Discovery at Nerwolix (37 page)

An orange blast rips through the forest,
searing the bark by Booker’s head. It’s followed by a herd of
Vermix rushing for us, Traxpires drawn and firing.

“Move!” Reid squeezes my hand.

Tucker, Jace, Booker and Walker race behind
us as we jet in and out of the trunks, following Warze as he leaps
up the nearest tree. We aim for the same exit but the Traxpire
blasts right into the trunk, engulfing it in flames. From the left,
a new group of Vermix leaps toward us, snarling and snapping while
explosions ripple overhead. Gripping my hand, Reid retrieves his
Traxpire and starts firing. Orange blasts soar back but the Vermix
dodge, scaling the Eckles.

“Shit!” Walker curses.

“Guys—we got to get up!”

“Up where?” Jace fires. “We’re
surrounded!”

“Where did Warze go?”

“Fallon—move!” Reid drags me to his side,
just out of the path of the orange heat. Firing back in succession,
he collapses two Vermix that are nearly on us. “Higher
ground—
NOW!
”

A sharp cry fills the air. With my heart in
my throat, I look over and find Booker backed against a trunk,
grasping his arm in trembling fingers. A look of pure fear is
etched across his face and following his focus, I find a Traxpire
aimed right at his chest. Something inside me bursts as the same
rage from earlier arises. It consumes me, overwhelms me and in this
moment, it’s all I am. I only have a second but time has stilled,
slowed for me like before, and I use every precious second of
it.

I’m already gripping my own Traxpire—it’s
right here in my hand. But it’s not good enough. Jamming it back
into my pocket, I snag the whip’s handle and arm raised, I release
it, sending the sharp edge through the air with a loud hiss. It
cracks against the Vermix’s side and he falls to the ground,
dropping the Traxpire. But I don’t stop there.

Another two Vermix are only feet from Tucker
and Walker and spinning, I let the whip crack against them, slicing
across their shoulders and into their backs. Both fumble but before
I even watch them hit the ground, I jerk back and send the sharp
edge flying into the snout of a Vermix shooting at Jace, and then
into another one coming up behind us. We’re outnumbered—completely
surrounded—but this slow motion is making it easy. I can see every
obstacle—every approaching Vermix—and I have more than enough time
to immobilize them with the whip.

“Holy shit!” I hear someone in the
background. But I can’t stop and find out whom.

Traxpire blasts shoot from above and I send
the whip cracking up into the trees. There are five more of
them—two Vermix on one tree and three on another. I hit the trunk
with the two Dofinikes and send one falling to the ground. The
other leaps to another tree and the whip slices him mid jump, his
yelping body falling to the ground. The last three all aim for me
with Traxpires and I hear a blurred something of
watch out!
But I don’t need to. I see it. I see the end of their weapons up
close, like its inches in front of me instead of yards. And I see
the narrowed yellow eyes of the Vermix, anger and determination
reflected as they start to pull the trigger. But it doesn’t matter.
They’re moving so unbelievably slow that I’m able to hoist back my
arm and send the whip’s end flying through Eckles. It cracks as I
hit all three across the eyes, blinding them as they drop their
Traxpires. They reach for their faces, blood running down their
snouts and yelping out sharp cries of pain.

Another one launches himself from behind me
but I spin just in time to hit him across his stomach. He drops
mid-leap with a vicious snarl as another takes his place. I do the
same, sending the whip flying with a hiss and a loud crack as it
cuts across his neck. I prepare myself for the next attack but
everything is still—no Traxpires aimed, no giant greenish-brown
bodies leaping toward us. With a quick scan, I survey our lot and
find no more Vermix. All the nearby Dofinikes are on the ground
dead or twitching. And then, time speeds up again and I feel the
thundering racing of my heart… and the eyes of all the boys—and
Warze—focused on me.

A solid minute passes and they simply stare.
Their mouths hang open but no words come out, all wide-eyed with
disbelief. Finally, Walker takes an apprehensive step closer.

“Holy mother of God,” his mouth curves into
an impressed smile. “What did you just do?”

“She kicked ass is what she did!” Jace is
grinning from ear to ear. “Holy
shit
, Fallon! That was
fucking unreal!”

