Knightqueen

Chapter 5

Her heart was hammering hard in her chest.

They were jolted roughly, and Carys heard objects crash and shatter.

Then the ship came to a violent stop.

She gripped Sten’s body hard. She heard him grunt, but his arms never loosened. No, her knightguard sheltered her. As always, keeping her safe.

“We made it,” she whispered.

“You’re not hurt?” he asked gruffly.

“No.” She twisted to look at him and saw blood sliding down the side of his face. “But you are. You’re bleeding.”

He carefully let her go and swiped at his temple. “It’s just a cut. We need to get out of here. The Gek’Dragar will come to investigate.”

With a nod, she swiveled and crawled out. She glanced back and saw he was looking at her ass.

Her pulse did a jagged dance. She saw him drop his chin to his chest and drag in some air.

“Sten?”

“Coming.” He slid out from under the table and rose. “We need to move quickly.”

They clambered through the ship. A huge hole had been torn in the side of it. Sten leaped out and held his hands up for her. She jumped and he caught her by the waist.

“Well, at least it was a shortcut to the bottom of the ravine,” she said.

He shot her a look.

She smiled. She guessed he wasn’t quite ready to joke about it. “Not that I want to do it again.”

“Come on.” He set a fast pace, jogging down the ravine. Rocks crunched underfoot. Carys winced, thankful that her implants blocked most of the pain of walking on her bare feet.

He scanned the skies, and she did the same, searching for any Gek’Dragar scout ships or drones.

Suddenly, a stench hit her. She held her hand to her nose. “What’s that smell?”

Sten appeared unaffected. “Something rotting.” He strode to a pile of rocks and climbed up. She followed behind him.

On the other side, they discovered the rotting carcass of a strange beast with matted, brown fur.

She wrinkled her nose. Its side had been slashed with sharp claws.

“Come on,” Sten said. “Let’s cross this ravine fast, and find a way up the next mountainside.”

She wasn’t going to argue. She wanted to be gone before whatever had killed that beast found them, or the Gek’Dragar appeared.

They moved across the narrow valley.

It was silent. There was no wind, no rocks falling, nothing.

Carys slowed. She saw Sten looking up.

High overhead, clouds were forming, blocking out the sun. It made the shadows down here much darker. Shadows clung to the rocks and dark spaces at the edge of the chasm. The hairs on the back of her neck rose.

They weren’t alone.

All of a sudden, something darted in the shadows. She stared hard, trying to see the shape of it. She formed an energy ball on her palm.

Her energy was coming stronger and more easily now. The lingering effects of the drugs were almost gone. She tried to form her armor, but still nothing. She blew out a frustrated breath.

Movement in the shadows again.

Nearby, Sten formed his sword.

“Can you tell what it is?” she asked.

“No.”

“It doesn’t look too big,” she whispered.

The creature rushed out, opening its jaws wide showing off its needle-like teeth. It had red eyes on each side of its snout. It was small, but powerfully built, with wicked spikes along its back.

Carys formed a small energy ball and threw it. It hit the creature and it made a horrible noise, snapping its jaws.

She frowned. As she watched, it snapped at the energy ball.

She threw another one.

“Wait.” Sten caught her arm.

The second ball hit the creature. It tossed its head back, gulping the crackling energy down its throat. Its body bulged and grew.

Horror filled her. “It’s feeding on the energy.”

The now-larger animal tossed its head back and roared. Then its red gaze locked on them, and it charged.

Sten leaped forward and sliced with his sword. He and the animal danced around each other. He slashed again, striking a glancing blow.

The animal suddenly twisted and raced at Carys.

Heart pounding, she ran at it, then dropped down sliding beneath it. She formed energy spikes on her hands, like claws, and jammed them up into the creature’s underbelly.

It let out a deafening roar.

Blood splattered, and she rolled to her feet and spun. Sten appeared beside her, and they charged together.

He slashed with his sword and Carys whipped up her energy gauntlets. She and Sten worked together fighting the creature.

Carys distracted it, slicing again with her energy claws across its snout.

It roared, but she kept its attention long enough for Sten to slide in, and ram his sword into the creature’s side.

This time, it didn’t make a sound. Its body shuddered, then it collapsed on the rocks.

Sten stepped back, lowering his sword. He turned to Carys. “Very fierce, my queen.”

She grinned at him. “Thank you, my knightguard.” She let her gauntlets dissolve away. “I had a good teacher.”

He reached out, wiping his finger across her cheek.

Her breath hitched.

“You have some blood here,” he murmured.

Energy from the fight was still pounding through her, and the touch of his fingers added to the sensation. She felt heat wash over her skin.

Sten paused, his gaze locking with hers.

She gripped his wrist, felt the fast beat of his pulse.

