Page 63 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

“You’re the distraction, distract him.”

“How?”

“I don’t know, seduce him.”

Brilliant plan Zac. Ty’s mouth pulls into a wicked grin as I circle him and Lawrence. “You were having a party without me?” I ask.

Zac groans in my mind.“I’m not exactly the seducing type!”I snap.

“Keep him talking,”he says.

Lawrence spins to follow me, whilst Ty stands still, letting me know he considers my power inconsequential. “What are we celebrating with all these lovely people?”

“My freedom,” he rumbles as I stop behind him. He takes the bait and turns.

“We could have a more private party,” my gaze flicks to Lawrence who grins, as if he’d ever be invited, “for two.” Lawrence’s grin drops.

“After the ritual,” he says, focusing on my lips. A shadow drops from one of the many holes in the wall. A shock of blonde hair clueing me in to Nathan’s entrance. Another person drops - Zee - he lands with a tiny thud. Ty begins to turn, I lean forward and grasp his jaw with my hand. He pauses, focusing on me. Having the King of Monster’s full attention is like looking down the barrel of a gun that’s loaded with a single bullet inscribed with your name. He studies me for a beat before snatching his hand out, grabbing my throbbing right arm and spinning me around. He plasters himself to my back as he turns us both to where the guys should have dropped in by now. His breath skitters over my neck as he leans down.

“How many of those pesky protectors have you brought with you?” he whispers.

“Two,” I snap, pulling my neck to one side to avoid him. Idiot takes it as some kind of invitation and licks my throat. I stifle the disgust at feeling his tongue on my skin. He tightens his arm, trapping mine at my sides.

A scuffle happens to the left and robed people push Duncan through the villagers. He glances at me as Zee follows.

“What was the plan?” Ty rumbles.

“I was the distraction,” I mutter the only part I know. Clever Zac, you can’t spill secrets you don’t know.

“And what a beautiful distraction you are. One I shall be pleased to lose myself in afterwards.” Keeping a firm grasp on me with one arm, he stretches out the other and a pulse of power emanates from it, making the ground rumble. The floor crumbles in front of villagers, leaving a gaping hole between us and them. Steam rises, a few shouts of terror coming from the people as Lawrence chants and Ty moves us forward. The drums start again. “We’re going to stand over here,” Ty says. I glance down as we step over the circle of runes. Pretty sure it’s the first thing we’ve agreed on.

A terrified scream erupts, snagging my attention to the left. A woman’s long raven hair and white sheath are all I see before she disappears into the gap. I glare at Zee and Duncan in horror. What was the freakin plan! A bundle of muscle launches from one of the holes. He flies across the space, heading straight for… crap. I want to duck, but the lumbering idiot behind me seems to believe he’s above being hit in the face, maybe because I’m his shield. Using self-defense 101, because the King of Monsters believes himself impervious, I stamp on his foot and jab my elbow into his ribs. He grunts in surprise before I turn in his loosened arms and jab an uppercut to his nose. Cartilage grinds and red sprays from his nostrils as he clutches it. I lift my knee and hope I’m not going to damage him. I’m kind of attached to his balls. He drops forward in a groan. God is a woman, otherwise why gift us with the ability to hurt a man this much from such a simple move? Moving around Ty, I find Zac straddling a confused looking Lawrence whilst he hurls punches into his gut. Lawrence grins at him, displaying bloody teeth. That particular Prince of Hell is a few nuts short of a fruitcake.

“What is the purpose of this?” Zac shouts in Lawrence’s face.

Someone grabs my arm, the scent of cinnamon and oranges hitting me before I remove their hand from their arm. “Can you close the gap?” Duncan asks, nodding towards the gaping hole.

I rub my hands together and pull my power to my fingers. The ground rumbles beneath our feet as another white sheath disappears, a man by the depth of his scream. I glance to the sacrifices, a girl no older than five clutches a teddy and looks to the side where a woman with similar hair and the same eyes looks back at her with wide eyes and a trembling mouth. The robed figure moves forward to give a helping hand to the child, right into the pit of fire. I stamp my foot, the power shooting through my body into the ground like a lightning bolt. They push the girl to the edge, a look of pure terror settling on her face as she realizes what is about to happen. With a scream of frustration I stamp my foot again, the island spins to the right and tips, like a spinner landing. The girl jumps and lands on the tipped ground, her teddy gripped tight in one hand, her other finding purchase in the ground. I skid towards her, the uneven ground shifts and tilts to catch the woman, then the man next her.

Duncan moves next to me towards the people, we both make unsteady progress.

“Well this is a unique way of saving people,” he mutters. I drop to the floor and slide the final few yards to the girl on my ass. I spin around onto my stomach and thrust out my hand to her.

She blinks at me with distrust. “What’s your name, honey?” I ask praying she speaks English.

“Lorene,” she whispers as tears slide down her cheeks.

“I’m Natia. I’m here to help you.”

She erupts into sobs as Duncan reaches for the woman next to her. She doesn’t hesitate and grips his arm, hauling herself towards the safety of the center of this spinning island. The guy next to her rotates onto his back and helps the boy next to him. The island continues to tilt, making its way around, it’s past the three quarters mark and is about to reach us, her tiny feet are so close to the edge. Panic grips me, I won’t watch another person die. Her eyes skitter to the left and widen. My heart sends a thrum of power through my body and one of many connections I feel snaps tight, Lorene gasps as she stares in awe at my face. I’m ninety percent sure my eyes are doing something weird. She reaches out her teddy hand, its scruffy legs trembling. The ground rumbles under my abdomen as the tilt reaches us. I grab her wrist and drag her towards me. I twist and pull her on top of me. Her skinny arms wrap around my neck as the ground rights itself, I tip my head backwards as an explosion of flames in the gap appears. Lorene pulls back and follows my stare with a gulp.

“Hey, I got you. You’re safe now,” I tell her.

She looks at me, her eyes scanning my own. She places her hand over my heart. “Hope?” she questions.

My eyes widen in surprise. “What?”

“Natia means hope,” she whispers. “You are hope.”

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