Promises (48 page)

We had now cleared three-quarters of the valley and the forest where Maes promised safety was in sight. I couldn’t detect any movement in the trees, and despite my tiredness, my heart filled with hope. Maes had succeeded on drawing the Trackers and Tresez out. We were almost out!

Callon and I were suddenly knocked to the ground, and my cheek scraped against a rock. Coughing, I struggled to raise my head. Through the smoke, Callon was wrestling with a redheaded Tracker.

Ryder!

“
Over here!” an unfamiliar voice yelled. Panicking, I struggled to my feet and tried to raise my hands, but the last of my strength seemed to have left me, and the pain was too much. No, not now, not when we were so close!

“
Run, Cheyenne!” Callon bellowed. “Run to Colt!”

Frantically I searched the haze for him. We’d been separated farther than I realized. Then at last I spotted him in the distance. Seizing onto him, I ran with everything I had. However, my legs were leaden, and I could only manage a pathetic hobble. I’d used too much of my power. The smoke thickened, spreading into my lungs, and I began wheezing, my lips parched from the heat.

My feet flew out from under me, and I was knocked to the ground. A hand pulled at my hair, and I screamed. I was flipped onto my back, and found myself staring into Ryder’s cold eyes. I kicked at him, trying to scramble back, but his grip was too tight. Still clutching my matted locks, he yanked me to my feet and twisted me around, so my neck was caught in the crook of his elbow.

“
COLT!”

Colt appeared through the grey cloud, his eyes ablaze with maddened rage. He circled us as Ryder wrapped his arm around my neck, constricting my airway. I lifted my hands and tried to force a surge of air out, but it was useless. I had nothing left.

Ryder shifted slightly, and hoof beats approached.

Marcus appeared through the smoke on his horse with Jahlem and Damien. His gaze shot daggers at Ryder, his brows narrowed.

“
Look who has the upper hand now,” Ryder spat.

“
Release her, Ryder!” Marcus barked.

“
She’s nothing, Marcus!” Ryder twisted my arms behind my back, and I croaked, unable to spare the breath to scream. “Just like her mother, worthless.”

“
You fool!” Marcus roared. “She’s worth a hundred times anything you could ever be! Release her, or you’ll be the one to pay.”

“
She’ll die today, and you can’t stop me like you did with Sahara,” Ryder growled.

His free hand moved to the back of my neck. All the blood drained from my face, and I braced myself. This was the end…

Marcus raised his hand, and a bolt of lightning shot forth. The white spark hit Ryder in the forehead, narrowly missing me, and he released me at once, falling to the ground.

The second he was gone, Daniel grabbed me and we materialized next to Colt. I gasped, sick from the sudden movement, but Colt didn’t wait. He shifted me onto his shoulders and began to run.

“
No!” Marcus yelled, as we disappeared into the haze.

Koda and Midnight flanked our side, while Maes in his Tresez form protected the opposite side. They were shielding Colt and me, as Daniel and Callon kept the front path clear. All the while I prayed. Please, we had to get to the trees, we had to!

Hoof beats and wild snorts echoed through the smoke. I glanced back and gasped. Marcus and his riders were gaining!

I pounded on Colt’s back.

“
He’s here!” I screamed. “Faster!”

Why hadn’t Daniel jumped me out? Marcus wouldn’t have been able to touch me…but then I realized that was the whole point. My guardians were banking on the thought that Marcus would be wary of attacking when there was a risk I could get hurt as well. But Marcus had lanced Ryder with deadly accuracy when he’d been holding me captive. Horror gripped me; their plan wasn’t going to work!

“
Put me down!” I screamed. “He’s going to kill you!”

My screams were lost in the howling wind and thundering hooves. Marcus was now fifty yards behind us, and he raised his hand. A blazing fragment of light appeared in his palm, and he threw it towards us. An explosion to the right sent dirt particles flying, and Midnight slammed into Colt’s shoulder. Another hit beside Maes, and he skidded, narrowly dodging it.

