Page 56 of The Divide that Binds Us

Katarzyna recognizes Rio’s voice as he’s running toward them.The Elite member backs away, turning her scythe back into Skylar.Rio stops a few feet from where the girl stands in the meadow, clearly out of breath.The earth bleeds around Katarzyna’s wounded leg.

Skylar quivers, as the member gawks at Rio.“What the—did you...did you just run from the train station?”

Rio is still catching his breath.“Yes...yes...I did!”

Suddenly, Tess is at Katarzyna’s side with a nurse.They drag her away from the tree trunk and onto the trail.Tons of people have crowded around the draping mouth of the meadow to take videos and pictures.Katarzyna instructs Tess to carry her to Vinyl’s apartment, but the nurse is already busy working on her leg.

“Relax, he’ll fix you up.Rio brought him from Onyx Island, so he has natural healing hands and magic,” Tess says.“Breathe, you’re gonna be okay.”

“But...Rio...”Katarzyna murmurs.As the nurse applies pressure and wraps her leg, Katarzyna winces and watches yet another confrontation between Rio and the girl.But it’s too much to take in.They’re both tense in their stare-down until Rio shoots a lightning bolt.There’s little distance between them.Katarzyna is certain the shot can’t be deflected.

But once again, the girl proves her wrong.With her fist wrapped in a small purple bubble, Malice angrily knocks the bolt like swatting a fly from her face.Rio falls to one knee, still out of breath.

“Pathetic,” she whispers, snapping her fingers for Skylar to disappear as she walks past everyone with such fluid grace.“Have fun when the Guards arrive.”

“Where...where are you going?”Frustration coats Rio’s breathless question.

“Home with my new toy.”She waves Katarzyna’s phone in the air as she leaves.

Tess rushes to help Rio up as Malice waltzes away.Katarzyna watches Rio’s head drop in defeat.She can only imagine what he’s feeling right now.As a Commander, he’s trying to prove his worthiness too.

Chapter 12

The Hate Within

Elite: Alice

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Heat floods my faceand ears as my heart pounds beyond the threshold of tolerance.I exerted way more energy summoning Skylar, and I know the trouble will be waiting for me back at the base.

I sit in a taxi on the way to Topaz Island while trying to unlock the Ultima member’s phone.It’s password protected, only accepting three numerical values.I try the basics with a final warning that I have one attempt left.

I slump in the backseat with a heavy sigh.My pulse relaxes as the adrenaline simmers in a steady rhythm through my blood.

Combat first, powers second, and I violated it again.I can’t ever keep my cool around those people, but I can justify my anger simply that it was an ambush.I can’t compromise the mission, and somehow, that girl knew what I was doing.

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