Page 56 of Rescuing Mara

I barely register the change in the shouts around us, but all of a sudden, the ground shakes, and I fall. O’Rec jumps up and grabs me. Blasts come from all directions, and I see the High Commander dropping his sword and running away - the coward.

“O’Rec,” I whisper. “What’s happening?”

He grins a feral grin. “Back-up has arrived.”

* * *

O’Rec

My mate looksup at me in confusion, but I heard T’Rak’s voice in my head; loud and clear. They are here and will get us out, taking down as many of the Sternotheri as possible. I yank the chains that have me bound to the floor, and they immediately split. I carefully take Marra’s wrists and yank them away from the chains as well. She looks at me dumbfounded.

“Did you just break those chains like they’re nothing?”

“Yes.” I grin before tucking her against me and moving us to safety.

I start making our way to the nearest side of the arena, but Marra pulls my arm. “No, O’Rec, look! The High Commander dropped his sword!”

Grinning, I change our direction. It is tricky maneuvering us across the open area, but nobody seems to pay us any attention. Debris falls from the ceiling, and I curse beneath my breath.

“Did you leave any part of the ship intact? We cannot breathe in space, my friends.”I send it out to my crew

“Make your way to the belly of the ship. We are hooked on it there and working on cutting through the hull,”D’Var responds.

We run toward the side, and I swipe the sword off the ground with my tail before tucking it safely into my harness.

“We need to get to the belly of the ship. They are waiting for us there!”

Marra nods. “I know how to get there. Follow me!”

Just like earlier Marra guides me through a maze of corridors and hallways, only this time, it is buzzing with activity. I kill every fucking Sterno we encounter. Marra does not even seem phased, she just guides me with soft mental directions. We are getting closer to my crew, and I feel their presence grows, but to get to them, we have one last obstacle: the science lab and adjoining cell block.

Shouts and cries come from just around the corner, and I push Marra against the wall. “I need you to stay safe. Can you do that for me?”

She nods, and I rush around the corner, bloodlust filling my veins. Six Sternotheri are panicking in the hallway, they look like civilians, but I cannot leave anything to chance. I know I made the right move when one in the back pulls out a gun. Luckily, I am faster, throwing a knife I stole earlier, which lodges firmly in his throat.

After I am done, the hallway looks like a blood bath. Insecurity flickers through me. This is not a side of me Marra has seen. Will she be scared?

“Don’t worry so much,” she says, squeezing my hand.

“I thought I told you to stay safe?” I grumble.

“Yes, and I did. You keep me safe. All those Sterno will not hesitate to kill, hit, or abuse me if they get the chance. I know you never hurt innocent people; if you do not kill them, they will kill you.”

Grim determination flows through me. Right now, my only way to protect my mate, to protect my people, is to destroy everyone who stands between us and my crew.

Determined, I continue down the corridor, holding Marra close to me. We turn another corner and come face to face with an air-lock. A security measure, I immediately notice. Escape pods are hidden in the wall, and it kind of looks like a giant bubble separating the hallway in two.

I hear shouts coming from behind us, and I curse. We need to hurry. I quickly hack into the system, opening the doors. I repeat the process once more so we can step into the hallway, where I see my crew crawling up from underneath the floor.

“We made it!” Marra cries, but then we hear shots firing behind us, and when I look over my shoulder, Ananta is moving toward us.

CHAPTER35

Mara

My heart rate rises, and I feel my palms getting sweaty. O’Rec closes the door, grabs my arms, and forces me to look at him. “GO, Marra. Please go to T’Rak and D’Var. They will protect you. I swear I will do anything and everything to get back to you. Promise me you will go to them.”

My mind can’t comprehend what he’s saying. Is he staying behind? What does he mean with ‘Go Marra’?

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