Page 32

CHAPTER 32

S asha

I press myself against the wall, every muscle tense as I watch Kendall turn to face Maitlin. Her blaster doesn’t waver, pointed directly at Kendall’s face. All around, there’s a stillness in the air, like even the stones are holding their breaths. The Imperial soldiers watch the altercation, uncertainty on their faces.

But I don’t fool myself. If Maitlin pulls that trigger, we’re all dead. Once the blaster shooting starts, it won’t stop.

“Well, if it isn’t my little pet,” Kendall drawls, voice dripping with mock affection. “And here I thought you would already be on your way off of this planet. You should have left when you had the chance.”

Maitlin’s feline eyes narrow to slits, her striped skin flushing with anger. I see tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. I know her enough to see they’re not tears of weakness. They’re pure, unfiltered fury.

“You hurt me,” she spits out. “Made me think I deserved it.”

“You did deserve it.” Kendall’s laugh echoes off the metal walls. “A half-breed freak playing at being human. I was doing you a favor, giving you any attention at all.”

The blaster in Maitlin’s hands steadies completely. I bite my lip, silently willing her not to pull the trigger. The only reason we’re all still breathing is because Kendall hasn’t given the order to shoot. And that may change at any second.

Just as Maitlin opens her mouth to speak, a distant explosion rocks the Fortress, making the crystal piles shiver. Kendall’s head snaps toward the sound, his confident smirk faltering for just a moment. Another blast follows, closer this time, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of heavy weapons fire.

“What’s going on out there?” he demands into his comm unit. Static crackles back at him. His jaw tightens. “Report!”

When no response comes, Kendall turns to the Imperial soldiers surrounding us.

“You, go check the perimeter. The rest of you, secure the lower levels. Now!”

The soldiers file out quickly, their boots echoing against the stone floor. I catch the slight tremor in Kendall’s hand as he adjusts his collar, the first real sign of uncertainty I’ve seen from him.

“Now,” he says, his voice harder as he turns back to Maitlin. “Where were we?”

Maitlin’s entire focus is still on Kendall, like she doesn’t hear the sound of renewed battle, traveling in the long hallways.

“I’m pregnant.” Maitlin’s voice cracks, but her entire body is still as solid as ever. “Did you know?”

“How could I not?” Kendall’s smile widens, revealing all the ugliness he has inside. “But if you think that mongrel is worth anything, you’re wrong.”

I watch in horror as Maitlin’s composure shatters. It’s like her features dissolve around the dainty bones of her face. Her scream of rage echoes through the chamber, raw and primal.

“Don’t you dare speak of my baby that way!”

I can see the mistake happen as Maitlin loses control over her temper and lowers the barrel of her blaster as she shouts. This is what Kendall wanted all along.

He strikes, fast as a snake. His burly form launches forward before Maitlin can squeeze the trigger. Her shot goes wild, blasting into the ceiling as he grabs her by the arm. The blaster clatters across the floor, spinning away into the shadows. Maitlin’s cries out in pain as Kendall twists her arm and bones snap audibly in the confined room.

He’s going to kill her.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I’m aware of Eirik shouting at me to stay still, but I ignore him. My body moves before my mind catches up. I spring forward, throwing myself at Kendall’s broad back. He staggers under my weight in surprise.

“Get off me, you little bitch!” Kendall’s elbow catches me in the ribs. Pain explodes through my side, but I dig my fingers into his eyes, clawing and scratching.

Maitlin recovers fast, and she scrambles on her hands and knees. She drives her fist into Kendall’s groin while I scratch at his face. He doubles over, cursing viciously.

“Not so tough when we fight back, are you?” I snarl.

But whatever sense of victory I feel is squashed as I watch in horror when Kendall throws a violent, direct punch that connects with Maitlin’s face. Blood sprays from her nose as she crumples to the floor. Her body curls inward, protecting her belly as she sobs, each cry punctuated by wet, gurgling breaths.

Kendall looms over her, his bulk casting a shadow across her trembling form.

“Look at you now. Crying like the pathetic little hybrid freak you are.”

My heart freezes as he draws back his foot. “No! Stop! She’s pregnant, you monster!”

Behind me, Eirik’s roar shakes the walls. The sound of straining metal fills the air as he yanks against his restraints, but the shackles hold firm. His muscles bulge with effort, veins standing out on his neck.

Movement catches my eye. Sargul’s head snaps up from Naeve’s body, his yellow eyes focusing on the scene before him. Something shifts in his expression, grief transforming into white-hot rage. He launches himself at Kendall with a feral snarl, tackling him away from Maitlin’s prone figure.

They hit the floor hard, Sargul’s fingers locked around Kendall’s throat.

“You dare?” Sargul’s voice comes out as a guttural growl. “You dare hurt my family?”

I crouch low, keeping to the shadows as I inch toward Eirik. My heart thunders against my ribs, each beat echoing in my ears as I navigate around fallen debris. Pain erupts in a symphony of agony with each movement as my bruised ribs protest. Somewhere behind me, the sounds of Sargul’s and Kendall’s brutal fight fill the chamber, but I force myself not to look.

Finally reaching Eirik, I fumble with the lock pick hidden in my sleeve. My hands tremble, making the delicate work harder than it should be. Sweat drips down my neck as I work the mechanism, hyperaware of every precious second ticking by.

“Hurry,” Eirik’s deep voice rumbles above me, his muscles straining against the restraints.

The lock fights me, but I’ve never met one I couldn’t beat. With a satisfying snap, the shackles fall away. Eirik surges forward, his powerful frame coiling like a spring finally released.

We turn together, just in time to see Sargul rear back, his face contorted in primal rage. His fist crashes into Kendall’s face with bone-crushing force. The impact echoes through the chamber like a thunderclap.

Kendall’s body goes slack, crumpling to the floor in a lifeless heap. Blood pools beneath his shattered skull, spreading across the metal floor in a dark stain. The silence that follows feels deafening.

Sargul stands over Kendall’s body, chest heaving, his hands covered in blood. The raw anguish in his eyes transforms into something darker as he stares down at the man who killed Naeve.

I brace myself as the heavy thud of military boots echoes down the corridor. The sounds grow louder, accompanied by shouts and the metallic clatter of weapons. My heart hammers against my ribs as I press closer to Eirik’s solid form.

The doors burst open with a thunderous crash. Imperial soldiers flood into the chamber, their black armor gleaming under the harsh lights. Their rifles snap up in perfect unison, red targeting dots dancing across our bodies. I count at least twenty of them, maybe more still pouring in through the entrance.

The acrid smell of ozone and weapon discharge fills my nostrils. Beside me, Eirik’s muscles coil tight, ready to spring despite the overwhelming odds. Sargul remains standing over Kendall’s body, his bloody hands raised slightly, while Maitlin stays curled on the floor, protecting her belly.

This is it , I think. We’re done. No way out. No clever escape plan.

Just the cold certainty of death staring at us through multiple rifle barrels. Then something impossible happens.

The soldiers lower their weapons. One by one, they drop to their knees, heads bowed in submission. The clatter of rifles hitting the floor echoes through the suddenly silent chamber.

I blink hard, certain I must be hallucinating. But no. I’m painfully and totally awake. The Imperial soldiers remain on their knees, completely surrendered, their postures radiating deference rather than defeat.

My mouth falls open as I try to process this bizarre turn of events.

“What the hell?”