Grinning, the three of us walk away. There’s no goodbye. Not even temporarily.
“Drys and I can take out the assholes inside. You want to see about releasing the beasts?” Keary asks.
I nod. “If you need help, just holler.” I part ways with them and head around the back of the building. As I round the first corner, I feel the sizzle of electricity thick in the air. It makes the hair all over my body stand on end.
What I see is troubling. There’s five of them, all different, with massive electric collars around their necks. One has a thick harness strapped and wrapped around its torso. I can visibly see the electricity moving over it.
As soon as they see me, they’re rearing up. Angry. Afraid.
This is exactly what Drystan lived through. He is the stronger monster by leagues, far stronger than his creators, but living in fear of horrible, merciless pain makes you compliant.
The one closest to me rears back on its hind legs, a loud roar-click sound fills the air. All five of them become restless.
Beasts were not created to trust. They aren’t cooperative animals. But in my experience, they’re very intelligent. They learn by watching.
I approach until I’m just out of its reach then offer my hand up. It’s still trying to pull away, whipping its head from sideto side to get loose. The electricity coursing over its body gets brighter, responding to the way they’re fighting against it.
“Easy,” I murmur. “I’m going to let you go, but you need to let me close. Can you do that? Can you trust me?”
This one doesn’t want to, but the one held a dozen feet away does. It hunkers down, resting its massive head on the ground, and watches me with one giant eye.
“You want a chance, do you?” I ask, turning my attention to this one. The others immediately quiet as they watch me move to this one.
“I won’t hurt you,” I say, keeping my voice calm and quiet. “I’m going to find the source of the electricity, so I need to walk around you. You can watch me, okay?”
There isn’t a clear response like Kaida would give, but I’m convinced that they understand me well enough. I continue to talk to them, telling them what I’m doing and where I am. Its head shifts so it can see me everywhere, but it doesn’t move.
“You’re being very brave,” I tell them. “I know it’s hard to trust someone when everyone like them has done nothing but give you reasons not to trust. Ah. I think I found it.”
The beast makes a clicking sound in its throat and shifts. Yep. This is it. I can feel their fear tick up.
“I won’t hurt you. I’m going to try to turn it off, then I’ll get the collar off you.” I point around my neck, then to theirs, making sure they understand.
All of the beasts continue to watch me, bodies tense, as I circle the electrically charged pole sticking up through the ground, collecting information I’ll have to store for later. It’s not good that they’re able to gather this much electricity. It means that they’re able to work on the technology we cut them off from.
Are they able to reach it?
There isn’t an obvious switch. I pause when a shrill scream comes from the building. The beasts become restless for amoment, and we all look at the building. Not going to lie, my heart races a little but Iknowit's not one of my men.
I know in my gut.
“It’s okay,” I tell the beasts. “My guys are killing the monsters who hurt you right now. I don’t see how to turn this off, so I’m going to use strength. It might hurt a little, but it’ll turn off once I get it disconnected. Are you ready?”
I swear, this big thing tenses. Their claws dig into the ground as they get ready.
“So brave,” I tell them.
I grip the pole and wince. Yep. This is the source of electricity for this one at least. I shudder at the sizzle that makes my teeth chatter. “Ready?”
They tense further.
I grip it with both my arms and let my body fill with the strength of my monster until my skin feels tight, then I yank the pole. The beast snarls, wriggles. The electricity over them flares to the point where I smell burning fur. The beasts around this one make distress sounds.
I pull harder until I rip it from the ground. It comes away with a loud snap and surge of electricity before it dies down, going out entirely. The beast is panting. Hell, so am I. That was a lot.
“You okay?” I ask as I drop the pole to the ground.
It shudders. I approach its head again and stop where it can see me clearly. “Ready for me to take the collar off?” They blink. “I’m going to touch you, okay?” They close their eyes.
