Page 31 of Swamp Kings 2

“Here,” Quantum pointed out. “It’s fucking working.”

“So far so good,” Bishop muttered, not about to let his guard down.

His eyes flicked to Celeste on the platform, seeing her muscles twitching, her expression locked in a struggle. His gaze flew to Kaphas, realizing something was happening between them. Something he couldn’t see.

“They’re getting more active inside the system,” Harlow muttered from another monitor.

“Because they think they’re home free,” Bishop said, hurrying to Fetch. “I need to see what’s happening.”

Fetch grabbed his extended hand right as Kaphas jerked violently, his hand flying to his chest with sharp, ragged gasps.

“They’ve corrupted their bond,” Fetch whispered urgently.

Bishop’s mind whirled as it hit him. “They’re attacking him. They think they’ve got full control over her, but every move now seals their fate,” he assured. He just hadn’t thought of them trying to take one of them out in the fucking process.

“They’re using their bond to kill him,” Fetch also saw.

Kaphas hit the floor, his eyes suddenly popping open with a roar, “Bishop!”

“Handy!” Harlow yelled in a panic, racing to him.

“Her vitals are crashing,” Fin strained. “She feels the bond breaking, she’s going nuts.”

“Hold on!” Bishop yelled at Handy while strangling Fetch’s hand as he raced through the the problems and solutions for the right one.

Celeste bolted up and screamed, “They’re killing him!” in one long breath.

“Open your eyes!” Bishop yelled at her, realizing she was still trapped in the illusion of their control. “Celeste, open your eyes!”

A sob tore from her as she reached blindly toward him with helpless hands, screeching, “Help him!”

Bishop’s eyes locked on Kaphas, his body fighting for every ounce of air. Black veins pulsed beneath his skin, spreading like dark tendrils, creeping up his neck.

“He’s convulsing!” Harlow yelled, holding his head while eyeing Bishop for direction.

Bishop released Fetch and flew to Kaphas, dropping next to him and grabbed hold of his shoulder, praying to fucking see something, anything. His Kevlar-coated skin glitched as his face twisted with strain.

“Bishop!” Quantum half begged.

“I’m fucking trying!” he yelled, gasping when he had the full scope of the problem. “He’s not fucking using it!”

“Not using what!” Harlow demanded.

“His backlash power, he’s holding it back, he thinks they’ll use it to hurt her.”

Kaphas fought to pull air into his body, like something crushed him.

“They’re killing him,” Harlow whispered in disbelief as Celeste’s screams turned frantic and non-stop.

Bishop finally saw what had tohappen. “Let them,” he gasped as Kaphas’ lips parted in a shallow gasp, his Kevlar flickering.

“Explain yourself, Marsh King,” Quantum demanded suddenly kneeling on the other side of Kaphas.

The window was already closing.

“I have no fucking pulse, bruh,” Harlow announced, fighting his own panic.

Bishop hurried to Celeste and grabbed her arm, bringing her wrist to his mouth. He sank his fangs in with precision, injecting just enough venom.

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