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Born of Ashes Caris Roane 32290K 2023-08-31

What do you want et you out of there?

First, I le to his feet, to walk, pushing through leaves and branches I have got it I am ready when Bev is ready, then have Seriffe let Gideon know

Fiona remained next to Jean-Pierre No way in hell would she leave him until she was assured Bev had folded him the hell out of there

But as she waited beside hiaze to Seriffe

"What was that all about?" he asked He looked stunned

"You could tell solanced around, she could see that everyone in the grid roo at her

"You have a gold aura and we can all see it That whole ti"

Fine Whatever

To Bev she said, "Get a fix on Jean-Pierre and bring him here now He’ll need a healer He has a broken wrist and ot it" But her eyes ide as she tapped on her computer

Back to Seriffe "Jean-Pierre needs you to let Gideon know that he’s wounded"

He nodded briskly as he pressed the com attached to his left shoulder He spoke a few quiet words then shifted to stare at Fiona, his gazeover her hair and her shoulders He shook his head

Fiona looked at her ar back at Seriffe, she said, "So you know I’ve got this thing called obsidian flaold variety as Endelle calls it"

"I could see it working What happened?"

She explained about extending her telepathy to Jean-Pierre because she could tell he was hurt She spoke of Alison and Marguerite, of being able to feel their external sensations and of hearing the Upper ascender’s unique church bell sound "It’s low, sonorous, really beautiful, but he was hurting Jean-Pierre" She related the strikes against Jean-Pierre "But we got him"

"Got him?"

"Because of the sound of the bells, I was able to direct Jean-Pierre where to let loose with a hand-blast"

"She is telling it exactly right"

Fiona turned to find Jean-Pierre walking, no, lirid room

"You look like hell," Seriffe called out

HisHe had a terrible black eye His hair hung in ahis left arht He shouldn’t have been able to walk, but he was, after all, a warrior who had been battling for decades, as used to a certain level of trauma

But he didn’t seerid table His attention was fixed on the interco on

"Bev called for a healer," she said softly as he drew close

Jean-Pierre nodded, but he directed his attention to Seriffe He jerked his head in the direction of the loudspeaker "How is it going?"

"Good I think we’re good"

After a fewhard, a good sound since the swords had grown quiet Fiona listened to every whisper of noise co sound A woan to thump in her chest Jean-Pierre took another step closer to her She aze Tears touched her eyes Her prayer, however, she sent skyward: Please don’t let anyone be hurt Please Please

But Gideon’s voice whispered over the loudspeaker "Oh, God Oh, God" Then nothing Then, "How many dead?"

Fiona’s chest seized No Oh, God, no

A heavy exhale of air "All right" Louder "Seriffe, we have seven to bring ho marks, throat torn Goddammit"

Seriffe touched his com "How many death vamps?"

"Duncan, hoe doin’ out there?" A pause

A very long pause

Tears started tracking down Fiona’s cheeks She knew the truth before she heard the words "Nine death va pause When Gideon spoke next, his voice was hoarse "We have two Thunder God Warriors wounded And … shit Greg is gone, no chance of recovery Fuck"