Kingdom of the Nine: The Bridge (IV)

Chapter 8

———Red———
I push myself up from the concrete, every movement sending a sharp jolt of pain through my body. My busted lip drips blood onto the ground, and the ringing in my ears drowns out everything for a moment. Blinking hard, I look up. A cloud of smoke hangs in the air between me and Kylen, and through it, two figures emerge, their silhouettes sharpening with each step.

"You two, stop right there!" Kylen commands, shoving through the smoke, his sword raised and gleaming.

One of the boys, dressed in all black, throws up his hands. "Whoa, whoa, pause! We can talk about this!" His voice wavers, but there's an edge of urgency.

"Then start talking," Kylen snaps, his tone razor-sharp. "Who are you, and why are you working with Spectra?"

I stagger toward them, flames igniting in my palm as my anger flares. My voice comes out rough, heated. "And why the hell did you throw me halfway across the lot?"

The boy in black raises a hand in a placating gesture. "Okay, okay, first off—name's Keegan. Spectra approached me. She asked for help, didn't say why. Next thing I know, I'm stopping a bunch of goons from stealing shipments. That's it. But she kept coming back, and... well, I still don't know her full game." He glances nervously at Kylen. "Second, we thought you were some of those goons, coming back for revenge. But now that I see you..." He points at Kylen. "You're him. Kylen Smith."

Kylen lowers his sword, the blade dissolving into shimmering energy before he tucks the hilt away. His eyes flick to me, then back to the boys.

"You're coming with us," he says firmly. "You'll tell us everything—every last detail—and then we'll hand you over to the police."

"Wait, Kylen," I say, my voice cutting through his. I point at the other boy, the one who hasn't spoken yet. He's gripping his head, his hands glowing faintly blue, his face twisted in pain.

"Dylan!" Keegan rushes to his side, panic flashing across his face. "Hey, don't freak out, or you're going to—" He turns back to us, desperation thick in his voice. "You've got to help him! His powers—they've been going haywire. He's trying to control them, but it's like... like it's too much for his mind to handle!"

The glow in Dylan's hands intensifies, flickering like unstable lightning. I exchange a tense look with Kylen, both of us knowing the danger of uncontrolled power.

Kylen thrusts his hands forward, a shimmering white barrier of energy forming between him and Dylan. "Keegan, right? Step away from him. Now."

Keegan hesitates, his eyes darting between Dylan and the glowing shield. "What are you gonna—"

"Back up!" Kylen's voice sharpens, cutting through the tension as Dylan's glowing hands flare brighter and brighter, the light almost blinding.

Keegan stumbles backward, then sprints toward me as Kylen's barrier envelops Dylan completely.

Dylan lets out a muffled cry as the energy around him surges, his body lifting off the ground before slamming back down into the concrete with a deafening crash.

The glow fades, leaving a sharp silence in its wake.

We all rush to his side, fear twisting in my gut as I kneel beside him.

Kylen crouches, pressing two fingers against Dylan's neck, his expression grim. "He's alive, but he's not stable." His eyes meet mine, urgent and unyielding. "We need to get him to Claire. Now."

"I'll get the car!" I shout, already sprinting toward the docks.

"Where's it parked?" Keegan calls after me.