That’s when they heard shouts.

Sten bit out a curse. Her pulse spiking, Carys spun.

Five Gek’Dragar soldiers sprinted into view, lifting their weapons. Her heart leaped into her throat, but at the same time, resolve firmed inside her.

Finally, she could face the enemy who’d taken her. The ones who were hunting them like they were animals.

Sten lifted his sword.

“There are only five,” she said. “We can take them.”

Sten’s mouth flattened but he nodded. Then his brow creased.

“What?” she said.

“I think…” Suddenly, black bands of armor, made from a nanotech substance, snapped into place over his broad chest.

Carys gasped. She knew the armor was flowing from the implants embedded along his spine. It covered his body, flowing down his arms and legs, before a black visor slid over his face.

She reached deep, connecting with her oralite implant. For a second, there was nothing. Panic flared as she watched the Gek’Dragar running toward them.

Then, it felt like a wave crashing through a barrier.

Her armor formed.

As the black armor slid over her body, it felt like she’d regained the use of a limb. Power flared inside her.

Her visor slid closed, combat information running down the screen. Her own sword formed in her hand, glowing bright blue.

“Be careful.” Sten’s deep voice came through her implant’s comm line.

She lifted her sword in front of her. “Being careful isn’t what we need right now.”

She wanted to fight. She needed to fight. Most of all, she wanted revenge.

Sten thrust his sword forward.

The Gek’Dragar soldier dodged, but Sten was filled with the savage need to protect his queen.

His next thrust cut through the enemy’s heavy armor and leathery skin.

He felt the rush of Carys’ energy and knew she’d engaged the other soldiers. The Gek’Dragar sliced at Sten’s shoulder, and he hammered a quick punch to the alien’s horned face.

The Gek’Dragar made a low, garbled sound.

Sten’s next thrust was to his enemy’s gut. He kicked the Gek’Dragar back, freeing his sword.

He saw Carys send a giant energy wave into two Gek’Dragar soldiers, knocking them off their feet.

The other two charged at Sten.

He swung and struck one. He whirled, hooked the second alien’s leg with his, and yanked him off his feet.

But the first Gek’Dragar was already rushing at him, holding his large, clawed hand up. He felt the kiss of the soldier’s blade on his armor.

His armor held, but he felt the power of the blow. Ignoring the pain, he rammed an elbow into the Gek’Dragar’s jaw.

The alien staggered back, then he let out a low roar.

As Sten watched, the soldier’s body started to enlarge, muscles rippling.

Sten’s gut clenched. The var. A battlefield transformation that allowed the Gek’Dragar to get larger, stronger, wilder.

The alien towered over Sten and yanked a blaster off his belt. Sten glared.

Bring it.

The soldier fired and Sten dodged. He crashed into the attacker, driving him backward. Stepping back, Sten swung his sword up. The Gek’Dragar lifted his hand. They were now tipped with long, black claws.

Sword met claw, Sten’s blue blade sizzling against the Gek’Dragar’s hand.

They whirled, striking again. The Gek’Dragar was stronger and more powerful under the influence of the var.

Sten swung his sword, over and over, but the soldier deflected every blow.

“Come on,” Sten roared.

But when a heavy weight slammed into his back, he realized the soldier had been distracting him. Waiting for the second Gek’Dragar to attack.

Claws rammed into his side, piercing his armor. It felt like fire. He gritted his teeth, pain rocketed through him.

He rammed an elbow back, catching the second attacker in the face. He whirled and jumped, using his enhancements to jump above his opponents’ heads.

A powerful slash decapitated the first soldier.

Sten landed, blood dripping off his sword. He spun and caught a glimpse of Carys fighting with another Gek’Dragar. Her sword whirled gracefully.

“You will not touch my queen,” he growled at the soldier in front of him.

The Gek’Dragar sneered. “We will take her, torture her, and kill her. We will kill all Oronis scum.”

Sten roared and charged. His blade hit a weak spot on the Gek’Dragar’s armor, and his fury pushed him. He rammed the blade right through the Gek’Dragar. He saw the light wink out of the alien’s eyes, then his body collapsed.

Sten sensed another one coming in for the attack. He swiveled, but knew he wouldn’t be fast enough.

The Gek’Dragar swung a huge mace. It hit the side of Sten’s head, and the world wavered, his ears ringing.

He stumbled back.

He raised his sword and glanced at Carys.

She looked up. “Sten!”

He had to protect her. He couldn’t fail her.

The Gek’Dragar lifted his mace above his head. “I will kill you, then I will kill her.”

Sten lunged forward. The Gek’Dragar brought his mace down on Sten’s sword, pinning it. But he missed the blue energy knife forming in a flash in Sten’s left hand.

