Kyle flies down toward me, his expression carved with rage as he locks his gaze on me and the watchers restraining me.
“Get off me!” I shout, but it’s no use.
They grab my arms and fly me up toward the barrier. No, no, no.
“Kyle!” I scream.
If they get me into Silanthia, that’s it. I’ll be trapped there forever. Amaros will never let me go again. I struggle against the firm grip of the watchers, but without my powers, I’m useless against them. They are huge, powerful males. They’ve got me.
Kyle smacks his fist hard into the watcher’s face. He builds his powers and then blasts the watcher, who attempts to dodge it but fails. He then falls from the sky. Kyle shoots up towards us like a bullet, quickly catching up.
“Let her go!” he shouts.
They ignore him and carry on. We’re almost at the barrier. I can sense it.
Just before we reach it, someone shoots down through the clouds and smashes into the three of us. The impact forces the watchers to release me. But my wings won’t work. My energy withers more and more by the minute, and my eyes grow heavy. I plummet toward Earth.
I blink hard, desperately trying to keep my eyes open as two figures shoot down toward me. Then, everything goes black.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“Zarla, can you hear me?”
The voice is like music to my ears, comforting but also worried.
I blink my eyes open, and a blurry face slowly comes into focus.
“Kyle?” I whisper.
He caresses my cheek, rubbing his thumb over my skin in a soothing way, and I relax into his touch, closing my eyes again.
“She’s okay.”
I open my eyes again, and Finlay sits on my other side. Glancing around the room, I realise I’m lying on Kyle’s bed. I sit forward and immediately regret it as my brain pounds against my skull. Gods above, that hurts. I press my hand to my head.
Kyle lowers me back onto the bed. “Don’t push it. You hit your head pretty hard. You just need some time for your body to heal.”
I frown. “What happened?”
And then it all comes rushing back to me. Lacinda and Demetros, the watchers, Kyle fighting them…
Kyle glances at Finlay then back at me. “If it wasn’t for Finlay, those watchers would’ve taken you back to Silanthia. I wouldn’t have reached you in time.”
Finlay shrugs. “I didn’t do much. Was just at the right place at the right time.”
“Thank you,” I tell him. “Both of you.”
Finlay gets to his feet. “I’ll leave you guys to it.”
Kyle kisses my cheek then stands. “No, you stay. She hasn’t seen you for some time. I’m sure you need to catch up. I have to help assemble the others so we can ready ourselves for Galespo.”
My heart warms at the trust he has for me and for Finlay. Maybe Finlay rescuing me earned him some brownie points.
Finlay looks to me and then Kyle. “You sure?”
Kyle nods. “Yeah. I know she’s okay. And I know she’s always safe when you’re around, too. Thanks for looking out for her when I can’t be there.”
My mouth gapes open at his words. Never did I think I would see the day that Kyle accepts Finlay.