Page 78 of Avelina

Calmly, Aaron thought to me, pulling my hand to walk toward Axel.

I’m trying, I responded. I took a deep breath in and out.

The three überzombies who weren’t holding the umbrella moved toward us, making Axel scowl deeply. “No, not you, Ellis!” he snapped. “You and you,” he said, pointing toward the other two. “Go get them!” He motioned to the man with auburn hair and said, “Ellis, guard the dog.”

Jesus. That’s Ward’s brother, I thought.

I clenched my teeth as we continued to walk toward the magister. Ward lay supine in some muddy grass to the right of Axel, his eyes closed. His newly healed face was covered in blood, his nose misshapen.

I’ve changed my mind, I thought. I could easily kill this man.

The two überzombies strode toward us. As they got closer, I noticed that they were both taller than Aaron, though not as tall as Axel. They had overly pale skin and the same brown eyes and black hair that dominated the region. They appeared unkempt, as if they hadn’t changed clothes or brushed their hair or teeth in the past decade. Their knee-length brown tunics were unbelted, more like potato sacks than clothing. They didn’t seem to notice the rain, nor did they understand that they couldn’t just come and grab us.

The largest of the überzombies approached on the right. He looked as though he could take Aaron in a fight on a good day. He had wide-set, vacant eyes, and a red puffy nose that made me wonder if he was ill. He coughed a few times, then stumbled but didn’t fall. This was not a good day for him, it seemed.

The one with short, curly hair approached on the left. He was positively skeletal, and his face and hands were covered in dirt. Both men had bloodshot eyes with dark circles under them. They truly did look like zombies in the sense that they were half dead from exhaustion and neglect.

Save yourself first, Spirit thought. You can’t do anything for these men right now.

The two überzombies came close and reached for our arms, only to bump up against the shield. They looked at each other in confusion, and then the big one walked behind us and pushed against the shield as if he were trying to push a boulder. It worked. The emaciated one stood to the side, keeping us from veering away.

We got to within ten feet of Axel when he lifted his hand to indicate that we should stop. “That’s far enough,” he said, overtly leering at my body. The creepy grin on his face sent shivers down my spine and it was all I could do to keep myself from bolting. “Now, release your shield and get down on your knees.”

Neither I nor Aaron moved. “No thanks,” I said. “I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea about me.”

Don’t taunt the psychopath, Aaron thought to me urgently.

Axel narrowed his eyes, his smirk fading, then he turned to Ward. “Ellis, kick the dog.” Ellis turned to Ward and viciously kicked him in his side. Ward grunted, opening his eyes for a moment, rolling a little, but then he closed them again, falling unconscious.

“No!” I screamed. “Ellis, he’s your brother. Leave him alone!” Ellis stared at me for a moment, confused, then his face went blank again. Like the other two überzombies, Ellis’s face was filthy, and he swayed a little, as if he might fall asleep where he stood. His hand was covered in blood, as mangled as Ward’s nose.

“Ellis belongs to me,” Axel said. “He will do what he’s told. Ellis, kick the dog again. Harder this time.”

Ellis did what he was told. He kicked Ward so hard that, despite my weak Earth hearing, I heard his ribs crack over the sound of the rain. Ward woke up to whimper, rolled to his side, and spit blood. His breath came in loud wheezes.

I almost went to him, but Aaron pulled me back, tucking me behind him as if to shield me from the sight of Ward’s pain. Thunder boomed somewhere in the distance, and the rain seemed to respond to Ward’s distress by increasing in intensity. Aaron and I were shielded from it, but the rain that streamed off the side blurred our view. We needed windshield wipers.

“What do you want, Axel?” Aaron demanded.

Axel cackled. “Now we get to it,” he said. “First you let your whore speak for you, and finally you step up and speak for yourself. Release your shield and get down on your knees.” Axel’s body looked relaxed, but his eyes never stopped tracking Aaron’s movements.

Still, Aaron and I didn’t move. “That’s not going to happen, Axel. Instead, you’re going to call off your thralls and leave this place.”

Axel laughed again. “Tell you what, Aaron. I’m feeling generous today. I will open up a bridge to Earth and send you over there. You leave the dog and the bitch here with me, and we both get what we want.”

Aaron was about to respond with an immediate no, but I stopped him. Wait, I thought, pulling him to the side, though his eyes remained trained on Axel.

I can protect myself, Aaron. You should take his deal.

What? Aaron’s eyes flicked to mine. Lee, I will not leave you here with this monster. He will kill you.

I don’t think so, I said. He wants me. I think we could negotiate for Ward. Take him back with you to Earth, and I will go with Axel to the palace with my shield up.

No, absolutely not, Aaron responded. I’m not leaving you.

But, Aaron—

No! Aaron thought to me. The word was absolute. I blinked at the finality of it. If you want to be rid of me, then I’ll leave, but not until you’re safe.

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