She was too strong. With one hand, she wrenched Emily free, tossing her back as if she were nothing and driving a pulse into Aern that blasted him backward into the wood-plank floor. Brianna was on her feet, hands raised, hair lifting as the air around her moved for her first strike, but the shadow was faster, closing the distance to grab Brianna around the neck before any of them could react. Aern could feel Brianna pushing against her, but he knew it wasn’t enough. He knew because Brianna was scared. Not of the woman, not of the idea that she might be close to death. She was scared that this was it. That she’d failed to save them.
Aern struggled to his feet, the crushing pain in his chest knitting back together as he moved, and the air changed around them again. It wasn’t the same as Brianna’s power, not a tingle over his skin like Emily or the other shadows. This was different. It was hard to breathe, every point around him suddenly thick and heavy. The smallest movements were a burden, and it was affecting each of them, their reactions hindered, delayed as if time had slowed. Emily gasped, crawling to her knees beside him, and both their gazes went to Logan, who’d just appeared behind Brianna, tattered shirt falling away from his chest and shoulder to reveal a large, ugly burn.
There was a glow within his eyes, the amber a furious gold that Aern had never seen. His chin was lowered, the muscles of his neck and shoulders straining against the effort of his attack. He was not scared, not even for Brianna. Because he knew he was going to save her, no matter what it took. There was a muted cracking sound, followed by a string of loud pops, and the fire suppression system gave way to the pressure. The blink of a pair of small red lights followed, the alarm system being tripped, and Aern shoved Emily to her feet and toward the others.
She didn’t hesitate, locking her arms around the woman’s neck as Logan forced the pressure further, causing Aern’s head to throb with each pulse of his heart. Finally standing, he fought to reach them, watching as Emily wrapped her feet about the woman’s waist, tethering herself against her defenses. Overcome, the shadow’s hold on Brianna’s neck loosened, and Logan caught Brianna at the waist, pushing her aside to grip her attacker with his own hands. There was another shift, and the moment Logan touched the shadow, Aern felt light, suddenly free to move and breathe. He launched himself too hard into them and there was a roar as their powers collided. A strange muffled snapping came from within the woman as Logan’s power broke her, and Emily screamed, “I’ve got her!” as she seized the links she needed to burn through the shadow’s power. The three of them fell to the floor, and Aern felt the warm wetness against his back that must have been their tea. The heat of it made him question whether it had truly happened that fast.
Panting, Logan shoved the woman aside, leaving Emily and Aern free of her weight. Brianna looked sick, but her cheeks were flushed, the blood rushing back where it’d been denied, her neck bright. She glanced at them, apparently deciding they would live, and then rushed to Wesley, kneeling at his side to place a hand over his chest. The boy was struggling for air, unable to catch a full breath. She slid a palm beneath his neck, tilting his head back, and murmured something Aern couldn’t hear.
The door to the office slammed open, the soldiers responding to the alarm, and Aern knew it had, in fact, happened just that fast. Seconds. He threw a hand out, catching Logan’s proffered arm, and pulled himself to his feet to face them. His chest heaved, the intake of breath burning as he said, “We have it. Help the boy.”
The men lowered their weapons, rushing to aid Wesley and Brianna.
“Augh,” Emily said from beside him. Her palm pressed against her chest, rubbing away her own pain. She winced, aiming a narrowed gaze at Logan. “You really need to work on focusing that tighter.”
Logan dropped back onto a ruined chair, too exhausted to even nod, and Aern held a hand out to Emily. He didn’t ask her if she was okay, because he could feel that she would be. Instead, he only brushed a thumb over the back of her hand, squeezing it tight within his.
“Take her to the Cook rooms,” Aern said, gesturing toward Ava’s prone form. She wasn’t moving, but Aern knew at some point she would wake up. And even if she’d no longer be a danger, he wanted her locked away. His eyes connected with the soldier in front of her. “Tell no one.”
She was a shadow, hiding in plain sight of the Council and their business. And they’d not even suspected her.
***