Page 52 of In the Dark

“Are you all right?”

Using her sleeve, she smeared away the remnants of useless tears. “I’m fine. Let’s go. Now.”

Morgan gathered Karsia close for the second time that day and knew, when she woke up, there would be hell to pay. Literally.

He’d never seen the point of war. Men killing each other under the guise of religion, or for wealth, or land. People needed little excuse to hunt and slaughter their fellow man. He had brothers and cousins, aunts and uncles galore who relished the violence of the hunt. Who dove headfirst into battle and took a front row seat when the banners of war proudly flew.

Never had a taste for it himself.

The house threatened to collapse around them and Morgan drew his shoulders up and vowed to do whatever he could to help them out.

Astix used her power to safeguard them as they made their way out. Another loud shudder and the very foundation shook. They stumbled, nearly losing their balance, the integrity of the house compromised.

“Hold on to me.” Astix gestured toward her coat. “And don’t let go.”

In later retellings, Morgan would make sure everyone knew he’d led the way. The women were behind him and huddled close together for safety instead of the other way around. Now, he was too frightened to think straight and obediently grasped the back of her jacket. The small shred of material helped him balance his fear with survival instinct.

Astix pulled at the door and found it unyielding, the frame thrown out of alignment. “Come on, come on!” She pushed her shoulder into it, and when that failed, used her foot to kick it out with one smooth motion.

“Impressive. Do you have a plan yet?” Morgan asked, struggling to be overheard.

“I’m working on it!”

They forged a path through the snow toward the car, ducking against the howling wind. A fourth Claddium member rounded the corner, a woman this time. Startled to see them. She reached for her magic and widened her stance.

“Don’t move! You’re coming with me.” Posturing, she held her closed fists aloft and stared at the three of them.

Astix was prepared this time. “You people never learn.” She waved her hand and a rectangular piece of siding extracted itself from the wall and slammed into the woman.

She averted the blow with a casual sweep of her arm and the siding disintegrated.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” A single blast of magic poured out from the woman’s hand, solidified into a spear, burying itself in Morgan’s shoulder. He cried out.

The woman bolted toward Astix, who reacted instinctively with a second wave of magic. “Don’t you hurt him!”

Morgan hissed and tightened his hold on Karsia with his good arm, the pain like teeth gnawing into his flesh.

“Morgan?”

“I’m fine. Flesh wound.” He thought of what they had to do and pushed the pain aside. His body would heal the second he had time to draw on his power. The instant Astix took the woman down, they were flying around the corner of the house like animals pursued.

“I hope you have your keys on you. Because three of us are not fitting onto my bike.”

For a moment he panicked, before the reassuring heft of the key ring in his pocket registered. “Good to go.” He paused only to flick a glance at Astix.

They ran toward the front of the house while Morgan fished the keys out of his pants. He punched the key fob and had the doors clicking open for his arrival. They were like wild things, tearing around sleeping topiary, fighting to lose what hunted them.

He deposited Karsia less than gently in the backseat, then Morgan and Astix scrambled into the front. With the key firmly in hand, Morgan shoved it into the ignition with a single slide and twisted until the engine turned over reluctantly, working overtime in the cold.

“Is there any point in asking you to hurry it along, Professor?” Astix clicked her nails on the dashboard and stared at the house.

Color burst behind the windows as Thorvald and the Claddium members continued to flex their muscles. She knew he kept them contained and distracted until his girls were clear. It warmed her heart and she prayed her father had the mettle to pull through.

“You can’t rush a motor in this weather.” Morgan used the time to buckle himself in, careful to maneuver around his injured shoulder and keep it limp.

“I hate to ask this of you…but try.”

“All right, well, you’re paying for my oil change.”

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