Behind us, I could hear them coming. Ground forces. Aircraft. Everything Tarsus had.
The terrain opened into a plateau. Exposed. Terrible positioning.
I went left. Toward another cliff edge.
“Brevan—”
“Trust me.”
I leaped.
We fell. Carys's arms tightened around my neck. I twisted in midair, controlling our descent. We hit the slope below hard but controlled. I absorbed the impact, protecting her.
But it cost me. My left leg took the worst of it. Not broken but damaged. I could still run but not as fast.
The forces above were shouting. Redirecting. They'd have to go around. We'd bought minutes.
I ran into denser forest. The canopy would interfere with aerial surveillance.
A pulse caught my shoulder from behind. Spun me. I kept Carys protected, taking the hit on my back.
Another hit. Ribs. My Vinduthi skin absorbed most of it, but I felt something crack.
Flinx indicated.
I dove into the cave entrance just as more weapons fire erupted behind us. The cave went deep, twisting into darkness.
I kept going until the sounds of pursuit faded. Finally, I found a chamber. Defensible. Single entrance. Water dripping somewhere deeper.
I set Carys down carefully.
“You're hurt,” she said, seeing the blood.
“I'll heal.” But I was breathing hard now. The injuries were stacking up.
“The beacon,” she said. “Kallum will come?”
“When he can. But not while they're swarming. He'll wait for them to spread out. Few hours maybe.”
She helped me sit against the cave wall. Started checking my injuries with gentle hands.
“That was insane,” she said.
“That was necessary.” I caught her hand. “We're off their grid now. They know our general area but not our specific location. We can rest. Heal. Wait for extraction.”
“And if they find us?”
“Then we go deeper into the caves. This system is extensive.” I pulled her against my good side. “We're safe for now.”
She pressed against me. I could feel her exhaustion. The adrenaline crash hitting.
“Sleep,” I told her. “I'll keep watch.”
“You need rest too. You're injured.”
“I need you safe more than I need rest.”
She lifted her head to look at me. Those brown eyes seeing too much. “We're going to make it, aren't we?”
