REVOLUTION: A Rebel Among Monsters ✔

Twenty-Eight••Trek In The Snow

"Why don't you come get her?"

Valnia jumped up, on instinct thrusting her hands before her as a shield. "What?"

Lexa adopted the same stance, fists up and ready to fight. "Rebels!"

"Rebels? This thing is... human?" What Valnia had seen as a darkened figure with a toothless, bloody smile was actually a man with a gloomy mask. A man bundled in layers of snow-colored furs, no trace of visible skin, camouflaged and better geared for the cold than Valnia's crew.

Wylan pulled Adilo away and inspected him, checked his wound, his pulse. "Crap, crap."

Valnia and Lexa approached the rebel. "Who are you?" Valnia cleared her throat and heaved her fists up higher. "Why did you hurt him? And where is Melaynia?"

Rebels. She hadn't even thought of them; her only thought was for Melaynia. Or the Impians. She'd forgotten the possibility that insurgents were tied to the Eldian's evil siblings.

The rebellious man skidded backwards and lifted his clubbed weapon. "Come no closer. I have done my taunting. This is a warning. Don't seek to enter the island. Don't search any further for your friend. Retreat now, unless you plan to desert your cause and join ours." His voice was muffled under his mask, but his threat was loud and clear.

He had no idea of the fighting expert traveling with Valnia's group.

Wylan can take him... no questions asked.

Sure enough, Wylan arrived on Valnia's other side. Unlike the women, he didn't hold his arms up, but his stance was wide and bracing to lunge onto the rebel should he attempt anything. He could wipe out multiple attackers in a heartbeat—she'd seen him during his training and always marveled at his techniques.

Yet she couldn't help but wonder... how did this guy creep up on them? Had they been that preoccupied?

Lexa didn't budge. As a Supervisor, and an Attendant, she was as skilled as Wylan, if not more; but Valnia had never witnessed her in action. Recalling how easily anger flickered to life in her charcoal eyes, Valnia almost wanted to warn the separatist not to press her.

But this opponent, if overwhelmed, showed nothing of it. "I've done my part. Your friend," he jutted his chin at Adilo, immobile a few feet behind them, "isn't dead, but he'll be incapacitated for a while. Good luck finding your way without him."

"Wait!" Valnia lurched forward, meaning to grab at his coat, but he backed out of her reach. "What is your cause? And how do you know what ours is? Or who we are or what we're doing here?"

The man cackled and flipped around, running through the snow, blending into the ever-white landscape. Before any of them could attempt to pursue him... he disappeared.

Lexa lowered her arms and groaned. "Outstanding job! You scared him off!" She huffed as she stomped over to Adilo and kneeled to his level. "And we're a man down. The one person who could navigate around here."

"Aren't you supposed to be familiar with the Forbidden Side?" Valnia narrowed her gaze as she watched Lexa rubbing Adilo's forehead.

Wylan shook his head at Valnia, as if telling her to quit her provoking, then crouched beside Lexa. "He's alive, but he's not doing well. We should get him to the carriage and somewhere warm."

"Fine," Lexa stood up and set her hands on her hips, "you take him." She patted Wylan's back as he redressed himself. "Valnia and I will continue on. If you don't see or hear from us within a day... contact the Monsters and await for their instructions."