I leaned up and twisted, desperately searching for Daniel and Callon in the hazy cloud; Marcus was aiming at them, but the smoke was making it difficult. My heart stuttered as the forest loomed closer, but we still had to run down into the ravine before reaching the safety of the trees.

A loud crackle of electricity caught my ear. Koda groaned and slumped in his saddle. The lightning had grazed his arm, sizzling his shirtsleeve and leaving a burn mark. Still we continued at this relentless pace and began our descent into the ravine. Marcus veered, leading his men across the upper route so he was now staring down at us. A wicked smile grew on his face, and he pointed. His men began throwing stones, forcing Koda and Maes to break apart, and they created a small opening in their barrier.

No!

A brilliant flash of light flared from Marcus’s outstretched fingers and barreled towards Colt’s exposed chest. I tore at his shirt, loosening my grip to try to throw him off balance so the bolt would hit me, but Colt remained steady—strong.

I lost my breath, stars appeared in my eyes, and I screamed as the energy rippled through to my stomach. Colt had taken the larger part of the hit and threw me to the side as we tumbled to the valley floor. I narrowly escaped Midnight’s hooves as I skidded under his belly. Almost instantly, Koda was off his horse and was crouched above me.

I fought to regain my senses; I was breathing heavy, and my heart was beating so fast it hurt. I struggled to my feet and saw Colt lying on the ground face down.

“
Colt! No, Colt!” I tried to run towards him, but Koda held me back. “Get up! You have to get up!”

Callon and Daniel were now by Colt’s side. He wasn’t moving. Maes snarled as men approached from the sides. I squirmed free of Koda’s hold and ran towards Colt.

“
Cheyenne, no!” Koda hollered and ran after me.

Another blast of light blinded me, and I shielded my eyes. When I looked back, Daniel and Callon had been knocked away. Colt still lay there, motionless.

“
No!” I bellowed. Ignoring the pain in my lungs, I dropped to his side, shaking him. “Wake up! Wake UP!”

Colt didn’t budge.

And it was then I saw that he wasn’t breathing.

I lost all ability to move, as the tears poured down my cheeks. A numbness broke over me, and I barely noticed Callon drop to his knees beside me.

“
Colt!” He made to roll Colt over, but couldn’t quite manage. “Daniel, help me!”

Daniel appeared at once, and together they pushed Colt onto his back. His eyes were closed. Those beautiful baby blue eyes I’d never…never…

“
No!” I cried.

Koda plucked me from the valley floor, but I fought against him. I couldn’t leave Colt! Trackers began emerging from the trees, and Callon and Daniel were forced to release Colt as they began battling. Koda dropped me to help them, and I scrambled back.

I threw myself over Colt’s body as the battle raged around us.

“
Colt! You can’t leave me,” I moaned as I tenderly wrapped my hands around his head. “You promised me.” I pushed my face next to his as the tears poured out. “You said you’d never leave me,” I sobbed. “I told you my heart couldn’t take anymore…I need you!”

“
I love you. You’re the one I chose—it’s always been you.” I held on tighter and then pressed his lifeless hand to my cheek. “I chose you…you have to come back. You’re my true love.”

I kissed his lips, then pressed my mouth next to his ear. “I give you everything,” I whispered. “I love you…”

I closed my eyes and released everything I had within me, all the life, all the love I could give. I gave him every piece of my being as my fingers intertwined with his. My tears spilled over his face. My fingers ran over his necklace, the necklace I’d made for him at Christmas. It showed him my love—forever—
eternal
.

Callon took my wrists, prying me from his body.

“
Cheyenne, we can’t stay…”

“
No!” I screeched. “Leave me! I want to be with him…I can’t leave him.”

“
Cheyenne!” His voice trembled. “There’s…there’s nothing I can do. Marcus is closing in. We have to…”

Marcus…Marcus!

A storm began to rise within me. He was the one who’d done this. He’d murdered the man I loved. First my birth parents, then my adoptive parents…I’d never forgive him for this. Never!

