Page 28 of Only Rogue Actions
“You’ll never get away with this,” Siya hissed.
Jeffrey rolled his eyes.“Please.Roderick has been getting away with this foryears.Your friends aren’t the first truebonded couple he’s hunted through the maze.”
Roderick?My gaze flicked back to the hologram of the red-armored figure, and I finally recognized the Erzton lord.
The more exotic and dangerous the creature, the better ...Roderick’s hunts are cruel and barbaric, just like he is ...Siya’s voice whispered through my mind.
She had been more right about him than she knew.Given Jeffrey’s snide words, it sounded like Roderick had grown tired of hunting animals long ago, and tonight he’d decided to make Kyrion and me his latest victims.No doubt he thought our truebond made us the rarest of creatures.White-hot rage streaked through my chest like a shooting star.Well, we were going to be the last people he ever terrorized.If Kyrion didn’t kill Roderick, then I would.
A thought bubbled up in my mind, cooling my rage.Roderick might be stalking Kyrion through the maze, but the Black Scarab had clearly been trying to capture me instead of killing me.Why would Roderick want me alive?
“How are you going to explain what happened to us?”Asterin asked, her voice low, tight, and furious.“People from House Collier don’t justdisappear.And Siya is the heir.She wouldneverabandon her House.”
Jeffrey chuckled.“People from the major Houses disappear every day, including heirs.But by the time other folks realize something is wrong, it’s too late.”He glanced over his shoulder and sneered at my friends.“Just like it’s too late for the two of you.”
Asterin fell silent, as did Siya, although they both kept glaring at the technician.
My gaze skipped from one thing to another.Asterin and Siya cuffed to the table.The four Hammers guarding them.Jeffrey flipping switches at the control panel like a musician playing a familiar instrument.
Storming into the control room was not an option.I couldn’t help my friends, much less Kyrion, if I was captured—or dead.
“I’ve already arranged a tragic transport accident that will burn your bodies to a crisp,” Jeffrey continued.“One of the Hammers is planting the explosives on your ship right now.The only question is whether Roderick will kill you before the Hammers put you on board or have them strap you in the transport while you’re still alive.”
A cruel grin curved his lips, and his brown eyes gleamed with malice.“Me?I’m voting for alive just so I can hear you scream.”
Asterin’s face paled, and Siya muttered a curse.
My ears perked up.Explosives?I could use some explosives right now.
Jeffrey smirked at Asterin and Siya a moment longer, then turned back to the control panel and starting swiping through holograms again.“I still can’t believe that truebond bitch took down my Scarab.It was the only one I had, and I just started testing it last week.I was still tweaking the controls.”
His voice took on a high, whiny note like he was a child whose favorite action figure had been broken.Well, I was just getting started, and I was going to destroy a lot more than just his precious Scarab.But first, I had to let my friends know I was here.
I reached for the bond.Asterin?Asterin, can you hear me?
My friend frowned and glanced over at Siya, like the other warrior was the one speaking.I ground my teeth.Most of the time, I could easily communicate with Kyrion, given our bond, but I was still having trouble using his telepathy to contact other people.Plus, he was still in the maze, surrounded by psionic dampeners, which made it even more difficult than usual.
I grabbed as many trickles of Kyrion’s magic as I could through the mental white fog still wisping between us and focused on Asterin’s face and the sound of her name in my mind.
Asterin?Asterin!
My friend grimaced like I’d just shouted in her ear.She glanced at the Hammers guarding her and Siya, then over at Jeffrey.Finally, she looked past the technician.She scanned the corridor, and her eyes widened as she caught sight of me crouching in the shadows.
Asterin waggled her fingers at Siya, then tilted her head the slightest bit in my direction.Siya frowned, but she too scanned the corridor and caught sight of me in the shadows.
Siya’s hazel eyes narrowed, and she jerked her head in a sharp motion.She clearly wanted me to sneak out of the facility and go get help.That probably was the smartest, safest thing to do, but I wasn’t leaving.Not while my friends were in danger and especially not while Kyrion was trapped in the maze with Roderick hunting him like he was a Tropics tiger.
Jeffrey glanced over his shoulder at the two women.“What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” Asterin muttered.“Thanks to these blasted cuffs.”
She lifted her hands and yanked on the attached chain, but the metal links remained securely fastened to the table.
Jeffrey studied Asterin, then Siya, who gave him a flat look in return.Neither of my friends glanced in my direction, but the four Hammers drifted forward and hefted their weapons.I held my breath and carefully lifted my trident into an attack position, ready to charge forward to help my friends if the Hammers attacked.
After a few more seconds of silent scrutiny, Jeffrey turned back to the control panel and started swiping through the camera feeds again.The Hammers also lowered their weapons.
I exhaled, but my relief was short-lived.It wouldn’t be long before the cameras finished sweeping over the maze and Jeffrey realized that I was loose in the facility.I needed to put my plan into action before that happened.
