It was like something exploded as Pallas went on the offense. Kira was forced to retreat, taking a blow to her cheekbone. The second to her sternum.
She ducked, barely avoiding a backhand to the face.
"More!" Pallas screamed.
Kira turtled in on herself, using her arms and fists to protect her core and face, unable to cope as Pallas rained blows down on her.
"Is that all you've got?"
Kira erected a shield as he hammered at her defenses. It collapsed less than a second later.
"Gonna have to do better than that," Pallas called.
Kira sidestepped his next charge, wrapping ki around her fist and then sinking it into his stomach. His breath exploded out of him as he folded forward.
"How's that?" Kira snarled.
She hammered a fist into the back of his head.
Or at least that was her plan.
Pallas vanished, a cocoon of black energy enveloping him before it, and he, disappeared.
Kira whirled, her guard up to protect her from what she knew was coming. Only his attack didn't land from the direction she anticipated. It came from the side.
She had an instant to push ki out of that side of her body then Pallas was on her. He lifted her and threw her across the room.
Kira hit the ground and rolled.
Pallas barreled toward her as she fought to her feet. Two hundred plus pounds of pure muscle belonging to a sadistic madman.
Kira braced, only having time to think that this was really going to hurt. Then Pallas was on her.
The next few seconds were a blur. Kira a fury of fists and teeth as Pallas egged her on.
"That is enough!"
There was a clap like thunder as Pallas and Kira were shoved apart. A sheet of pure ki descended between them.
Kira panted, catching her breath. She was in a box. A prison. Temporary but a prison nonetheless.
Curious, she knocked her knuckles against the wall in front of her. It felt real. Solid.
No matter. She could break it. She just didn't want to waste her energy was all. Instead, she'd be magnanimous and leave it standing. At least until she got bored.
"Are you two children? What is wrong with the both of you?" Selene demanded, descending the steps to stalk across the room toward them.
Her sister's heart-shaped face was creased in a thunderous frown. The serenity that normally defined her personality missing. Her expression was all exasperation and frustration as she glared at the two she'd separated with her soul's breath.
Pallas didn't acknowledge her presence, pondering the smear of red on his fingertips as if he'd never seen his own blood before.
Selene made an aggravated sound as she switched her attention to Kira. "What were you thinking?"
Selene had not just asked her that.
"Are you blind?" Kira threw her arms out to indicate their surroundings. "Look around us, Selene. At where we're standing. You kidnapped me. Off my ship. During a rescue mission. A rescue mission aimed at saving Elena. You tell me what I should be thinking right now."
Selene sent Pallas a horrified look. "Tell me you didn't."
