Page 60 of Country and Clove
“Hey, Aaron?” Lance asked with a grim expression. “It wouldn’t happen to be you causing the rumbling, would it?”
Aaron shook his head and took hold of Clove’s hand. “We need to run. Now.”
“Get to the complex and try not to get separated,” Lance ordered. Their large group took off in the direction of the complex. Clove spotted Graham keeping pace near the edges of the group. He was still shining in his Celestial form. How had he managed to maintain and control his Celestial gifts for so long without any training or deeper knowledge of his magic?
Aaron and Clove remained hand in hand, a silent promise passing between them.We won’t be separated again.Their trek through town revealed a mass amount of structural damage and more than a few unidentifiable remains. The deep quaking tremors stayed close at their backs as they moved ever closer to the building they all called home. Electricity pulsed up into the sky from somewhere behind the building, arcing in intricate patterns.
Lark.
A barrage of gunfire sounded from the front of the complex. Lucas was there, guarding the front entrance along with a small team. Two Durucai slid toward them, working their way up the steps. The gooey black liquid that covered their skin left a trail along their path. The third figure was a centipede-like Dolgur that continued to inch forward despite the obscene amount of bullets tearing through its flesh.
Lucas spotted the group, his eyes lighting. “We could definitely use a Celestial over here,” he yelled over the repetitive crack of the guns.
“I’ve got this.” Nova veered off toward them. “You go check on the fight in the back.”
Darren and his group followed Nova, while Lance, the Texas pack, and Aaron’s recruits hurried around toward the green.
It was pure chaos. Lark stood with his hands raised. Electrified cages trapped three wraiths. They thrashed about, suspended in midair.
Lark’s eyes flicked to the newcomers. “Has anyone seen Leah? We could really use her help right about now.”
“Find Leah!” Lance commanded.
“You heard him. Find Leah, but stick together. Half of you go with Dane. The rest stay with me.” Aaron nodded and the recruits split off. A quick shimmering preceded Romani and Leah’s arrival.
Clove breathed a sigh of relief. “She’s here.”
Leah looked exhausted. She was naked but her body was mostly hidden by the filth and ichor that coated her skin.
“Search for survivors.” Aaron redirected his recruits with a task, keeping them busy and focused.
“Take your time, Leah,” Lark spoke through gritted teeth. Clove watched on in fascination as Leah shifted into her deadly, glowing black wolf. Lark released the first wraith and Leah launched into the air, gripping the monster in her fierce jaws.
The moment she hit the ground, Romani took hold of her fur and they vanished with the wraith in tow. They repeated the actions twice more. Lark dropped to the ground in exhaustion. Leah looked close to collapsing as well when she and Romani returned from the last trip. Romani supported her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he guided her closer to the complex.
“How many are left?” Gideon called out.
Clove snapped around at the sound of the Alpha’s voice.
Gideon stood guard over Dahlia. She was moving around, stopping periodically over several vine-covered mounds. A line of dead bodies lay to her left. Clove watched the activity with confusion before a lightbulb went off in her mind.Dahlia’s trying to bring them back. She had six mounds so far but there were at least eight more bodies still uncovered.
Clove searched the faces of the dead, needing to know if Waylin was among them. Had he already been buried? Her gaze landed on a small figure leaning over one of the mounds. Strawberry-blonde hair draped down, obscuring her face, but Clove would have known her anywhere.
“Ginger!” Clove wove through the mounds and dropped down beside her twin. Ginger’s eyes were red and her face puffy and swollen.
“It’s Hunter.” Her voice was raspy and hoarse. Clove peered down at the mound. It was identical to all the others.No. It can’t be.Her heart broke at the realization that her twin had lost her fated mate.
“Dahlia’s magic will work. She’ll bring him back,” Clove assured her.
“The magic doesn’t always work. Dahlia said it’s not up to her.” Ginger’s gaze was wide with panic and grief.
“It will work.” Clove’s words were forceful, determined.
“Waylin’s here too,” Ginger said in a quiet voice. She pointed to the mound next to Hunter’s. Clove’s hands fell over the earth and the brush of Dahlia’s magic tingled beneath her fingers.
“What happens now?” Clove asked, her gaze lingering on Waylin’s tomb.
“She’s done what she can. The goddess has to decide who comes back and who stays gone. We’re looking for growth, flowers. They’ll cover the ones who are coming back. The ones who aren’t will be returned to the earth.” Ginger’s tears started up again. “They have to bring back Hunter. They have to.”
