Page 37 of Tree of Ash (The Runic Saga #2)

Catch and Release

Halla

Halla’s bare feet slapped against cold, damp ground.

Though she shivered, the back of her neck burned.

Kai was a relentless force, moving her forward through the thick walls that surrounded them.

Halla had never thought about the thickness of the wall that separated the Court of the Aristocracy from the outer section of the city until she ran through it.

She was convinced that the darkness would last forever.

As it was, it ended with a dull thud as Halla nearly slammed into Kai’s sudden stop.

“Hel’s bells,” Kai cursed, and he sniffed, almost as though he had a cold. “Found the exit.”

“Do you think the barracks are empty on this side?”

“Should be.” Kai sniffed again. “Everyone should be out to fight at this point.”

Light filtered through the door Kai pushed open. Halla gasped at the sigh of blood trickling from his nose. “Kai!”

“I’m fine,” he snapped, but blood rose to his cheeks. “I found the door with my face, that’s all.”

Halla bit her cheek, knowing whatever she would say would only embarrass him further.

The tunnel deposited them into yet another bathroom.

Halla swallowed as Kai opened the door, her breath held as she waited for someone to catch them.

Kai looked around, pinching his nose with one hand and gesturing Halla forward with the other.

In silence, they made their way through the barrack, passing the rows of empty beds.

Only this time, Halla noticed the empty walls where guns and other weapons were obviously held. Gunshots rang out in the near distance.

Larissa .

Fear overwhelmed her hope now. Her sister would be in the battle. Larissa would be in the midst of it, because of Halla. But fear made her brave.

She passed Kai and opened the door that welcomed her back to the Outer City. No longer muffled by walls, the shouts of the battle increased. Kai stood beside her, momentarily blinded by the light and noise.

Halla adjusted first with just enough time to notice the two sentries standing in the street staring at Halla in surprise. “What—”

“Run, Kai!”

He grabbed Halla’s hand—it was slick with blood–—but even if he hadn’t been pulling Halla along, Kai’s short legs were no match for the sentries.

“Stop! We’re not going to hurt you.”

A giant hand fell on Halla’s shoulder, brushing against her brand.

She flinched, thrashing against the sentry’s grip.

Her small hands had little effect against the man’s massive frame.

To her left, Kai was in a similar state.

Although his captor was significantly smaller than her own, Kai was no match for the man that held him in the air if only to stop Kai’s flailing punches.

“Whoa, easy there,” the sentry barked.

“Halla!” Kai cried out. “Let her go!”

“Halla?” the bear of a man holding her echoed. “Are you Halla? Your sister is looking for you.”

Halla’s hands froze in midair. “You know my sister?”

“Yes.” As if sensing that Halla would no longer try to flee, he released her.

“Is she here?” she asked, her head swiveling from side-to-side as though Lara would appear out of thin air.

“She is.” His smile transformed his face, and for a minute, Halla forgot that he was a sentry, but only for a moment.

She stepped back. “Why are you dressed like that?”

“We’re spies for the Vienám, but we’re on your side. Your sister has been searching for you everywhere. We went to the compound first, but you weren’t there.”

Unfiltered glee raced through Halla’s veins as she turned toward Kai. “I told you she would come for me!”

At some unspoken communication between the two men, the thinner one released Kai’s hands. It was only then Halla realized the men were twins. Kai rubbed at his wrists with a hooded expression. “How can we trust you?”

“We’re not shooting you on sight,” said the thinner man.

The larger one shot him a glance. “Don’t scare them, Jari.”

“I’m not scared,” Halla corrected. “Where’s my sister? Can you take us to her?”

“We got split up, but I’m sure Princess Lovisa is at the Second Wall with the King and the rest of the Vienám. We can escort you there.”

Halla’s exuberance was punctured by Kai’s strangled voice. “Princess Lovisa is your sister ?”

Heat flooded into the tip of Halla’s nose. “Well, yeah.”

“That’s something someone might tell a person,” he blurted out.

Jari’s impatient sigh cut off Halla’s retort. “Pick up the girl, Haki. She won’t be able to keep up with us. Can you run, boy?”

“My name is Kai, and yes, I can run.”

“Come on, Halla, hop on.” Haki crouched, turning his back to Halla so she could scramble up and loop her arms around his neck. She did her best to ignore the pain that spread from the tip of her spine. Before she was properly settled, the twins were running, Kai following close behind.

The sounds of fighting increased. Around them, Halla watched as Perlians either hid themselves away in their homes or flooded the street, running toward the Second Wall. Some paused when they saw Haki and Jari, but when the sentries ignored them, they too ignored the sentries.

Up ahead, Halla could see the back of a crowd and the gate of the Wall. Somewhere in the chaos, she knew Larissa waited.