“Nothing less than he deserved.” He pulled a dagger from a sheath on his belt, and I shoved my fingers into my mouth, emitting a high-pitched whistle.
The assassin laughed. “No one’s going to rescue you,princess,” he spit the last word like it was poison.
“I won’t let you hurt my sister!” I snarled, trying to hide my terror as the man drew closer.
“I’m not going to hurt her,” he jeered, coming to a stop a few paces away. “I’m going to kill her. Again.” He hurled the knife but missed as I dodged, stumbling over a boulder. Pain stung my hands and knees when I landed on them, but I bolted upright, grabbing for a rock.
The assassin's foot pummeled my side, stealing my breath and knocking me back to the ground. My head cracked against the rocks, pain bursting in my skull. He charged, his fist connecting with the side of my face, and the world spun. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and I screamed as he hauled me up, bringing my face close to his.
“I can see why he fell for your wiles.” He sneered, running a rough finger over my aching jaw and down my exposed neck. “Evil or not, you’re too pretty for your own good. Temptation at its finest, eh?”
I recoiled at his touch, and he laughed. His hand left my throat, reappearing a moment later with another knife. “A pity Ryker was too weak to finish the job.”
“I’m not weak.” Ryker appeared behind the man, pressing a spear head against the assassin’s neck. The Outlander’s eyes widened and he dropped me. I crashed to the ground and scrambled backwards, staring at Ryker. Indecision played across his bloody face as the man tried to twist in his grasp, but he angled the tip deeper into his flesh, drawing blood.
“Traitor,” the Outlander spat, stiffening in Ryker’s grip.
“I’m not the one killing innocents.”
“They’re not innocent. They’re demon’s and you once knew that.”
A screech permeated the air and both men went rigid as Arrow’s wings blocked out the sun like an avenging angel. She dove with a scream, snatching the assassin in her claws. He only shrieked once before Coal joined Arrow in the sky, and, fighting for his piece of the kill, tore the man in two. I retched, my already empty stomach dry heaving.
Ryker rushed forward, scooping me into his arms. “Are you alright?”
Tremors wracked my body, and I shook my head, unable to speak. Taking his face in both of my hands, I cringed at the welt forming along his jaw, and the blood drying over his lips and nose. I pressed my forehead to his, trying my hardest not to sob.
“Th-thank you,” I panted, trying to get my erratic breathing under control.
“I thought he was going to kill you.” Ryker tightened his hold on me. I reluctantly pulled away, glancing over his shoulder to check on my sister. My blood ran cold.
She lay on the bank in a pool of blood next to Alex’s spear-less corpse. Ryker must have pulled him from the water when he’d taken the weapon he’d used to save me.
“Cas-Cassie!” I pulled out of Ryker’s arms, flying across the space between us, and collapsed to the ground beside my sister, where she lay on her side, curled in a shivering ball. “Cassie?” She still didn’t respond.
Ryker knelt beside me, carefully rolling her over onto her back.
“No.” I stared at the knife she clutched protruding from her abdomen. “It’s going to be okay,” I murmured, brushing Cassie’s blood soaked hair from her face. Her face twisted in pain as her chest rose and fell in shaky motions. Reaching for my power once again, I flinched when Ryker’s hand rested on my shoulder.
“You can’t save her, Kaleah.”
“I can heal her.”
He shook his head, the muscles working along his jaw. “You can heal the wound, but the knife’s laced in the same manticore poison I used on you. It would take someone with great power and extensive training to purge it from her system.”
“I have to try.” Chest heaving, I turned away, placing my hands on either side of the knife.
Ryker’s hand covered mine. “You’ll kill yourself—”
“I don’t care!” I tore my hand away, shaking. “She’s my sister.” She couldn’t die.
Ryker pursed his lips, but nodded a moment later. “Start healing her, and I’ll remove the knife when you’re ready.”
“Thank you.” I shuddered, replacing my hands on my sister’s bloody stomach. Even though I was already exhausted, the divinity within me rose easily, humming at the tips of my fingers. I pushed it downward, following its path as it flowed into her. My head spun, my energy depleting quickly, but I concentrated, willing her skin and internal organs and muscles to heal.
“Now!”
Ryker ripped the knife out, blood gushing from the gaping wound and soaking my hands. Trembling from the exertion, I forced more of my divinity into my sister and the blood slowed. I slipped sideways, unable to hold myself up any longer. I barely noticed Ryker’s arms encompass me, holding me upright. Struggling to stay conscious, the wound finally started to close, the skin stitching itself together before my eyes. Head spinning, I used my divinity to do one last sweep through her, making sure everything was as it should be. My breath caught in my throat. There wasn’t just one heartbeat—her baby was still alive.