“I don’t even know…” I start, quickly trying
to replay the events. It must’ve only been a few seconds but it
felt like I had all the time in the world, like the Vermix were
going slow enough to make it easy for me. But they weren’t. It was
normal time and I was somehow able to slow it down. But how?

“Amazing, Fallon,” Jace continues. “Just
fucking
amazing.”

“Female natural killer,” Warze nods with
approval.

“I’m not a killer.”

“Just an assassin?” Jace leans toward Reid
and crosses his arms. “You wet in the panties yet?”

Without taking his eyes off me, Reid simply
nods, cupping his chin as he scans me like he’s never seen me
before. It sends a hot spark through my body and although I wish I
could stop it, I feel the oncoming blush. But it’s not like I can
hide it with them all staring at me. Seriously—can’t they just
stop?

“So are we getting to higher ground or
what?” I roll my eyes.

“She’s hot when she’s feisty,” Walker
grins.

“Guys,” I pocket my whip. “We need to get
into the trees.”

“Whatever you say, Boss Lady,” Jace
smirks.

“Boss Lady?” Walker frowns, shaking his
head. “I don’t like it.”

“It’s not up to you,” Reid snaps.

“And you’re allowed to hand out the
nicknames?”

“I didn’t.”

“Okay,” I reach for the Yulus, already done
with this. “I’m going up. You guys can stay down here.”

“Fallon’s right,” Booker says. “We need to
get up—”

But I’m knocked to the ground before he
finishes. A snarling, snapping snout growls over me, hot stinky
breath staining my eyes. Shouts holler in the background but I’m
digging my hands into the Vermix’s shoulders, straining to keep his
teeth from biting me. He’s snapping closer to my throat and for a
moment, I don’t think I have enough strength to hold him off. If I
could just get to my whip…

The Vermix is ripped off me and tossed to
the side, into a trunk where he collides with a thunderous clunk.
Warze makes quick work of finishing him while Reid flies toward me,
leaping over another Vermix and snatching my hand in his. He pulls
me to my feet but we don’t get far. Grouped with Jace, Booker,
Walker and Tucker, I do a quick scan and find we’re surrounded,
standing in the center of a hive of Vermix—maybe fifty this time.
Shit
. Warze is with us, surveying the scene, his focus
darting up to the trees. But the Vermix are just standing here,
watching us, eyeing our movement. Besides the one that flew at me,
none of the others are attacking.

“Fallon…” Jace whispers from the corner of
his mouth. “Feel like going whip-crazy again?”

“Why aren’t they attacking?” Tucker
asks.

It’s silent and after scanning the Vermix
faces, I wonder the same thing. Why
haven’t
they attacked?
They’re just starting at us, like they’re waiting for something.
After a moment, one of the closest Dofinikes turns to the
other.

…
why do we wait?

…
Supreme desires humans for public
execution…

…
do we spare all?

…
only humans… kill the
Zingfinold…

“Warze, go!” I scream just as the Vermix
start in.

But before anything happens, before the
Dofinikes are able to launch themselves at the Zingfinold and
before he’s able to leap onto the closest trunk and escape, a new
force pushes through the forest, tackling the Vermix like a tidal
wave of swinging and slicing knives. Howls erupt and my pulse takes
off as everything happens at once.

I’m not sure what I’m seeing.

They’re not human or Dofinike or Zingfinold
or even Mybyncian. They’re something else, something with pointed
ears and swords that seem to extend from their arms. But they
don’t. Even with the creatures moving swiftly, I can still see that
the weapons are strung on with brown straps tied at their elbows
and wrists. It’s the same brown material that shields their torsos
and lower sections, covering bodies that resemble the Zingfinolds
in height and long layers of hair. But they’re not Zingfinold. The
pointed ears are different and of course, there’s the golden
inscriptions running down their tanned arms and legs, like some
tribal tattoo art.

Flying through the air, they strike into the
Vermix with the edge of their blades, slicing and chopping. The
Vermix race up the trees but the creatures are right behind them,
cutting off their exit and knocking the Dofinikes back to the
ground. Traxpire explosions rip through the air and Reid tugs me
behind him as we crouch at the base of a trunk. With so many Vermix
surrounding us, I’m still not sure how we’re going to be able to
get out of this. I could help, but I don’t want to disturb the
fighting as these pointy-eared creatures wash over the Dofinikes,
immobilizing them with swift slits to their bodies.

