by Jody Klaire
Jessie saw someone in the grass. The woman carrying her headed straight toward them. Gunfire pinged on.
She was going to pass out.
“Inhaler,” the woman snapped. She placed Jessie on the ground.
The person with the rifle hurried to pull one out. A second later it was to her lips and she took it. Holding her breath as the desperate wheeze calmed.
She blinked, clearing her vision enough to make out two women. One of them she didn’t recognize but the other grinned at her and pulled her into a hug. Renee.
“I knew you’d come.” She relished the warmth. “You have to help Miss Locks, she’s in the boathouse.” She met the other woman’s eyes. “She’s sick.”
The woman nodded to Renee. “This is where you take over. I’ll get Jessie to the car. We’ll wait for Huber there.”
“What about Jäger?” Renee frowned. The gunfire fight continued. Jessie could see one man next to the shed she’d taken cover by and another in the dirt behind some boulders.
“My concern is Jessie. I know you and Aeron can get my girl to safety.” She let through a warm smile. “Now move.”
Renee snapped into motion like she did when Miss Locks had ordered her around. In fact, the woman sounded like her too. Jessie got another quick squeeze from Renee and the woman carried her to the car. She was too exhausted to argue.
“Did you see who was chasing you?” she asked as they made quick work of heading to two cars. “Do you know who she was?”
Jessie shook her head. “But I can draw her for you?”
The woman’s eyebrow rose. “Draw?”
Jessie nodded. “Photographic memory.”
The woman gave her an odd smile Jessie couldn’t quite read. “Your mother’s been teaching you bad habits.”
“My mom is awesome.” Jessie tried glaring but the woman chuckled at her.
“That she is, and she’s still been teaching you bad habits.” The woman placed her down on the backseat of the car. She scoured the horizon as if checking the coast was clear.
“Who are you?” Jessie asked, feeling a prickle of fear. She knew the woman was with Renee but she didn’t feel safe without her, without Miss Locks, without Aeron.
“I’m the one who taught her those bad habits.” The woman gave her a gentle smile. Something about it resonated and Jessie tensed as the car door locked with them both inside. “It’s just to make sure you don’t go doing anything heroic.”
“What makes you think that?” She glanced at the door and then met the woman’s twinkling eyes.
“Let’s just say it runs in the family.”
Chapter 75
FREI LAY IN the corner; she didn’t have the energy to move. It didn’t really matter. He was faster than her. Even limping, he was more than a match for her.
“Seems you got clever, slave.” Jäger drew his knife. “Too clever.”
Her eyes flickered.
“You are going to tell me where she is, Slave.” He stood in front of her, a glint in his eyes. She looked away. He’d done his worst now.
She blinked away the pain. Jessie needed her to stay with it a bit longer. She pulled the trigger.
Bam.
Jäger laughed as it hit the wall beside him and waved his blade. “Having trouble with your aim?”
“Such a temper.” He tutted, wiping the spit off his face. She couldn’t do anything else. “We can remedy that.”
She dragged herself upward. Squeezed the trigger again.
Bam.
Closer but still not near enough. “Huber hid you well.”
“Girl, you must never let them catch you, do you understand?” Huber stood over her. She was young again. Her hair in her face again. Her first “task” for him.
Frei sighed. “What is it with you and boring conversations?”
“To think I didn’t see beyond the man’s haircut.” He laughed. “Should have known by the taste for trinkets.”
“They can’t know your skills. You can’t draw attention to yourself.” Huber’s eyes so fierce.
She couldn’t do anything but nod, her hands shaking.
The gun heavier. Her heart pounded. Faster. Faster. She squeezed the trigger. She had to keep going. For Jessie.
Bam.
Jäger raised his eyebrow as blood trickled down from the nick on his cheek. “Lucky shot.”
“Come a bit closer and it won’t be.” She smiled, ignoring the fear rippling through her, the pain. Her heart smashed against her rib cage. Sweat poured from her. Memories flickered before her eyes.
