. Its claw-tipped wings dug into the ground as it landed on its hind legs. Even from its smaller size, the dragon’s spiked tail sliced straight through a fully grown tree. It careened over into the water.

Kate couldn’t breathe.

In a flash of light, a fully clothed Lewis ran toward their fallen comrade.

“He’s breathing,” Raz said.

Kate exhaled a shaky breath. He’ll be okay.

She climbed to her feet, needing to find Naomi.

A break in the surrounding foliage caught her attention. A trail appeared as if someone had dragged something through the shrubs. She sprinted, following the path. The rain softened to a light drizzle.

There’s still hope for her.

From the words Naomi had said on the plane, she wished for death, but it seemed she hadn’t wanted to kill Caige in the process.

Kate’s boots pounded faster over the forest floor as she ran, jumping over logs.

How long could someone stay under another’s torturous thumb, murdering, before they lost themselves? Naomi wasn’t an Archfiend, but Kate didn’t know what was left of the person she used to know. Kate didn’t blame Naomi for wanting to kill her and herself. I failed you. But if Naomi chose death now all this would have been for nothing.

Tires screeched to a halt ahead. Kate sprinted in that direction. Through the trees, Kate spotted a green car stopped on the highway. Naomi was at the front door, dragging a woman from her seat. She threw the woman to the ground.

“Naomi,” Kate screamed.

Kate broke through the treeline as Naomi lifted her unconscious body into the car’s backseat, Naomi’s arm bent at an odd angle. In spirit form, she slid into the driver’s seat and shut the door in Kate’s face.

“Stop!” Kate slammed her hand against the window. “Stop. Please. We need your help.”

The engine revved. Squealing tires filled the air with smoke. Kate covered her nose against the assaulting stench of burning rubber.

Naomi tossed something black out the window as the car faded around a curve.

Fuck.

Kate jogged and picked up a leather purse. Damnit, that’s right…

She searched through the purse for a phone as she rushed to the woman. After getting the phone, she swiped for the emergency number.