Praetorian Rising, стр. 85

He lurched upwards in the muddied grass—he hadn't collided with the door, as Phillip had been opening it in that very same moment. Which meant—

"Close the door!" Vesyon yelled, gesturing at the Chimera barreling down the corridor about to descend.

Phillip slammed it shut just in time, sealing the beasts in as they yipped and growled on the other side.

"How the hell did you make it out?" Phillip gasped, seeming to struggle for each breath. Vesyon eyed the General warily, taking in every facet of Phillip's complexion and dilated pupils. Despite the darkened sky and dimly lit surroundings, Vesyon could see the penetrating symptoms of Chimera poisoning already taking hold within him.

"The fuses are set," Vesyon said quietly. "We have ten minutes to get out of here."

"Yes, we heard the alarm. We need to get the remaining men out; there's something else out there," Phillip said, swallowing loudly and beginning to wheeze.

Vesyon nodded; the floral scent he'd smelled before floated back through his senses. It was something he'd never encountered, not in battle. Every fiber in his Praetorian being screamed with worry as he pressed through the tree line, making his way beside Phillip back toward their men. With every footstep, every motion pushing him forward, Vesyon began to accept the inevitability of the evening. They were going to lose far more than what they'd bargained for. He wasn't sure now that it had been worth it.

His eyes shifted back toward the town square as the weight of reality began to set in. He had lost so much in his fight against the kingdom—family, friends, loved ones—but he kept pushing forward because he knew his goal would eat away at him until he reached it. More than anything in the world, he wanted to return to his home in White Wall, but he'd lose much more in the months to come for that to become a possibility. Vesyon glanced over at the puce tone of Phillip's skin and forced his emotions down. They both knew Phillip had only hours.

Cannon fire flew in every direction, reaching deafening heights as they pressed on through the snow-slicked grassy knolls. The wind whipped against their faces in a constant mist, sending the chill of their surroundings straight down to their bones. Phillip dodged and swayed, hammering at any Equestrian who stood in his way, but he was quickly losing the battle of remaining conscious.

"You need treatment!" Vesyon cried over the din.

"What for?" Phillip retorted, completely ignoring the suggestion. Turning his body away from an oncoming blast of shrapnel, Phillip groaned as he moved, every motion an obvious task to accomplish. "Most of the men Metus brought with him are standing guard at the perimeter. You can't go north or west as planned; you'll need to double back south and get to White Wall that way."

Vesyon blanched, noticing Phillip's use of you instead of we. "South? Are you sure that's a good idea?" He would have to ride through the open grasslands along the barrier wall of Dwaa without hope of cover before crossing over the Syene River. It wasn't an option Vesyon felt comfortable with, but he had little choice left.

"There's no other way," Phillip said. "Camille and Theo haven't been spotted yet, and you and my men can't wait any longer. You will have to regroup with them in White Wall."

"Can't we just—"

"Incoming!" Phillip screamed as the line broke and seven Chimera hurdled toward them.

The ground was almost impossible to traverse with muddied grass and puddles of gore. Vesyon slipped as a Chimera stormed close, snarling with deadly intention. Phillip jumped in front of Vesyon, and the beast's jaw snapped down with ferocity on his upper arm.

The General's scream sang through the air like an arrow loosed, and time seemed to stop as the Chimera's teeth dug hungrily into Phillip's flesh. Vesyon barely caught him as he slumped headfirst toward the ground but managed to crook his arm under his chest in time to keep Phillip on his feet.

Charlie charged forward out of nowhere, a battle cry escaping her blood-slicked lips. Her matted brown hair flew out behind her like an incoming flag of protection. With a swift yank of her sword, she sliced the Chimera's head clean off, spraying everyone with blood and bone.

With her face screwed up and mouth wide in a silent scream, she hacked away at the unmoving carcass. She didn't stop until the Chimera that had attacked her father was obliterated—a pile of fur and organs at her feet. Vesyon pushed up from the ground as he slid Phillip over to his side and Charlie rushed toward them.

"Is he ok?"

"He's breathing," Vesyon replied, their eyes meeting for a moment to convey the truth of what he meant. He's breathing—for now.

She blanched, set her jaw in understanding, and leaned over him, checking the heat of his skin and color of his eyes as though he wasn’t as bad as he appeared to be. In watching her reaction, Vesyon was unable to miss several distant Chimera leaning over their fallen brethren—as Charlie was doing with Phillip.

"Are they mourning?" he asked aloud to himself, narrowing his eyes in bewildered shock. More than once during the battle, he'd seen the creatures express emotion in an unnerving way. The beasts hadn't just returned in full force from the original outbreak—they were evolving.

As Vesyon helped Phillip to his feet beside Charlie, he was immediately assaulted by a floral bouquet so intense he nearly gagged. He looked across the flat expanse of trampled grass and weeds to see a strikingly tall woman dressed from her neckline to the tops of her boots in thick red leather. Her raven hair was yanked back in a cluster of braids, and her smooth, olive skin seemed to glow against the bloated black clouds overhead. Her red leather chest protector was clamped securely in place and decorated with shiny gold buckles that winked like flickering fire as she