Page 74 of Captured By the Scaled Outlaw
Lowell stops beside Ginny, using his hand to urge her to step back. “I can handle it from here,” he says.
Ginny doesn’t protest, but her eyes are full of dread. She knows Lowell’s poor health will be confirmed if she creates a fuss, and Lowell knows this too.
Kinsley clears his throat, shaking his fright. His voice cracks on the first word. “You have a prisoner that is one of ours.”
Lowell smirks, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, I do now?”
“Yes. Her name is May. Brown hair, green eyes, muscular with abad attitude — we know you took her, so don’t try to act coy,” Kinsley sneers, puffing his chest.
Lowell shrugs casually, his nonchalant stance creating more tension. “Oh, you want her back? From where we found her, it seemed like you wanted her dead.”
“Of course not. We are not monsters likeyoulot,” Kinlsey replies, shifting his weight awkwardly. He sways opposite to any movements Lowell makes. “May is an integral member of our team, and losing her would be devastating. We want to request her safe surrender in exchange for supplies.”
Lowell squints, a deranged grin pulling up to his eyes. “You’re assuming she’s alive. I find that sweet.”
“Ugh, I knew you’d never be merciful,” Kinsley grunts with a moue. “If you return her body peacefully, we’ll negotiate a reward.”
I’m genuinely surprised that Kinsley is as intent as he is on rescuing me, or my corpse; it’s unlike his foul character, and it only raises more suspicion.
Lowell tuts, ignoring the offer. “I find it interesting that Nilsan sent the Director of Land Surveillance and Preservation, a civilian, instead of a military leader,” he prods, tapping a claw to his chin.
Kinsley makes a few wild gestures, his charisma back in full swing. “I don’t question my orders,” he says, quickly adding, “I was instructed to rescue any parts of May with the offer you rudely ignored.”
“You and your leaders should know better —I don’t negotiate,” Lowell laughs, clicking his teeth. He places a hand on his good hip, holding Kinsley’s gaze hostage with an unblinking glare. “However, I’m feeling charitable.” Leaning into Kinsley, he bumps his nose. “My one and only offer is that one of you will be allowed to leave alive — and I’ll even let you choose who! This way, someone will be able to return the few remaining pieces of your soldiers’ corpses to their loved ones.”
A chill washes over anyone within earshot, perturbed by the lowresonances of such horrific words.
Lowell jerks forward in a feint, for the only reason to startle Kinsley. “You know what? I’ll throw in May’s remains for free. It’s a gracious proposal, I’d say.”
Well, there goes any chance at peace and resolution.
Tension swallows the immediate area, and any sense of levity disintegrates when Lowell blows a hefty snort in Kinsley’s face. Moisture flecks cling to pale skin, the gesture intentionally rude.
Although Kinsley’s body nearly melts with terror, his eyebrows draw down to his nose. A redness flushes from his chest to his forehead, the muscles in his neck straining as he suppresses a raised voice. His signature look of disdain warps and contorts his face as the mask of civility slips off completely.
“You bastard animal,” Kinsley barks. “You should have been exterminated alongside those other cretins you called family.”
A wire visibly snaps in Lowell’s brain, a large vein on his forehead pulsating as his muscles pull into tight ropes. His pupils pull to slits and his eyelids spread wide with ferocity, the lines along his throat becoming sharp as his jaw droops to unhinge.
“Oh, no,” Guy worries behind me.
If Lowell attacks Kinsley, my last hope of going home is no more. Worse yet, Nilsan will use Lowell’s aggression as an invitation to open fire and level the Gaia 4compound. While I don’t fully understand Kinsley’s intentions, I can’t sit back and watch him be gifted a reason to abandon diplomacy due to Lowell’s inability to control himself.
I can’t let either of these idiots kill everyone.
If I can get to the Nilsan side, Lowell will behave. He won’t want to hurt me.
Probably.
My heart squeezes. I have no idea what I’ll do, but by how it’s escalating, I don’t have time to think it through.
I lurch forward quickly enough that Guy can’t react, narrowly avoiding his outstretched, clawing hands that try to pull me back.
“Lowell!” I scream, bolting out from behind the barricades.
“May! Stop!” Guy shouts after me.
“Take his offer, Lowell, please!” I yell, knocking into Gaia 4 soldiers on my path to Kinsley.
