Kira leapt forward, Finn drawing his en-blade to protect her back. Raider cursed, punching the oshota closest to him.
Time slowed.
Ki gathered as the oshota prepared to destroy Jin’s casing.
A whistle sounded a split second before a miniature bomb exploded against the oshota’s chest.
He stumbled back a step, losing his grip on Jin in the process.
Jin fell to the ground, stopping an inch above it.
The action ground to a halt as they looked up at the top of Kira’s ship where Elena stood, the device responsible in her hand like a giant target.
“No! She’s a child,” Kira screamed.
The oshota didn’t listen as they launched a return attack. A wave of energy bolts headed toward her niece.
Kira and Raider raced for the ship.
Desperation filled Kira. They were too far to be able to stop this.
A ki shield formed in front of Elena, the bolts slamming into it inches from her face.
Kira sucked in breath as her lungs started working again.
Joule’s frantic face appeared beside Elena. He latched onto her niece’s arm and jerked her out of sight.
“Where the fuck is Maksym?” Raider roared.
“So noisy,” Maksym said with a yawn as he scratched his side where he leaned against Kira’s ship.
“Why weren’t you protecting them?” Raider pointed at the top of her ship.
Maksym aimed an unconcerned look at where Elena and Joule now hid. Probably with Ziva too, knowing the young girl.
“They had it handled.” Maksym smiled at the two oshota next to Raider. “Katrina, Cassimir. How have you been? It’s been ages since I last broke your bones.”
The oshota drew back, their faces blanching.
Where Kira’s threats had been met with minimal amounts of fear, terror showed on the expressions of those around them at Maksym’s presence.
“Youngest, you needn’t worry about us,” Maksym advised Kira, giving the other oshota a smile more suited to that of a sociopath. The one that said he would be happy to cause undue amounts of pain and would sleep like a baby afterward.
It seemed Maksym wasn’t always the light-hearted goof he pretended to be.
“Raider, protect—“ Kira broke off at finding Raider already halfway up the ship’s side.
He flapped an irritated hand at her. “Yeah. Yeah. I’ve got the kids. Already on it.”
The female oshota, Katrina, he’d called her, found her backbone as she squared off against Maksym. “Do not interfere with the inquisitor’s business.”
“No can do. Your inquisitor has upset our heir. We can’t let the youngest confront you alone,” Maksym said with an easy smile.
Jarek’s face was arrogant as he pointed at Kira’s ship. “Defiance will not be tolerated for abominations. Eliminate any who resist.”
Something in Kira’s mind tore. The primus she’d suppressed earlier rose, this time like a tidal wave intent on washing away everything before it.
She had no chance to force it back into its cage. Nor the desire.
