Free War of the Princes 03: Monarch by A. R. Ivanovich Page B

strands swirled at my forehead, giving me light without blinding me. When I reopened my eyes, a flickering luminescence brightened my surroundings. The smoke was thick, but instead of rising as it should, it lay heavily along the ground.
    I reached the horse stalls first. The beasts were grunting and kicking at the walls that enclosed them, no doubt spooked by the scent of smoke. Vents built into the walls gave them life-saving fresh air.
    Reflexively, I went for Florian first, swinging open the big dapple-gray gelding's gate. His ears were pinned flat atop his head when he launched free, storming out of the hold into the daylight. I set loose the two bays and single chestnut mare, hoping dearly that Kyle would be able to catch and hold the four of them before we had any tragic accidents.
    Setting horses loose aboard the deck of a flying ship was probably not a very good idea. The way I saw it, my alternatives were few to none. The horses had a better chance out there than in here, drowning in smoke.
    “Rune!” My voice was muffled in my scarf. I pulled it away. “Rune!” Smoke piped down my lungs and I began to cough again.
    The main cargo hold was a single room. Crates and cases filled with foodstuffs and travel provisions made a pair of aisles that faded from view in the hazy air. The spacious cargo hold swirled with smoke. Recently, this very room had been packed with rescued children. Their cheer had been overwhelming and the cargo hold had seemed like a celebratory playground for a short time.
    Now it was choked by a heavy darkness. With all the smoke, my light couldn't reach far. My eyes stung.
    Gravity, what happened here?
    “ Ru–” I bit back his name. Something ahead of me was moving. I could hear it. There was a tapping sound on the hard floor, as if claws scraped the ground with each footfall.
    Something shuffled at my left.
    The scraping sound clattered swiftly past my right ear and quieted.
    My heart pounded and I clenched my jaw. “Fine.” I wasn't here to play games, or be stalked like a frightened rabbit.
    I held my arms out at the ready. Lightning bolted out from my shoulders, snaking down to ignite my biceps, forearms, and then my hands. Now I had claws of my own, but mine were made of compressed electricity.
    “Beat that,” I hissed through my teeth, challenging the smothering quiet.
    Ignoring the sensation of someone watching me from behind, I used the Pull to find Rune. Five steps in, I saw Dylan. He was crumpled on the floor, face down. His arm lay limp and outstretched, as though he was reaching for the far away door with the last of his strength.
    “ Damn,” I cursed under my breath.
    I rushed to his side and found myself at an impasse. He was mired in the thickest part of the smoke. If I didn't drag him away, he could die. Assuming he wasn't dead already.
    No, no, no. He can't be.
    Helping Dylan would leave us both defenseless. And what about Rune? What if he was in more trouble than Dylan?
    I cast about in the darkness, coughing into my scarf, searching in the muddy light, seeing nothing but smoke and shadows.
    Scrape.
    Scrape.
    Scrape.
    The air whooshed past my face, curling the smoke as it went.
    Dylan was helpless. Rune was anything but. I pulled the lightning out of my arms and back into my body, suffering a chill when the darkness closed around us. The light on my forehead was dim in comparison, but it was enough.
    I chose to trust in Rune.
    Dropping down to my knees, I brushed Dylan's long hair away from his neck and pressed my cold fingers down to find a pulse. A beat thumped softly below the surface. He was still alive.
    Gripping his right shoulder, I heaved him onto his back. He was pale as a ghost. Attempting to grab onto him below the arms, I pulled. My hold wasn't strong enough. He weighed more than me, and he was taller too. I held onto his wrists and tugged with all of my strength and dragged him a couple of feet.
    Breathing heavily aggravated my lungs and I buckled over