CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Graydon roared, thesound the embodiment of denial and rage as the tip of a sword burst from Kira's chest, the shock and surprise on her face echoing Graydon's. The bright flicker of her spirit guttered.
The cage fell and Graydon's muscles bunched as he prepared to drench the room in his power. It answered his call, a cold so intense it burned.
The children and humans piled in, the cage flickering into place.
"What are you doing?" Graydon shouted.
He grabbed the human closest to him and shook him, the human's head wobbling like a doll’s.
"Open it," he roared.
"Easy there, hoss," a man said from next to him.
Graydon thought it might be the one called Raider. He couldn't be sure since he hadn't taken the time to learn all their names. He struggled not to rip the man's head from his shoulders. The urge was difficult to resist.
"You don't want to go out there right now, believe me," Raider said, his expression cautious.
A long menacing sound rumbled from Graydon's chest, primal and terrifying.
He hadn't thought these humans so devious they would leave one of theirs behind to die.
"Maybe you do," Raider said, correcting himself. "Just wait a moment.”
"Drop the cage, human," Graydon ordered, his voice eerily calm.
"We've adjusted the energy barrier. It'll protect us from what's outside," the woman with blue hair said. "This is the safest place right now."
"Except not everyone is in it," Liara pointed out, struggling to sit.
"Believe me, lady, everyone who needs to be is," Raider said, turning to stare out.
Graydon narrowed his eyes. The humans were worried. It was more than the Tsavitee. Until Kira went down, they'd been holding their own. Now, they stunk of stress and fear.
"Shouldn't it have already happened?" Blue muttered to the big man next to her.
He grunted, his eyes narrowed on Kira.
Raider paced in front of the cage wall as Ayela continued toward them, her lips curled up in a satisfied smile. The humans didn't spare her a look.
Graydon was known for his discipline. He was a stalwart stone when others let the eddies of emotion carry them into the rapids. He reached for that side of him. It was harder than it'd ever been before.
The humans had stopped seeing those outside as a threat. There was one thing that worried them, and it wasn't the Tsavitee.
Graydon was silent as he watched the humans stare at Kira's fallen body.
"Look at this, so many lovely sacrifices," Ayela murmured. "Bring me one of them."
The Tsavitee flanking her moved to obey. Graydon's muscles tightened as he prepared to attack, the rest of his warriors doing the same.
The Tsavitee's face reflected confusion when the cage refused to obey.
"What's the holdup?" Ayela demanded.
