Clanless (Nameless #2)(73)

Zo gasped as Gryphon crawled to his feet with Zander’s sword still lodged in his arm. A lesser man would have passed out from the pain, but Gryphon held his arms out to his sides, blood dripping off him like sweat, and glared into the eyes of the men he used to call his brothers.

“Barnabas claims we Ram only take what is rightfully ours, but it’s a lie. We’ve become thieves. Plunderers. I love my clan, but I cannot fight for a chief who would send me to kill the helpless only for dominance. I will defend my family,” he gestured to Joshua and Zo, “but I will not live with innocent blood on my hands.” Gryphon staggered and dropped to one knee. “My conscience won’t allow it.” His eyes rolled up into his head, and he fell face first onto the earth.

Zo closed her eyes and concentrated on sending a feeling into the tall Ram holding her captive. Sleep. Numb. Weakness. The usual doubts came along with the fear that she’d never be able to heal again, but they were amplified by the foreign task set before her. Her training as a healer had been centered on loving her patients, offering energy to heal, and comfort for distress. She’d never tried to instill a negative emotion—she didn’t even know if it was possible.

Weakness. Weakness. She mumbled the blessing that usually accompanied her healing but used her love for Gryphon to fuel the pull. Nothing happened. She concentrated harder and focused all her love for Tess, Gryphon, and Joshua into the pull.

A thin thread of something drew into her body, so subtle at first she wasn’t sure exactly what it was. The Ram’s arms pinning her own to her sides slackened.

Weakness. Exhaustion. Sleep.

Zo mentally tugged harder on the thread of energy coming from the Ram until that thread turned into a steady stream. The Ram’s arms loosened even more and his body swayed, his skin cool to the touch.

Zo pulled even harder. Her hands burned from the energy. Her cuts wept fresh blood as a new kind of pain registered beneath the coursing river of power washing through them.

The Ram holding her collapsed to the ground.

Zo was at Gryphon’s side in an instant. She wrapped both hands around Gryphon and pushed energy with every ounce of strength she possessed. His eyes shot open and he sat up, even though the sword was still wedged in the bone of his forearm.

“Joshua.” Zo wiped at the tears invading her vision. “I need your help.” She looked around for her kit until remembering she’d left it with the Clanless when Gryphon abducted her. It didn’t matter. The healing energy that had been dormant since Gryphon left flowed through her with more power than she’d ever experienced before.

Ajax released Joshua without a fight. The rest of the Ram stood by watching, probably just as shocked by what they’d witnessed as Zo. “What should I do?” said Joshua, kneeling beside her and Gryphon.

“Hold down his arm, Ginger.” She leaned over Gryphon and held his face, brushing the hair from his forehead. His eyes barely opened at her touch, but his uninjured arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

“I have to remove the sword. It’s going to hurt.” She swallowed hard.

Gryphon nodded and closed his eyes fully. “Not as much as losing you,” he mumbled.

Zo leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to his unsuspecting lips. The hand at her back pulled her possessively closer, sending sparks of pleasure throughout her body. She pulled away, breathless but determined to help him, delirious with hope, even without her kit.

She took the hilt of the sword and looked up at the men surrounding them. For a thin moment, she’d forgotten they were there. Ram were loyal to their leaders. She imagined many of them wanted nothing more than to jump forward and drive a knife into Gryphon’s heart for killing Zander. For now, they waited, some looking to Ajax for a command.

A flicker of movement from the shadows outside the group caught Zo’s attention. A large man with shaved head and full beard hid in the shadows, partially covered by a tree.

Ikatou?

He held a finger up to his lips calling for her silence, while he and his men surrounded the Ram.

Zo dropped her focus back to Gryphon and the sword wedged into the bone of his forearm. “We’re going to do this on my count,” Zo spoke louder than necessary. “One.” Then she whispered under her breath, “Kid, something’s about to happen.” Louder, she said, “Two.” Then she whispered again. “Whatever you do, stay on the ground with Gryphon. Don’t get up and fight.”

“Three!” Zo pulled up on the hilt of the sword. Gryphon howled. At the same time, the Kodiak charged the Ram with a deafening battle cry.

“Link!” Ajax shouted, but he was too late. Three of his mess brothers took swords through their stomachs at the Ram call to formation.

Zo pulled Joshua down next to Gryphon. “Don’t move. They won’t hurt me.” She knelt with one hand on Gryphon and one hand on Joshua in the midst of the fierce confrontation, pushing as much love and peace into them as possible.

Ajax dodged the attack of a nearby Kodiak and ran straight for Zo, Gryphon, and Joshua. Zo threw her body across Gryphon and Joshua. Her men. She closed her eyes, every muscle in her body bracing for Ajax’s attack.

But instead of a sword, a hand took her by the shoulder. Zo’s head whipped up and she looked Ajax directly in the eye.

“Take care of him, Healer.”