Behind Those Eyes | Aonung (Enemies to Lovers)

39. loss

Chaos reigned in Awa'atlu.

Neteyam had hopped off the Thanator to take down the Sky People who had made it to shore, knocking them out one by one.

"Show off." Katiya rolled her eyes.

He laughed and waved at her. "Let's see you outdo me, Kati."

Katiya snickered, jumping in between him and a human with a firegun as the Thanator roared aggressively. It clawed at the enemy and threw him into the distance.

"Good girl." She patted the creature's neck.

"Not a fair competition, little sister. You had help," Neteyam joked.

"Hey, she chose me as her rider. Our queues are connected as one," Katiya retorted. "Go find Dad. I'll look for Kiri."

He nodded, taking off into the distance. "So, should I tell Dad about your new friend?"

"I'll tell him after this is over," she replied, wondering how Neteyam knew she and Aonung had come to terms. "We both agreed to do it!"

A confused expression crossed Neteyam's face. What did she mean by that? Her and the Thanator?

As far as he knew, the agreement was already established through tsaheylu.

He shrugged and increased the distance between them, determined to find Jake.

In an instant, a heat wave swept in Katiya's direction. With quick reflexes, she dodged the fire gun and hopped off the Thanator's back with her bow and arrows in hand.

The enemy didn't have time to retreat before she drew back her bow and killed them.

"Ah! Get away from us!"

Katiya looked up to see Araya, her two missing front teeth visible in the distance as she held onto her grandmother. They were trying to outrun a mechanic claw machine with a human inside.

Adrenaline surged within Katiya and she took off toward them, aiming her bow and arrow at the enemy.

Suddenly, a blue fist came down in front of her and she managed to dodge it in time.

"Kati!" Sihi gasped, quickly withdrawing her hand.

"Watch it!" Katiya hissed, her eyes narrowed to her friend.

Next to Sihi were Meyta and Ritxa. They were huffing and puffing from exhaustion as they put to use the fighting moves Katiya had taught them.

To Katiya's surprise, they managed to knock down a few Sky People.

"Go, get out of here," she instructed as she delivered a kick to one of the humans.

"Be careful!" Meyta nodded, grabbing Ritxa's hand and running after Sihi.

"Nice form, by the way," Katiya shouted as she dodged the fire coming at her.

On one knee, she aimed her bow at the mechanic claw machine still pursuing Araya and her grandmother. Within a second, her arrow pierced through the glass and struck the human inside, killing him instantly.

"Kati!" The little girl wailed, feeling both relief and fear as big teardrops fell from her eyes.

"Don't cry." Katiya hurried toward them. "You did very well, Araya. You protected your grandmother. Now go with her and hide until it's safe, okay?"

Arya sniffled and hiccupped as she nodded in response. "Where is Brother Ao?"

Katiya's breath caught in her throat, her heartbeat thumping loudly against her eardrums. The fact that she hadn't seen Aonung after they parted in the jungle didn't occur to her.