My chest seized. “That’s them. That’s our males behind that rock.”
“We have to help them!” Oksana shouted.
“We shoot on three,” Thalia said, already taking aim.
So far, the Eulachs hadn't noticed us, too fixated on the prey they thought they had cornered. I leveled my weapon, praying to Grandyr that I wasn’t holding it backward. The blaster was warm, like it wanted to be fired. My hands trembled.
“One—two—three!”
We fired.
Bolts of light screamed across the chamber and slammed into two of the Supers. One stumbled back. Another’s arm twisted unnaturally, sparks from his weapon went flying wild.
They turned toward us in eerie unison.
“Cover!”I shrieked as the nearest one raised his weapon.
Thalia was already diving sideways. Oksana rolled behind a half-standing pillar.
I shot again—missed—but it was enough. The Eulachs pivoted fully, momentarily forgetting the rock wall. And from behind it,theycame.
Mallack. Myccael. Darryck.
Our males surged from the cover, blades drawn, moving like vengeance itself. The blaster fire ceased instantly; the Eulachs couldn’t risk hitting each other, the males were that close. They tossed the weapons aside in unison and drew swords.
Massive ones. Each blade longer than my body. Sharpened to a gleam that sang of death.
Now it was six against three.
I couldn’t breathe, and I couldn't turn my eyes away as they met in the center with a sound like thunder. The clash of metal. The scream of energy against alloy. Sparks flew. Myccael ducked under a sweeping blade that would’ve cut him in half. Darryck parried one blow, only to be flung backward by a second.
But Mallack…
Gods.
He moved.
His blade arced like liquid silver. His body twisted, pivoted, and flowed around one strike while launching his own. Two of the big Eulachs were on him, blades clanging, sparks flying. He didn’t back down. Didn’t falter.
And I?—
I couldn’t look away.
This was the male who had loved me across lifetimes. The male who had mourned me, buried me, and protected my shrine. And now, here he was, fighting for me all over again. Forus.
Something cracked inside me. How had he survived this pain? This fury? How had he gone on all these rotations, knowing I was gone? Just the thought of losing him made me nearly wail in pain. He’d stood at my glass coffin and whispered prayers no one heard.
My hands trembled. “I can’t lose him,” I whispered.
And with that—Iknew.I loved him. Istillloved him. And I would not let him die. I noticed that Thalia had moved again; she was creeping closer to the fight. I held my breath as she raised her blaster. She was so close she could have slapped the Eulach. Darryck was struggling against one who had him pinned, blade scraping down his own in a deadly press, while he fought off another with kicks.
Until Thalia fired.The shot hit the monster dead center in the back. It screamed and buckled. Darryck drove his sword straight through its throat to finish it off. This time, there was no otherworldly howling, but the surviving Eulachs all seemed too tense in aggravation.
“Zyn!” Oksana whooped from the left, firing wildly, her bolt clipping another Eulach in the knee. Spurred by their success, I rushed forward, ducking low, aiming at another Eulach who was driving Mallack back. Without hesitation, I fired. The shot seared across its shoulder and spun it.
Mallack didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, blade glowing, and cleaved the beast from collar to gut.
Three left.
