Loch & Key (Miracle: Salvation Isle #7)

4. CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4

It took six days before the assholes of that stupid ship docked. Sort of.

Not really.

Technically, it had docked, but half of the captives had been brought ashore before it had once more set sail. Devastated that there was no place he could shift to save those who had been dropped off, Aban could only barely shift long enough to drop another pin on the map for Saber or possibly Chadwick. At that point, he had no clue.

Except…

Even as he flew to see where the rest of those on the ship were headed, Aban felt… Were there words…? He hated the thought of leaving behind the others, but he had to know where everyone was headed or there would have been no chance of saving all of them.

That was if there was any chance of saving any of them. Which meant what?

Aban did not know. Nor was he even certain he wanted to know. All he could hope was that Saber and his men had understood his plan. They had to, otherwise it meant he should have shifted when first encountering the human ‘army’ and killed those responsible for causing so much damage.

“Hurry the fuck up,” the captain yelled as the last of the smaller boats hooked back up to the freighter. “We are ready to head out.”

That was something he’d never experienced for himself. Then again, he’d never worked for those who hadn’t given a shit about anyone–including himself–in that moment. He needed to hope that Saber had gotten his text he sent out when the ship had landed the first time. If he was really lucky, Aban would get another message out.

Hopefully.

As much as it pained him to admit, Aban had dropped the phone onto the rocks of the island when he’d tried to follow the ship after they’d got rid of half the captives. All he could hope at that point was Saber and his men had realized he had sent them coordinates for the first location.

At least that’s what he’d hoped. Since he hadn’t gotten a text back, he had no clue if they’d received it or not. Nor was he certain if they understood what he was sending them.

What he knew…???? Fuck, he hadn’t a clue.

Not once in his entire life had he once thought anyone would ever capture him. Part of that had to do with the fact that he was a bird shifter. It shouldn’t take him more than a few seconds to shift and fly away. Yet, at the same time, he’d witnessed a couple of flights captured. He honestly had no clue why they had stuck around for that to happen, but they had.

Thankfully, it’s not that easy to imprison most birds. Sure, some couldn’t just fly off, but most could easily free themselves.

Still, all it really took was for a child to be grabbed, and then the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins quickly gave up to save the kid. It wasn’t one he’d had to experience, but he’d heard it repeatedly.

If he was honest, it was the main reason he’d been searching the skies. He might have hated each time he’d encountered a town that’d been basically slaughtered, but he wasn’t about to stop. He owed it to those who were screaming for help.

Well, maybe not exactly ‘owe’ them, but he sure as fuck wasn’t about to let shifters be abused, either. He might have been lucky to have not experienced the horrors of being enslaved, but he’d seen enough to know he wasn’t going to let it happen to others.

“Move it,” the captain yelled when those who were taking charge of the captives weren’t moving them along fast enough.

Behind an outcropping of trees and brush, Aban shifted. His spirits fell when he glanced at the phone he’d gently placed on the ground after landing and saw it was dead. He had no clue if it was because he’d dropped it or if the battery was dead. Not that it mattered. He had no cord or plug to find out. Either way, he couldn’t contact the Council.

What the fuck was he supposed to do? There was no way he could free anyone by himself. His only hope was to fly back to where the shifters had been taken and hope to meet up with Saber’s men.

Just as he took to the air, he heard a loud bang. Seconds later, he let out a cry of pain as he plummeted to the ground. Uncertain what had happened, he lay there willing the agony away as he once more tried to take to his wings, but no matter what he tried, nothing worked.

He was stuck on the ground, unable to move. Turning his head to the right, he saw red drip from his wing. Blinking, he watched it for several moments, uncertain what was happening.

“Over here,” a gruff voice called out, piercing the dull roar that had taken over all of Aban’s hearing.

Cruel hands grabbed him as if he were nothing more than a ragdoll. “Got him.”

Aban had no clue who was talking, but unease engulfed him at the sound.

“I told you we were being followed.” It was a different voice, but just as gravelly as the other. “We should just kill him.”

“Nah,” the first one said. “We’ll chain him and make him work day and night.”

The laughter that poured out of their mouths wasn’t something Aban had wanted to hear. He might not have ever been captured before, but it appeared that all had changed.

If only he had gotten out a text. Stupid phone.

How was he supposed to help others, or himself for that matter, if he was chained up? There had to be a solution.

He just wished he knew what that was.

Between the pain of the bullet and the hand that was basically choking the life out of him, it wasn’t long before Aban passed out. His last thought was the hope that he wouldn’t have to wake up again because he was certain there was no way he could do what those assholes wanted without running his mouth.

Not that he minded doing it, but Aban had little doubt that by being him, he’d end up getting smacked around. Again, that might not have bothered him much, but he wasn’t one to enjoy pain, even if he’d earned every damn second of it.