Champion(19)

Where did the idiot think he was going? Blaine didn’t stop to think. He sprinted toward the building, grabbed the ledge with both hands and pulled himself up.

“Blaine, wait,” Saff yelled.

But Blaine was focused on his quarry. The Srinar started up the curved dome, looking like a spider. Blaine followed him. The smooth rock was slick under his boots, and one of his legs slipped. He pressed his body to the dome and slowed. Any wrong move, and he’d slide right off.

“There’s nowhere to go,” Blaine shouted. “Where are the women from Earth?”

The Srinar looked at him and spat. The man’s ugly, misshapen face had a huge tumor on one side, covering his left eye. Apparently, the Srinar species had suffered a terrible plague and it had set the survivors onto a path of abuse and cruelty.

Blaine climbed higher. He slid his hand down and drew his sword. “I’ll ask one more time. Where are the women?”

The Srinar shook his head. “You’ll never find them.”

Blaine moved upward and watched as the Srinar reached the top. As Blaine got closer, he saw the man hold his arms out at his sides.

Fuck. He was going to jump.

Blaine lunged forward, grabbing the back of the Srinar’s shirt. But the man was already pushing off and his momentum dragged Blaine over the edge.

Shit. Time slowed down. Blaine knew he was falling at the wrong angle. If he hit the ground like this, he’d break his neck. Air rushed around him, the Srinar kicking as he fell.

A second later, there was a rush of sound. A net wrapped around Blaine, slowing his fall. It held him for a second, tangled on the railing of the building. Then it let go and he fell the last few meters to the ground, but far slower.

He hit the dirt with an oof. Struggling out of the net, Blaine sat up and saw Saff running toward him.

“Are you okay?”

He nodded. “Thanks to you.” He got to his feet, dusting himself off, and turned his head.

The Srinar hadn’t been as lucky. The man had landed on the sand nearby, his neck and arms twisted at bad angles.

Blaine cursed. “Goddammit.”

Then he turned…just as Saff slammed a fist into his belly. The air exploded out of him, and he looked into furious, dark eyes.





Chapter Six




“Are you trying to kill yourself?” Saff wrestled with a vicious surge of anger, and other emotions she refused to name.

Blaine had raced after the Srinar, with no thought to his own safety. He’d nearly broken his drakking neck, and her hands were shaking just remembering. Her hands never shook.

He ran a hand over his head. “No.”

“You did a good impression of it.” She turned toward the Srinar.

Blaine grabbed her arm. Saff spun and shoved him back a step.

“Saff—”

“You aren’t still down there, having to risk your life.” The words shot out of her.

He stared at her for a moment. “I know.”

“I’m not sure you do.” She brushed past him to the downed Srinar. She pressed a hand against the man’s neck. He was dead.

Galen and the others appeared. The imperator stared at the Srinar impassively. “The shop owner talked. The Corsair Caravan came through here. They thought they were being followed. They’re only an hour ahead of us.”

Good. Saff nodded. They could still catch up with them.

“Why was this man spying on us?” Blaine was staring down at the Srinar.

“To warn someone if the House of Galen came in pursuit,” Saff said. “But he didn’t have the chance.”

“As far as we know,” Blaine said.

“Nothing we can do now but catch the caravan.” Galen strode back toward their tarnids. Duna was waiting with the animals. Soon, they were all mounted and heading out of Harmony.

Back in the monotony of the desert, Saff brushed her arm across her face. She really hated it out here in the heat and sand. It certainly made her appreciate the walls of the arena and the comforts she had at the House of Galen.

She purposely didn’t look at Blaine.

“I can see something,” Duna called out. The girl was standing up in her stirrups, looking ahead.

Saff craned her neck and, for a second, she wasn’t sure what she was looking at. All she could see were small mounds on the ground.

Then she realized.

They were bodies.

“Yah!” Duna kicked her beast into a gallop. Galen was right behind her.

Saff rode hard, and soon pulled up beside Galen. She stared at the bodies and a few crates of goods smashed open on the desert floor. “They were ambushed.”

Duna nodded. “Sand pirates.”

Nice. Saff scanned their surroundings. There were several bodies and a few dead tarnids, as well. Thankfully, she didn’t see anyone who looked small enough to be one of the women from Earth.