Partisan - Book II

A Hostile Environment

"What—" she hisses, but Rahul cuts her off:

"You'll do as I say or you'll be one teammate short." He's panting, eyes gleaming with the victory of catching them off guard while Lei huffs from the ground, dust spewing out around his face. Lei's eyes are flitting around, calculating, and they meet Allayria's for a moment.

This isn't supposed to be part of the game, she thinks, digging her heel into the dirt as she bends her knees, just barely. I don't know if I can call that knife in time...

"Give me the rope."

She mentally reaches out for the metal, searching for it with that intuitive sense.

I'll knock him across the head with it, and kick him in the face for good measure. We'll just have to swear Finn to secrecy—not that anyone would believe him anyway...

Rahul digs the very tip of the knife into Lei's skin, letting her see a bit of blood bubble up.

"Give me the rope now."

Wait—

Oh Gods.

Allayria Skills out for the knife again, grasping, but she doesn't feel the metal. Her eyes meet Lei's.

"That's right: I don't have a problem hurting Beinsho's toy soldier," Rahul says, misinterpreting her slack expression. "Don't make me ask again."

Allayria begins easing the rope off slowly, letting it pool on the ground next to her.

Ok, Plan B. I could... I could...

But reaching for anything else would take too long.

Spirit-calling, she thinks desperately, trying to ignore the roiling in her stomach at the thought, I would need skin-to-skin contact—

" 'Laryia," Lei croaks.

"Shut it," Rahul warns, and his hand, just below the tip of the knife, smashes Lei's neck against the ground.

"Stop it!" Allayria shouts as Lei gasps and gags, a hand tightening on the rope.

Just do it. Just do it.

But then something strange happens.

It's like Rahul locks in place, going rigid as the knife clatters on the floor. His hands suddenly twitch and seize, folding up across his body in strange twists and angles, and he collapses inward. Knees crunching against the earth as his head is bent back and his wild eyes dart around. Breath spurts out of his mouth in rapid pants, the only thing in the horrified silence, until his head suddenly flies forward, thrown down on a jut of rock with a crack. He crumples.

Allayria feels frozen too as she stares at the stilled heap.

I didn't do anything. I didn't. I know I didn't. How—?

" 'Laryia," Lei rasps again, a hand clutching at his throat as he tries to raise himself off the ground. "W-what did you—?"

But his gaze moves off of her, and Allayria follows it.

Finn stands a few steps behind her, a hand still outstretched, surveying Rahul with a blank look. He must feel their eyes on him, because he glances up.

"It's okay," he tells them. "He can't hurt you anymore."

Allayria's knees weaken and she braces her hands on them to prevent total collapse.

"Finn," she says feebly. "Finn, what the hell was that?"

The boy's large, brown eyes settle onto her, and his brow crinkles in confusion.