Page 29 of Keeping Sarah

If we saved her from Rex.

I was lost in my thoughts when Ode gripped my shoulder and demanded, “Pull over.”

I did, immediately. “What’s wrong?”

She didn’t respond. Instead, she hopped off the onworlder and ran into the trees with her rucksacks.

I followed, unsure of her intent. We weren’t two meters off the path before we came across a man. He was listless, blood on his face. Ode began to check him out. “Your name?”

“Who are you people?” he asked hoarsely.

“Were you with Rex’s ship when it went down?” she asked.

A flash of recognition lit his eyes in the dark. The corner of his mouth twinged upward. “Rex Terian? He’s a friend of yours?”

Ode did not answer the question so I did.

“An ally,” I lied.

He laughed sharply. “Rex is no one’s ally.” He stood up and loomed over Ode, almost as tall as me. “You’re a liar, boy.”

“I am here to help you,” Ode said firmly, “sit back down and—"

He backhanded her into the dirt. I lunged for him, but in my concussed condition, he easily shoved me back and knocked my head against a tree. I fell onto my side. My eyes tried to focus and failed. There was two of everything. And then, almost nothing.Fuck.

I only saw flashes of him. He stood over Ode. She scrambled to get away and he reached for her. Her arm shot upward suddenly. Then blood sprayed. I could not tell if it sprayed up or down, or if it was hers or his. But a breath later, a blood-coveredOde came to me and helped me to my feet. I fell to the ground once more, nearly taking her with me.

The next thing I knew, everything went black.

The world was slipping away.No, it is not slipping—I am being dragged.Pebbles and twigs ground against my uniform and tried to tear it. One scraped my bare hand. Feminine grunts of exertion filled my ears, until finally Ode said, “Alright, hold still.”

Then the onworlder’s engine took over as I was lifted upwards. Weightlessness, and then I was draped across the back of the onworlder. A tether was cut, and I went limp. Seconds later, Ode drove us from our attacker.

I blacked out again and did not come around until the engine stopped. By that time, I could see again without double vision. We were at the gates of Faithless and it was still before dawn. But I couldn’t move much at all. Not without retching.

“Who goes there?” a guard demanded.

Ode shouted, “He is Deacon Ladrang, Sarah Hollinger’s companion, and I am Ode Hrimp. We need a proper infirmary.”

“A moment,” the annoyed guard replied.

Then a familiar nasally male voice responded. “Another one? How many companions does she have?” he asked in an irritated tone as he came closer. “What is wrong with him?”

“He is dying,” Ode said urgently. “I need to get him to a proper infirmary.”

“Is that his blood all over you?”

“No. We were attacked. Stop wasting time—he needs—"

“Yes, yes, alright.” The nasal voice told others to get us a fast carriage. “Help me get him loaded.”

Many hands picked me up, but I couldn’t make out who was who. Despite the absent double vision, everything was suddenly blurred.

“Take them to the manor immediately.”

With that, we were off. Ode held my head in her lap and whispered, “If you die on me, Deacon, Sarah will kick both our asses.”

I almost laughed but retched instead. Then, I passed out.

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