“A lot like you, isn’t she?” Jäger limped forward, wagging the blade at her. “Same weak little frame.”
“Why are you fighting, Slave. You think you’re stronger than me?” Jäger laughed as she struggled to free herself. He dragged her, her feet catching on the grouting.
Bam.
Jäger stepped out of the way.
Her heart faster. Faster. Faster. She couldn’t breathe. She had to hold on . . . a little . . . longer. “At least . . . she isn’t . . . like you.”
Bam.
Jäger reached her. Lifted her to her feet. His hand around her throat. Like she was back then. Weak. She couldn’t fight. The gun clattered to the floor. “Ah, but she’s a loose string that needs to be tied, Slave.”
Her pulse smashed against his hand. He laughed in her face.
Smack.
Jäger grunted.
Frei dropped to the floor.
He turned. His head bleeding.
“Why don’t you pick on somebody your own size?” Aeron.
Jäger growled, knife readied, and charged at her. Aeron dodged, dislodging the blade but Jäger tackled her to the floor.
Frei blinked free her shifting vision. The knife lay to the side. She summoned all her energy and kicked out. It slid off the edge into the water.
“Long blonde hair.” Jäger laughed. “You know how much that would make you worth?” He stroked her cheek. “Huber must think you’re worth something to keep stepping in.”
She gripped her chest. The agony rolled through her. She forced open her eyes. Aeron was battered. She scoured the floor. Where was the gun? Where was the—?
“One bullet left. How convenient.” Jäger. She looked up. The barrel pointed at her.
She sighed. At least Jessie was safe.
“Aeron, no—”
Bam.
Chapter 76
RENEE FIRED OFF another round, turned, and sprinted toward the gunshots. The boathouse.
Huber fired close by. She glanced at him, sprinting with her. Jessie was with Stosur, she was safe. “Why the fixation on her?”
Huber kept up with her, his fitness showing with a lack of exertion. “Jäger is scared of few people. His brother is one of them.”
“Why would his brother care?” She felt rather than saw Aeron and her heart pounded.
“You don’t touch what you can’t afford.” He almost danced over the divots. Even if Stosur was the locksmith, Huber wasn’t a slouch. “And even Jäger’s brother would find it hard to pay that kind of debt.”
“So why not call him out on it?” she asked as he reloaded his pistol. The boathouse was near enough that she could hear slamming and clattering.
“Because his brother would go digging for a way to get out of it.” His look was enough. Then Frei’s lineage would be discovered.
Renee burst through the doorway. Aeron on the floor, unmoving. Frei in a heap. Jäger over her. Gun raised. “One bullet left, how convenient.”
Aeron launched herself forward. Threw herself at Frei.
Her heart dropped. “Aeron, no—”
Bam.
The air sucked out of her lungs. She sprinted at Jäger. Fired.
Bam.
He gripped his arm. Reached behind his back.
“Roll.” Huber’s sharp tone hit her.
Renee did as commanded.
Bam.
The bullet crunched through something next to her. Jäger
sprinted behind the boat.
Bam.
She fired. Aeron and Frei on the floor. Neither moving.
Bam.
Huber met her eyes. “You need to give her the dose.” He held up a syringe.
Bam.
Huber ducked back into cover. Renee raised her pistol. Jäger peeked out to fire again.
“We need him alive,” Huber snapped.
Renee adjusted.
Bam.
Jäger grunted. Same arm. It was better she ask questions later. “I need to get to them.”
Bam.
Renee yelped as the bullet split the wood. It lodged far too close to her elbow.
“Catch.” Huber threw the syringe. It dropped into the dust. She looked at Jäger, his focus on Huber. She moved onto the balls of her feet.
Bam.
Jäger sprinted. He grabbed for the syringe. She tried to ankle tap him. His boot caught her chin.
“He’s got it.” She rolled ready to fire. Jäger charged through the doorway. Slammed Huber to the side and sprinted.
Huber chased after him.