After some time, when the screams and
Traxpire blasts have faded, we’re surrounded by the newcomers
instead of the Vermix. Warze stands rigid, watching them as they
turn to us. One with long brown hair approaches and Reid blocks my
body with his, reaching for his Traxpire. The creature slows,
studying this movement before focusing on Warze again. When they’re
only feet apart, the tribesman lets out a deep breath.

“Nerwo… I do no expect see you.”

“We did not expect to come, Zingfinold. King
Thias wanted no part in your conflict.”

“Is no my conflict.”

“Then theirs?” he redirects his attention to
us. “The humans?”

Warze shakes his head. “Is Dofinike
conflict. Vermix seek Gift.”

“We suspected,” the Nerwo nods, clutching
his hands behind his back. “When Hozfin released the Ludins, King
Thias agreed to hear out Jothkore. He had been rambling on about
some Dellapalanian civil war but the king refused to hear of it.
Finally, the Arizal mentioned a threat against the Gift. King Thias
knows Hozfin would not release the Ludin easily.”

“King Thias consent to help?”

“Help?”

“Protect Gift.”

“Oh, yes. He still believes it is a conflict
between you and the Dofinikes, but he will do what he can and offer
the assistance needed to secure the Hylas Mountains. No more, no
less.”

“Hylas still under attack.”

“Not for much longer.”

“The Vermix brought a massive force,” Reid
steps forward. “Initially a few thousand, we believe. It is our
understanding more may be arriving.”

The Nerwo glances between Warze and Reid as
if trying to decide who to address next. Finally, he settles on
responding to Reid. “How do you know this?”

“We were stationed at the beach when they
first arrived this morning.”

“And you estimate a few thousand?”

Reid nods.

“That is not very many at all,” one of the
other Nerwos snickers, shaking his head with a patronizing scoff.
His long black locks shake as his braid swings back and forth. “We
have killed more in a day.”

“Then why wait so long to help us?” I
snap.

“It is not our obligation to assist, human.
You caused this, you fix it.”

“We didn’t cause anything. We’re trying to
help.”

“You can help by getting off our lands,” the
black-haired Nerwo steps closer and Reid throws me behind him
again, reaching for his Traxpire.

“Bhanton!” the first Nerwo snaps. “Calm
yourself. My apologies,” he offers a slight bow, returning focus to
us. “He does not know his place. I am Ehan. And there is no need to
shield your female, human. We are not here to harm you. Only those
seeking the Gift.”

Hesitantly Reid nods, pocketing the gun.
“I’m Reid. And this is Fallon,” he motions to me, “and my friends.
And this is Warze, second to King Hozfin.”

“Warze?” Ehan’s eyes widen as he takes in
the Zingfinold in front of him. “Yes, we have heard of the mighty
Warze. This is Norhra, my sister,” he gestures to the female on his
right. She has the same stunning blue eyes and flawless satin skin.
Golden inscriptions run the length of all limbs and a long
honey-colored braid hangs down her neck. Standing strong next to
Ehan, she scans us with uncertainty, especially Jace, whose eyes
have grown wide. “I… I must admit. I am surprised to find humans
with you, mighty Warze.”

“These humans friends of Zingfinolds.
Friends of
tribesmen
,” he gestures to Walker and Tucker.

“They have pledged?” Ehan raises a curious
brow.

Warze nods.

“You both have conquered the Horrop?”

Walker and Tucker look at each other and
then back to Ehan. Walker is already laughing. “It wasn’t my
favorite thing to do, but yeah, we did it.”

“This makes more sense.”

“Ehan,” Norhra approaches, “we must
continue. The Hylas are still contaminated with Dofinikes.”

“Vermix,” I correct. “Not all Dofinikes are
enemies. You said so yourself,” I look at Ehan. “Jothkore is with
King Thias. He is an Arizal and on our side.”

“How many Arizal Dofinikes are here?”

“Five. Including Blovid, the last
Dellapalanian Leader and Fychu Sampson.”

“Fychu Sympse is here?” Ehan’s face
pales.

“Yes,” Reid nods. “At Zinnollo with King
Hozfin.”

All the Nerwos exchange looks as a few
silent whispers are exchanged. Finally, Ehan returns focus to us.
“He is planning on staying there?”