“The prisoner!”
Imperial soldiers were scrambling to their feet and running our way, clearly thinking we were in the middle of freeing Raas Vassim, when in fact, he was long gone. Blaster fire erupted around us, kicking up sand and illuminating us in red light. Raas Kaalek swung his axe up, blocking some of the laser fire with the wide circular blade.
“Get behind me,” he called out, pushing Tara back as he ran forward.
Tara screamed his name and a few choice words, but he was already cutting down imperial soldiers as they rushed toward him. I’d never seen a Vandar warrior in action, and I couldn’t help gaping as how skillfully he moved. Lebben sprung into action, as well, firing off darts that felled several warriors as they ran. One after another, the Zagrath fell.
More imperial soldiers pounded toward us, and Tara stepped from behind her mate to fire a blaster, despite his bellows for her to stay back. Lebben’s aim with his darts was impressive, as was the Vandar’s ability to block blaster fire with the blade of his axe. Soon, only a handful of struggling soldiers remained to fight against us. Tara ignored Kaalek’s warnings, leaping between him and Lebben to emit a spray of blaster fire that leveled the Zagrath.
I took a step back toward the woods as Kaalek clapped Lebben on the arm and gave his mate a withering look filled with both pride and irritation. That was when an arm snaked around my neck and jerked me off my feet.
“Drop your weapons,” the voice said in my ear. “Unless you want her to die.”
Kaalek and Tara stared at me—or rather, behind me—as the man who held me breathed heavily, his foul breath hot on my neck.
Tara held up her hands in a show of surrender. “Okay, okay. You must be Captain…?”
“General Jamose,” the voice snapped. “I was upset that you took my prisoner, but it looks like you brought me another one. I really don’t care which one of you brutes I take back to headquarters for trial and execution.”
Kaalek flinched, his face a mask of rage.
“Now lower that axe, and I’ll consider letting this woman live.”
I spotted a couple of imperial soldiers coming up behind the Raas, my gaze flicking to them. I suspected that as soon as he lowered his axe, we’d all become prisoners of the empire. And Raas Kaalek would be tried and executed, if the general was telling the truth.
“Do it!” Jamose screamed, jabbing the point of the blaster roughly into my temple.
Raas Kaalek glanced at Tara, who nodded, and he began to slowly lower his axe. Tara also gave a subtle nod to Lebben, who flicked his wrist so quickly it was almost imperceptible. But the general yelped, and moments later his arm went limp around my neck, and he fell back. Kaalek didn’t even wait for him to hit the ground before spinning on his heel and slashing at the two soldiers approaching him from behind, their heads whirling into the air.
“Nice throwing,” Tara said, putting an arm around Lebben, who looked slightly pale, even with his coppery skin.
I rubbed my neck where the general’s arm had squeezed against my flesh. “You’re as good a shot as you said you were.”
Raas Kaalek strode over to where the general lay, knocked out but not dead. He brought his axe down and buried the blade in the Zagrath’s chest. “That’s for threatening to execute me.”
We all stared down at the dead general for a moment as Kaalek ripped out his axe blade and blood gurgled up out of the Zagrath’s chest and soaked his uniform.
“We should get out of here,” Tara said, tugging Kaalek by the arm. “We still need to find Raas Vassim.”
The sound of a ship entering the atmosphere made us all look up, but it was still not light enough to see what type of ship was descending to the planet’s surface. We watched as it dipped below the tree line and disappeared in the distance.
“The village,” Lebben said, his voice trembling. “That ship landed near my village!”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Juliette
My side ached as we ran through the woods, Lebben taking the lead because he knew the way back to the village by heart. Even though he was shorter than the rest of us—and especially Raas Kaalek—his pace was swift as we tore through the thick underbrush and vines trailing down from the trees. He hadn’t spoken since we’d seen the ship descend, but his worry was palpable.
Who had landed in his village? I hoped it was one of the Vandar ships that had slipped through the battle blockade, but I feared it was an imperial ship filled with more helmeted soldiers with blasters. My stomach lurched at the thought of the Carlogians waiting for us in the village.
I couldn’t see much as I ran behind Kaalek and Tara, but I didn’t mind bringing up the rear. I’d never run so much or so fast, and I tried not to gasp for breath and draw the attention of the others. I pressed a hand to the sharp pain in my side—using my other hand to rub at the itchy flesh on my chest—and pushed myself to keep going.
When Lebben skidded to a stop, followed by Kaalek and Tara, I almost ran into them.
“Not so fast,” a voice said, deep and a bit familiar.
“I’m Carlogian,” Lebben said through ragged breaths. “I’m not with the empire.”
I peered around Kaalek and Tara to see who had stopped us. Light filtered through the leafy canopy above, no longer the silvery glow of moonlight but the warm gold from the rising sun, and I was startled to see Corvak standing in front of Lebben.
“Corvak!” Kaalek said before I could speak. “I heard you were on the planet.”
“Raas Kaalek?” Corvak shook his head slightly. “What are you doing here?”
“We promised to
