Mal’s chest hitched. Almost there, Poppy.
She saw Herris and Zand under the cage. She trusted the fighters to get her friend down.
Mal circled the benches and saw other animals strapped down. She couldn’t leave them. One was a dog-like creature with matted curly fur and large liquid eyes filled with pain. Mal sliced the bindings.
With a yip, the animal rolled off.
Oh boy, he was bigger than she’d guessed and reached above her waist.
It moved forward and she froze.
Then it licked her hand before it turned and bounded away into the darkness.
Right. She rubbed the slobber on her pants and kept moving. As she checked the other animals, she realized all of them were dead.
She finally reached Thadd and swallowed the bile in her throat.
“I’m here, Thadd,” she whispered.
He turned his head. His gaze was hot and feverish, but she wasn’t sure if he saw her or recognized her.
She untied the heavy bindings and unclipped the medical equipment attached to him. His chest was a raw, gaping wound. She swallowed hard. She couldn’t move him like this.
Suddenly, a Zhylaw man rushed at her, with some medical device in his hand.
Mal leaped back and lifted her sword.
The scientist was trying to stop her from helping Thadd. Anger exploded. She slashed and cut across his arm, severing something vital. He dropped his makeshift weapon, his fingers nerveless. The man stared at the blood dripping off his fingers.
Mal stabbed her sword into his gut, then pulled it free. He collapsed with a gurgle.
She turned back to Thadd.
It was so wrong to see the strong captain so still and so in pain.
“Okay, Thadd.” She held her palm over his chest. She needed to stop his bleeding.
She pulled on her energy and felt it swell around her. It was a trickle at first, but started to grow.
A part of her wondered how she’d gone her entire life without feeling it, when now, she couldn’t imagine not feeling it.
It felt right. A part of her.
Her power grew and swelled. She had no idea how to heal, but in her head, she imagined Thadd’s skin knitting closed.
He groaned.
Mal pressed her lips together and saw his chest starting to heal… Slowly, so slowly.
He groaned again. She knew that she was hurting him.
“I’m sorry.” She felt a prick of tears.
Then she heard a giant crash.
She whipped her head around and saw Rhain and Krastin. Rhain was covered in bite marks from the tentacles. He slashed with his sword, moving so fast. Krastin was bleeding as well, from several cuts and two of his tentacles were severed.
The warlord charged at Rhain. They crashed into a cage, and the hexids inside went wild.
Mal bit her lip and turned back to Thadd. He wasn’t fully healed yet and she poured more energy into him.
God, it hurt. Energy ripped out of her.
With another groan, Thadd’s eyes opened. This time she saw vague awareness in them.
“Mal…?” His voice was a croaky whisper.
“We’re here. We’ve got you, Thadd. We’re getting out of here.”
Her energy cut off. She couldn’t do any more. His chest looked better, but nowhere near fully healed.
She helped the big man sit up.
He groaned. “I’ve…got it.”
“Sure you do,” she said.
She helped him off the table. He staggered and the weight of him almost sent them both crashing to the ground.
“Whoa. Just take a second.” She spotted some bandages, and grabbed them and started wrapping them around his bloodied chest. She’d need help to move him.
A fierce roar cut through the air. Rhain was airborne, swords held over his head.
Krastin dodged and his tentacles whipped out and wrapped around Rhain. Some stabbed at him, tearing flesh off.
Mal’s gut clenched. Come on, baby, take him down.
Rhain let off a pulse of energy and Krastin flew backward.
Mal released a breath. She knew she couldn’t move Thadd on her own. Herris and Zand had Poppy’s cage lowered, and were busy trying to get it open.
Then she heard the roar of hungry animals and swiveled, her pulse racing.
She saw a female Zhylaw scientist unlocking the hexid cages.
Her heart jumped into her throat. Asshole. She’d kill them all.
The hexids burst free. Thadd leaned heavily on her. Herris and Zand were still busy with Poppy’s cage. Rhain and Krastin were locked in battle.
Muscles flexing, the hexids loped toward the battling pair, raw hunger on their faces. No. No. She couldn’t let them massacre her man and all the others.
She leaned Thadd back against the bench and then leaped up on top of a large box. She threw her hands out.
Energy burst from her. A wave of brilliant silver energy washed over the space, engulfing the hexids and Zhylaw.
All her fear, all her anger, and all the other warmer emotions she was starting to feel for Rhain flooded her.
The hexids and Zhylaw vanished, melting away into nothing.
Chest heaving, she stared in horror.
She turned, and saw Krastin staring at her in shock.
Rhain smiled, pride on his face.
Chapter Seventeen
Rhain grinned at Mal. His fierce woman.
But then he saw Thadd behind her, hurt and injured.
Rhain turned to Krastin.
The Zhylaw looked like he’d seen a predator appear out of nowhere.
“You should have never come to my planet, Krastin. Never have touched my people.”
The man rallied. “I will kill you, Sarkany, like I killed your mother. Your father will forgive me. I’ll bury you deep and no one will ever find you.”
“You also made a mistake touching my woman’s friend. She will never forgive you, and she will make you pay.”
Krastin backed up, his tentacles waving behind his back, several damaged by Rhain’s swords.
Mal started advancing.
Krastin pulled out a blaster.
Rhain whipped his hand up. Energy shot from him and yanked the weapon out of Krastin’s hand. It flew through the air and hit a rock wall.
Mal jumped and sailed through the air. She was carried up by her energy, then she landed beside Rhain.
He’d never been prouder to know that she was his.
“You hurt my friends.” Her eyes were glowing with silver light. “You attacked my man.”
“You can’t stop Zavir,” Krastin bit out. “He’ll keep coming.”
“And we’ll keep fighting him,” Rhain said.
“You’re his blood.”
“He’s nothing like your asshole boss,” Mal snapped. “He’s overlord Rhain Zhalto Sarkany. He’s a good leader who protects his people.” She raised her sword. It pulsed with silver energy. “You are a piece of shit who hurts other people, enslaves them. You hurt my friend. This is for Poppy.”
She lunged. Krastin’s tentacles snapped out, wrapping around her.
Rhain rushed in, slicing his sword through the protuberances.
Krastin screamed, his hands reaching for Mal. One tentacle slithered around her neck and pulled tight.
No. The Gorr-ridden Zhylaw wouldn’t hurt her.
Rhain spun his blade and sank it into Krastin’s midsection.
The warlord froze.
Mal ripped the tentacle free. She raised her sword, her face a mask of fury.
“Die, damn you.” She sank her sword in beside Rhain’s.