Chapter 18 · The Border

"Stay with the kids." Kael shoved Cyrus toward the lead wagon as red light flared beneath her sleeve.

The command chain hooked into his chest.

Cyrus hit the wagon wheel hard enough to rattle his teeth. Cold shot between his ribs, and his knees nearly gave out.

"Cyrus!" Lien leaned from the wagon, one arm around a sobbing boy. "He's bleeding bad!"

Kael didn't look back. She drove her knife into the first scar-beast's throat. It collapsed at her boots, shrieking. Two more vaulted over the wagon tongue.

She met them head-on.

Every step was sharp. Every strike landed where it needed to. The chain burned brighter along her forearm, and each pulse dragged at the knot Cyrus had tied inside his own chest.

He'd made that knot three weeks ago while trying to save her.

Now it was tearing him apart.

"Get in here!" Lien shouted. "Unless you plan to fix him from the mud!"

"I'm fine."

"You're on your knees."

Cyrus forced himself upright and climbed into the wagon. His fingers had gone numb by the time he dropped beside the wounded boy.

The child couldn't have been older than eight.