Page 35 of The Ozar Triad

“It’ll pull me in half if you don’t let go.” She groaned out loud as a fresh wave of pain slashed up her spine.

Rujali reached through the bars and ripped a blade from the arsenal she’d clipped into her waist. He pressed a button and the blade erupted with blue streaks of electricity. “This is strong enough to cut us free. When I release you, I will come for you. Trust us.”

Trust. Such a simple thing that was so hard. Something inside her gave away to a fuller emotion she had no name for. She only realized it was something worth fighting for.

“I do. You have to understand that I can look after myself. Now let go. Please.” Her tendons were stretched as far as they would go and pain rocketed through her body.

“I understand.” Rujali levelled a serious look at her before he said, “Ready, Setzan?”

“For anything.” Setzan’s voice was tight and low.

They let her go.

She was yanked along the ground and into the depths of darkness.

Chapter Fourteen

Setzan

Setzan understood why they had to let their mate go, but it was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.

Riley’s face was scrunched in agony. She was barely holding on. Her body was rigid, tremors working through her with each tug of whatever had her in its grip. Riley slipped the analgesic device through the bars. It fell to the dirt at his feet.

“Ready, Setzan?”

Rujali grit his teeth, his whole body on edge. He didn’t have to like what was happening. He just had to get it done.

“For anything.”

Setzan forced his fingers to release her. One by one they came away with the willpower born from the warrior he was.

Riley disappeared into the darkness before he could even blink. Whatever had her was fast. Too fast.

With a roar, Rujali swung the weapon through the bars, the metal melting beneath the heat of the electri-blade. Nothing could stand in the way of Negari metal. Honed through the power of the crystal, it was even harder than the condensed metals of a sun-dried meteorite.

As Rujali cut through the bars, Setzan rammed the tip of the analgesic device into Klaej’s thigh, administering the Corrective. Klaej fought the effects, his body coming back to life with jerky movements.

“Get her!” Rujali yelled as he shoved to his feet.

Setzan was already bolting in the direction Riley had disappeared. The darkness was so thick, that once he was out from the weak light of the cell, he lost direction. Klaej stumbled next to him, holding the tip of the analgesic in front, giving their surroundings the tint of a blue light. Combined with the light from the electri-blade, they could see a few paces ahead.

“Can you smell her Klaej?” Setzan asked.

“I’m going to rip whatever has her into tiny little pieces.” A muscle ticked at Klaej’s jaw, and his limbs twitched as the effects of the analgesic wore away. He lifted the corner of his mouth and snarled. Setzan had never seen him this angered. This feral. He completely understood it.

Klaej bolted deeper into the tunnel system and they followed. The tunnel they ran through looked more like a borehole that twisted and turned in no apparent direction. It certainly wasn’t a naturally occurring tunnel. Something about it set his teeth on edge. The wall looked as though it had been chewed to create the tunnel.

A scream echoed around his ears. All three of them put on an extra burst of speed. He skidded around the next bend.

Riley was on her back, hacking at the black cord with one of their blades with everything she had. Towering above her was something from his worst nightmare.

Thousands of razor-sharp triangular teeth buzzed in concentric circles in a gaping maw that dripped luminous green saliva. Riley’s sword slashed into gelatinous folds of its enormous slimy black body. Black ropes extended from various sections of the creature and wrapped around her limbs. One arm was held immobile. The blade was ripped out of her hand by one cord, while other ropes writhed around her arm, holding her arms over her head.

She screamed, a sound of anger and rage rather than pain and fear. Their mate was a little warrior in her own right. She kicked into the rubbery body of the creature, but her boot scraped harmlessly over its skin because of the shining secretions.

Klaej roared. Setzan had never heard him make such a sound. It went straight into his gut and kicked him into action. There was a trail of weapons leading towards Riley. They must have come loose as she was dragged across the ground.

He scooped up a high-powered projectile and pointed it at the creature. How she’d come to be in possession of Rujali’s most prized weaponry was a question for another time. He was just grateful she’d had the foresight to load herself up.

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