Page 42 of Game on Askole

I reached out mentally for Aunt Tess. What the hell? I could barely sense her, and forget about linking with her. Had the blow mucked up my psychic abilities? Or was a cloaking device interfering with my telepathy?“You can still talk with Grandma?”

“Me can.”

“Tell her I’m busting out and beating the snot out of Lilkee.”

“Me tell. What snot?”

“Uh. Well. Beating the snot out of Lilkee means I’m gonna hit her. A lot.”

“’Kay.”KeeKee did a little dance on my head.“Found bug!”

Oh yay. What other creepy crawlies had set up house in my hair?

“How get bracelets off?”

“Easy. Marines improvise, adapt, and overcome. Oorah!”

“Rah?”

“Oorah.”

“Rahoo?”

“Close enough.”I hit the shackles with a tentacle of power, and presto. They released. I stood up carefully and waited until the dizziness passed.

A pins-and-needles sensation grew in my brain as if nerve fibers were coming back to life. To my surprise, Tihar’s deep growly voice filled my mind.“How badly are you injured?”

“I’ll live. How are you able to communicate with me?”

“You are my chosen.”

“And being your chosen automatically creates a nifty telepathic link?”

“It does.”

Oh joy.“Do you know where they’re holding me?”

“No. Their cloaking device is blocking our scanners. Have no doubt, I will find you, and when I do, they all die.”There was a relentless purpose in Tihar’s voice.

“Oh, they’ll die all right. Lilkee made a big mistake in taking me. I’m a Jones and a Marine. I’m quite capable of freeing myself. As my cousin Ethan likes to say: ‘Mess with the best, die like the rest.’”

“Spoken like a true warrior. You are an excellent mate.”

Goose bumps skittered over my skin. It was like Tihar was stroking my entire body with that damn feather again.

This mate thing wasn’t a done deal yet, was it? Detja didn’t think so. I avoided the issue and went with,“What I’m going to do is provide the enemy with an opportunity to die for their cause. If you’ll excuse me, I need to focus on bringing down the energy barrier.”

The stroking stopped, and Tihar’s demeanor became one of a badass killer. I could sense the explosive violence he kept under a tight leash. He literally radiated menace. I was suddenly glad I wasn’t his enemy.

“Two warriors are headed toward your cell.”I felt Tihar probing their minds.“They have been ordered to execute you on a live vid feed.”

“Lilkee’s gonna be so pissed when her little death scene doesn’t go like she planned.”

“What is your strategy?”

“I’ll play possum, lure them in, and they die instead of me.”I lay down on the floor and feigned unconsciousness.

KeeKee asked,“What me do?”

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