"Bianca!" The Grey God snatched her in one arm and Dusty in the other. The slow motion world around them snapped into real time, throwing them against a wall. Explosions ripped the ground from beneath them and blinded her.
Familiar coldness and silence washed over her before the quiet was replaced by the storm's furious bellow. Darian staggered, dropped her, and landed hard on his backside. She looked around, disoriented. Her ears still rung from the explosions lighting up the sky.
"Jimmy's … real good … at that," Darian managed, gasping.
"Jonny," she whispered. "Where's Jonny?"
"He's okay."
"He escaped?" she rasped. She twisted to see the Grey God, whose ashen face and dulled eyes were trained on the still body beside her.
"Sorta," Darian said.
"Where is he?"
"He's okay, I promise. Can you fix him?"
She looked at Dusty's still body, feeling overjoyed and fearful. With effort, she rolled him onto his back. He was alive and unconscious. His body drank what healing she had to give. She brushed water from his face and traced a finger along his jaw.
"Damian's gonna be so pissed," Darian said to no one in particular.
"Dustin!" The familiar voice was carried on the wind. She squinted towards the blazing buildings to see a dark figure half-trotting, half-limping towards them. Jenn reached them and bent at the waist, gasping. "Don't even try … to help," she griped at Darian.
"I didn't know you were here," he said with some chagrin.
"That little shit Jonny made me bring him then knocked me out. Where is he? He needs an ass beating!"
"He's okay."
"Whatever happened drained all my power," Jenn said. "You?"
"Kinda used up all my resources and then stole everyone else's. Figured everything would turn out okay," Darian said with a weak shrug. "Looks like I was right."
"You're a shithead! Didn't stop to think we might be in the middle of helping when you sucked us dry? Gods, I don't know what might've happened if I'd been in mid-Travel or some shit! Not to sound like Dusty, but you gotta learn some self-control! Who knows what the f-- " Darian grumbled as Jenn berated him.
Bianca listened, numb. Her hands rested on Dusty while her gaze remained on the burning clubhouse. She waited for Jonny, her gut twisting in fear.
*****
"Trinka," he said, kneeling in front of his little sister.
"Hi Dusty," she murmured. She flung her arms around him, the sweet smell of innocence and softness of her body making him melt.
Gods how he missed her!
"I brought you something," she said, holding up her tiny, balled-up fist.
He held out his hand, and she deposited a small trinket in it. He recognized one of the orbs she'd played with. The orbs resembled marbles with colorful lights that danced. He'd given her more than one as a child.