Chapter 59

chapter 59

CEPHARIUS

"Elle!" I shouted, having witnessed the battery's explosion on the water's far side.

The only thing that stopped the habitat from breaking apart from the force of it was the remarkable resiliency of the magic that kept the dock's water-wall in place—the force burbled out in my direction, releasing the tension, but it didn't break the seal.

"ELLE!" I shouted louder.

"I'm here!" she shouted back. I could tell she was intact but stunned.

"Get to that lifeboat NOW!" I bellowed at her.

"I'm trying, I'm trying!" she said, and I had an image of her scrabbling down a hall. The other woman was with her at least, and although both of them seemed frightened, they were whole.

Until they passed the engine room—and my pearl made them take a detour.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Getting the last battery!"

"No!" I swam alongside the habitat, holding back an entire army's worth of strength. "Do not?—"

"Ceph, we have to!" she howled—and I had an image of her getting cut on her hand while operating a tool, which drove me to insanity. "Donna's helping. We're going to pull this off."

I did not know whether or not she meant metaphorically or physically, all I knew was that she was in danger and what she was trying to do was absurd.

"Do not—do not—do not," I told her, willing her with all my might to be safe and whole.

I could not lose my mate again.

"I know, Ceph. I love you," she said back on our 'qa. I watched her through her eyes as she and the other woman fought with a piece of the habitat's machinery. "Get ready to take this to the ship—we're coming back."