[LEGACY VERSION] The Enemy of Time (Book 2 - The Kaireyeh Chronicles)

Chapter 19 - Barenin, Damon

Alexi jerked as he heard the echo of Damon's call. He shoved up a hand to Oji.

"Help me up. Have to get to Damon."

Where? Where was Damon? He tried asking directly, but the link between them was like a drain, taking everything without discrimination. He doubted Damon heard him.

"I'm not helping you go anywhere," Oji said. "He's on the station, I just told you, weren't you listening?"

He tried to remember. Yes. The Countess' station.

Alexi drew a long breath, hitching halfway. His lungs hurt. If he'd been focused Aezthena these last two weeks, he wouldn't have been breathing much--but that had never made his lungs hurt before.

Oji's dark eyes flickered between rage and concern. "Alexi--I'll get Mackie. We'll talk later, when you've rested--"

Alexi growled and threw himself at the crush of Kaireyeh that was keeping him human. Oji jumped and scooted back. He didn't know what she'd seen, but he had her attention.

"I'll tell you everything," he rasped. "I promise, Oji. You can ask me anything, I'll tell you the truth. Just get me to Damon, now." After a moment he added, "Please."

Her nostrils flared.

He hurried on before she could gather her arguments. "Think of who's with Damon. Elise, and Milla?" Yes, he remembered her saying that, though it was all blended into the haze of not being consumed by Damon. He gripped her arm. "Oji, he's killing me. He doesn't know what he's doing, he's killing me." Maybe an exaggeration. Maybe not.

Oji shuddered and glanced at the hatch. Her face was blank but her thoughts reeled. She gripped his wrist and carefully pulled him up.

"We'll take a medic," she said. "If you look like you're going to collapse, we stop."

That was as much as she would give. Alexi nodded.

* * *

Damon sprinted through the station corridors, anticipating turns and cutting them at just the right angles for optimum speed. He knew exactly where he was going; the Countess' guards were broadcasting the route in their thoughts.

The Countess ran behind him. He'd half expected her to take her guards and head for her own ship, but he felt her tight determination to stay with him.

Just behind Damon, Luc wheezed, only keeping up because of his long stride. "Damon, what are you--"

In the gray corridor ahead, the air tightened with pressure. Damon skidded to a stop just as three ghost-pale figures clothed in white popped into existence. They looked like Alexi at his palest. They looked like the Miravec lieutenant. Two women and one androgynous person all fixed golden eyes on him.

Luc crashed into Damon, not anticipating the stop. Damon grabbed Luc's arm and swung them both back a few steps.

One of the pale women was suddenly inches from where Damon had been. She blinked out, and then appeared again just in front of him.

Void demons, Damon heard among the clamor of thoughts behind him. He thought he recognized the sharpness of that voice--Elise. They're here, gods, Oji was right--they're here--gods!

Shots rang out as the Resistance and the Countess' guards only now reacted. The two other pale people vanished.

The pale woman reached for Damon. Her broad face held no expression, but he felt a quiet menace whirling behind the walls of her mind. He had the sense she was letting him feel it.