Against All Odds (Silent Moments Series: Book 2)

Chapter 27

 The next thing you knew, Skykru and Trikru were marching into battle side by side. It was a surreal sight, considering that we were walking towards the looming specter of potential death. Yet, strangely, I found myself in relatively high spirits, my determination unwavering. Lexa and I walked together, our steps in sync as we shared a few moments of quiet camaraderie. It was a fragile peace in the midst of impending chaos. Suddenly, one of our guards approached me, their expression serious, and asked me to go ahead and scout the path. After all, I knew it better than anyone else.

"They want me to go scout," I said to Lexa, my voice tinged with a mixture of duty and regret. I leaned down to kiss the back of her hand gently.

"Be careful," she whispered, her eyes filled with concern, and I nodded in response.

I turned to glance back at my sister and Lexa, their figures walking side by side, sharing an unspoken connection that transcended the impending danger. Quickly, I wiped the smile off my face and broke into a run, darting ahead of the group with a sense of urgency. I sprinted for ten minutes, my senses on high alert, but then decided to slow to a walk. It was during this transition that I could have sworn I heard a branch snap, setting off alarm bells in my mind. Keeping my eyes sharply focused on my surroundings, I cautiously reached for my gun, preparing for any potential threat.

I sprinted through the dense undergrowth for what felt like an eternity, my senses heightened to the smallest nuances of the forest. With every step, the leaves crunched beneath my boots, and the rhythmic pounding of my heart echoed in my ears. The air was thick with tension, the looming battle casting its long shadow over our path. As I slowed to a walk, I allowed myself to merge with the forest's eerie silence. My breathing, once rapid, became a steady rhythm, blending with the soft rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. The world around me seemed to hold its breath.

Then, in a moment of almost imperceptible sound, I heard it—a branch snapping under an unknown force. It sent shockwaves through me, jolting my senses into high alert. My muscles tensed, and my hand instinctively reached for my gun, fingers wrapping around its cool, reassuring grip. With deliberate care, I continued to move forward, my eyes scanning the shadows, the dappled moonlight filtering through the dense canopy above. Every twig, every glimmer of moonlight on a blade of grass, held significance as I remained vigilant against the unknown danger that might lurk in the obscurity of the forest. The world seemed suspended in that moment, a fragile balance between anticipation and fear. I navigated the uncharted territory, prepared for whatever peril might reveal itself in the enigmatic wilderness ahead.

***

A soft, persistent voice roused me from the depths of unconsciousness, its gentle cadence gradually pulling me back to the waking world. "Wake up, come on, Kegan. Wake up," the voice urged, carrying a note of urgency that pierced through my disorientation.

As I struggled to regain awareness, I found myself in an unfamiliar setting, the room bathed in dim, filtered light. My head throbbed with a dull ache, and a sense of disorientation hung heavy in the air. "Where am I?" I mumbled, my voice a weak murmur.

"You're back in the mountain," a voice replied from behind me, its tone laced with relief. I turned to see Monty, his eyes filled with concern and familiarity.

"Monty," I exclaimed, overcome with a wave of relief at the sight of my friend. I pulled him into a tight embrace, clinging to the reassurance of his presence. "Thank goodness you're okay. But where exactly are we?"

Monty gently disengaged from our hug, his expression grave. "You remember Maya, right?"

I nodded, recalling the kind and resilient member of our group. "Yes, I do."