Better as Bones

burn into my flesh - XLI

Bastet

I scale the stairs. The bright morning sun blinds me. Avery groans as she holds up her hand.

"Bastet, people are heavier when they pass out," She says. I stand there, panting.

"Please don't pass out," I tell her.

"Hope you are strong," She mutters, her head dropping like a weight. Pounding echoes from inside as Milo hurried out with Quarry. He shakes his wings, pushing up off the ground.

I heave as my arms drop. Avery's head lolls to the side.

"MILO!" I call. Milo turns back, his eyebrows drawn together. "Avery passed out!"

"Ah shit!" Quarry exclaims, his hands curling around Milo's forearm. I spin around as the two guards scale the stairs. One rips the knife from her shoulder, a grimace on her face. I turn back to Milo and Quarry.

I push off my feet, sprinting towards the trees. They rise above the buildings, promising me safety. My feet pound the pavement as I turn a corner. Footsteps pursue. I hesitate before I look up. Milo points to the right.

I turn right, feet on my heel. I pant, pulling forward.

"Yes," I pant, grass coming into my sight. Milo lands in the field, Quarry waving his arms. I look back. The two guards hurry. They run after me. I trip through the grass, down the hill.

"Bastet, look," Quarry murmurs, his hand pointing up on the hill as I stop next to him and Milo. The guards wait, their hands spread wide as they pace along the grass.

"Why'd they stop?" I wonder. Quarry groans, his face scrunched up.

"To the forest," Avery grumbles. I look down, my chest cold. Avery glares up at me, her forehead beaded with sweat, her skin pale and clammy. "Don't just stand here. Take advantage of their hesitation."

"Will you stop talking?" Quarry hisses at her. Avery growls, her eyebrows knitting together in either annoyance or pain. Maybe both.

Milo leads me away from the grass. He parts them with his wings, stopping by the treeline. I step in, my feet hurried as I glance back. The guards stay put on the break between nature and cement.

Milo stops behind me. I blink through the sudden dimming of light. The sun leaks through the silvers in the trees.

Milo looks down at Quarry, his hand twisted on Milo's shirt. He sucks in a breath, his head looking heavy on his neck. He grimaces. I come forward with Avery.

"Kyson is coming," He murmurs. Milo lets him down from his arms. Quarry stands, his hand tight on Milo's arm. He steadies himself.

"What?" Avery mutters, her eyes glaring at Quarry. Quarry shifts on his feet. He looks up at Milo before gazing back down. His tongue gets stuck between his teeth.

"They captured me because I could use my myth," He starts. Our eyes glaze on him. Quarry hesitates, shifting again. "I was an experiment. For a drug that they used to subdue myth."

"What?" Milo hisses. Quarry's eyes glaze over. They search frantically at the ground.

"I didn't get the latest product. But I heard it's able to rid of myth from a person's body all together. They want to get rid of myth. Kyson wants to control the Forest." Quarry's breath is low and shallow. My eyes meet Milos.

'Not Kyson,' He says.

"Ender City." Quarry and Avery's eyes flick towards me. "The Four Towns."

"They're gonna get us all," Quarry mutters, his face dark. My body goes rigid. What...happened to Quarry?

Milo's face goes slack. Quarry holds onto his arm, steadying him.

"I saw everything they did to the drug. They were confident I was going to die so they allowed me to know what was going to happen to me, to know what was going into my body. I'm sure if the last product worked they would have killed me after." Quarry looks up. He nods, eyebrows firm. "I can make an antidote. Or I can try. But we need a plan."

"We need an attack," Avery mutters, her face cast down. "We need a way to keep people calm."

"We need a way to warn them," Quarry says. Avery looks up, her eyes big. She nods. "Avery, you have to do that part."

"We need Thorn," I say. Eyes turn towards. They all burn into my flesh. I shift, my eyes focused away from the harsh gaze. "They can help with all of that. She-she knows about all of that. They can help."

Avery winces, shifting her head towards me. "No."

"But!" I hesitate as Avery throws a glare.

"SHE TRIED TO KILL US, BASTET!" Avery lashes out her free arm.

"SHE CAN HELP US!" Avery growls. "She knows all about this stuff, trust me! I know her! We've talked!"

"You don't know anything."

"I know more than you." Avery bores into my eyes. I hold her steady, my jaw tightened.

"If she betrays us, it is on you," She says. I press my lips together, a stitched on smile forming behind my fear. Avery rolls her eyes. "Do not. Threaten me again."

"Right," I say, my throat icy. My heart pounds in my chest, echoing to my ears. Milo picks Quarry back up. Avery groans as she tugs on my sleeve.

"Let's move," She says. I nod, the haze from my eyes clearing.

We just have to find Thorn.