He curled his fingers together.
The vehicle started to crumple in on itself and then there was a vicious crunch, and he jerked his arm, flinging the destroyed vehicle away.
Cheers erupted from his people.
Rhain was spent. He’d used too much energy, too fast.
He heard a whirring sound and turned. Two turrets rose up on the back of his rugger. Thadd sat in one, his rugged face set like stone.
Mal sat in the other.
The turrets swiveled, and they opened fire on the Zhylaw.
The two remaining Zhylaw vehicles dodged and weaved.
Rhain looked at the struggling rugger. It still wasn’t operational, and he heard the whine of its engine as they tried to get it started.
Thadd and Mal fired shots of energy, trying to keep the Zhylaw off the rugger.
Rhain yelled down at the drivers. “Get as close to the other rugger as you can.”
“Yes, Overlord.”
They gunned across the rocky ground.
“Keep them busy,” he yelled at Mal and Thadd.
They got close to the rugger. Rhain rose up, then leaped onto the other vehicle.
A head popped up through the hatch, weapon in hand.
The fighter’s eyebrows rose. “Overlord.”
“Hang on.”
He opened a panel on the top of the rugger and thrust his palm against the engine. He pushed the last of his power into it.
It hurt, because he had to pull from so deep within himself.
The engine turned over.
“Get moving and get to Emex,” he ordered.
“Yes, sir.” The man disappeared back inside.
As the second rugger passed by, Rhain leaped back across. He almost fell, his legs like water. He’d overtaxed himself and had no energy left. He went down on one knee.
“Rhain!”
He looked up at Mal in the turret seat. “I’m fine.”
She paused to swivel and fire. Ahead, the other rugger shot off toward the outpost.
They followed, bumping over the rough ground.
“Overlord!” Shouts from inside the rugger.
“Yes.”
“We have more Zhylaw signatures incoming.”
Rhain’s gut knotted. The other two were still chasing them.
“How many?”
“Seven.”
Gorr.
They couldn’t fight that many. “We have to get to Emex.” He looked up at Mal and Thadd. “We have to keep them off us and get to the outpost.”
Their rugger sped up. He gripped a metal handhold to hold himself in place. The wind whipped at his hair.
Mal and Thadd laid down continuous fire.
Rhain turned his head and spotted the outpost ahead.
It was centered on a large hill, and ringed by a solid metal wall. The blue energy shield glimmered over it.
They’d be safe inside.
He turned back and saw Mal hit a Zhylaw vehicle with a burst of energy. It swerved, hit a rock, and went airborne. It crashed back down and rolled.
Yes. Rhain smiled.
Then behind them, the ground started to shake.
Another Zhylaw vehicle broke through the surface.
His chest locked. Then another. And another.
More vehicles came to the surface, and they all sped after them.
“Oh, fuck.” Mal fired wildly.
“Keep them off us.” Rhain looked down into the open hatch. “I need an energy bomb.”
A fighter handed him one of the small, round devices.
He held it in his palm and charged it. It hurt. The energy ripped out of his very core, and he bowed his head and gritted his teeth. Lights blinked on over the surface of the ball, then he drew his arm back and tossed it. It rolled into the incoming Zhylaw vehicles.
It exploded.
One vehicle went airborne, and crashed down on another. Another swerved and slowed.
“Emex is opening the gates,” the driver called from inside.
Rhain swiveled. He saw the first rugger race inside the outpost.
Come on. He urged the driver to go faster.
The Zhylaw were almost on them.
A second later, their rugger tore into the outpost. The door shimmered back in place and a Zhylaw vehicle hit it, exploding into pieces.
Cheers went up, and the rugger screeched to a stop.
Rhain met Mal’s gaze. She grinned, and he grinned back.
Then Rhain collapsed.
“I’m fine, Thadd.”
Rhain’s captain hovered near him, glowering. The Emex Outpost medica stepped back, the green energy on her hands dimming.
“The overlord is perfectly fine,” the woman said with a smile. “He just overtaxed himself. A good night of rest will be the best medicine.”
Mal stood by the wall, worry lining her face.
Rhain opened his arms, and when she hurried over and stepped into them, he felt better already.
Thadd eyed them, while the medica pretended to be busy with some work.
Rhain kissed her temple. “I’m fine.”
“You sure?” Mal murmured.
He stroked her back. “Positive.” He tipped her face up. “I need to meet with Aran, the head of the outpost. Go with Thadd. I’ll come and find you when I’m finished.”
She nodded and stepped back. After she and Thadd left, Aran entered.
Power emanated off the young man. He was the heir to a powerful House that possessed strong abilities, and the son of the Duke of Davix.
The medica nodded. “I’ll see to the rest of the injured.”
Rhain rose and held a palm out. Aran touched his to Rhain’s and a faint pulse of energy exchanged between them.
“Good to see you up, Overlord.”
“Thank you, Aran. How’s the shield?”
“At full strength.” The outpost leader led Rhain out into the hall. “No Zhylaw will be getting through.”
Aran led them down some stairs and then out onto a balcony. Down below, mining processing equipment hummed and chugged.
“We’re running at close to capacity, but we had to shut down some outlying mining posts outside the shield, Overlord. The hexid attacks have been increasing.”
Rhain watched several mining staff members monitoring the equipment. He saw the lights on the side of the machines, and felt the hum of energy off them.
“You’re doing a great job here, Aran.” Rhain turned to look out at the landscape—the rocky nightmare toward the Badus Mountains in one direction, and the green fields back toward Citadel in the other.
Sometimes it was how Rhain felt inside—dark and light in constant battle.
“Overlord, our scanners detect large numbers of hexids and Zhylaw vehicles. They’re staying hidden, but they’re waiting for you to reemerge from the shield.”
“I know,” Rhain said grimly.
Krastin had them trapped.
For now.
Several of Rhain’s fighters were injured from the journey to the outpost. They needed the night to heal before they could move.
He felt an ache inside him, and realized that he missed Mal. He didn’t like her being out of sight. He’d known her such a short time, but she was becoming vitally important to him.
His. He wanted her to be his. Wanted her trust, her loyalty, and….
Well, there were emotions Rhain hadn’t considered yet.
He’d always believed that he was too driven by his duty to feel. But one tough woman from Earth was proving him wrong.