My rage grew, seeping out from the pits of darkness within my soul. That something that had been building silently all this time, filling me with strength. I craved that strength to punish the one who’d hurt me like this. The energy came to life, pulsing, itching for release. I lifted my head and glared coldly at Marcus, who watched with indifference. How dare he look at me like that…how dare he!

Callon tried to hoist me against him, wanting to escape, but I threw him off. The earth began to move under our feet.

“
Stay away from me!” I growled, and Callon fell away.

I moved towards Colt’s lifeless body, and the ground trembled. Trees began cracking in the distance as I continued to breathe fire into anger, and hatred into rage. Marcus stared, undaunted. I slapped my hands together and then ripped them apart as the earth split open before me. I had no remorse, only satisfaction in the destruction.

“
You want my powers, Marcus?” I challenged, the wind whipping my hair around my head. “Then here they are. They’re all yours!”

I threw my hands out in front of me. A blast of wind came down from the mountaintop and screamed through the valley. Trees from the forest crackled and snapped loose, flying through the air like torpedoes. Trackers were thrown about like rag dolls, and I took delight as Marcus was pinned to the valley floor like the scum he was.

The howling was almost unbearable; it was echoing my cry, my misery. I poured out my soul, the anguish over all that had been taken from me. Everything I’d ever loved had been ripped from my hands and now I was going to stop it all…I’d never let it hurt me again.

Then a faint voice called out above the wind. It was desperate, pathetic, begging me to stop.

It was Callon.

I blinked, and glanced down. Callon was holding on to my leg. Blood was matted in his hair, cuts were across his cheeks.

“
Cheyenne, please stop!” he begged. “You’ll kill us all!”

I fell to my knees and collapsed over Colt’s body. A thickset gloom washed over me, smothering and constricting. I heard the voices, but nothing really mattered now.

“
Come back to me, Colt…come back to me,” I murmured.

“
Cheyenne!” Callon dragged me from Colt’s body. My head flopped back as his arm secured itself around my waist. It didn’t matter anymore…nothing mattered anymore.

Trackers were slowly rising and heading towards us. Daniel flashed in front of Colt and attempted to lift him. Maes pushed Daniel away and pointed towards the forest. Koda neared with Midnight to help and Maes shifted, letting out a mournful howl.

I looked upon the hill for Marcus. He was sitting on the ground, a large gash running down his cheek. A mere graze compared to the suffering he’d forced upon me.

“
Never…forgive…” I mumbled.

Daniel’s eyes met mine, filled with the crushing sorrow that was wrapped around my heart. He’d lost his brother, and I’d lost my true love…

My gaze remained locked on Colt’s body lying on the hillside—alone.

I’d truly lost everything.

Koda held me tight as we rode Midnight into the black forest. The others ran alongside us. I didn’t catch any sounds of pursuit, but we rode hard until dusk. It was almost a surprise when we stopped by a small stream. People were waiting there, but I barely acknowledged them. The one person I wanted to be here was gone forever, leaving me with a deep hollowness within.

I could still see the lightning bolt charging towards Colt, and how I’d tried everything to stop it from hitting him. And how watching his lifeless body had ignited my fury. Marcus had done this on purpose. He’d taken away everything that I loved, provoking me to release my power. He’d won in so many ways…but he had also made a grave mistake. There’d be no forgiveness in my heart for him—ever.

Koda helped me off Midnight, and I glanced around. Each of my guardians bore battle wounds…wounds I’d inflicted from my earlier display. Daniel was resting against a tree, covered in dirt and cuts. A large gash ran down the length of his left arm. He hadn’t even looked at me since we’d left the valley, since we’d left Colt’s body.

Koda was washing his burn at the stream; his face had bruises and blood across it as well. Maes remained in his Tresez form, but even his thick coat couldn’t hide the matted fur and blood-encrusted patches.

I kept my head down, listening to footsteps approach. Callon grasped my wrist, but I couldn’t look at him. I’d already seen his injuries; another reminder of how useless I was. I couldn’t save Colt, and I’d almost killed everyone as a consequence.