Sten sliced it through a joint in the alien’s armor, right through his thigh.

It hit something vital, blood gushing.

The Gek’Dragar made a horrible sound. He dropped his mace, then fumbled.

Too late, Sten realized the alien had pulled his own knife. He rammed it into Sten’s side, right where the other Gek’Dragar had pierced his armor.

Sten grunted, and felt hot liquid drench his hip.

The Gek’Dragar stared at him, hatred in his neon-green eyes. Sten could feel the alien’s need to fight and kill.

Filled with protective fury, Sten headbutted the Gek’Dragar. Then he stabbed his knife into the enemy’s neck, deep. He pulsed energy through the weapon.

Dead, the Gek’Dragar fell backward.

Then Sten dropped to his knees. The pain was too much, blood soaking down his side.

“Sten!”

Everything wavered. Carys’ face came into view, her helmet retracting.

“You’re hurt.” She cupped his cheek.

“It’ll heal.” But it hurt badly. It took everything he had to stay conscious. “The Gek’Dragar?”

“They’re all dead.” Worry creased her face. “I hate seeing you hurt.”

He liked that. That she worried about him. “We can’t stay here. More Gek’Dragar will come.”

“I know. Catch your breath, then we’ll go.”

“I’m fine.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re so stubborn. The blood running down your side says otherwise.”

She wrapped an arm around him and then helped him up. He knew her armor would give her extra strength to lift him. Once he was on his feet, nausea spun through him.

“You’re stubborn too,” he said. “You hide it under polite smiles and cool looks, but you’re as stubborn as wesium steel.”

“And you’re as unmoving as a rock.” She looked sideways. “There’s one thing we need to do before we go.”

The pain was making it hard to concentrate. He followed her gaze and that’s when he saw one Gek’Dragar soldier tied up. He was breathing heavily and injured.

“You kept one alive.”

She nodded. “I have questions.”

She helped Sten lean against the cliff face, then she turned to the enemy.

“What are the Gek’Dragar’s plans for Oron?”

The enemy soldier just glared.

Carys crouched. “I know you’re in pain, and I don’t want to make it worse, but I can.”

He sneered. “You and your kind are weak.”

She pressed her palm to his slashed arm, and blue light glowed. He cried out. “Don’t think because I am a just and empathetic leader that I won’t do the difficult things required to protect my people. Your species has attacked mine so many times, and attacked and subjugated others. You just tried to kill me and my guard.”

Another flare of blue. The Gek’Dragar leaned forward and dry heaved.

“Why did you abduct me?” Her voice was sharper than a blade.

The alien bared his teeth. “To send your people into a panic. To prepare for what is to come, and make it easier for us to destroy the Oronis.”

“How?”

Now, he smiled, his expression hideous. “Consumed in the most beautiful way. Our weapon will destroy you all.”

Sten frowned. Weapon? “What weapon?”

“The end of Oron is coming.” The Gek’Dragar raised his voice. “Soon, my people will launch their attack. You will die, Knightqueen, like all your people. We will make you watch the destruction. The Gek’Dragar will prevail. We are the strongest of all—”

Sten had had enough. He formed his sword, then stabbed the Gek’Dragar through the neck.

The Gek’Dragar choked, then slumped forward.

Carys arched a brow at Sten.

“I couldn’t take anymore,” he grumbled.

“Come on.” She leaned into him. “We need to go.”

They hobbled across the ravine and started up the path on the other side.

“It’ll be dark again soon. We need shelter.” But he was in no condition to find shelter for them. Even just walking was an exercise in agony. He didn’t tell her, but he was bleeding internally.

They hobbled up the path. A wind blew in, making Carys’ hair dance. They glanced across the mountains, and he exhaled forcefully.

Clouds were blowing in. Fast.

A storm.

Lightning speared through the clouds, followed by a crack of thunder. The wind picked up, blowing hard against them.

“Keep moving,” she said grimly.

“If the wind gets worse, it’ll knock us off this path.”

“Positive thinking, Thorsten.”

The wind got stronger. Soon they were walking half bent over, fighting for every step. Little rocks started pelting them. One hit Carys’ cheek, drawing blood.

With a gasp, she pressed a hand to her face. Jaw tight, Sten shouldered in front of her, shielding her with his body.

“Sten, you’re hurt,” she protested.

“Doesn’t change anything.” It was his duty to keep her safe.

They moved a little farther, and he realized it was getting harder and harder to see. Despair engulfed him. He needed to find somewhere safe for Carys.

But they were stuck on a narrow cliff path with a deadly drop right beside them.

“Look,” she said suddenly.

He stared into the swirling dust and frowned. A circular shape lay ahead.

A mine entrance.