The Wind and the Horizon (Book 2 in the Starborn Series)

Chapter Fifty-Two

[ CW: Graphic violence, blood, strong language ]

Adrenaline pumped through May's veins as she marched back to the treehouse.

She was a cocktail of comeuppance: one part fury to three parts victory, and she liked it. Her only regret was that it had taken so long to stand up for herself in the first place.

But as she neared home, the fire inside her subsided, smoldering in a way that left her feeling tired and shaky; exhausted and exhilarated at the same time.

"I can't believe I did that," she whispered to herself, pressing a trembling hand to her heart. "I told Kane off in front of all those people!"

It was hard to say whether or not her bravado would come back to haunt her, but for now she let herself enjoy the feelings of pride and awe sloshing around inside her like the glass of water in her belly.

As she came up on the treehouse, she found it dark. The Rocket was gone and for the first time since storming off, May felt guilty.

"Kai must have gone looking for me," she murmured, glancing back down the beach from where she had come.

For a moment she considered doubling back. Perhaps she could go to her parents' place where he might be waiting and, if he wasn't, they could at least help her find him. It wasn't that he needed her, but she needed him; she was consumed with a desire to apologize so strong it nearly overwhelmed her.

But, no. It didn't make sense to try hunting him down, especially on foot. Looking up at the treehouse, she thought maybe she could find some other way to make it up to him. Knowing Kai there was probably some mess she could clean up as a goodwill gesture.

She climbed the stairs and was relieved to find the door unlocked - along with leaving her money behind she had also failed to grab a key during her dramatic exit. The kitchen counter was cluttered with the mess of dinner, and an empty plate sat abandoned on the coffee table where Kai must have eaten. May imagined him chewing pensively as he stared out the window, wondering if she was going to come back on her own. But Kai's heart was too big, and she was sure not knowing probably got the better of him. She wondered where he had been searching for her as she shut the door softly.

The sun was setting and the fading light cast long, deep shadows across the room. May scooped up Kai's dinner plate and cutlery only to pause - the knife he had used brought back a memory so strong that it stole her breath.

It was the same nondescript kitchen knife May had brought to protect herself the night she met Em. She could remember the ridiculous way she had brandished it, her hands trembling, and then how foolish she had felt when she realized the odd and beautiful stanger was simply in need of help. May turned the knife over in her hand and smiled over the silly yet cherished moment it brought back - a moment that had changed everything.

She turned to bring the dishes up to the kitchen and gasped barely a millisecond before the shadow of something hard and fast struck her in the side of the head. A spark of light overtook her vision, blinding pain surging from the point of impact as the force of it knocked her back and set the dishes flying.

Someone was in the room with her, cloaked in the dark. May didn't even have a chance to scream before her assailant emerged again, landing a hit like a battering ram straight into May's stomach. Gasping for breath, May swung and collided with a body but having been taken off guard her hit lacked strength. She wasn't fast enough - a pair of strong hands wrapped around her throat and squeezed.

It was only then, as she struggled against the fingers digging into her windpipe with clawing hands, that May saw her attacker.

Her heart stopped.