Let the Storm Break (Sky Fall #2)(85)

“Any time now,” Gus shouts, launching us straight up as a Living Storm jumps in front of us. “It’s hard to keep up my speed with two extra bodies to carry.”

“I just need one more Northerly.”

“What about the one to the east of us?” Vane asks through labored breaths.

I can’t feel the draft he means, but he whispers the call anyway, and a weary wind sweeps in and joins with the others I’ve gathered.

For a second I’m speechless.

Vane’s senses are stronger than mine?

“Feng had me practice like five hundred times a day,”he explains. “He made you seem easygoing.”

No.

He did what I was supposed to do.

Gus turns to look over his shoulder at the Living Storms right on our tail, and I wonder if he’s thinking the same thing I am.

We owe it to Feng—to all the guardians whose lives were lost or destroyed—to stop this.

But first we have to fix Vane.

I shout the command, forming the pipeline right in front of us, and we fly straight into the funnel. The pressure makes my head throb and my eyes water and I’m worried the winds are going to collapse around us. But then we shoot into a gray, cloudy sky, and Gus tangles us in Northerlies and sets us down in the foothills.

I can see the whole valley in the distance. The line of Living Storms towers over the small desert towns, filling the air with a graybrown haze as they tear their way toward the Gales’ base. I hope Os got my message.

“Yep, it’s totally dislocated,” Gus says, reminding me why we’re here. “We need to pop it back into place.”

“Sounds like a party,” Vane mumbles, forcing a small smile.

“Can you handle the traction?” Gus asks me, and I order myself to nod.

Part of our guardian training includes basic medical procedures. But the idea of doing this to Vane . . .

“Ugh, it’s going to be that bad?” Vane asks, grabbing my shaking hand.

“Yeah, this is going to suck,” Gus tells him. “But not as much as what’s going on down there.”

We both follow his gaze and see the Storms curling into a circle, surrounding what has to be the Gales’ base. I hold my breath, hoping to see some sign that the Gales can handle them. But all I see are the Storms closing in.

“We’d better hurry,” Vane says, and I kneel in the sand, facing him with my knees pressed against his bad arm. His eyes never leave mine as I place both hands on his biceps and pin it to the ground— but he sucks in a sharp breath as Gus bends his elbow up to a right angle.

“Was that it?” he asks, his voice heartbreakingly hopeful.

“Sorry,” Gus mumbles. “I’m still trying to get it in the right position.” He bends Vane’s arm back toward the sand and Vane lets out a strangled cry. “Okay, I think we’re set. You guys ready?”

Vane nods as he turns to me. “Kiss me.”

“Dude, this is so not the time,” Gus groans as my cheeks turn hotter than the desert sun.

“It’ll distract me from the pain,” Vane insists.

I glance at Gus and he sighs. “He’s probably right.”

“Of course I am.”

The glint in Vane’s beautiful eyes makes it impossible not to smile. But I still can’t believe I’m doing this as I tighten my grip on his arm and lean close enough to feel his breath on my skin.

“I love you,” he whispers.

“I love you too.” My insecurities vanish as I press my lips against his.

I try to keep the kiss slow, but the heat between us keeps building until my head feels dizzy from the rush. Somewhere in my blurry thoughts I remember to keep my hands steady when Gus shouts, “Now!”

Vane’s lips pull away to let out one muffled scream.

“How does it feel?” I ask as Vane sits up and attempts to bend his elbow. He makes it about halfway before his face contorts with pain.

Gus sighs. “You probably damaged a few ligaments. We need to wrap it to keep pressure on it.”

There’s barely enough fabric on my dress as it is, but since Gus is still shirtless and Vane can barely move, there aren’t a lot of options. I reach for the back hem and tear a thick strand free, trying not to think about how much draftier it feels now.

I tie it around his elbow as tightly as I can. “How’s that?”

He takes another deep breath before trying to bend his arm, and this time he doesn’t wince. “Better. Though I think it would help even more if you tore off another piece of your dress.”

Gus shakes his head as I blush. “Dude, you’re hopeless.”

“And we need to get back down there.” I point to the desert basin, where the Living Storms are starting to scatter, heading into all the most populated areas.

“Dammit!” Vane shouts. “Why aren’t the Gales stopping them?”

He struggles to his feet, but barely lasts a second before he collapses to his knees.

“I’m fine,” he promises. “Just dizzy.”

But when he tries to get up again, he tumbles forward immediately.

“You’re way too weak to fight, man,” Gus says as he catches Vane before he lands on his bad arm. “I think we’re going to have to leave you here to rest and come get you when this is over.”