It took me a week to get out of the ICU. Days of local physical therapists forcing me to work my hand, prying it open, prying it shut, surgeries again and again. Faded rooms covered in x rays., followed by Rebecca trying her best to heal me. Days of cutting with knives, trash cans filled … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 35)
For a moment, the idea of superpowers was completely and utterly ridiculous. I could no more feel the wind than I could feel anything else, but I could feel Colton’s ragged breath against my ear, could feel Hands quiver. Could feel the brief arc between the gauntlet and the battery. And I could see the … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 34)
“RISE!” I closed my eyes. There was a horrific crunching of bone. It’d stay with me for the rest of my life. But when I opened them again, instead of Colton mashed into broken slivers and quivering meat, there was Osteor, the Bone witch, coated in gnarled yellow bone, holding back the beast’s body. Colton … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 33)
“Keep on your toes,” I warned, as the beast swept a hand to the side and decapitated a dozen gravestones. Ancient dead, now not even cover for their cowering descendants. Thought I heard Mary groaning to the side. Didn’t want to know how much pain she was in. The wind whispered to me anyway about … Read moreGale Rising (Part 32)
Thirty eight minutes,” I read off. Why was I there? I was just a D rank. Didn’t need to be there except… maybe… maybe I could hold them off. The head cracked to the side and stared at us, wild eyed. “Last trial,” I whispered. Then its legs slammed into the pavement, buckling it, and … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 31)
The Com went dead in my hands. The office was oppressive, in that moment, with dust motes floating in the air and the weight of the world on my shoulders. But he’d told me what to do. Told me how long. And I was willing to trade a lot for those few minutes. Stepping out … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 30)
Hadn’t heard that in over a month, wailing in the distance. I stopped and counted the beats. Too long for a Tornado. Too long for an attack. It was something different. Something I’d never heard before or been briefed on. Then at the end, it finished with a classic Association cadance. Then started back up … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 29)
“The quarantine moved unexpectedly?” Zephyr asked, leaning back in his chair. “Interesting… and it caught the trucks up in it?” “Probably raided for supplies,” I said, easily. My eyes didn’t flicker over to Hands or Colton, but I could only hope that they were willing to spread the deception. No need to panic Zephyr. It … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 28)
Fairhope’s scraggly beach rolled out over the ocean, hemmed in by vegetation and urban sights. I stared at it from the top of the hill, giving Colton a long glance. “Is this really necessary?” “We need something, alright?” Colton said, softly. “Hands hasn’t stopped shaking since we got out of the car.” My gave flicked … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 27)
“This is a stupid plan,” Hands said, solemnly. “Why did you even agree to it?” “We’re just driving up the highway,” I said, firmly. “And the cape’s on the back of your car. If they take a shot at a B rank, they’re literally stupid, and we can cream their clocks.” “And if they’re not … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 26)