Page 50 of The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom 2)

The roar of the wind was deafening, the strength of it buffeting them from side to side, the sand scouring over her exposed flesh, her eyes pure agony as she gripped Aren’s hand, dragging him forward step by step.

You can do this,she silently screamed at herself.You will survive this.

Darkness fell, and Lara shut her eyes, pulling the scarf up to completely conceal her face.

She had no sense of direction. Barely any sense of up and down.

There were heavier things than sand in the air now, and she cried out as a rock sliced across her shoulder.

Next to her, Aren was coughing violently, then he fell, hand jerking from hers.

“Aren!” she screamed, fumbling around in the sand, now coughing as well, tiny particles sneaking through her scarf to choke her lungs. “Aren!”

But she couldn’t find him, and she was terrified to move lest she went the wrong way. “Aren!”

She reached as far as she could, turning in a circle on her knees. Pieces of rock hammered her, slicing through her clothes. Through her flesh. “Aren!”

Her fingers brushed fabric, and Lara lunged, finding his slumped form. She pressed her lips to where the fabric of his scarf covered his ear. “Get up!” They’d be buried if they stayed still for long. “Crawl!”

He stirred, dragging himself onto his hands and knees. She could feel him jerking with each cough, though she couldn’t hear him over the wind. Over the loud crackle of thunder.

Through her eyelids, she saw a flash of lightning, her ears aching from theboomthat followed. Then her nose filled with the smell of smoke.

The lightning had hit one of the oasis trees.

Barely able to breathe, she clutched tight to Aren’s coat, following the elusive smell that swirled and danced around her.

Keep going,she chanted.You will not let him die.

Her fingers jammed against something hard. Coughing, Lara felt the object. Smooth stone. Blocks.

The wall of the training yard, now almost buried by sand.

She eagerly pressed onward, following the wall, which would eventually circle around to the building where weapons were stored. They could take cover inside until the storm blew over.

Aren collapsed.

“No!” she screamed. “No!” Then a fit of coughing made words impossible.

Catching hold of him under the arms, she dragged him, step by agonizing step. Falling and forcing herself back up again, checking constantly to ensure the wall was still next to her.

But he was so damned heavy. Twice her size, and she was spent. Was exhausted and choking, and if she could just lay down and rest . . .

“No!” The word forced itself out between choking breaths.

Step.

Step.

The wall disappeared from beneath her left hand. Trusting her memory, she moved forward until she collided with a building. Lowering Aren to the ground, she kept one hand on his as she felt for the door.

There.

It was open, and she dragged Aren inside, laying him down next to the back wall. She retreated to the door, shoveling handfuls of sand out of the way, then hauling on the wood until it shut, the heavy latch falling into place.

Her eyes burned, and with every third breath, she coughed, her mouth full of grit and too dry for her to spit. But Aren, she feared, was in a worse state.

He hadn’t stirred from where she’d dropped him. He coughed almost continually, but it was the dehydration that concerned her most because it could kill him.Wouldkill him, if she didn’t get him water soon.

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