EMIL
I’m standing on the dock, staring at the Bounds across the river.
Between breaking into Iron’s home and getting ready to storm into a prison, I feel like Bautista’s rebel spirit too. I can’t only look at the good though; I got to wonder if I’m growing corrupt like Keon too. I have no idea what pushed Keon to create specters beyond the usual theories of him wanting power, but maybe his heart was steering him toward unlawful acts too.
Brighton and Prudencia finally arrived minutes ago, and they’re currently deciding which is the best rental boat to “borrow” to get them across and back as if we’re going for some new record on most crimes in a single night. If only Brighton could fly and Prudencia could trust her power to carry herself across the river. Meanwhile, Maribelle and Tala are strategizing on how to defeat the sky swimmer that’s known to guard the prison. Nox and Roxana are standing in the river, bobbing for fish.
Then there’s Wyatt, who comes up beside me. “This evening has become a touch too exciting, hasn’t it?”
“I’m sorry. I bet you’re wishing you didn’t stop Tala from having us all blown up.”
“You’re foolish to think I regret meeting you, love. If I may be so direct—”
“You always are.”
“—I’m hoping our time getting to know each other isn’t at an end. I understand things are a tad complicated and I’ll give you the space you need. But I really love when you hold me as we fly through the skies and when I get to hold you back at night. I’d hate to lose that so soon.”
It’s not fair that he’s hitting me with this right now, not when I’m a river away from Ness, but I can’t act like I’m not moved by it. He’s beautiful, confident about himself though bordering on conceited, devoted to phoenixkind, and keeps dreaming up a better world for me as a Halo Knight. I’m really into everything he’s talking about too—my arms wrapped around him as we fly around on Nox, how we don’t have to talk over the winds to feel connected, and how much easier it’s been to sleep because I’m with him.
I just can’t give him anything in return until I figure myself out.
“Hey!” Brighton calls, sitting inside a four-seater jet boat with Prudencia. “We’re ready!”
We all gather around and review our plan once we get inside the Bounds. Split up into pairs of two—Brighton and Prudencia, Maribelle and Tala, me and Wyatt—to cover more ground. There’s one phoenix specter on each team, and hopefully our fire will be enough to melt whatever cell Ness is in. We’re not expecting our phones to work underground, so if we hear chaos, we’re supposed to blow on whistles the Halo Knights have used when training phoenixes and run toward the danger to make sure none of us get captured during this mission.
“Special request to alert me if you see Stanton,” Tala says. “I’m going to cut that snake’s head off for killing my mother.”
“Very dark,” Wyatt says.
“And duly noted,” Brighton says.
“How much time are we giving ourselves in there?” Prudencia asks.
“Until we find Ness,” I say.
“That’s not going to fly,” Maribelle says. “One hour.”
“There’s four towers to search.”
“Bro, I’m going to dash around, but we’ll have to call it quits at some point,” Brighton says.
“Then I’ll stay.”
“Then you’re forcing everyone else to stay too because I’m the door getting us in and out and you know I’m not leaving you behind.”
Brighton is staring at me, and I know he’s one hundred percent serious.
I can sacrifice myself all I want, but I can’t force everyone to do the same.
I agree to the terms, not knowing how I’ll be able to live with myself if I can’t save the person who keeps risking death for me.