Page 12 of Blood and War
“It’s one shift. I’ll be ok.” She rested her own hand atop his, hoping the warmth from it was enough for him to let go. To see the bigger picture.
“You’re going to be the death of me.” With a sigh, Jace took a step back. Giving her hand a tight squeeze before he was out of arm’s reach. She could see the struggle on his face as the gates slowly opened to let her out.
Nudging Atlas into a smooth walk, Demitria tore her eyes away. They’d just passed through the gates and she knew they’d be closing behind her already. “I’ll be ok!” She called back as Atlas broke into a canter.
The thud of the iron clicking into place was loud, but she imagined him alone, still standing there, staring at the spot she’d just left.
She was alone too.
The air around her felt cooler as the horse’s pace quickened. The wind whipping her hair behind her. In her haste to leave she’d forgotten to tie it back, but it felt freeing, in a way.
Her hand never left the hilt of the sword. She never did patrol much beyond the wall, but she knew exactly what she was doing. It was a simple job, really. The task was to confront any incoming intruders—angel, demon, or human—and deter them from getting into the community. It was rare for another human to come this way, especially this time of day, but it did happen on occasion. Most had good intentions, but with the recent attacks and low supplies, one could never be so sure. Anything else that showed up was fair game. If she had to kill then so be it, and doing it alone was part of the job.
Her mind couldn’t help but roam as they rode on. She didn’t know whether she could trust the threats the demon had spoken. If Solis was truly in danger. If Jace was in danger. Demitria couldn’t think of a single instance where she’d fucked up badly enough to have a price on her head. Was so sure that she hadn’t killed more than the next Guardian at any of the communities still standing. So why her?
Why her?
She’d made a vow to Jace all those years ago, standing in the forest at ten years old as the nightmares around them raged on. They would do anything in their power to keep the other safe, no matter the cost. A promise to be there for each other, even if things went sideways, and nothing was to come between that. And if those monsters threatened his life because of her? She’d damn well become just like them to keep her family safe.
She would train the other residents when she returned the next morning. Would instruct Evan to make any weapons he could for those strong enough to wield one. Would work with them every waking moment of the day if she had to. Because Solis was her home. Those were her people, and they needed to be prepared for whatever came their way.
The sound of Atlas’s hooves thudding along the hard, dusty ground was the only thing Demitria could distinctly hear for hours. The sun had fallen low in the sky once more, and the residents inside the wall would begin settling down for the night. The noise coming from the community was nearly non-existent, but she’d traveled far enough out that she could no longer see it, either. She knew if they slowed the sounds of tiny little creatures scurrying away from the thundering beast beneath her would be heard as she interrupted their nightly prowl for food. Rats, mice… whatever the hell was still out there.
The sky darkened, but Demitria had trained her eyes to focus over the years. She knew this landscape like the back of her hand and could easily tell when something was amiss.
Her feelings were the same as everyone else’s. No one ever wanted to be on patrol. It was the worst of the duties as a Guardian by far.
Sometimes it scared her. Sometimes it didn’t.
Demitria ventured off further away. Further into the darkness. She’d done more laps around the community than she could mentally keep track of. Nothing moved. If there was danger either she or Atlas would be sure to hear it. They pushed forward for hours. Even further into the dark abyss. The moon, high up in the sky, cast an ethereal glow along the ground, illuminating the world. She reined Atlas in, bringing him down to a walk as her eyes adjusted again.
It grew quieter.
Too quiet.
Not even the sounds of the rodents cut through the night. She heard nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Nothing but the sound of Atlas’s hooves and her own breathing. Demitria urged him into a slow canter once more, looking around at their surroundings. Eyes searching for anything out of place.
Her heart nearly stopped when she saw the hooded figure up ahead. Large and broad shouldered in stature, Demitria could tell the being was male as he sat astride his mount. The fabric of his long, red cloak billowed behind him, a stark contrast against the moon’s glow. He seemed to wear little to no armor aside from a thick leather chest piece that she was sure would do little in a true fight, but he looked like a deadly warrior, regardless. It was as if his horse had materialized out of thin air, and suddenly, he was nearly upon them.
The rider closed in fast, his magnificent horse charging across the land. It was as if fire erupted from its hooves with each massive step it took, embers glistening in its wake with every stride. The horse’s coat was a sea of fiery red, like a flame dancing in the night.
She was irrevocably fucked.
Ambushed, she realized. The silence that had surrounded them. The creatures that had all but disappeared—She should have known the warning signs. Should have known that he had been baiting her further out. He’d set her up, and she’d fallen right into his trap.
She’d barely had the chance to watch him dismount, it all happened so fast. Her body left the warmth of the horse beneath her as the male was suddenly in front of her, his strong grasp hauling her body off Atlas as his arm wound around her middle, and Demitria found herself soaring through the air before crashing to the ground below. The air in her lungs escaped her in one short exhale, her back hitting the compact dirt hard. She landed nearly ten feet from her horse who’d kept pace a few strides more before finally skidding to a stop.
Couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe. She lay there for what seemed like minutes, but it had been no more than a heartbeat.
Get up.
Get up. Get up. Get up.
She repeated the mantra over and over in her head until her body cooperated. She stood on shaking legs, taking all but a moment to find her balance, Demitria drew her sword, poising herself for battle as he stalked toward her. She could tell just by the way he moved that he was one ofthem. Not human in nature as he prowled toward her with a predatory stance, full lips curved up into a menacing snarl. He pushed the hood of his cloak off, his hair, as dark as the sky itself, cascaded into softwaves just above his shoulders, the top tied back into a loose knot. Demitria didn’t know what the hell he was, but she knew enough that his presence wasn’t good.
