Once satisfied, he rocked back on his heels and brushed the hair out of my face. ‘Better?’
‘Better,’ I said, sitting up and then standing. I was ready.
Lincoln grabbed the bag he’d left lodged by the elevator. He pulled out a long cable rope.
‘The power is down; we’re going to have to jump,’ he instructed, already tying the rope to a metal support beam and then to his belt. I loaded up with the extra katana I’d packed in the bag and my spare dagger. Carefully, I nicked the edge of my wrist, noting the large scar that now lived there, and edged the blades with my blood, swiping Lincoln’s from his waist and giving it the same treatment before he could stop me.
He grabbed it back, resting his hand on my wrist to close the small wound before fighting against the wind as he walked over to the edge of the tall building.
He held his right arm out and without hesitation I stepped into his embrace and we backed off the edge of the building.
Propelling into a war zone in a shower of glass as windows exploded under the hurricane’s force, Lincoln expertly guided us down, and the moment our feet touched the ground we unsheathed our weapons and ran towards the river.
We worked quickly and relentlessly as we charged through the battlefield. Exiles had lost whatever hold on reality they once had and were attacking Grigori and exiles alike, all while dragging innocent humans in for the slaughter.
I saw two exiles beating a group of human men who were trying to defend two women and their young children. Lincoln saw at the same time and we risked the quick detour, running down the street now ankle-deep in water, grabbing the exiles and pulling them off the men before dispensing with them.
The men scrambled to the women and children protectively. ‘What the hell’s going on?’ they screamed over the hurricane.
‘Run!’ I yelled. ‘Get as far away from the river as you can! Run and don’t look back!’
The men didn’t hesitate, lifting the children and starting to move away. ‘What about you?’ one of the women yelled, looking back. ‘Come with us!’
I shook my head and smiled at the little girl in one of the men’s arms. She couldn’t have been older than four or five. ‘Please, run!’ I told them again before Lincoln and I took off.
We returned a number of exiles as we moved, and though it was plain to see how extreme things had become I found my eyes barely believing the scene of unrestrained combat and devastation.
I spotted Gray in the middle of it all with Carter fighting at his side. They were both covered in blood and their team was heavily outnumbered. I could see them screaming frantically at something and I followed their line of sight. Milo and Taxi had been separated and pushed into the ocean of exiles. They were surrounded.
‘Up there!’ Lincoln yelled.
But my gaze was fixed on Milo. And I could hear my shrill screams as I watched, helpless, as three exiles ripped his limbs apart. Out of nowhere a dagger flew through the air and then another, taking out the two exiles beating Taxi, and freeing him long enough for him to move out of immediate danger.
Gray and Carter now fought with their fists, having given up their weapons to save Taxi.
‘Violet, we can’t stop!’ Lincoln yelled, pulling at my arm. ‘We can’t help them from here!’
I knew he was right and tried to shake myself out of my mind spiral.
Milo is dead.
I looked to where Lincoln pointed. It was one of the riverbank buildings, only two storeys high. On the top Grigori were panned out – all with their arms raised as they tried to push back the wind and rain.
‘Let’s go,’ I said, letting him lead the way as we took down as many exiles as we could. We couldn’t stop to help Gray, but as soon as I moved into an elevated position I yelled his name and as he turned I threw him my katana, which he caught and tossed to Carter in one movement, just in time for Carter to swing the blade straight through an exile’s neck. I yanked my arrow from my back and javelined it, watching as it sailed into Gray’s hand. Knowing exactly how the weapon worked, he had no sooner split it in two than he drove the pointed ends into the eyes of the two exiles lining up for a killing blow. Gray swung his attention back to me, his determined eyes locking with mine briefly as he nodded me on before throwing himself back into the fray.
At least they’re armed.
We ran for the building’s outside stairs, Lincoln mowing down everything that blocked our path. His clothes were torn and blood had caked thick over his arms and neck, but he was relentless. A warrior in every way, he moved lithe and sure, carving his dagger with effective precision. I let him take the lion’s share in an effort to conserve what energy I had left. I knew that Lincoln would get us there.