Page 20 of The Tree of Spirits
“Heis also here.” Dread saturated Marlow’s voice.
I followed his gaze. He was staring at a dark figure at the edge of the woods.
“The Techno Knight.” Panic clenched down on my throat like an iron fist. “How did he get out of the Watchers’ prison?”
“I don’t think he did.” Conner pointed out the other two armored behemoths who’d just emerged from the trees.
I gasped as they took up position on either side of the first. “There are more of them. More Techno Knights.” I sucked in air, but it didn’t help. I still could hardly breathe. “It took seven Knights to take downoneof these guys. The commandos and Techno Knights are going to win.”
“Actually, I don’t think they’re working together,” Conner said. “The Techno Knights are firing at the base too.”
So much for my theory about those armored fiends working for the Brotherhood.
Conner shielded us as one of the Techno Knights set off an explosion inside the base.
“What are we going to do?” I coughed out. “We have to get out of here.”
“The Rebels are going after the Techno Knights,” Marlow said.
Sure enough, the Rebels were trying to surround the three Techno Knights. One of the Rebels lifted his armored hands in the air. A tornado slammed into the compound’s two fences, ripping the posts out of the ground, hurling the metal mesh into the swirling funnel, which swallowed it up with a satisfied belch.
Everything dissolved into pandemonium. The Cursed Ones spun around. They sprinted toward the commandos who’d heldthem captive for so many days. The commandos shot at them—then, when that failed to slow them down, fled the other way.
So the Cursed Ones turned their red eyes on the Techno Knights. The wind-wielding Rebel flicked his wrist, and the funnel of fence debris slammed into the ground behind the Techno Knights, cutting off their escape. And freeing ours.
One of the Rebels was turned toward us, like he could see us, even though we were invisible.
“How did the Rebels know?” I watched the horrific clash of Watchers, Rebels, commandos, and Techno Knights. “How did they know we were here? How can they see us?”
“Run now, think later.” Conner snatched my free hand, pulling me and Marlow to our feet.
I saw a glowing object on the ground. It looked magical, so I snatched it, then the three of us ran as fast as we could from the battlefield.
CHAPTER 6
SUNSHOWERS
“What made you think of shutting off the compound’s power?” Conner asked me. “And how did you know that would have an effect on the Cursed Ones?”
We were sitting in Marlow’s living room in Primrose Path, a district not far from the Park. Conner sat on the sofa beside the Scavenger, using his hands to draw fresh glowing runes over his wounds.
I was on the sofa opposite theirs, rubbing Wolf behind her ears. The husky had met up with us as we’d reached the Park’s exit. Using a little magic, Conner got us all over the fence. The guards never even knew we were there.
“I figured that the Brothers were using some kind of device to repel the Cursed Ones,” I said. “And devices generally require power to work.”
“So you were guessing.”
I shrugged. “An educated guess.”
“Lie still for a few minutes to let the spells soak in. After that, we’ll move on to round three,” Conner told Marlow, then rose from the sofa.
Wolf jumped up and immediately took his place by Marlow’s side.
“So now we know that whatever it is the Brothers use to repel the Cursed Ones, it needs power,” I said as I joined Conner in the kitchen. I poured myself a glass of water. “I would love to get a closer look at their equipment. Such a device could go a long way toward protecting our towns.”
“Always looking out for the greater good.” Conner watched me take a sip from my glass. “You will make a good Knight.” He leaned back against the kitchen counter. “A better Knight than I ever was. Or ever will be.”
“What do you mean? You’re an awesome Knight.”
