A vicious blow caught Taryn in the ribs, the force of it staggering him. He gasped for air as the warriors surged forward, seizing the opening. Powerful hands gripped him, dragging him down, down into a churning sea of bodies.
Rhys's anguished cry rang in his ears as he was torn away, the distance between them stretching until only their eyes remained locked. Taryn strained against his captors, his heart shattering at the despair etched onto Rhys's face.
I'm sorry for failing you, he tried to convey with his gaze, pouring every ounce of reassurance he could muster into those few precious moments. I will find you. I will come for you.
The warriors' blows rained down, merciless and unforgiving. Each strike was a lash against Taryn's soul, the physical pain insignificant compared to the anguish of being separated from his mate. As darkness crept in at the edges of his vision, his last thoughts were of Rhys — the curve of his smile, the warmth of his embrace, the promise of a future together.
A future that was now lost forever.
Chapter nineteen
There was no such thing as a good night's sleep in a prison.
The cold, hard floor of the cell pressed up against Rhys's back, sending shivers through the thin material of his clothing. He was surrounded by rock, deep within the heart of the Borraq city. Thick walls lay behind him, and all that was through the bars to his side were other cells.
If he wanted to escape, there was nowhere to go.
Rhys's body ached, a symphony of protest from his muscles and his skin. His vision was starting to clear from the black spots that had danced in front of it, but the bruises and cuts that covered his form were grim reminders of his attempt to warn the Borraq of the impending attack.
Well, he'd done his best. As he'd been dragged away, he'd shouted everything he knew at anyone who could hear.
Whether any of the Borraq would survive the coming assault was up to them.
Locked up alone, there was no one to judge him for his failure. There was no one to look down on him. There were no sneering faces to mock him for being space trash.
In this moment, right here, right now, as he awaited whatever fate the Borraq had decided for him, there was no one at all.
Despair should have been a heavy weight, pressing down on Rhys. And yet, strangely, it wasn't. There was a curious lightness to his soul, as if the burden of all his troubles had been lifted from him along with his ability to walk freely.
For a single, stolen moment, he felt… okay.
He'd done the right thing. For once in his life, faced with nothing but bad choices, he'd done the right thing.
And you know what? It felt good.
It was worth it, despite everything.
It was worth it, even if it meant that it was all going to be over soon.
The only thing he wished… was that Taryn hadn't seen him. He'd brought Taryn down with him.
Rhys shut his eyes tight, squeezing back tears.
The deafening clang of metal reverberated through the cell block, shattering the fragile silence. Rhys jolted upright, his heart pounding as someone was flung into the cell next to his.
Even in the dim light filtering through the bars, he recognized that silhouette. "Taryn!" Rhys scrambled closer, gripping the bars separating them, his eyes frantically searching for signs of life.
"Taryn!" he hissed, his voice a strangled whisper. "Please…"
A pained groan answered him, and Rhys sagged with relief as Taryn stirred. Their eyes met through the bars.
"Rhys..." Taryn rasped, his voice hoarse but laced with tenderness. "You're alive."
Rhys swallowed hard, his throat constricting with a blend of fear and comfort at Taryn's presence. "I... I didn't think I'd see you again."
Taryn's expression hardened, his jaw clenched with determination. "I won't let them harm you, Rhys. Not while I still draw breath."
A humorless chuckle escaped Rhys's lips as he shook his head ruefully. "What does it matter? We're both as good as dead here."