Under the Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 65

Lily ushered the group of kids out the door, scanning for a head of blonde. She sighed to herself, unable to find just one that fit the image in her mind. It had been too long since the last time she had seen her brother. She led them to the maintenance hall, where Harper and Sylvia were waiting on the other end.

The kids ran out, the girls showing them towards the van.

"Is that everyone?" Harper called towards the building.

Lily scanned the space around her, shrugging. "I think so," She called back, turning around to keep the guards that had started to rush at them inside with a wide arc of her blade.

"Ask Rafi to be sure," Luna's voice came through the com. "I think someone might still be in here."

"Rafi," Harper stepped in front of the door. "Is anyone missing?"

The boy looked around, counting each face. "William and Euen. They're not here."

Sylvia's blood ran cold. "Will? And Euen?" She muttered. "We have to go get them."

"Go find Luna, I'll get these kids out of here."

Sylvia sprinted towards the entrance with a nod, ducking under Lily's arm and knocking over a guard.

She sprinted through the building, ignoring everything around her. After the second time she was tripped by a guard, she made it to a set of stairs. "Luna," she called, both into her com and up the stairs. "Luna, where are you?"

"I see you, come up the stairs," Luna's voice hissed through the com.

Sylvia ran towards her, skipping steps by the dozen. She reached the top, scanning the area. Talya was passed out in the center of the hallway, blood dripping from her lip. Sylvia stepped over her, racing to Luna's side. "Will and Euen," her voice was frantic. "Did you find them?"

Luna's lips pulled into a tight smile. "I think so."

Sylvia grimaced. "You think so?"

Luna nodded, giving her an apologetic shrug. She pushed open the door in front of her, light pouring in. One of the boys screamed.

Sylvia froze. "Will?"

The boy's gaze flicked to her, his ice blue eyes growing wide. He was covered in bruises, blood dried in a stream down his chin and across his forehead. "Sylvia?"

Within a second he was in her arms, fresh tears pouring down his face and mixing with his blood. "We have to get out," Luna said, waving the other boy—Euen, over.

"Did you guys get everyone out?" Lloyd's voice was hushed through the com.

"Yeah," Sylvia responded. "We're getting my brothers out now. Did you find Silas and Lia?"

"Yeah, we've almost made it out. We'll meet everyone at the van."

"Got it."

Before the communication link could end, Lloyd let out a scream of pain.

"Lloyd!" Luna lifted her wrist to her face, but the link cut out. She stared at Sylvia with wide eyes, but they knew they had to go.

☆★☆

Lloyd ran out of the Castle, blood gushing down his side, soaking the side of his uniform and staining his arm and sword grip. He stabbed his sword into the grass, collapsing to his hands and knees. He was breathing hard, trying not to scream from the pain.

Harper brought over the van, throwing open the door so that Silas could slip inside with Will, Euen, and Lia. they each threw a worried look at Lloyd, but Luna waved them away. "Go," she mouthed. "Get out of here." Harper stayed.

Lily ran over just as Lloyd's arms gave out and he fell to his stomach, the grass around him soaked in his blood. She felt queasy when she saw how much of it there was, but she had to help him. She couldn't let him die. She couldn't let the last person she had leave her so soon. His breathing was shaky and slow as she laid him on his back. The gash ran along his entire right side, the uniform torn open. Lily couldn't do anything to help him. She pressed her hands against the cut attempting to stop the bleeding but there wasn't much she could do. She pressed her hand against his slowing heart. She kissed him for what she thought would be the final time, and cried, closing her eyes and refusing to give up. His breathing had stilled, and his fingers stopped twitching in her hand.

A thought drifted into her head, what if the gash just closed on its own? What if it just healed up right there and he woke up and everything was fine? She focused on the thought, letting it fuel her. She leaned over his still body, thinking of how she could go with him and no one would miss her. At least that way they would still be together. She felt Lloyd steady beneath her, and she started to cry even more, thinking she had lost him for good.

She jumped at the sound of his cough, lifting her face from his chest and opening her eyes to look up at his face. The color had returned to it, the light returning to his eyes. Lily looked down at the gash only to see that it wasn't there anymore. Somehow, she had saved him. The same way that Razaia was able to make force fields, Lily supposed she could heal people. She didn't know if she would ever be able to do it again. It had drained every last bit of her energy.

She threw herself into his arms, hugging him and crying happily. He hugged her as tightly as he could, promising that he would always be there to protect her. Harper drove by as close as she could, allowing the two of them to get in to the van and slip away.

Lloyd's head rested in her lap, his body scrunched in a seat of the car, but his breathing was steady. She twirled his hair between her fingers as they drove.

Colin helped Lily bring Lloyd into Base Camp as Harper and Sylvia took the kids to the DoSD as planned.

Lloyd was breathing without so much as a hitch, but he had passed out again before they had made it back. His eyes were still closed, his head lolling around on his shoulders with each step they took.

They set him down on the couch, Lily sitting beside him, brushing his hair from his eyes. The bright yellow locks had grown unruly and covered most of his face, now also matted with blood. Luna stood a few feet away, trying to think. The others stood in various spots, trying to catch their breaths.

"Wake up. Please..." Lily said, patting his cheek. "Lloyd... If you can hear me, I want you to know that we care about you so much. We don't want you to die. I've seen too much of that in my life. I don't want you to be the next victim of death's everlasting grasp. I love you, Lloyd. Please... Please don't die." Lily said through tears, pressing her forehead to his.

They stood in silence for a few minutes, hands being run through hair and tears wiped off of cheeks.

Slowly, Lloyd's eyes started to open, desperately trying to focus on the girl looming above him.

"Hey guys..." he mumbled, reaching up to touch her face. "What happened?" He asked quietly, his voice slightly raspy.

Lily held him tight against her, tears soaking his hair.

As soon as he was able to sit up, they all tried to explain what had happened.

"You almost died... I thought I had lost you..." Lily started to cry again, hugging him tightly. He wouldn't let her go. He kissed her cheeks, reminding her that he was always there for her, for all of them. He would make sure he protected them.

"I'm so lucky to have you all..." he mumbled through Lily's hair as he still held her. "I love you Lily. I love you all."

The silence that came next was long and still, allowing them a moment to consider how much they truly meant to one another.

The others came in soon after, embracing one another and drying their tears on each other's shoulders. Preparations were over, and much sooner than anyone would think, the real battles would start.