say something to Logan, and the nearest door exploded open. The force lifted him off the floor and threw him high against the far wall. His head impacted on the cement wall, and he dropped fast, landing on his knees.
Logan landed next to him, shoving backward and drawing his gun.
Smoke filled the hallway. A burning torch burst out of the smoke followed by a second one, swinging for his face.
He ducked and rolled, coming up and grabbing the wooden handle. Promise came with it, kicking and punching, holding fast. “What are you doing?” he snapped.
She blinked up at him. “Ivar?” Her hold on the torch loosened. He claimed it, noting the damn thing was actually a broom with the bristles on fire.
He pulled her close, breathing in her scent.
Logan stood with Mercy, who had a similar broom. He looked toward the smoking classroom.
Promise leaned over and coughed, her body shaking.
Ivar pushed her behind him. “What’s in there?”
“Nothing,” she wheezed. “We found cleaning supplies and made a bomb.”
Admiration and pride swelled through his fear for her. “You made a bomb?” The back of his head was still bleeding from smashing into the wall. It was a hell of a bomb.
“Yes.” She straightened up and grabbed his arm. “Mercy was shot with a blaster. She’s unable to teleport.”
That explained that. Ivar looked over at Logan, who had his arm wrapped around his mate. “Let’s get the hell out of here,” Logan growled, throwing the still burning broom back into the classroom.
“I don’t think so.” A Kurjan soldier, gun held on them, dashed out of the farthest classroom with Niall on his heels.
Everything in Ivar went silent. He positioned Promise more squarely behind him. He could teleport, but the bullet might hit them first. If it impacted anywhere except his torso, could it go through him and into Promise?
Two Cyst soldiers dropped from the ceiling, breaking tiles that rained down. Promise yelped and ducked against Ivar’s back to avoid the sharp pieces.
Logan cut him a look.
With a short nod, Ivar focused, trying to banish the weakness in his limbs.
Then he charged.
* * * *
Ivar went for one Cyst while Logan focused on the other, trying to end this quickly. Niall moved out of the way, to the side, where Promise started smacking him with the burning broom. Mercy ducked for hers, grabbed the handle, and followed suit. The Fae king was unsuccessfully trying to shield his face from the fire.
Ivar kicked the Cyst soldier beneath the jaw and threw him back several feet. The soldier grabbed a knife from the back of his waist and advanced. Shit. It was a blade made specifically to kill one of the Seven by striking right above their fused shield. Ivar circled, waiting for the attack, wanting to get Promise to safety. The fight behind him raged on, hard and fast, with Logan beating the other Cyst around the head and neck.
Another Kurjan soldier ran from the far hallway, firing green lasers as he moved. Several hit Logan in the legs, and he dropped with a shout of pain.
Mercy leaped for him, trying to cover the wounds with her hands.
“Teleport, damn it, Logan,” Ivar yelled, driving his knife up into the head of the Cyst nearest him. The guy fell back, hit the wall, and went down for now. Promise was too far away for the demon to grab her. “Get your mate out of here since she can’t teleport. Find a doctor. I’ve got this.”
The Kurjan soldier aimed and hit Logan right in the throat with a bullet. The demon’s eyes widened, and he grabbed his larynx. Mercy screamed and pressed her hand over his, but blood welled through her fingers. He closed his eyes, and tingles popped in the air around him. Then they both disappeared.
God, hopefully Logan had enough strength to get them to the Realm medical building.
Ivar stole the gun from the guy he’d just dropped and turned, already firing at the Kurjan who’d shot Logan. The Kurjan stopped cold, bullet holes in his forehead and cheeks. He dropped forward, hit the wooden floor, and stopped moving. His legs flopped twice.
Pain blasted into Ivar’s head from a full-on punch aimed by the remaining Cyst soldier. The power flung him into the row of lockers, which immediately crashed to the ground at the impact.
Promise screamed.
Her voice centered him. He backflipped off the damaged metal and landed on the Cyst soldier’s back, where he dug his fingers in as hard as he could, seeking the