Page 166 of Visions & Shadows

It takes more strength than I have right now to take hold of his arm. “Can you find Riccardo?”

His eyes focus on my face, then he nods. “Give me five minutes.”

I quickly pull my hand back, and the next second, he disappears right before my eyes.

“Can we keep moving, or do we have to wait?” Dylan asks.

“We can keep moving. Ares will find us through Alchera,” Griffith replies, worriedly glancing around us.

Pushing forward, our progress is slow. We have to climb over rubble and avoid cracks in the road.

The ground shudders hard, and people scream as everyone’s panicflares up again. There’s a thunderous eruption and rumbling in the distance, and I glance up at the sky that’s growing darker, the clouds black, red, and yellow as if it’s on fire.

As a cloud of ash begins to rain down on us, I’m hit with a wave of fear and hopelessness that forces me a step back.

I can feel as everything around me dies.

The air displaces, and as I turn to see if Ares found Riccardo, they appear. Ares has Riccardo in a headlock, and with panic etched deep into Riccardo’s features, his arm wildly flies up.

“Gun! He has a gun,” Dylan shouts, darting forward to help Ares control a fighting Riccardo.

There’s a loud bang, and the next second, it feels as if my chest is being torn open.

In shock, I stare at Ares and Dylan, who are forcing Riccardo to the ground and prying the weapon from his hand.

“Alchera!” Raighne shouts, and his arms wrap around me as my legs give way.

Shit.

Kneeling beside me, he holds me close to him. I gasp for air, but droplets of my blood splatter against his neck.

Only then does it register Riccardo shot me.

“I’ve got you!” Raighne says, his voice rough with worry as he presses his hand to my chest.

Ash floats around us, and my eyes are just about to focus on Raighne’s face when everything blurs.

When I blink, confusion pours through me. I’m lying on ash, the area around me made of millions of moving shadows.

“Alchera,”Ares’ voice sounds as if it’s a thousand miles away,“focus on my voice. Let me bring you back.”

I can feel Ares’ like a cool breeze but not Raighne’s warmth.

I hear other voices around me, and they’re filled with urgency and panic.

“I need scissors, Isobel! Now!”

I stare up at an African woman dressed in casual clothes and a white labcoat.

“Can you save her, Lydia?” someone asks the doctor standing over me.

“Yes,” she answers, her voice filled with confidence.

“Alchera!”Raighne’s voice thunders through my mind, yanking me away from the woman.

I pry my eyes open, my lids feeling heavy.

My vision manages to focus on Raighne, but then my head lolls to the side, and I see Ares beside me.

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