Page 41 of Orc's Forbidden Claim

SAYLOR

“He’s going to be fine,” Wren whispers. Again.

It’s a mantra that she’s been whispering to herself for some time. Maybe hours, maybe not. Time became a foreign concept once we moved into the bunker and being under the mountain hasn’t changed that. I miss living on the open planet. The two red suns passing over, clearly delineating day and night as well as the passage of hours. I hope we can return there soon.

The bunker was better than here from a time perspective. In the bunker, the lights were on set timers to tell you it was ‘night’ or day. Under the mountain, outside the Zmaj compound, there is nothing to indicate times passage. One moment in the dark is pretty much the same as the next moment. Dark, lonely, scary, and yet another painful step. Every foot forward is accompanied by the sharp, shooting pain that comes hand-in-hand with the shin splints. It’s bad enough now that I am struggling to not whimper.

We have to be getting close. If for no other reason, I don’t think I can take much more of this. Wren and I have our arms aroundeach other’s shoulders, and I wish I could say it was only for emotional support, but it’s not. Neither of us is in the kind of physical condition that lends itself to walking for this long.

“Days,” I whisper.

“Huh?” Wren asks.

“I think it’s been days,” I answer.

“Shhh,” Khiara’s shush comes out of the dark from his shadowy figure.

I frown, knowing I should be quiet. Stupid.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and it itches. I scratch at it with my free hand, unsure why it’s bothering me. It doesn’t quit though. If anything, it gets worse. Something is wrong, but I don’t know what.

Wariness spreads out of my core with a strange physical sensation. I’m certain of there being a problem but I have no idea what it is. Then I hear it. A shuffling step that comes from behind us.

“Wren, hurry,” I whisper, pulling on her to move faster.

And she stumbles. Of course, she does. We’re both exhausted what else should I expect? She falls forward tugging me alongside her. Limbs tangle together pulling us both down. I pinwheel my free arm in a desperate attempt to not land right on either of our faces.

“Heh,” Khiara says from ahead.

I see he’s turning to look but he won’t reach us in time. There’s no way he could. We’re screwed. Wren yelps, then she’s able to get her foot in front of herself which keeps her from falling ontoher face. I fail to do anything similar, and I’d be down except for my arm around her neck which, though it throws all my weight onto her, stops me from hitting.

Awkwardly, I twist my neck to look up at her with a wide grin. She’s chuckling and shaking her head.

“Clutz,” she says.

The moment she speaks something behind her jerks my attention to it. A shadow is moving.

“Move!” I yell, pulling her towards me.

Not my best or brightest move. Our fall, which she only just prevented, lets gravity take over reclaiming that which it was denied. As we fall in a heap, I’m below her, hitting the stone first. My breath is knocked out by the impact, but something flashes over Wren.

“Grawrrr!” Khiara’s roar resonates inside my chest and continues as he leaps over the two of us with his weapon drawn.

The clash of weapons rings in my ears. Wren and I struggle against each other in fear, neither of us managing to break free of the other. We wrestle, attempting to get untangled, managing to roll to the side right as Sek’su stumbles past.

Realizing we’re getting nowhere, I quit fighting. Wren gets herself disengaged and crawls off my chest. Side-by-side we crab walk away from the sound of the fighting. I can’t see enough details to know what’s happening.

The boys are fighting, that’s clear of course, but they’re far enough down the tunnel that the darkness has them engulfed. The sounds of steel on steel and flesh striking flesh and thegrunts of pain and exertion are the only insights. None of which tells me if our guys are winning.

Sek’su is so badly injured he must be running on pure adrenaline. Is that enough to win against whatever he’s fighting? Are they outnumbered? Is it another one of the things that hurt Sek’su in the first place?

My hand bumps against the lantern. Fumbling, I get a grip and swing it around to illuminate the fight. The hood is mostly closed allowing only a small beam of light to stretch out which does no good.

Cursing under my breath I work the shield. It doesn’t want to move. I don’t know if its bent from falling or always this hard to work. Wren leans in trying to help but our fingers end up in each other’s way. Finally, I shift my grip to hold the lantern tighter and let her work the hood. She gets the thing to open and the bright flame casts its light.

“Shit,” I curse when I see the scene.

Four Urr’ki are fighting Sek’su and Khiara. Fear hits first. Hard and fast like an ice comet slamming into my guts, causing cold chills and a nervous stomach. Wren grabs my arm, clenching tight.

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