Crimson Lace

Chapter 54

WESLEY
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

We move as one. With the others close at my side, I have no doubt that we have the upper hand, because while the guards may have more Nobles, they do not have half the strength that we do.

Above us, the rain pelts down, turning the courtyard to slick muck soiled in blood. The falling drops make it difficult to see, but we make it work

I lunge with the dagger I plucked off of a deceased guard and swiftly plunge the tip of my blade into the back of an unsuspecting Noble, seconds before he gets the chance to finish choking the Queen of Dottera's panther between his brawny arms. The Firmfist releases a gargled gasp before falling flat on his stomach.

I yank the blade out of his spine and whirl around to check on the others.

Through the fog and rain, I can just make out their faces a few feet away from me.

The redhead, Franco, steps like a gazelle. He is light on his feet, springing from victim to victim. I watch for a moment as he presses his palms against the chest of a Noble. The guard begins to shriek as Franco's hands glow red and the man's iron breastplate melts at the touch. The Burner injures the guard, but doesn't use his abilities to kill. Not yet at least.

Watching Alec fight is beyond terrifying. Even without his lightning he is a beast in battle, standing out amongst the rest like a boulder surrounded by daisies. He leaps onto the shoulders of his prey, hooking his legs around their necks and dropping them to the ground. I can't help but notice that his victims are also still breathing. Their faces purpled and slightly puffy from strangulation, but he moves to wound not kill.

I duck under the watery wave of a Hydro from House Neptune. They have an advantage with all of this rain. Shit, they are probably the ones who are causing it. The wave slams into several soldiers behind me, knocking them to the ground in a heap of armor and rifles.

I smile to myself. "Am I too nimble for ya?" I tease, grabbing a hold of a gun from off the ground.

The Hydro sneers, coiling his hands around a sword. "Not with that banged up arm you aren't. Good luck getting out of here alive." His voice is deep, gargled. Like water lives freely in his lungs. It probably does.

We circle each other. My uninjured arm supporting the gun with an elbow and maneuvering my fingers over the trigger. "If you think I am dying here, then you are in for a nasty surprise."

Before the Hydro can react, I fire my bullets into his feet, sending him falling onto his ass.

He shrieks, trying to clutch the holes in his boots as blood gushes out.

I approach, standing over him so that he is forced to look me in the eyes. "Call it an example of mercy," I huff. "I'm letting you go home in one piece. More kindness than your people have ever shown for mine."

"You little shit," he hallers, reaching up to grab my wrist.

I trip over my feet, trying to break free of his grasp. But he yanks my arm out of the belt Ash fastened as a sling. My limb pops loudly out of the socket again. A painful jolt thrusts through my nerves. I grunt, dropping to my knees and fumbling with my free hand to wrap my fingers around the trigger of the gun.

The Hydro twists my arm diagonally and the bones in my elbow crack horribly. I cry out, glancing down at the damage through blurry eyes. My arm is bent in the most uncomfortable looking position. Vomit rises in my throat. Holy fuck.

He just broke my arm.

The grip on my wrist tightens. I can hardly move. The pain reverberating through my entire upper body.