Chapter 128: Before Sunset (2)

He nodded solemnly. "Wonderful. Our new friend Dorian Nidyg with the exceedingly reassuring voice has a point."

Astrid’s expression flattened. "You..."

Alaric raised both hands. "I dislike this as much as you do."

"No, you don’t." Then she looked back at Dorian. "Hiiro didn’t choose the Primarch."

"He chose not to retreat from it. Along with the others."

Her fingers curled at her side. "They’re still alive."

"For now." He said it gently, almost regretfully. It was a remarkably polished way of pronouncing three living people already dead.

She stepped toward the door but Alaric blocked her again. "Astrid."

"They need me."

"They need divine intervention."

"They don’t have that."

"Then perhaps we should acknowledge the universe had made its opinion fairly obvious."

Astrid glared at him. "Hiiro and Misha fight close. Caius can attack from mid-range, but his strongest spells still take time. I can hit the enemy without entering its reach."

"And if you fail?" Dorian asked. "You’re still thinking about this as though returning guarantees anything. It doesn’t." Then he gestured once toward the hall. "All you’ll for certain is reduce the number of capable fighters here."

"You mean YOUR fighters."

He sighed. "Our survival is the same problem at the moment."

Astrid did not bother responding. She walked past Alaric and this time, he did not stop her.

Carl stepped after her. "I’ll go too."

She came to an immediate stop. "No."

The boy froze. "But Shana’s out there."

"No."

His face tightened, the reaction was painfully normal since he was angry because he was scared.

Astrid recognized that much easily enough. "You’ll be safer here."

Carl shook his head. "I don’t want to stay."

She crouched enough to bring herself closer to his height. "Carl."

He looked away and she waited. Eventually, his gaze came back. His eyes were still swollen from crying.

"Stay here."

His fingers curled into the front of his shirt. "Shana came back for me."

She knew, she knew exactly why that made the request harder. Misha had gone back and found him, and now, Astrid was asking him to remain somewhere safe while Misha was outside.

"And now, I’m going back for her."

"I can–"

"You can wait for us."

Carl’s mouth pressed into a thin line. It was not an agreement but Astrid accepted it anyway.

"We’ll come back."

He stayed quiet for several seconds, then he swallowed. "When?"

Astrid looked toward the old wall clock mounted above the receiving counter. The glass was cracked down one side, the minute hand still moved. She had no idea how long the fight would take, no idea whether the Primarch could be killed, and most of all... she had no idea whether Misha and the others were winning. She needed to give Carl something concrete.

"Before sunset." Then she stood, her attention shifted toward Dorian. "If we’re not back by then, take everyone to the next floor."

Dorian studied her. "You’re asking me to abandon you?"

"I’m telling you not to sacrifice 23 people waiting for four."

His expression remained unreadable for a moment, then, he nodded. "If you haven’t returned by sunset, I’ll do what’s necessary for the people still here."

"I’m going to wait for everyone to come back," Carl said stubbornly.

Dorian eyed the kid and said nothing.

Astrid reached out and rested one hand on Carl’s head. "Then I guess we can’t let you wait for too long."

"I’ll wait..." His voice was quieter this time.

She removed her hand then turned.

Alaric caught her arm again. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"You understand we’re discussing a creature with three arms, two heads, and chains large enough to moor ships."

"I’m still going."

He held her gaze and for several seconds, he seemed to be waiting for something. Perhaps the universe would intervene, or perhaps common sense would descend from whatever merciful realm it had been hiding in and strike her directly. Maybe she would blink twice and say, "You’re right, mister. I have suddenly developed an appropriate appreciation for mortality."

But there was nothing. Astrid remained staring at him, waiting for him to let go of her arm.

He closed his eyes. "I have exhausted my will to object."

Astrid’s brow shifted. "Then ,ove."

"I am." He released her, stepped aside, then followed. "Make it five."

She stopped after two steps. "What are you doing?"

"Making the worst decision currently available to me."

"You said staying was safer."

"It is."

"Then stay."

"I would love to." Alaric adjusted his mandolin, Duet, against his back with considerably more aggression than the innocent instrument deserved. "I still think this is reckless. Your friends have collectively developed a deeply unhealthy relationship with death."

"I know."

Alaric heaved out a deep sigh. "If you insist on running toward that thing, I’m not letting you do it without support."

She looked at him, something almost amused flickered behind her eyes.

"I am a grown man. If I let a seventeen-year-old walk alone toward a Primarch while I remain in here hiding behind approximately 23 traumatized civilians, I will eventually have to live with knowing I did that," he paused, "I also have my pride."

"You value your life, so stay."

"Yes, and I would like everyone to begin respecting that about me." His fingers tightened around the strap. "But valuing my life and liking myself afterward are apparently two separate problems"

"Or you could just try stopping me."

He looked at her, then at the sidearm at her hip and at the thin blade at her waist before he returned his gaze at her. "I could certainly attempt something humiliating.

Astrid’s expression remained perfectly neutral. "I’d win."

"Thank you for preserving my dignity by saying that quietly." He sighed once more.

"I won’t be able to protect you."

"I have considered that with obsessive thoroughness."

"Then why are you leaving?" Behind them, Carl spoke. The boy’s brows were drawn together while looking up at him. "You said hiding was your specialty..."

Alaric eyed him and for once, his expression softened. "Because sometimes you hide behind the people you trust... even if you just met them." Then he glanced toward Astrid. "And sometimes the people you trust insist on running somewhere so stupid that you have to move the hiding place."

"..." Carl continued staring.

"That sounded more dignified in my head."

"You agreed with me a few minutes ago," Dorian called from behind them. He was still insisting they stay, although he had no authority to stop them outright, so he settled for trying to wear down their decision instead.

"I still agree with you." Alaric smiled, it was sharp and more catlike. "Your argument is rational. Astrid staying here is the better option for the greater number of people in this room."

"Then–"

"She isn’t staying." He gave a small shrug. "So the decision changed."

For the first time since approaching them, Dorian looked mildly irritated.

Astrid turned back toward Carl. "Stay close to the people here."

Carl nodded reluctantly, then his gaze dropped. "Tell Shana I waited..."

"I will." She reached for the iron bar securing the door.

Alaric moved beside her and together, they pulled. The heavy doors opened just enough for the ruined street beyond to appear. Gray daylight spilled through the gap and ash drifted along the stones outside. Then–

GOOONNNG.

The sound rolled through Exodus, deep enough that Astrid felt it in her body.

Several survivors flinched.

Alaric closed his eyes. "Oh, I hate that sound."

Astrid drew her sidearm then stepped through the opening while Alaric remained inside for exactly one second longer. Just long enough to look back at the safety he was voluntarily leaving.