Lost Soul

Chapter Eleven: Chameleon

The Fae swarm me.

"For the king!" Someone roars and swings at my face.

I grab their wrist and slam my hand into the back of their head.

They trip and slam into the grass, face first.

I catch a glimpse of James, sprinting across the field with Ava bouncing in his arms. Then I go down under a wave of feathers and fists.

I manage to slash my daggers against some of the Fae, but it doesn't make them retreat for long. I kick and punch, but it does little. I've almost clawed my way out of the pile when someone punches my bullet wound and I go down again with a scream.

"Raven!" Someone latches onto my foot and I'm yanked under a Fae's legs.

Daniel falls onto his backside, panting.

Thunder crackles overhead and suddenly, Izzy is there, slamming a tree branch into a Fae's head.

"What are you doing!?" I shout. "Get to the trees!"

Izzy drops her branch and takes off, thunder crashing as she runs.

Two Fae grab Daniel and yank him away from me.

"Danny!" Cat screeches from the tree line.

"I'll get him!" I shout. "Keep going!" I lunge at the Fae grabbing him and stab one, then punch the other in the throat.

They collapse backwards and I drag Daniel to his feet, clasping our hands together.

"You better be able to run fast!"

"No time like the present to find out," he hisses, yanking me towards the trees.

I can feel the Fae gaining on us.

Some of them take to the skies and fire arrows at us as we run.

A few of them are running after us with swords.

Someone grabs my ankle and I crash to the ground.

I try to release Daniel's hand, but he doesn't let go.

He yanks me forward, dragging me and the Fae on my ankle. "Let go!" He shouts, kicking at the Fae.

More Fae are piling on top of me, holding me down.

I shake my hand, trying to free it from Daniel's grasp. "Run!" I tell him.

He meets my gaze, then glances back at Cat, who's yelling at him. He sets his jaw and tightens his grip on my hand. "No."

The Fae are starting towards him. They're going to drag him down with me.

Then, like an Angel from Heaven, Charlie dive-bombs the group of Fae, screaming like a madman. He slams into nearly a dozen of them with his wings, and they all go down like bowling pins.

Daniel kicks the one holding my ankle in the face, then drags me to my feet and yanks me into the trees.

Once Daniel's there, Cat takes off up the steep incline, following Ava's bright red hair.

After a few minutes, Daniel starts to slow, dragging me to a stop.

He bends over to catch his breath and Charlie lands beside us, folding his wings in.

I find myself crossing my arms. "I thought you weren't coming with," I mutter, more than a little bitter.

Charlie's chest heaves as he jabs a thumb behind him. "I don't think Thomas will believe I'm loyal to him after I kicked his soldiers' asses for you."