city, citizens were stabbed and hacked in every direction.
Soon the streets, filled with bodies, ran with blood.
Dozens more soldiers charged for them, and Dierdre knew that she and Marco could not defend against them all. Just feet away, Dierdre braced herself as Pandesians, in their blue and yellow armor, raised swords and hatchets and bore down on them. She knew her life was about to end.
Just then, a cannonball smashed into a wall, and it toppled and blocked off the soldiers’ approach, ironically crushing a few of them and creating a wall of defense. Dierdre breathed deep, realizing they had one last chance for survival.
“This way!” Marco shouted.
He grabbed her wrist and dragged her and they began to run through the city, weaving their way amidst the destruction. She knew that Marco knew the city better than anyone, and if they had any chance of survival, he would find it.
They twisted and turned down one street after the other, through clouds of dust, jumping over rubble, past dead bodies, avoiding bands of roving soldiers. Finally, Marco tugged her to a stop.
At first Dierdre was puzzled, seeing nothing; but then Marco bent down, wiped away some dust, and revealed in iron hatch hidden in the stone. He yanked it up, and Dierdre was amazed to see a hole leading underground.
Dierdre heard a noise and turned to see two Pandesians emerge from a cloud of dust, charging, axes raised high. Before she even had time to ponder it, Marco grabbed her and yanked her down—and she shrieked as she went falling belowground, hurling somewhere into the blackness.
CHAPTER TEN
Kyra opened her eyes as she felt a tremendous warmth radiate throughout her body, feeling like the heat of the sun were spreading through her. Her eyes were heavy, and as she was met by a world of white light, it took her a moment to realize where she was. She raised her hand to the morning sun, breaking through the trees, a new dawn spreading over the wood, and she had never experienced such a feeling of peace.
As Kyra felt the heat coursing through her, she looked down at her stomach and was amazed to see her wound was mostly healed. She ran a finger over it, stunned: her skin was almost smooth.
Kyra looked up as she sensed motion, and she saw a face. She was thrilled to see those intense, shining eyes looking down at her, fixed on hers.
Kyle.
He knelt over her, holding her hand, and as she looked into his eyes, she felt as if they held the power of the sun. She felt waves of heat coursing through his palm, into hers, making her more and more sleepy. Her eyes were so heavy, not fully open, as though she couldn’t quite cast off her heavy slumber.
She smiled, reassured by his presence, feeling such a wave of love and gratitude toward him.
“You’re still here,” she said, her voice soft, in a dreamlike state.
“Shh,” he said, looking down, running a soft hand through her hair. “You must sleep. The wound was deep. But it is healing now. My time here is done.”
She looked up, feeling a sudden rush of concern.
“Are you leaving me?” she asked, panicked, feeling so alone in the world.
He smiled down at her.
“My tower is in danger,” he replied. “My people need me now.”
There was so much Kyra wanted to ask him, but she couldn’t find the words. Her mind was still in a haze, and her exhaustion deepened with every moment.
“Stay,” she whispered.
But exhaustion overcame her, and as Kyle placed a palm on her eyes, a tremendous heat forced them closed.
Kyra felt herself getting lighter, shifting into white light, drifting back to sleep. The last thing she remembered, before her eyes closed completely, was Kyle removing his necklace, a startling star-shaped sapphire, and draping it over her neck. She felt its cool healing power on her collarbone.
“What’s mine is yours now,” he said. “Sleep. And remember me.”
*
Kyra sat bolt upright. She opened her eyes to see the sun high overhead, and she
Soon the streets, filled with bodies, ran with blood.
Dozens more soldiers charged for them, and Dierdre knew that she and Marco could not defend against them all. Just feet away, Dierdre braced herself as Pandesians, in their blue and yellow armor, raised swords and hatchets and bore down on them. She knew her life was about to end.
Just then, a cannonball smashed into a wall, and it toppled and blocked off the soldiers’ approach, ironically crushing a few of them and creating a wall of defense. Dierdre breathed deep, realizing they had one last chance for survival.
“This way!” Marco shouted.
He grabbed her wrist and dragged her and they began to run through the city, weaving their way amidst the destruction. She knew that Marco knew the city better than anyone, and if they had any chance of survival, he would find it.
They twisted and turned down one street after the other, through clouds of dust, jumping over rubble, past dead bodies, avoiding bands of roving soldiers. Finally, Marco tugged her to a stop.
At first Dierdre was puzzled, seeing nothing; but then Marco bent down, wiped away some dust, and revealed in iron hatch hidden in the stone. He yanked it up, and Dierdre was amazed to see a hole leading underground.
Dierdre heard a noise and turned to see two Pandesians emerge from a cloud of dust, charging, axes raised high. Before she even had time to ponder it, Marco grabbed her and yanked her down—and she shrieked as she went falling belowground, hurling somewhere into the blackness.
CHAPTER TEN
Kyra opened her eyes as she felt a tremendous warmth radiate throughout her body, feeling like the heat of the sun were spreading through her. Her eyes were heavy, and as she was met by a world of white light, it took her a moment to realize where she was. She raised her hand to the morning sun, breaking through the trees, a new dawn spreading over the wood, and she had never experienced such a feeling of peace.
As Kyra felt the heat coursing through her, she looked down at her stomach and was amazed to see her wound was mostly healed. She ran a finger over it, stunned: her skin was almost smooth.
Kyra looked up as she sensed motion, and she saw a face. She was thrilled to see those intense, shining eyes looking down at her, fixed on hers.
Kyle.
He knelt over her, holding her hand, and as she looked into his eyes, she felt as if they held the power of the sun. She felt waves of heat coursing through his palm, into hers, making her more and more sleepy. Her eyes were so heavy, not fully open, as though she couldn’t quite cast off her heavy slumber.
She smiled, reassured by his presence, feeling such a wave of love and gratitude toward him.
“You’re still here,” she said, her voice soft, in a dreamlike state.
“Shh,” he said, looking down, running a soft hand through her hair. “You must sleep. The wound was deep. But it is healing now. My time here is done.”
She looked up, feeling a sudden rush of concern.
“Are you leaving me?” she asked, panicked, feeling so alone in the world.
He smiled down at her.
“My tower is in danger,” he replied. “My people need me now.”
There was so much Kyra wanted to ask him, but she couldn’t find the words. Her mind was still in a haze, and her exhaustion deepened with every moment.
“Stay,” she whispered.
But exhaustion overcame her, and as Kyle placed a palm on her eyes, a tremendous heat forced them closed.
Kyra felt herself getting lighter, shifting into white light, drifting back to sleep. The last thing she remembered, before her eyes closed completely, was Kyle removing his necklace, a startling star-shaped sapphire, and draping it over her neck. She felt its cool healing power on her collarbone.
“What’s mine is yours now,” he said. “Sleep. And remember me.”
*
Kyra sat bolt upright. She opened her eyes to see the sun high overhead, and she
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