“Is that what the large weapons are called?” Vor stood up.
“Yes.” She looked at him. “Your raid is over.”
“Lena, I promise I will keep you safe.”
“Yes, as safe as a bird in a cage.”
Chapter Thirteen
Rinna
The sound of pulsers, blasters, and shouting woke Rinna Jass. She burst upright, startling Laroc awake, and jumped off the cot.
“What is it?” Laroc mumbled, and then the sounds registered. “Oh, fuck!” He swung off the cot.
They rapidly dressed in silence and grabbed their pulsers before leaving the tent. Stopping just outside, Rinna searched the camp. Nethren on the fortress walls were firing on the line of Medean and Aethari soldiers before the gate. Blast barriers guarded their side, giving the Medeans something to hide behind as the Aethari took to the sky. The Nethren had finally done something foolish and dropped the ward. An Aethari team was already circling, searching for a path through the constant barrage. The Nethren had to divide their attention between the front line and the sky, but they did well. Several Aethari took fire and were forced to retreat. One or two might have been able to get through, but it would be suicide.
“What the fuck are they doing?” Rinna glared at the Nethren.
“Attacking,” Laroc growled and launched himself into the air.
“Laroc, wait!” she called after him.
But Larocran was already gone, heading for the aerial team. Without a barrier to protect them, the Aethari were the easiest targets. Even as she watched, another wounded Aethari cried out as he went into a spinning fall and hit the ground hard. The Aethari called it a death spiral. Despite his brethren dropping like flies, Laroc kept ascending until he was in position to fire upon the Nethren.
“Damn fool! Always flying straight into danger.” Rinna winced even as she spoke. Laroc had flown away from danger for her.
Out of the corner of her eye, Rinna saw movement. She spun and caught the gleam of sunlight on metal. Whoever they were, they were headed away from the battle.
Into the camp.
“Motherfuckers!” Rinna hissed as she pulled her pulser.
Unlike Laroc, she moved slowly, crouching to peer low around the sides of tents before slinking after the man who hurried deeper into the camp. Soon, he was in her sights, and Rinna had to jerk back around a pile of crates to silently curse. It was a Nethren. And where there was one, there were more. She risked another glance around the crate. The Nethren had just entered a tent.
Perfect.
Rinna ran to the tent, burst inside, and caught the Nethren off guard. As he turned toward her, she pulsed him inthe shoulder. The revolving cylinder of her pulser did its job, creating a charge, condensing the energy, and releasing it in a glowing stream. At close range, the pulse went straight through his shoulder. The Nethren dropped his weapon, his arm going limp.
Rinna grabbed his projectile weapon—a pathetic thing that required ammunition to work—tucked it in her waistband and backed up. “Come with me.”
The Nethren glared at her.
“Or I can pulse you again. Maybe in your head this time?” She cocked her head at him. “Do you really want to die today?”
With a furious huff, the Nethren man followed her out of the tent.
“That way.” She motioned the barrel of her pulser in the direction she wanted him to go.
A boom went off. Rinna ducked as debris rained down on her. When she straightened, the Nethren was gone.
“Motherfucker!” Rinna yelled and ran in the direction she hoped he had gone.
Chapter Fourteen
Thaxvarien
Thaxvarien Rennux strode out of his tent with his destra. Liri had a pulser in hand, but he had nothing. He didn't need any weapons.
