From Severed Bonds, Justice Keepers Book 7
Quickly, she scanned the area and took note of a line of rectangular windows near the top of one wall. An excellent position for snipers. If she were the enemy commander, she would already have men on their way.
Shutting her eyes tight, Larani breathed slowly to calm herself. “We can’t hold this position,” she said. “If they start firing down on us from above, we’re dead.”
She turned on her heel.
“Where are you going?” Rajel asked.
“To buy you all some time,” she answered. “I’ll try to keep snipers off your backs, but you’ll have to handle the men in this courtyard on your own. Out here in the open, you are vulnerable. Get inside as soon as possible…Good luck.”
With a surge of Bent Gravity, Larani jumped and launched herself toward the large rectangular window on the second floor. She curled her legs against her chest and hid her face behind folded arms. The glass shattered.
Larani hit the stone floor, landing in a crouch.
Allowing herself a moment to catch her breath, she took the opportunity to examine her surroundings. Centuries ago, this room might have been some servant’s bedchamber, but it was utterly spartan now. No furniture of any kind, no tapestries of paintings on the walls. Just plain gray bricks. Nothing that she could use as a weapon.
In an instant, she was on her feet and marching toward the heavy wooden door on the other side of the room. Of course, the damn thing slammed open just before she got within arm’s reach, revealing three men in black tactical gear in the corridor, all carrying assault rifles. The one in front lifted his weapon.
Larani fell backward.
Twisting her body to land on her side, she caught herself with one hand on the floor and brought her leg up to kick the rifle just as it spat bullets at the window. The weapon went flying out of the guard’s hand.
A quick twirl brought Larani to her feet, and she spun around to face the man. She kicked high, striking his chest with the tip of her boot. The man tumbled backward into his comrades, and they all spilled into the hallway.
One of the two in the back got free of the tangle, but he had dropped his rifle in the commotion; he reached for his sidearm instead, pulling it from its holster and trying to raise the weapon for a clean shot.
Larani grabbed the one in front.
With a quick shove, she sent him careening into his industrious companion. Both men hit the wall, stunned and disoriented. That only left the third one, and he was already lifting his rifle.
Larani spun out of the doorway.
Pressing her back to the stone wall, she winced and drew in a deep breath. I forgot how much I don’t enjoy this part. Her heart was thundering, her breath ragged. And yet she had to admit it was somewhat invigorating.
The man with the rifle was the first one through the door, moving cautiously into the room with his weapon pointed forward. His head swiveled, eyes widening slightly when they fell upon her.
Too late.
Larani kicked the side of his knee.
With a squeal, the man fell to his knees and dropped his rifle, folding up on himself as he groaned in pain. A light touch on the shoulder was all it took. She twisted gravity around the man’s body, changing its direction.
He was yanked across the room toward the open window, screaming as he tumbled through it. A moment later, her Bending fizzled out, and she heard the loud thump of a body hitting the ground.
Another one came through the door with his pistol clutched in both hands. He spun on his heel, pointing a gun at her face.
Crouching down, Larani brought laced fingers up to hit the underside of his wrists and push the gun upward. A bullet sped toward the ceiling, and bits of stone rained down on her. She drove a fist into the man’s stomach.
The impact made her opponent stumble backward, all the way to the corner, where he hit the wall and doubled over with a wheeze. This fellow was down and out, barely able to hold onto his weapon.
Larani rushed him.
She jumped and spun in midair, kicking out behind herself. The sole of her boot connected with his face, and the man was knocked senseless when his head rebounded off the wall. He slumped to the floor.
She landed.
Grabbing the unconscious man as he fell, Larani quickly whirled him around and used him as a shield against the third guard who came through the door with an assault rifle in hand. This final adversary hesitated before firing, unwilling to harm his comrade; so, these men did have some sense of honour.
Larani shoved her hostage toward him and watched as one man collided with the other. Both fell to the floor, though one man stayed down and the other pushed himself up on extended arms.
She moved in to finish this.
The final guard looked up in time to receive a fist to the face, a hit that bloodied his nose and left him dazed. Moaning, he landed flat on his belly and passed out right there in the middle of the room.
Larani crouched and retrieved one of the fallen rifles. Pressing a small blue button near the stock set the weapon for stun-rounds. “All right then,” she said, getting to her feet. “Let’s do this.”
She strode through the door with grim determination on her face.
