22. Tan

22

Tan

I am in awe of my mate's courage, and terrified I may not be able to protect her.

"You will enter behind me," I tell her again. "If the Subcommander is compromised, he may—"

"I understood the first four times you told me, Tan." She takes my hand. "We can do this."

"You are my second heart that beats in time with my first."

Skylar smiles, "And you are my only."

We reach the entrance to Quayl's cell. Reluctantly, I let go her hand. Two Masg, fully armored, flank my mate. Between the three of us, she should have nothing to fear. Quayl, or whatever this creature is impersonating Quayl, could not beat me on the field of challenge. If he could not defeat me then, he will not defeat me now.

Taking a breath and preparing myself for the worst, I activate the entrance.

Quayl is still on his cot, but his body is rigid. I see no difference in his scales or form. He turns his gaze to me. "Raiva," he says, his expression almost arrogant as he remains supine, only lifting his gaze to meet mine.

I hear Skylar moving behind me, feel her stepping to my left side. She breathes sharp and quick through her teeth.

"White?" I ask in Second Tongue.

"Yes," she says, her voice shaking a little with the revelation.

Gice Kohath. He must be.

His eyes whip open and I see understanding in them. Understanding and fear.

And then Quayl launches himself in the air at me. No, at Skylar. I throw myself in between, grabbing at him. His talons dig into my forearm, but I shove him back.

"Tan!" Skylar cries out in terror.

"Stay back," I roar.

My talons dig into Quayl's shoulders as I slam him against the wall, holding him pinned. "How many?"

Quayl hisses, spittle spraying over my scales. I smell the venom, the toxin of the Kohath.

"How many?" I roar.

He meets my eyes, and something hits my side. With it comes a rush of agony. It expands in a wave of heat, numbing the skin and muscle around it, sending shockwaves of agony through my veins, and forcing the air from my lungs.

This is poison.

Poison meant for Skylar.

The rage of what Quayl planned for my mate gives me the strength I need to move through the pain and the sudden trembling of my muscles. I release his shoulders, bringing my hands together go his neck. His scales are too smooth, the texture wrong. My claws scrape over them as I feel for the joint, and in one smooth motion, snap his neck.

For a moment, I see the Gice Kohath before me: its sickly gray-white carapace and exoskeleton, its stinger tail punched into my flesh. Then the creature turns to ash in my hands, drifting down, leaving only dust.

"Tan!" Skylar rushes to my side. I lift my hands, show her they are clear.

"It is done," I rasp, the pain spreading up and down my left side. My vision goes dark as Skylar screams, "Healer! By the Stars, Tan! Help!" The last sound I hear is her sobbing my name.