Page 135 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

“Natia,” Duncan whispers.

I spin around on my knees, straight into a puddle of blood.

“No, no, no, no,” I whisper, slamming my hand against Duncan’s bloody stomach. He grimaces and places his hand over mine.

“You don’t get to die on me,” I grind out. I can’t do this without him. Memories of losing my gran flash through my mind; the grief, the loneliness, the knowledge that one of the few people who love me is gone. Jed rushes over as Zac and the cadre burst through the door. Zac teleports to stand beside me, blocking Jed from reaching Duncan.

“Don’t heal him,” Zac says, facing off against Jed.

I glance over my shoulder at Jed. “Move,” he says to Zac.

Zac points at me. “She double crossed us, she gave Ty the key. We will no longer help her.” Duncan’s hand goes lax, I dart my gaze at his face. He’s passed out, or…

“Help him!” I shout, tears stream down my face. Leaving one hand on Duncan’s stomach, I raise the other towards Zac. With a blast of icy air, he goes flying and hits the warehouse wall. I tug on my power and create a cyclone of air, protecting me, Duncan and Jed.

Jed doesn’t hesitate, he collapses to his knees opposite me. “I need to roll him,” Jed says.

My thoughts are scattered, every piece of training has gone out of the window. “Why?” I ask.

“To see if the bullet has gone through.” Jed rolls an unconscious Duncan over, blood pumps out of his back. “It’s through.”

I nod, helping him lay Duncan flat. Jed pushes my hand away from Duncan’s stomach, and replaces it with his own, his face hard in concentration.

“You do this, and you are no longer a part of the cadre,”Zac shouts, using the mental link as the cyclone roars around us.

Jed’s jaw twitches as his gaze meets mine. I don’t want him abandoned by his own kind, but to not heal Duncan because of some perceived slight is barbaric. “He’ll be okay,” he reassures me. “Let’s get him back to the cave.”

I release my first deep breath for what feels like hours. I clutch Jed’s arm and we travel through space and time to land in Duncan’s cave. Jed scoops him up and heads towards his bedroom, I follow close on his heels. He lays Duncan on the left side, I climb on the high bed and clutch Duncan’s hand. Jed takes a step back and runs his hands through his hair.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

My head snaps to him. “What are you sorry for? You saved Duncan, I can never repay you.”

He sighs, “I’ll get the rest of the team, but after that I need to return to the cadre.”

My mouth drops open. “What?”

“I need to fix this rift with Zac.”

I frown. “He was going to let Duncan die.”

“He’s angry.”

“He’s a douche nozzle.”

“He’s family.”

“He’s an arrogant pig with no regard for human life.”

Jed frowns. “That’s not true, he has been instrumental in finding the Jar and… you.”

“And his first reaction was to kill me.”

Jed links his fingers behind his head and sighs. “If we are going to get Archan back, we must work together. If we don’t, we may as well bow out of the fight now.” He blinks out of existence.

Duncan’s hand twitches. “Duncan?”

His eyes blink open. “Locks?”

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