Elina Cross's Arc

Chapter 4 of 5

Dusk came and the cages did not. Elina counted the guards again and got the same number. Six at the ramp. Four at the cages. The commander below, still walking his line. Too many for two people. She had known it since the sun moved, but she had wanted to be wrong. "We go back," she said. "We bring the others." Harlen didn't argue. He slid off the ridge on his belly. The red rig over his mouth dimmed to a low ember so the glow wouldn't carry. She folded her wings tight and followed. They moved on foot through the rocks until the mine was out of sight. Then she lifted him and flew low, close to the ground, wings tilted to hide her shadow. She set them down twice to rest her arms. On the second stop, Harlen touched her wrist. "Behind us," he said. "Two ridges back. One." She did not turn her head. She watched the ground and listened. A small sound came from the rocks, then stopped. Then came again. "Just one," Harlen said. "No bead on us. He's not calling the others." "He's learning us," she said. "Where we sleep. How many we are." That was worse than a mark. A mark brought a pack. A watcher brought a plan. She pointed to a narrow gap between two leaning slabs. "You go through. Slow. Loud enough he hears your boots. I go up." Harlen nodded once and walked into the gap. His steps scraped the grit. Elina stepped behind the tallest slab and opened her wings just enough to lift. She rose straight up, quiet, and settled on the flat top of the stone. The Vael scout came around the base a moment later. Purple plates. One antenna. A small humming panel on its belt. It watched Harlen's back and reached for something at its hip. Elina dropped. She led with the left wing. The sharp edge took the scout through the neck before it turned. It fell without a sound. She landed beside it in a crouch, wings folded. The antenna twitched once and went still. Harlen came back through the gap. He looked at the body and at her. "Clean," he said. She pulled the humming panel off the belt and crushed it under her heel. Then she dragged the scout into the slabs and covered it with loose rock. They reached the fortress wall just before dark. Two lookout towers rose at the ends of the scrap and sheet-metal barrier. The archway stood open. Virginia was at the gate with a wrench in her hand. Thomas was beside her, watching the road. Their faces changed when they saw Elina and Harlen. Virginia stepped forward. Then she stopped and counted. "Just you two?" Thomas said. Elina folded her wings. "They're at the mine. Alive. We can't get them with what we have." Virginia lowered the wrench. "Then we bring more."