Page 133 of Blue Arrow Island
“You too.”
Marcus is the first to move. He bursts toward the first couple of prisoners, a man and a woman. He scoops them both up with an arm around their waists and rushes them back to us.
Arrows fly from Tiders who are moving toward us, but Marcus is so fast he’s out of range before they land.
Adele and Stella each take one of the prisoners from Marcus. I run toward the water, hearing boots kicking up wet sand behind me.
Pax is throwing someone over his shoulder when our eyes meet. Knife in hand, I head straight for him.
“Fight him off!” I yell to his captive. “I’ll help you!”
The man thrashes, kicking his feet at Pax. But he can’t get any momentum. I grab his shirt and pull, Pax growling as he tries to keep his hold.
“What the hell are you doing?” he bellows. “You’ve made a mistake switching sides.”
When I grab the man’s midsection and pull, he falls to the ground. Pax swipes his knife at me, narrowly missing when I jump back. The man gets to his feet and runs away.
“You lied about aromium,” I snap at Pax. “You’re just Virginia’s toy.”
His eyes narrow with anger. “We tell people when they’re ready.”
I balk. “You mean when it’s irreversible? You disgust me.”
I’m about to engage him in a fight when someone barrels into my shoulder, knocking me to the ground. I’m breathless, and I can’t see because there’s sand in my eyes.
“Shit!” I rub my eyes, not knowing what else to do, but it doesn’t help.
I know what Marcus said about keeping my emotions in check, but it’s hard when I’m this vulnerable.
“Get away from her.” It’s Amira, her voice deadly calm. “Briar, my foot is right by you. Grab it and get behind me.”
I blink rapidly as I feel for her foot, the vision in my right eye clear. I find it and crawl behind her.
“My knife. It flew out of my hand.”
“I see it. I can’t get it right now, though.”
“Hey, Olin,” someone says from nearby. “Take him.”
It’s Pax. I gasp, my left eye watering in an effort to rid it of sand.
“Olin! Amira, we have to get Olin.”
There’s a pause. “I don’t know who that is.” She fires an arrow, immediately grabbing another one. “Who is he?”
I get to my feet. “He has a baby face and wild red hair. He’s my friend.”
I frantically scan my surroundings, and my half gaze locks onto Marcus and Pax, fistfighting about ten feet away.
Marcus is pure fury. He grabs Pax’s shirt, hauls him into the air, and slams him down on his back. One knee on either side of Pax, he punches him so hard his head sinks down into the sand.
Pax lands a powerful blow to Marcus’s side. Marcus doubles over and Pax rolls himself over, toppling Marcus to the ground.
“Olin!” Amira yells.
I blink, looking around. I can mostly see out of my left eye now, too. Amira passes me my knife and I murmur my thanks.
I find him. He’s kneeling on the ground, putting pressure on the wound of a Tider who’s already dead. His face is sunken and sickly, the leanness of his frame sending a wave of guilt through me.
