Warrior's Mind (Book 2 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 26

"La-La!"

She heard Jara shout as she fell, the golden stones of the Jade Palace blurring across her vision before a sudden painful yank on her right wrist stopped everything short. For one long breath, Leyla watched Zego fall into the darkness. Then she raised her head and came face to face with Raphael.

He must have jumped after her, she realised with some surprise, since he had managed to catch her  by dangling himself from the lowest iron bar of the railing.

"It's going to be okay," the Prorex gave her his lopsided smile. For some reason those words made her want to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Hold on!" Jara shouted from above them. Realising he couldn't reach Raphael's hand from where he stood, he started climbing the railing. The iron shook precariously, making Raphael's fingers slip.

"STOP!" Raphael commanded. Jara did as he was told, looking wildly around for another solution.

"I will call for a Rezeg bird!" He said quickly, but Raphael was shaking his head.

"It will take too long."

It was only at that moment that Leyla realised the Prorex was carrying not only his own bodyweight but also hers on the hand that got injured at the Akrepa camp only days ago.

"Then what should I do!?" Jara yanked as his hair as he watched them dangle.

When Raphael was silent for a long moment, Leyla realised that she had finally found herself in a situation which stumped even the invincible Prorex. She could feel him adjust his fingers to get a tighter grip on her wrist and knew his other hand must have started slipping too. He wouldn't be able to carry her for much longer.

"Let go, Prorex," she said the words feeling a strange sense of relief. If he let her go, Raphael could easily pull himself back up.

"Never," was his immediately reply.

"Please or we will both fall." She said, trying to appeal to his ever dominant rationality.

"No," he said again, his neck straining as he slowly moved the direction of his grip on the iron above.

Leyla closed her eyes, starting to feel dizzy from the loss of blood. "I broke my promise. I got hurt and I couldn't protect you. So just let me go already!"

"I regret nothing." Raphael said as if he hadn't heard her.

His sudden calm tone had Leyla opening her eyes and the look on his face sent a prickle of apprehension down her spine. "Raphael, please..."

"None of this is your fault, Lieutenant."

What was he up to? Why was he looking at her that way? "Raphael, please don't."

"Jara!" Raphael shouted up to the wide-eyed Mahsap. "Catch her."

"What!? No! What are you saying?" Leyla wriggled, scared of what he might do, but Raphael's grip on her wrist would not budge.

"Take care of Michael for me."

And with those last words, Raphael swung back his arm and used his entire body to propel her up into Jara's waiting hands.

"NO!" Leyla's scream pierced the air. Pain shot through her body as strong hands clamped onto her arms and pulled her over the railing while the Prorex of the Land of Light fell into the darkness.