Way of No Return (Champions of the Crystal Book 8)

Chapter 20.2

Scotty stopped his involuntary motion to drop the stretcher and reach for his weapon just in time as the two Kyan crashed through the foliage and into view. Corporal Sian and the six men who weren't helping carry the stretcher began firing immediately, trying to bring down the trees around the enemy since their weapons hardly did more than splash off their armor plating. In what seemed like no time, the forest around them was aflame, smoke blocking their view. It didn't stop any of the combatants, but Scotty, helmetless, was blind and choking in it. He bent to set the stretcher down, freeing the other stretcher-bearer to join the fight, and checked the oxygen mask over Mara's face to make sure it was still correctly placed.

A moment later, one of his companions tapped him on the shoulder. "Come on," he said. "I've been ordered to take you on while the others hold them off." He handed Scotty an emergency breath mask, which helped his breathing considerably.

For a few minutes, Scotty dared to hope they could lose the enemy in the confusion, but they soon ran into another group. This time he did let the stretcher drop, pumping shots into the Kyan and the surrounding trees and stepping over Mara's body to provide some shielding. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sian go down; Scotty grabbed the spare weapon he'd been given and began firing with both hands, using every bit of his Wayfarer mental acuity, vision, and hand-eye coordination to keep the enemy at bay. His awareness narrowed to the few minutes he could buy Mara, and through her his wife and children, as he put shot after shot into the Kyan, spinning and firing almost continuously to keep them at bay as they closed in.

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Sastarn propped Ford against the cave wall and went to help Lyrabeth clear the collapsed tunnel, but he soon realized she didn't need his help. Her weapon was stronger now, and she burned a neat tunnel through the middle, rock melting to form stable walls.

"Nice work," he said.

"This isn't all bad," she murmured, sounding more cheerful. "I'm in first, in case they're on the other side."

"Um," Sastarn said, nodding to the side, "I think they are. Look."

Stecklan came forward to examine the rock. "Yes, I think you're right. They collapsed it after themselves, but there's definitely melted rock here."

"Then we need to hurry," Lyrabeth said, grimly climbing into the small tunnel, using her elbows to pull herself forward since she only had the use of one hand.

Sastarn turned to get Ford moving again and jumped a little as he realized the prince was standing right behind him. "Sir?"

"We have to keep moving," Ford said hoarsely.

"What, uh," Sastarn began, before Ford's opaque faceplate and clenched posture defeated him. Whatever the details were, he didn't need to make the prince tell him what had happened. "You're next, sir. Stecklan, I've got the rear now. Can you manage?"

"I have to, don't I?" Stecklan replied. "I can go in last; that way I won't slow anyone else down."

"We stay together," Sastarn said firmly. "I'll push you if I have to."

"Go on," Ford said, gesturing to the tunnel. "On your back. I'll push."

"Yes, sir," Stecklan said. He pursed his lips as if wanting to say something more, but then changed his mind and carefully crawled into the tunnel on his back.

After they were through the collapsed zone, it didn't take long for them to come to the makeshift barricade, which the Kyan had not bothered to re-secure. They climbed through the burnt passage, now able to hear banging. The absence of weapons fire was ominous.

"Lyrabeth," Ford said.

"Yes, sir?" She glanced over her shoulder at him.

"Right for the heads. Don't waste time."

"Yes, sir," she replied.

The group of four Kyan were just beginning to move through the emergency shelter door, which was warped out of all recognition, when Lyrabeth came into firing range. She killed the first one immediately, then ducked quickly to avoid return fire while trying for the one halfway through the door.

Ford let out a cry of rage and ran for the enemy, ducking under their shots while Sastarn and Stecklan covered him. He dove through the door's remains, just managing to grab the Kyan's leg. As it turned to look down at him, its head exploded.

Ford blinked, trying to restore his vision, and saw his little sister standing nearby, pale and stunned. Then she turned and ran.

"Wait!" he shouted, "it's me!" He made his faceplate transparent again and followed her into the infirmary, staggering to a halt as he saw the pale figure on the bed and the horrible bloody pool between her legs. Immediately he forgot all about Seuréa, stumbling over to Sabrina's side and picking up one limp, cool hand. He tore off his helmet and pressed her hand to his lips, his tears flowing freely. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "Oh shards, Sabrina...."

He fell to his knees beside the bed, resting his forehead on her hand and letting the tears come. As he wept, it occurred to him dimly that the best thing he could do was go out and help his friends hold off the enemy, but he felt drained, unable to move or to care very much about anything. Death seemed a small price to pay to stay with the woman he loved, since he hadn't been able to save her.

Then he felt the fingers twitch, ever so slightly, against his skin. He looked up, wondering if he had imagined it, and realized that Seuréa was working on Sabrina, her hands glowing slightly. "She's...alive?" he choked out.

"Yes, but not for much longer if we don't do something!" his sister said, sounding exasperated. "Stop crying and help me! Don't just sit there like a—a—big dumb goat!"

Ford jerked to his feet, grabbing Seuréa's hands and concentrating. She was pulling so much power out of the Crystal that it was easy to connect with her, and he saw immediately that her main problem was a lack of knowledge. She had never studied human anatomy, and she didn't know where to put the bones or connective tissue, though she had managed to repair most of the blood vessels.

"I did it too fast. I wasn't careful," she admitted shakily.

Ford didn't reply, instead picturing what she needed to do and feeding it to her, first all at once and then in painstaking steps. Come on, Sabrina, he thought desperately. Don't leave me. You can't leave me.

There was a sharp series of pops and cracks as Seuréa tried to repair the damage she'd done to Sabrina's skeleton, and after a moment Ford became dimly aware of someone else nearby, busily working. He blinked to find Cynthia jabbing a needle into her own arm.

"I'm a universal donor," she said shortly, and he realized that the other end of the tube led into one of Sabrina's veins. "I don't know if I have enough to give her, but it has to help. You're sure the bleeding's stopped? We don't have any to waste."

Ford blinked, but Cynthia wasn't asking him. Rutha was examining her patient, biting her lip as if hope were too painful to let out. "Yes, I believe so," she said.