“You look very dead,” she said, her voice a painful whisper. “Taken out by a tiny lizard. I guess you got the end you deserved because I bet you didn’t think she had a soul either.”
A violent roar pulled her attention away from the dead Ossiso. She looked up in time to watch another Ossiso die.
Myrum literally pulled Isal’s head from her body with a deafening rattle. Blood sprayed from the neck as he tossed the fresh corpse away. It hit a wall and fell bonelessly to the floor.
Shaking the head still in hands by the mane, Myrum tilted his head back, opened his mouth, and roared. Blood splattered all over several of the staff who were cowering nearby.
Intimidated, Amina took a step back and tripped over Lorse’s dead body. Her surprised gasp hurt her throat as much as landing on her ass.
She managed to keep Ruby safely sheltered against her chest, unconcerned about the poisoned spikes that killed Lorse. If the lizard was going to hurt her over a little jostling, she would’ve done it by now.
Something impacted a wall, making the Ossisos let out little startled cries, then Myrum was crouched in front of her on all fours, purring loudly.
Myrum pointed to her face and arms. “Blood.”
She looked down. Her hands and arms were covered in blood, probably from clawing first the guard then Lorse.
“It’s not my blood.” She grimaced at the sound of her voice; it sounded as painful as it felt to talk.
“Voice bad,” he grunted and dropped his eyes to her throat. There must’ve been marks there because he growled then turned around, picked up Lorse’s body, and tossed it.
Amina watched it land in a pile of other bodies and a few miscellaneous pieces. Well, at least she didn’t have to look at Lorse any longer.
When Myrum turned back, she held out a hand. “Help me up.”
He ignored her hand and reached down to hook his hands under her arms and lift her easily to her feet.
Once she was standing, he held out his arms, inviting her to hug him. Keeping Ruby tucked against her chest, she pressedclose against him, uncaring about the blood all over both of them.
When warriors went into battle, blood was inevitable.
Chapter 29
Amina
The sound of bodies trying to move quietly made Amina look up to see Gis and everyone trying to sneak out of the room. They were casting scared glances at Amina and Myrum. She couldn’t blame them, but she needed their help.
And they were probably going to need her help.
“Gis?” Her creaky voice sounded loud in the unnatural quiet.
Everyone stopped and turned around with fearful expressions, as if expecting a monster to charge them if they moved too fast.
“Do you need us to distract him?” Gis whispered. “We can lock him in the shuttle bay, but let me get everyone out first.”
“No, need for any of that. He’s my monster,” Amina said with a painful chuckle. Right, better not do that again. “And I’m his monster. He’s safe as long as no one threatens me or Ruby.”
Myrum was purring loudly and rubbing his scent glands all over her loose hair. The smell of honey mixed with the scent of blood.
“Are you sure?” Gis asked.
“Yeah,” Amina said. “I mean, you’re standing there talking to me, aren’t you?”
That made Sar do the hiccupping-laugh thing. “She’s got a point. He’s not doing anything to us and he’s had plenty of time.”
They all relaxed a little, but none of them moved any closer.
Jul stepped to the side, closer to the mound of corpses. “Are they really all dead?”
