Page 46 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

No one has answered my question so far. I raise my eyebrows at Cassius.

“No, no problem, Centurion.” His voice sounds as rigid as his posture.

“Glad to hear that,” I answer dryly, even though it’s a lie. This situation is ridiculous, and since talking to Cassius doesn’t seem to do the trick, I’ll have a word with Summer. I point at Ilario.

“Now, Ilario, get settled. I doubt Summer wants to play your cushion all night. Cassius, do your job and appoint guards for the night. Summer, come with me,” I command.

Cassius and Ilario hurry off. I pull Summer to her feet, and she first stares at my hand, then drops it like I burned her.

I decide to let it go and stride off to the edge of the camp, ready to get this over with.

I turn, facing the camp, keeping an eye out for anyone who comes close enough to listen in. It’s nearly dark by now, and the rest of the division is only moving shadows. Like yesterday, I limited us to one fire for the night.

“This is now the second time I find you in the middle of an argument with your squadron leader.” Summer opens her mouth like she wants to argue, and I raise my hand to stop her. “I don’t know what is going on with you and Cassius, but—”

That is as far as I get. Summer’s eyes widen, and she catches me off guard when she rushes me. Grabbing my elbows, she pushes me around and down.

I stumble back, and Summer lights up in a bluish-white light. Her body twitches, then bows back, her face a picture of pain.

She groans in agony. Her eyes start to glow from within, and light dances over her skin in little sparks.

Lightning.

I jump up, drawing my blades, but I’m blinded by the bright image of Summer’s silhouette dancing in front of my eyes. Cries of alarm ring through the camp, and I move, closing in on the source connected to Summer by a stream of light.

“What is going on?”Daeva screeches,alerted by my turmoil.

I relay the images while I keep moving. My eyes slowly adjust, and I hurry the process along with my healing gift. I start to make out my surroundings.

No one jumps out at me, and the lightning wielder’s gaze is fixed on Summer, who is still engulfed in light. His magic is a strangely constant stream flowing into her, and he looks horrified.

A trick of light, surely, since I doubt he will lose a night’s sleep over killing the wrong person. Because there is no doubt in my mind that this attack was meant for me.

I creep closer, but the lightning wielder still doesn’t spare me a glance, seemingly transfixed by Summer. He doesn’t even move when I attack, and my short sword slips between his ribs without resistance.

The lightning stops the same moment the light leaves his eyes, and he crumples at my feet.

I stare down at him.

That was strange.

Jared appears next to me. I still hear shouts and voices from the camp but nothing else indicating an attack. My eyes fly to where Summer stood only seconds ago, but there is only a slumped form on the ground, and other runners gather around her.

“Guard him,” I snap.

“Sure thing,” Jared murmurs while my gaze is already fixed on Summer.

I’m furious. What right does she have to step in front of me, to offer her life for mine without even knowing me?

There are already too many deaths on my shoulders without adding her to that list.

Chapter

Fourteen

ARA

My body twitchesas little sparks run over my skin and sear their way to my core. The coldness inside me rises with a vengeance, drinking down the lightning running through my body. And damn, ithurts. My already sore muscles are so tense that they are about to crumble to dust. A point of unbearable heat at the base of my neck sends power down a burning path straight to the beast inside me waiting to be fed.

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