Renee scrambled to her feet over to Frei and Aeron.
“Aeron?” Renee fought her shaking hands. The bullet hit. She saw it hit. She tensed for the blood, ripping at the vest. Aeron groaned.
“Don’t move . . .” Her voice shook harder than her hands. “Please, stay still.”
She fought her tears. The vest had a hole. Her heart pounded. Oh no. Please.
No blood.
No . . .
Frantic, she pulled at Aeron’s top and ripped it. Hard. Something hard. She pulled the plate out. Eli’s plate. The bullet jutted out.
Renee shuddered out a breath and glanced up at the ceiling. “Thank you.”
“We need to help her.” Aeron’s voice was groggy. Her lung could have been hit. She ran her hand over Aeron’s shoulder blade. She shouldn’t move her. She had to.
“Slowly,” Renee whispered, not trusting her voice.
Aeron rolled over and Renee looked down at Frei who was barely conscious.
“Renee. Help me get her in the river.” Aeron’s croaky tone showed how much the bullet had impacted.
Renee shook her head. “We can’t. You can’t. Jäger has the antidote.”
“We got something better.” Aeron met her eyes. “It’ll take us both.”
Renee bit her lip. She glanced at the river, back to Aeron and nodded.
They lifted Frei up. Her pulse so rapid that her heart wouldn’t sustain it much longer.
Aeron skidded down the boat launch and crashed into the water. She held out her hands, the water up to her shoulders. “Renee, look at me.” She met her eyes, Aeron’s face drained, her body exhausted, her eyelids drooped so low all Renee could see were specks of brown. “We can do this.”
Renee hoisted Frei up and Aeron took her weight. Renee skidded down beside her. The icy cold water hit her, sucked the air from her. She shivered. Her teeth clattered together.
“Touch her skin.” Aeron’s voice was calm. Controlled.
She did as told. Frei’s heart started missing beats. Tears oozed down her face. Her sobbing breaths so loud in her ears.
“You remember when you helped me and my dad?” Aeron’s eyes were focused, calm. She knew what she was doing. She believed.
Renee nodded and wiped her tears away. The cold stabbed at her. She felt heavy.
“You remember that you believed, you believed so much, you prayed so hard that love shone through you?” Aeron’s aura pulsed with golds, with whites, with hope.
She stifled her sobs. Frei’s heart giving in under her hands. “Yes.”
“Ask and you will receive.” Aeron smiled.
“All things are possible . . .” Renee whispered. It’s what Nan had said to her in moments when she felt alone. When in the middle of the night, she found it hard not to doubt all the good she’d been surrounded by when her nightmares shook her. That she could heal, she could find love, she could be happy.
She needed to believe, like she had at the river in Oppidum when Aeron and her father slid below the surface. She had to block out the cold, block out the doubts, block out Frei’s heartbeat weakening.
Armor. The passage on the St. Christopher Aeron had given her. She’d read it over and over. How did it go?
Stand firm. That was it. She had to stand firm.
Truth—Breastplate, find her heart, find the love inside her. She loved them both. She loved them.
Righteousness—Her feet, not the slippery bottom. Not the cold. No, they were fitted . . . with the gospel of peace. Yes, peace. She needed to keep calm, to focus.
Faith—Shield . . . Did she believe? Did she feel it?
Salvation—Helmet. She focused on the light. Focused on love. On goodness.
Spirit—Sword of the Spirit. The word of God. She could see it in her mind’s eye, she could feel it inside her, urging her on but did she believe? Did she really believe she could do this? That they could do this, that all things were possible?
Her logic reminded her it wasn’t possible. Her heart said it was. Her memories filled her with moments that she’d seen, that she’d felt.
So did she?
Every moment. Every special thing, every incredible wave of love she’d experienced since meeting Aeron, since meeting Frei, filled her heart and something shifted.
Yes.
Yes.
She did.
She really did.
She met Aeron’s eyes and smiled. “I believe.”
