The Science of Spying (Erityian Tribes, #4)

Chapter 46 : Saving Grace

My body wasn't listening to me. After taking in those pills and the damage I received from Zeno, I couldn't move an inch anymore. What Dale said before was right. In the end, I became a burden.

"Damn it," I grumbled as I tried to keep myself from falling but before I could even think of anything, Zeno was already a few inches away from me.

"Nel!"

I didn't know whose voice I heard. A wave of icy numbness coursed through my body and I thought, maybe this was death. My consciousness was starting to slip away but when I imagined Dad's face if he saw me getting killed in front of him brought me back to my senses. I couldn't let that happen.

Gritting my teeth and ignoring the state of my body, I willed myself to stand. The icy numbness turned into an agonizing pain and the first thing I saw was Nigel protecting me from Zeno. He was standing in front of me, his sword fending off Zeno's attacks. I still felt weak but my mind had already transcended the physical pain my body had gone through.

"Mom . . . Dad . . ." I muttered while looking at their direction.

Dale was still threatening him by using Mom as his shield. What broke my heart was she couldn't even do anything but follow his order. Her shoulder was bleeding yet she couldn't feel any pain.

"She needs to die," Zeno stated as he overpowered Nigel with his brute strength.

It was that moment that I realized the end of everything. My shallow gasps turned into a deep, slow breathing as I focused on their movements.

I knew what Dad would do. He must be devastated because of his choice but it was inevitable.

With our graces activated, my heart shattered because every chance and every possibility meant the same thing—someone would still die.

Zeno lunged at me but the only thing I was thinking was saving Dad because he turned toward my direction. I knew he'd pick me over Mom because of the situation. I was aware of his choice but it still hurt.

I felt Zeno's killing intent and it was too suffocating that I could barely breathe. With the last ounce of my strength, I gripped my dagger hard enough to feel the burning friction between my skin and the handle.

"Die, kid."

"Dad . . ."

Dale could disappear for a few seconds and I aware that he would use that against Dad so I focused my attention to him, not minding what could happen to me. The moment he ceased to be visible was the right time to act. And I did.

Everything happened so fast that even with my grace, I couldn't follow their movements. The next thing I knew, my body was already thrown to the ground and all I could see were flashes and spots. Every breath hurt, as if my ribs and lungs were squeezed dry. The pain was already beyond its threshold and I wanted to close my eyes and drift away but when I saw Nigel's face in front of me, it felt like someone just stabbed me straight to the heart.

He was supporting his body weight with his arms against the ground while I was lying below him. My brain was still analyzing what happened but a gush of liquid fell on my chest and my whole body quivered.

"N-no . . ."

He gave me a weak smile as blood trickled down his chest and mouth. It was hard to look at but I couldn't move anymore.

'I know this would be personal, but please, protect my daughter,' he said using his patheia. 'That was our Captain's final order.'

That was when I realized what he did. He protected me from Zeno's fatal blow using his own body.