47

The wind stopped. Everything airborne fell to the ground.

The Emissary lunged at Riley. His filthy hands scrabbled at her. His fingers grabbed her neck.

Get the orbs. They were the only things that mattered.

His hands tightened. She couldn’t breathe.

The orbs.

Her fingers found the edge of the pocket opening and plunged inside. She touched the warm glass. Yes.

Tighter still. Glittering lights of asphyxiation under her eyelids. Desperate to breathe.

Another inch and an orb slipped into her palm. The two other orbs clinked together. She grabbed at a second one, barely managing to clasp two in her small fingers.

Could. Not. Breathe.

Get lost, she thought with the last of her strength.

The Emissary jerked away as if hooked by an invisible cord. His eyes closed, his body fell limply to the floor. Then, as the wind restarted with a vengeance, it took him and pulled him into the rip.

Riley flattened herself to the carpet. The wind blew over her. She tightened her grip on the orbs. Hold me still, she instructed the Tyon power inside her.

Darius, she aimed whatever power she had in his direction. Wake up. NOW.

Darius groaned. He raised a shaky hand to his forehead.

“Darius, we’re in trouble!” Riley yelled, her voice barely audible above the tempest.

Darius tried to sit up but was flattened by the wind. The gusts changed direction. Darius just grabbed onto the kitchen doorframe in time. His body swung around as, feet first, the wind pulled him towards the rip. The coffee table swung around and, now free of the door frame, slid straight for the rip.

“Orb,” Darius gasped.

Riley transferred one orb to the arm closest to Darius. His hand grasped the smooth glass.

“STOP!” Darius yelled.

Yellow lightning burst out of the rip. It hit the ceiling, slammed into the walls, pierced the floor. The carpet, only inches from Riley, burst into flame.

She screamed.

“You are mine.” Rhozan’s voice shook the walls.

“No.” Darius panted. Fingers white, he could barely hold onto the doorframe, the hand aiming the orb at the rip. His body was pulled off the ground.

Lightning barely missed him.

“Alec,” Darius called. “We need you. For god’s sake, fight.”