Shadow Moses [Fransykes]

Chapter 44

I pulled away from Josh, stumbling back. My feet scraped the dry soil, but I regained my balance quick. My eyes flew from Josh to Chris whose motionless body Alissa lied in the soil. 

My breathing was quick. This was a mistake.

"Are you absolutely out of your fucking mind?" I didn't mean to yell but it seemed it was the only way to overpower the loud beats of my heart. "Are you trying to get us all killed?" 

I marched towards Alissa. 

"If he doesn't catch up with the rest before they reach the realm we're all dead within a day!"

"We can defend ourselves," she said calmly, not even looking at me.

I opened my mouth, taking a breath to yell again but she forestalled me as she looked at her people scattered around us. 

"Leila," she said.

Emma's sister let go of the shield she held, heading towards her Commander the second she called her name.

Alissa alternately switched her gaze between her and Josh. "Take him upstairs to the third floor. We need to question him."

My eyes were wide as I stared at her. Did she think this was a fucking game?

I gripped her hand, pulling her towards me and forcing her to face me.

"What we need to do is wake Chris up and make him leave," I hissed. "If he's not at the walls when the others get there The President will send out a hundred more, we won't-"

"Did you seriously think I'd let him take you?" She ripped her hand out of my grip. "If you think I'd let you go like that then you need to get over yourself because that's not going to happen!" 

My eyes narrowed.

"I'm not letting you go Oliver," she said, "I'm not letting anyone go." 

My heavy breathing gradually fell to an even rhythm as every function in my body went from alert to calm. The sincere mixture of hope and fear in her eyes left me so shocked I forgot to react. It was like I sometimes forgot to perceive her as anything more but a killer fighting for her own interests. 

"No one died today," she said, her gaze capturing all the people around us. "We can stay here and defend ourselves. Shields, jackets... We will win this war. Christian can hide behind his army all he wants but they don't have soul. We have the skill and spirit. They can't beat us! We are The Clan! The one that will be remembered for bringing peace! We can't lose and we won't, we've come too far for that!"   

As Alissa's voice rose to a scream the Phylumins screamed in response, creating a gurgle that made me dizzy.

"The Clan!"

"Justice!"

"Peace!"

My temples started pulsating again and I rubbed them.

"Take your positions!" Alissa shouted with a wide but vengeful smile on her face. "If a threat heads our way, I want to know immediately."

The shrill voices of the Phylumins thundered through the forest again, following the tramp of their footsteps as they scattered around the monastery.

Once the clamor vanished muffled groans and mumbles cracked the air. 

My eyes fell onto Chris twisting on the ground. 

The tension was back. His eyelids slowly trailed up and the second his blue eyes became visible, Josh gripped him by the collar of his green uniform, pulling him up to his feet.