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Yet even as I consider that, the Bond draws me to them. I ache to be safe with the three Aurelians again, alone and undisturbed. I ache to explore every pleasure their lips, arms, fingers and cocks promise me – to indulge far away from all this death and destruction. To be free from the dangers and doubt of the universe. I want to go to a place that none of the horrors can touch as – and even as I think that, a single word echoes soundlessly in my head.

Atlantis.

What does that mean? I guess it doesn’t matter. The thought of safety, peace, and calmness seems like a dream.

Instead, I focus my mind. There can be no thoughts of hope – not right now. Perhaps not ever.

Just battle. Just survival.

I have my own worries to face – like the disgusting Toad Lord looking down at me, licking his blubbery lips like I’m a delicious present from the Gods themselves.

“We need to get you cleaned up,” he gurgles, beckoning lazily.

Then, from the shadows,theyappear.

I stiffen, gasping in shock.

All this time, I’d thought Oblog and I were alone in this amphitheater – but now, I realize the Toad Lord was never actually alone. Even facing an unarmed woman – a fraction of his size, and barely able to stand on her wobbly feet – he wasn’t confident enough to be alone.

If it had been anybody else, I’d have detected them. Even the cold stare of an Aurelian burns on my skin like sunlight, and Toads and Bullfrogs gurgle, and belch, and are impossible to keep hidden.

But it’s not organic life in this cavernous room with him and I. This whole time, Oblog was surrounded by guards – but they were Sentinels.

Cold, robotic, untiring Sentinels – and undetectable in the darkness, with those malevolent red eyes switched off. Now, with a wave of his webbed hand, Lord Oblog awakens them – and red eyes blink into brightness all around me.

I gasp, as I hear the clanking of their feet, and the whirr of their gears and servos. They’re silent when they’re unmoving, but Sentinels are loud when they actually move.

The towering, robotic guards march forward, out of the shadows. They move as one – stiff, nine-feet-tall bodies of shiny steel and hardened plastic.

The robotic guards step into the light, and my shock turns to horror. Physically, they might stand taller than the Aurelians, but they aren’t as broad – and I know my triad could tear them to scrap metal with their bare hands if they had to.

But you need to reach your enemy to lay your hands on them – and the arms of the Sentinels serve as stark warning how unlikely that will be.

Their arms have been modified. Instead of the human-like hands of regular service automatons, these Sentinels have high-velocity slug-guns attached to the backs of their robotic wrists. They could cut down a wall of enemies from half a mile away, and then use their robotic fingers to pick through the bloody entrails they’d leave.

The Sentinels clank forward, circling me menacingly. The metal of their forms is marred at their feet, blackened from walking through the Toad’s ship.

“Do I need them to grab you?” Oblog gurgles. “Or will you be a good little girl and go with them?”

I rage inwardly at the condescending tone Lord Oblog speaks to me with. I can’t bear it – but I have to.

Reluctantly, I grit my teeth - staring the slimy, malevolent fucker in the eye. I’m burning with anger. My fists clench as I imagine jabbing my thumbs into his bulbous sockets. I want totakehis sight. I want to put him in darkness forever – to give him the punishment he deserves for the crime of looking at me.

But the Toad Lord is unrepentant. He laughs coldly at me, spluttering.

“Good. I wanted to see if there’s still any fire left in you – and you don’t disappoint.”

He rubs his slimy hands together.

“You once freed slaves, Jamie. Now, let’s see how well you doasone.” His blubbery lips curl malevolently. “You’re not thinking about escape, are you? Maybe you’ve still got those instincts inside you – a little ice to your fire.” Then, his eyes flash, and he gurgles: “Gab’nah! Enter!”

The huge doors at the top of the main stairway open with a hiss.

Hewalks in.

I feel my stomach plummet. My breath catches in my throat. It’shim.

The Bullfrog who killed Ling.