𝐀 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐒 | kaz brekker

six ཾ better angels

SIX
BETTER ANGELS

THE TRAIN LURCHED FOWARD AND back as flames illuminated the small space around them. The air was tense and filled with dread and uncertainty. Suddenly, a loud bang erupted through the air. "What was that?" Jesper questioned.

"I've erected a system of timers along the line," Arken answered fiddling with something between his hands. "Bits of metal hung on poles to keep me apprised of our pace."

"How did you know where to put the poles?" Kaz asked.

"Physics and engineering account for . . . most of my success."

"And the rest?"

"What we might call divine intervention. What others might call luck. And after all, the Fold is thick with volcra, and the tracks are not complete," Verena's heart plummeted as she processed Arken's words. "Coal, please."

"I'm sorry. Did you say the tracks weren't complete?" Jesper fumed.

"I said they aren't," Arken repeated, causing Vernea to lean forward with anger radiating off her body.

"What?" Jesper leaned forward as he spoke.

"Ah, ah, ah. No moving," Arken instructed. "We're a tad late. More coal."

"Back to the real issue. We're on tracks that don't connect to other tracks?" Jesper questioned, in denial or bewilderment from the man's idiocy.

"There is a gap but-"

"You said you could get us through," Kaz snapped.

"How much of a gap? As big as the one I'm going to leave in your stomach if we get out of here alive?" Verena seethed as her hand went to the hilt of her blade that was tucked away in her corset vest.

"I built slats on the car. They roll into place under the wheels," Arken replied calmly as he avoided Verena's glare. "The turbine generates enough wind to push us all the way to the eastern track. As long as we don't shift our weight," Arken was cut off by another metallic bang. "Now, the noise may attract volcra, but it's the only way across. Now, there's a nest nearby. But we'll be fine. If they haven't attacked us in-"

Arken was cut off by the horrific screech of volcra that stalked in the fog around them. "Well, now we've got a problem," Verena let out a silent sigh as her hand grasped the silver necklace around her neck.

"How do you fight them off?" Kaz pressed, feeling his heart race against his chest as volcra continued to cry and swarm around the train.

"I outrun them. Open the throttle and toss out all the coal, which works when there are twenty pounds of it," Arken snapped, his narrowed eyes focused on Jesper. The train rocked back and forth and a squeal echoed. "Damn it. The stupid thing impaled itself on a spike."

"Get it off. The others will stand on it," Kaz instructed.

"More coal,"

"We are down to fumes. There's nothing left," Verena shouted. Her knuckles turned white from the pressure she was putting on her necklace. Verena peered down at her hand, the glint of her ring made from the fire and she felt herself slowly calming down.

"We won't make it with this extra weight," Kaz stressed.

"Give me a second," Arken panted.

"This is how we die?" Jesper questioned no one in particular or maybe it was the Saints above.

"Jesper, grab the goat," Arken instructed.

"Not the goat," Verena expressed.

"I'm not throwing out the goat," Jesper contradicted with a glare.

"Grab the damn goat! It's not bait. It's for you. I need you to calm down. Hug the goat. Shut the hell up," Arken ranted as Inej placed her blade to her forehead and began to pray.

As Inej preyed, Jesper hugged the goat, and Verena was looking back on past memories that she had made, Kaz could only think of that moment. His eyes studied every last detail about the girl next to him. He noticed the way her vest hugged her body perfectly, her tattoo that was slightly visible from the sheer dress shirt Verena wore. Kaz studied the freckles that dusted over the bridge of her nose, thinking they were placed by an artist. The flames highlighted Verena's features beautifully like she was sculpted by the Saints and brought her down to him as an angel.

Without warning, Kaz lowered his hand to Verena's. His fingers wrapped around her wrist and felt the push and pull that reminded him that she was alive. Only then, did Kaz capture her eyes. He always loved her eyes. The colour was his favourite of blues. If Kaz had to choose the blue of the sky or Verena's eyes, he was prepared to never see the sun again. Then she spoke his name. Her voice was like milk and honey, her skin the finest silks, so familiar and warm, welcoming.

"We should've hit that twenty seconds ago," Arken muttered.

With his hand still wrapped around Verena's wrist, Kaz spoke. "Twenty seconds is?" Kas questioned as he tasted the familiar salt-laced waters on his tongue, but he refused to move his hand.

"My timings are precise to get us outside. Even twenty seconds behind means the train stops inside the Fold and . . ." Arken paused for a moment as volcra continued to screech and growl from outside. "That means we die. There's more coming."

"So soft," Jesper muttered as his hand smoothed over the soft fur of Milo and the screeching of more volcra became louder.

With a strong jerk of the train, Arken fell to the floor. "You may want to make your peace," at his words, Verena and Kaz looked at one another. Kaz's grip tightened around Verena's wrist. In his final moments, he wanted to be touching her. He needed to be touching her. It would be the only way his soul would rest.

Push her away, the voice inside of his head screamed as the frigid waters rose from his feet and the hands of corpses threatened to drag him under. But Kaz never let go.

The frail metal from the roof fell in small shards as the wing of a volcra appeared. Abruptly, Jesper took a step forward. His hand rested on the handle of his gun with Milo under his other arm. Jesper took a deep breath and unholstered his gun with a twirl. A series of gunshots sounded as Jesper hit the volcra with precision. Unholstering his other pistol, Jesper continued to hit the volcra that attacked them.

As the final bullet left the chamber, Jesper let Milo down as he let out a bleat and ran for cover under Verena's legs. "Are they all dead?" Inej questioned.

Before Verena could answer, the claws of a volcra tore through the ceiling of the train car. Amongst the screams that Arken let out, Jesper took out his spare pistol and let the last bullet pierce through the thick fog and into the mutilated face of the volcra.

As Vernea leaned against the cold, metallic wall of the train, bursts of light beamed through the large opening of the roof. Verena took in a large breath of air, enjoying the smell of tall grass and fresh breeze as opposed to the stale air the Fold had.

Kaz looked to Verena, yet again, and saw her basking im the sunlight and she was more beautiful that anything he had ever set eyes on. And Kaz was sure, the Sun Summoner was nothing compared to how Verena looked with the sunlight falling on her in beans as if she was a fallen angel.