Praised By Magic: Unbreakable Series, Book 3

Chapter 7

Tyler

I heard Kris again. I'm doing my best to hurry to find her. She doesn't sound like herself. I know she is struggling, but I don't know what Angela has done to her. When we find Kris, will she still be my Kris? Will I be able to heal her from whatever has been done to her? I try to keep my thoughts from getting too far gone. It won't help any of us if I let myself go there. I'm always preaching to not let our feelings or thoughts consume us, so I better get on board and practice what I preach.

I clear the hall to my right. Kyle remains behind me for backup. He heard Kris through my thoughts and is now even more eager for us to find her.

We haven't checked the gym yet. Kyle points out.

I round the next corner, and that is where I see the debris from our last escape. The hall is littered with rubble, broken wires from the lights hang down from the ceiling. I look down the hall and wonder what the best route would be. We will have to walk through it cautiously. The wires from the lights could still be live. I doubt Angela would turn the electricity off just because the live wires will be an obstacle for her enemy to get through.

Mind your step and watch the wires.

Kyle nods.

I turn and begin my way through the mess. It would be much easier if we could shift into a smaller form. Shifting at headquarters is impossible. Angela is smart, and she knew eventually we could take back headquarters for ourselves, simply by shifting into any kind of beast of our choosing. She invented some kind of perimeter that makes shifters unable to shift after they go beyond it. To us, it feels like a constant electric sting, like static electricity making the hair on your arms stand on end. It is minor but can get annoying after a while.

An ear-piercing scream fills the hall. All the hair on my neck stands on end. My heart beats hard against my chest, anger rises up from deep inside me. I growl and force my way through the wires. Their bites of electricity hit my body and singe through my shirt to my skin. I don't feel anything more than a slight shock. Kyle is close on my heels. I don't know if he is maneuvering through the wires or just pushing his way through like I am. I don't care. He can think for himself.

By the time we reach the end of the hall, Kris's cry has become more of a wail. I know I have to move fast to get to her. I yank the gym door from its damaged hinges and toss it to the side. I never ventured down this way when I came back to find her parents and Janet. I knew where Angela was hiding them. She kept them in a holding cell by her office. As I walk into the gym, Kris lies on a metal table on the other side of the gym. Somehow, the gym is mostly unscathed from the explosions that occurred during my recovery mission. Kris was the one who found me and got me out of here.

I focus my attention on Kris and break out in a sprint. She is still now, but the IV is still in her arm. A clear bag stained with orange liquid hangs above her. I know what the liquid does. Angela has used it on me twice before. My feet quicken their pace. I have to get to her, and I need to do it fast.

Tyler, watch out! Kyle warns.

I had been so focused on getting over to Kris that I had forgotten for a moment that he was with me. His warning snaps me back to my surroundings. I look to my left as a shadow catches my eye. I stay alert, listening for Kris. Her thoughts or for her to cry out again, but there is nothing. A part of me worries we are too late, but she has to be alive!

Five deputies try to intercept us. I raise my gun to the three coming at us from the front. An arm tightens around my neck before I have a chance to fire. I didn't see the deputies who came from behind.

I plant my feet and thrust the top of my body forward, tossing my assailant to the ground. He scrambles to get up, but I proceed with the second one. The deputy extends his leg out and tries to take my feet out from under me. I'm one step ahead of him. I grab his foot and pull his leg upwards; he falls to the ground on top of the other deputy.