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“Listen,” she told Estelle. “You’re getting out of here, aren’t you?”
Estelle finally seemed to see Lily. “I have to.”
“You will.” Lily eased her up to her feet and turned her from Gwyneth. “Help me with Aarin.”
Aarin protested in curses, but they got him standing, and Lily tied the soaking cloth around his torso. An uncomfortable air carried around them until Gwyneth’s body was out of sight.
They approached the heart of the armory. Dust filled the air, and the shelving and remaining collectibles of Caiven’s were tossed about the room. And there was blood.
So much blood.
Lily’s chest tightened, and she released Aarin to move out into the open.
“Lily!” he spat, and she stopped. “You’re not coming with us?”
“I’ll distract Caiven. Estelle will keep you hidden until you’re at the transport.” Lily found his eyes. “Keep her safe.”
Aarin glared back at her. “We’ll wait for you.”
Lily tipped her head and sprinted into the chaos. She tore past the overhang and to the vehicles, some displaced to the side, one completely overturned. She quickly scanned the ground, holding her breath until—
Her rifle. Lily scooped it up between the cars and broken glass. It lit up with her touch. She took one last glance behind her, finding nothing and no one in the hall.
She followed the blood splattered across the walls and the echo of bellowing, and suddenly, she was upon them.
The roars from two great beasts ripped through her ears in the narrowing hall. There were flashes of light, two different shades of green as one was on the other in an untraceable burst of teeth and fur.
They broke apart, snarling.
A bear, the largest Lily had ever seen, swiped at the gargantuan wolf. It took the brunt of the hit, but lashed back, launching at and knocking the bear into the wall and sinking its teeth into its neck.
Jarek’s neck.
She fired. Fired until Caiven stopped thrashing, dropped Jarek, and spun around to face her. She held her ground—discharging plasma into him, tearing away flesh, only for his soul to grow it back. Caiven’s lips curled, and blood dripped from his jaws.
He took a gimpy step forward, and Lily paused. Her touch from earlier was working, albeit a bit slow. Caiven was littered with scar tissue—maybe that was why it was taking its time. He needed more venom to be brought down faster. The issue was getting herself close to him without him killing her first.
Lily glanced to the doorway at her right. It was the one they stopped in to head off Novak and led into the room with the void.
With the angered auras of the dead guards.
An idea came to her.
She lowered her weapon. Caiven clapped his teeth and jumped toward her, landing clumsily on his deadening right limb.
Lily took a lazy step away. “This belongs to me,” she taunted, holding the ghosted gun close, knowing he could also smell Estelle on her. Caiven’s eyes blazed. “Want it back?”
He tore at her. Lily sprinted into the hallway. He followed, claws scraping against the stone, slamming his huge body into the walls. Lily pressed her hands tight to the gun, illuminating what was in front of her.
Heart in her throat, she ran like she never had before.
Caiven’s huge form slowed as he struggled to keep his speed in the narrow passageway. Lily didn’t wait for him.
She emerged in the room she was seeking, hopping over the bodies and the void to the other side, and tossed the gun to the ground.
“You got this, Lils. You can do this,” she whispered, holding her hands to the aura. It curled toward her, dancing around her fingers. There was so much to work with, so it should be easy.
Except it was strong, pushing hard against her grip, and Lily found herself fighting for control when she pushed back, like two magnets of the same poles.
