Destiny's Blood by Marie Bilodeau (superbooks4u txt) 📕

it. Layela frowned and placed her hand on the ankle, pressing on the bulge, as though making it real for the ether with her touch.

Avienne gasped but made no protest, and now Layela could see the mists travelling from her hand into the ankle. She closed her eyes, letting her fingers feel the muscles and ligaments relax, their rips repair, and the ether vanish within them. Her own energies dwindled, and she forced the ether into herself as she would water a plant, her tired body absorbing it easily. Ether flowed within her, and she no longer felt tired. She grabbed her sister’s arm, though Yoma jerked a bit at the touch, and forced some into her, too. Ether was like the Lacile flower, she decided. Encouraged to grow, it would, and it would stay.

She felt re-energized, and Avienne’s ankle felt normal beneath her touch. She smiled and opened her eyes, Yoma and Avienne were both watching her closely. Ardin was at her side too, looking at his sister’s ankle.

Layela felt herself grow red, and she shrugged. “Compared to lowering those shields, that was nothing, really.”

Avienne slid off the wall and landed gingerly on both her feet, grinning wildly at Ardin. “And you thought you’d get rid of me!”

“I would never dream of it,” he said, placing a hand on Avienne’s shoulder. He let go and gently slid his arm around Layela’s waist, looking at her with a question. She merely shook her head.

“I’m sorry to interrupt the festivities,” Zortan said, stepping out of the shadows. Layela wondered how long he had been watching. “But we should get going. The sun will rise in less than an hour. The temple is not far, but we should go, now.”

Layela glanced at Yoma, who refused to look at her. Ardin’s arm tightened around her.

He looked at Zortan. “I’m coming too.”

“Blood and bones, sounds like fun! I’m in, too!” Avienne immediately chimed in as she tested her newly-healed ankle.

The blue shields danced in Zortan’s eyes. “You can’t.”

Ardin stiffened beside Layela and she put her hand on his arm to hold him back. She doubted confronting Zortan was a good idea, especially if he had even half the skill Avienne and Yoma attributed to him.

In answer, Zortan looked up. The blue shield danced and energy sliced through it, the purple sky suddenly covered with less shimmer.

“Let me guess. It’s not supposed to do that,” Avienne said, leaning back against the wall.

“The creatures will break through soon. Someone has to keep them at bay.”

Avienne perked up again. “And here I thought you were just trying to keep us out of trouble!”

“I would never dream of it.”

“How are we supposed to keep them back?” Ardin asked, removing his arm from around Layela. She missed its warmth immediately.

“There are still weapons in the capital; ether weapons. Some of them still work. There,” he pointed towards an old crumbled wall, with two long-nosed, sleek-looking guns hitched on a rampart. “And there,” another broken wall, with three more guns.

“Doesn’t seem like much,” Ardin said. He scanned the horizon, where the creatures would be breaking through.

“It isn’t. You won’t be able to hold them back for long. Once they close in, you’ll have to hold your ground,” Zortan said. He held out his hands. Avienne leapt forward at the sight of a knife belt, filled with gold-handled knives. A sword, smaller than Zortan’s but with its pommel decorated with the emblem of Mirial, was in his other hand.

“These are old, but they were weapons used by my guards, and they were forged with ether. They will help you hold your ground.”

Ardin took the sword, pulling the blade free from the old scabbard. The metal gleamed red in the dwindling moonlight. Avienne hesitated, cocking an eyebrow up at Zortan.

“If I take the weapons of your guards, does that mean I have to obey you?”

“I would never make such a demand of you.”

Avienne broke into a huge grin as she took the belt. She pulled a knife out and flipped it, whistling as she caught it again. “Perfectly balanced.” She brought the knife closer to her face and studied the finely decorated gold hilt. “These must be worth a fortune.” She was rewarded with a warning look from her brother.

“I’m just saying, not selling.”

“If you live through this night, Avienne Malavant,” Zortan said, “you can have the knives and do whatever you wish with them.”

Avienne’s grin grew wider. Before she could answer, a voice sounded from behind them.

“I’m staying to help.” Layela turned to see a woman she recognized as one of Gobran’s officers, looking at them in defiance. Try and stop me, her eyes challenged.

Ardin nodded. “With only five weapons and lots of enemies, we can use all the help we can get.”

“Six weapons,” Jaru said as he joined them, oblivious to the relief of the group at seeing one of the Destiny’s crew. “I’ve repaired another one, although the power cells will never be the same. Can you believe they haven’t upheld their networks? Otherwise I’d be able to hook them and fire from a distance, which seems much safer to me.”

Avienne closed the distance and hugged Jaru before he could go on. The man seemed stunned for a moment, but returned the gesture. “I’m glad you made it,” she said as they broke apart, and he smiled.

“I’ll stay, too.” He turned to Ardin. “Doesn’t seem right to see you go into battle without me.”

And he was off towards the weapons, mumbling about inefficient upkeep of equipment.

“We have a problem with the evacuation.” Gobran walked up to them now, the man nodding curtly to Loran.

Layela felt a lump form in pit of her stomach. “What do you mean, a problem? These people should already be gone, Gobran.”

He nodded politely. “I agree, Lady, but over two hundred — pretty much all our able-bodied men and women — refuse to leave.” He turned and pointed toward the fortifications of the city, where the six weapons stood. People were hard at work, strengthening the walls with fallen