Page 67 of Scars of Fate

Wynn stayed beside me.

For once in her life, she did exactly what I asked.

I didn’t trust it to last.

Samir hung between Boone and me as we climbed the narrow trail toward the extraction point.

Every step jarred my injured arm.

Every movement sent pain burning through my shoulder.

I ignored it.

The young man’s breathing had become shallow.

Too shallow.

“Stay with us,” Wynn said.

She walked close enough to keep two fingers pressed against the pulse in Samir’s neck.

“He’s losing too much blood.”

“I noticed,” Boone grunted.

“We need Janice.”

“We need to reach the transports,” I said.

Hawk followed twenty yards behind us, his rifle trained on the trail.

Adam moved between us and the ridgeline.

An entire enemy force was regrouping somewhere below.

We were running out of time.

Wynn stumbled.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

I shifted Samir’s weight toward Boone and caught her arm.

“You hurt?”

“No.”

“Then why did you fall?”

“I tripped over a rock.”

I glanced down.

Blood covered her pants.

Most of it belonged to Samir.

Not all of it.