Guardians: Away Mission Book 2 of the Guardians Saga COMPLETED except for edits

The Battle Begins Ch. 9.3

Alex's wish was granted since the assault on the palace began after the sun had fully warmed the ground. Since the Anolis females hadn't considered Rile or Alex useful, they were free to do as they pleased, so they watched from behind the ranks of the revolutionary warriors.

While archers from both sides rained a deadly hail of arrows, other Anolis revolutionaries advanced with ladders to climb the walls. A battalion of the Kuni's soldiers marched out of the palace to meet them. Alex was surprised at the lack of catapults.

"Let's fly straight into the palace," Alex said. "Fire truck these Anolis females. We'll leave them behind."

Rile tugged on her hand in warning. "No, wait. Let the front line penetrate the palace. Then the revolutionaries inside the palace will attack. The Kuni's forces will be caught between two fronts. Then we can enter the palace while they're busy. We'll confront the Kuni and free Gabe and Cale," Rile said.

As the rebels advanced, Alex flew Rile up for quick aerial recons and descended to fight at strategic locations. They kept a sword's arc away from each other and they cut swaths through the Kuni's forces.

Alex didn't use her power, in order to save it for the palace. Alex had trouble concentrating, for she kept glancing at Rile and becoming distracted.

Oh, those biceps and triceps contracting under that glittering hide!

If he was wounded, Alex would kill those who had hurt him, but for right now, she was enjoying the sight of his muscular body in action.

"Alex, duck!" A roundhouse swing from Rile's sword whipped over her head.

Where had that Anolis warrior come from?

Alex stood back up.

"Pay attention. Now up," Rile held out his hand and she took him aloft. "The revolutionaries have entered the palace. Let's go."

She flew him there, arrows from both armies bouncing off her slipstream.

Fire truck Anolis females, all of them.

"Land me there." Rile pointed to the front courtyard, full of fighting reptiles. "You stay airborne."

Alex did as he requested. Then she drew her sword and flew straight at a phalanx of palace guards. A flying slice and the entire front column collapsed, bleeding. The slipstream surrounded the sword and dulled it, but the sheer force of flying drove home the blade.

Rile watched in respect a moment before launching his attack. Alex continued her flying sweeps, leaving bloody paths until Rile signaled her forward into the actual palace building. She took him with her.

"Let's fly to the royal harem," Rile said.

She swept over him and he stretched up his hand. She took him aloft with practiced ease.

"Good thinking." Alex speed-burst and they were around the corner from the harem entrance

They both peeked around to see the empty hallway and heavily carved wooden door to the harem.

"Only two guards, probably because the fighting is too heavy to spare more," Rile whispered. "You take one. I'll take the other. Attack together."

"How about a speed-burst attack? I'm not in the mood to play fair," Alex said.

"This is war, Alex, not some contest. Speed-burst it is."

Alex held out her left hand. Rile shifted his sword to his left hand to hold her hand.

"I'm trusting your slipstream to add force to my attack," Rile said. "I gotta practice left-handed from now on."

Alex took off and they slammed their swords into the Anolis females like a steam train. The Anolis bodies hit the far wall while Alex braked her slipstream to stop.