The Guardians looked from Brooke to Perry to Soren, their movements jerky. They drew together, back to back, their guns raised.

“Do it!” Soren screamed.

They will, Perry wanted to shout. Give them a chance and they’ll do it!

He bit back the words. Panic fed panic. Yelling would only make matters worse.

Soren’s arms straightened, his gun swinging between the Guardians. “I told you, weapons down!”

A single pop broke into the air, muffled by the patter of the rain but unmistakable.

Soren had fired. He jolted back, absorbing the recoil.

An instant later, shots exploded into the air as the Guardians fired back.

Brooke cried out as she dropped to the ground. Aria, Soren, and Jupiter scattered, running back to the Belswan.

Every muscle in Perry’s body wanted to sprint toward them, but he threw himself down. Wet earth coughed as bullets struck around him. He rolled, splashing through rainwater. In the middle of a field, there was nowhere to find cover.

The shots stopped, the drone of the rain filling the quiet. He lifted his head. The Guardians were running for the woods.

The shorter man of the two turned as he fled, unleashing a barrage of shots at Roar, who crouched by the Dragonwing.

Roar launched himself beneath the craft, disappearing to the other side.

More gunshots. Whistling overhead on a path to Aria. Slapping the mud by Perry’s arms.

Ignoring them, he brought his gun up, everything he knew about shooting falling into place. He relaxed his muscles, letting the bones in his arms support the weapon. Then he aimed and let out his breath, firing two shots. Adjusting slightly, he found the next man and squeezed the trigger twice again.

They were clean shots, all. Kill shots.

The Guardians went sprawling just before the tree line.

Perry leaped up before they’d fallen to the earth. Scrabbling for a foothold in the thick mud, he half sprinted, half slid to the Belswan, one thought blaring in his mind. One person.

“I’m fine,” Aria said as he reached her.

He took her by the shoulders and looked her over anyway. Head to toe. Toe to head. She was all right. He waited for the relief to set in, but it wouldn’t.

“Perry, are you?” Aria asked, her eyes narrowing.

He shook his head. “No.”

A wailing sound pulled his attention away. Nearby, Jupiter clutched his thigh as he writhed in agony on the ground. Brooke knelt beside him. Blood poured from a cut high on her scalp, running down one side of her face.

“It’s nothing, Perry,” she said. “Just a graze, but he’s worse. They got him in the leg.”

Aria moved to Jupiter’s other side. “Let me see, Jup. Calm down and let me see.”