Hunter the ghost

  Hunter collapsed.

(Additional text cut)


  Hunter appeared. Cole felt confused. Hunter was slumped on the ground on the opposite edge of his vision from Jace. And yet he had just materialized between Cole and Sando.

  The Hunter who had just appeared dove toward Jace, snatched the crossbow, rolled, and aimed.

(Additional text cut)

  Hunter disappeared as well, his sword falling to the ground.

(Additional text cut)

  Hunter’s body sat up, the abrupt motion drawing Cole’s eye.

  “She’s gone,” Hunter said urgently. “Bring her body. I’ll grab Jace.”

  “Wait, how are you back?” Cole asked, looking to Jace, Joe, and Mira, wanting to see them stir. “What about them?”

  “Nandavi didn’t steal my lifespark,” Hunter said. “I crossed over on my own and stayed free. They’re stuck there. Hurry.”

  Hunter rushed to Jace, reached under his arms, and started pulling. Cole seized Mira the same way and walked backward, her legs dragging. He kept his head turned to monitor where he was going, which carried the benefit of letting him avoid looking at her.

  But it was impossible not to feel her limp weight. Cole tried not to think. He was carrying Mira. She was not breathing. And it was his fault.

  Hunter was moving faster. Cole managed to speed up a little but couldn’t keep pace.

  “What did you do?” Cole called, his words dampened by the oppressive atmosphere of Gamat Rue.

  “I crossed over to the echolands,” Hunter said.

  “Was that when you collapsed?” Cole asked.

  “Yeah,” Hunter said, hauling Jace around a damaged fortification. “After a minute, I tried what the toothless old echo did. I brought my echo to the material world. I used the crossbow and chased your echo friend.”


Chapter 11