Wild Tiger Chase | Book #2 (Complete)

33: by degrees, on his knees (part I)

— Rob - afternoon - five hours later — 

A shiver coursed through Rob's entire body in a mix of feelings he couldn't quite name. His heartbeat quickened, his breathing shallowed, and his legs lost force. Rob stumbled a step backward and hit his back on the tree behind him. He grimaced, massaging the pins and needles spreading from the left side of his chest to his shoulder, neck, and temples.

"What's wrong?" Rafa asked in a whisper. "Are you feeling ill?"

A cold drop of sweat slid down the side of his face. His stomach upturned, and the burning inside it seemed to expand. Rob grimaced and shut his eyes.

"Beto, hey," Rafa whispered. She clasped a hand on his shoulders. "Look at me."

He opened his eyes. After a few blinks, his vision cleared. "I'm okay, it's... I don't know," Rob mumbled. He didn't want to interrupt Léon's conversation with his brother, so he lowered his voice to say, "I felt this... this pressure in my chest and in my head. A-and"—he swallowed hard—"fear, perhaps? Anxiety?" Bloody hell, he was going to throw up. "Ugh. It's... as if something was about to happen. Something bad." He inhaled and exhaled, trying to regain any control. His muscles tensed. "Wait. Are you feeling this?"

The skin on the back of his neck prickled. A cold wave washed over his body, and something clicked in his chest.

Something was coming, but he couldn't say exactly what.

The lines hardened in Rafa's face. "I don't feel anything." She rested a warm hand on his forehead, then turned his face to her. "You're pale, Beto. You should go see Caidara or Anhangá. Maybe both."

Rob nodded. The shadows were now elongated around them, proving they had spent precious hours on a training session that only helped one out of the three cosmic trace wielders there. Yes, Rob was glad that Pipo would have a chance at controlling his powers, but no, he wasn't satisfied with the fact Léon and Rafa wouldn't.

A new wave of pain coursed through his body. The only reason Rob managed to keep on his feet was the support Rafa gave him.

"Yeah... perhaps I should go see them," Rob murmured.

There was too much happening at once. Rob hadn't missed the way shite always seemed to go south in his life. Being a super was a fucking lot of responsibility. He missed being just an officer in Cidade Santa.

Rafa gave a hard smack on his shoulder, bringing Rob back to reality. "Go on, then." She jerked her chin to show the pat to Caidara's cottage. "I'll stay here and watch." She looked at Léon and Pipo, then took in a deep breath. Finally, maybe remembering she was supposed to be mad at him, Rafa gave an awkward pat on Rob's shoulder and stepped back.

"Rafa?"

She turned around and waited.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Anhangá sooner." He lowered his eyes. "I just... you don't need to take care of me anymore. There's enough on your plate." Rob's balled hands trembled. "You're my sister, not my babysitter."

"This has nothing to do with being your sister, Beto." Her voice was more saddened than angry. "I choose to be by your side."

Rob's eyes widened. He opened and closed his hands, maybe to control the tears building up inside him. Rafa walked away.

"That means she wants to be involved," said a voice at his back. "No matter how hard you try to keep her out of this."

"I know." Rob turned around to find Anhangá's dark eyes. "I don't need you to translate her words to me."