Liam dodged to the side just in ti.
The Chira’s glare had locked onto him a second before its jaws snapped open.
And a massive fireball roared straight at his chest.
Heat blasted past his face as he rolled across the dirt, heart slamming against his ribs.
He ca up fast, breathing hard, and shot a glare at Crya.
"How the hell did you not notice a monster that size following us?" he snapped.
His voice sharper than he ant it to be.
The words ca out raw because his legs still felt shaky from the near miss.
Crya wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
Her shoulders slumped a little. "I don’t know," she said honestly.
Her eyes wide like she still couldn’t believe it herself.
Liam didn’t have ti to press her. He jumped back a few steps.
Putting so distance between him and the beast, and called out to the other two.
"Beatrix, Pyra, distract it! Keep it busy while I figure out how to take it down!"
He glanced down at the red jewel in his palm. It had started glowing again.
Pulsing with a steady crimson light that lit up his fingers.
’Could it be...’ The thought flashed through his mind, quick and uncertain.
He didn’t have ti to wonder. He grabbed the jewel tighter and started swinging it back and forth like a lure.
The Chira’s head snapped toward the glowing stone. Its eyes narrowed.
And it took a heavy step forward. Liam felt a small rush of relief. It was working.
"Let’s go!" he shouted. He took off running, the three girls right behind him.
Branches whipped at his arms as they crashed through the undergrowth.
Heading straight for the waterfall.
Every few seconds he glanced back and dangled the jewel again.
Making sure the beast stayed hooked. Its heavy footsteps shook the ground behind them.
The plan was simple and stupid and the only thing they had.
By the ti they burst out of the trees and reached the waterfall’s edge.
Liam’s lungs were burning. The roar of falling water filled the air.
He dropped to one knee, pulled a length of rope from his pack, and looped it tight around his waist.
His fingers worked fast, knotting it secure. Then his mind caught up with what he was actually doing.
He had to hand the other end to soone.
Soone he could trust with his life while he jumped into that drop with a monster on his heels.
Crya was out imdiately. ’We’ve only known each other two days,’ he thought.
’Enemies one minute, teammates the next. No way I’m betting my life on that.’
His gaze slid to Beatrix. Their thing had started feeling different lately.
Less like a straight-up deal and more like... sothing else.
She laughed at his dumb jokes sotis now. She stuck around even when she didn’t have to.
It was almost like she was enjoying being around him.
But still. If he gave her the rope, he was literally putting his life in her hands.
One slip, one second of doubt, and he was gone.
Liam shook his head. ’Maybe not this ti.’
That left Pyra.
She was the first one he’d t here. The one who had stepped in every single ti he needed help.
No questions, no hesitation. Liam felt sothing settle in his chest.
He walked over to her, held out the rope, and t her eyes.
"Hold this tight," he said. "I’m jumping with the stone.
The Chira will follow down. You just keep pulling back up once it’s done."
He wrapped her fingers around the rope for emphasis. "Keep a tight grip. I’ll die if you let go."
Pyra stared at the rope in her hands. For a second her face did sothing complicated.
Her eyes widening, lips parting like a dozen thoughts were crashing through her head at once.
She looked up at him, really looked, and Liam saw a whole storm of feelings cross her face.
Then she clenched the rope harder, knuckles going white, and gave a firm nod.
"Don’t worry," she said. "I got this."
Out of the corner of his eye, Liam noticed Beatrix watching them.
Her expression tightened for a split second.
Sothing like hurt or disappointnt flickering across it.
She lifted her chin and turned away, staring out over the waterfall instead.
He didn’t know what was going through her head, but he could guess it wasn’t great.
Their start had been rough, sure, but he still felt a small twist of guilt.
The four of them moved closer to the edge together.
Mist from the falls sprayed cold against Liam’s skin. Crya suddenly pointed behind them.
"It’s coming!" she called out.
Liam nodded once, sharp. He looked at Pyra. "Just like the plan," he said.
Keeping his voice steady even though his pulse was racing.
He gripped the glowing jewel hard, raised it high so the Chira could see it clearly.
And shouted, "Hey! Co and get it!" Then he jumped.
The ground disappeared under his feet. Wind rushed past his ears.
The Chira let out a deafening roar and leaped right after him, jaws wide, claws outstretched.
They both plunged toward the churning water below.
Liam hit the surface hard. The cold shock knocked the air out of him.
But he kept hold of the jewel.
The rope around his waist yanked tight a mont later. Pyra was pulling.
He could feel Beatrix adding her strength too.
Two steady tugs dragging him sideways through the pounding water.
He kicked and fought his way up, breaking the surface with a huge gasp.
Water stread down his face as he coughed and sputtered.
"Did the Chira co back up?" he managed, voice hoarse.
Pyra shook her head, still gripping the rope like her life depended on it. "No," she said. "We won."
They dragged him the rest of the way out, and the four of them staggered back toward the academy grounds.
Liam’s clothes clung to him, heavy and cold, but the relief in his chest made it easier to keep moving.
Teacher Simon was right where they’d left him earlier, in a chair at the edge of the backyard.
Leaned all the way back, eyes closed, soaking up the afternoon sun like he didn’t have a care in the world.
Liam walked straight up and tossed the red jewel at Simon’s face.
Simon’s hand shot up without him even opening his eyes.
He caught the jewel neatly, then finally sat up a little and slid his eyeglasses down his nose.
"Oh," he said, sounding almost impressed. "Soone found it. And took care of Mike, too."
The group stared at him, confused.
Simon chuckled. "Mike. That was my Chira’s pet na."
He gave a satisfied nod and tucked the jewel into his pocket.
"Alright. Keeping my promise. Your leader needs to step up and tell his request."
Liam walked forward, chest still tight from everything that had just happened.
He felt complicated about this whole thing.
He knew what Simon was going to beco later.
A traitor to humanity, the guy who would make Beatrix’s life miserable.
He glanced sideways at her for a second, then back at Simon.
’Since she wants to kill him one day,’ he thought,
’I need to figure out a way to help her. Make up for my part in all this.’
He stopped in front of the teacher, looked him in the eye, and said, "I want to get..."
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