Heat glowed from her hands; from Aeron; from Frei. She focused on how much she loved them both. Different ways but with every bit of her heart.
“You gotta ask.” Aeron sounded tired, her gaze on Frei.
“I . . . am,” Frei whispered, her eyes glassy. Her heart skipped again. “I’m . . . pray . . . ing . . .”
Renee’s hands burned. She winced with the heat. She held on.
Aeron’s aura disappeared.
Cold seeped into her.
The strange fuzzed feelings evaporated.
Her hands throbbed with the freezing water.
“Get to safety. You’re gonna have to drag us out.” Aeron smiled at her. “Blessed are those who have not seen yet have believed, huh?”
Renee nodded. Another passage Nan had whispered to her. She knew it felt apt for her. That’s what she’d been trying to do. Believe without seeing.
She scrambled for the launch. She pulled some disgusting excuse for a rope from the wall, tied it to the mooring and readied herself. The air around Aeron seemed to shimmer. Maybe real belief was trusting in what she couldn’t see, trusting in love.
“Hold on.” Aeron grunted as Frei gasped for air. “I got you.”
Renee slid back down, careful not to go in. It was dangerous now. She threw the rope around Aeron, around Frei’s waist. “You’re being pulled in.”
Frei fell silent. Her chest stilled.
“I know.” Aeron’s face contorted. Her gaze on Frei. “Don’t give up.”
Frei groaned. Something cracked.
“You’re sinking.” Renee eyed the water. Her toes too close. The rope strained against the rotting mooring.
“Ain’t done yet.”
Frei wheezed. Aeron held on tight. Renee grabbed for the rope as the moor buckled. She skidded. She couldn’t hold them.
“I can’t—”
Another set of hands gripped hers.
“I’m here.” Lilia’s voice behind her.
She couldn’t turn. She didn’t dare take her eyes off Aeron.
“It’s buckled. Pull them out.” Abby?
Renee didn’t have time to look around.
“We can’t,” she called. They needed more strength.
“Not yet.” Aeron was up to her ears. Frei sucked in too.
Renee skidded.
The water stronger.
“Aeron, we can’t hold on.” Renee strained to stop herself sliding in.
Aeron was under.
<
br /> Not yet. Wait. Wait.
Frei snapped her eyes open. Gripped the rope.
“Now,” Renee yelled.
They pulled. The water sucked harder. So strong. Too strong.
“Pull, come on.” Lilia, desperate. “Pull!”
Renee’s feet touched the water. She shunted herself backward. “Pull.”
“It’s too strong.” Abby grunted.
She was right.
They skidded.
Renee felt tears of effort trickle down her cheeks. Loud footfalls echoed behind.
Renee locked eyes with Frei. Her muscles pulsed. Ice blue filled with hope as she tried to pull them up to breathe.
She believed.
“You need a hand there, Blondie?” Aunt Bess.
Renee felt the sheer relief rocket through her.
She locked eyes with Frei. Nodded. “Together . . .”
Frei surfaced enough to gasp in air, her jaw set. “On three.”
Renee smiled. “Three!”
She yanked.
They stumbled back.
The rope snapped.
She smashed backward onto the floor.
The air gushed out of her as Frei and Aeron slammed into her.
She lay there, sucking in the air. At least trying to. Hands dragged her up. Up onto the platform. Aeron one side, Frei the other.
Mingled unified gasping for air.
“Now will someone tell me what is going on?”
Renee closed her eyes at the sound of Abby’s voice. Maybe she should start swimming?
Chapter 77
I HAVE BEEN pretty tired at some points but I had to say that staring up at the ceiling of the boathouse had to beat a lot of them. I knew my mother, Renee, Frei, and Aunt Bess were there. I knew that some other lady was there but I was just too tired to move.
“Aeron, are you alright?” Renee whispered to me. She sounded like I felt.
“Yeah, you?”
She groaned. “Exhausted.” I heard her attempt to move and she groaned again. “Urs, you okay?”