10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Chloe

The heat sears my lungs as Vornas and I tear through the burning jungle. Smoke stings my eyes, and I'm pretty sure my eyebrows got singed.

Great. There goes my secret weapon for intimidating stare-downs.

"We need to climb!" Vornas roars as he keeps an eye on what's behind us. The fire is right on our heels, and it's becoming clear now that we can't outrun it, but maybe we can out-climb it…

I dig my new claw gloves into the bark of a nearby tree, hauling myself up with a grunt. It's surprisingly easy—but I think that's more because of the gallon of adrenaline running through my system than the training Vornas put me through.

Still, we manage to get some good height, then leap from branch to branch, the inferno below us crackling and roaring like some kind of hellish popcorn machine. Just as I'm starting to think we might outrun this mess, a familiar mechanical whir cuts through the chaos.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," I mutter, spotting the gleaming metal monster bursting through the foliage.

This new hunter is a far cry from the standard bot we faced earlier. It's sleek, agile, and covered in what looks like flame-resistant armor.

And as if that wasn't bad enough, its limbs extend into razor-sharp appendages that are perfect for climbing.

"Vornas," I pant, "please tell me you have a plan."

He bares his teeth in a feral grin. "Always, my queen."

But before he can elaborate, the robot lunges, its metallic limbs slicing through the air with terrifying precision. My breath catches in my throat as Vornas shoves me behind him, meeting the attack head-on with a snarl that reverberates through my chest.

I scramble higher into the trees, knowing the only way I'm going to be helpful is to make sure Vornas doesn't have to worry about me. The smoke thickens, a veil that burns my eyes and clogs my lungs. Through the haze, I can barely make out the blur of motion below—Vornas and the robot locked in a deadly fight on the lower branches.

As I watch, squinting through stinging tears, something clicks in my mind. The robot's movements are too smooth, too calculated. It's predicting Vornas's every move, like it's reading from a script.

The Host had said each one would learn from the last one…

"Vornas!" I rasp, my voice barely more than a croak. "It's using data from your last fight! Mix it up!"

He doesn't acknowledge me, but I see the shift in his stance and a sudden unpredictability in his movements. His usual fluid grace gives way to something wilder, more chaotic.

For a heartbeat, hope flares in my chest. The robot hesitates, its programming visibly struggling to adapt to this new, erratic opponent.

But our moment of triumph is fleeting. The hunter's learning curve is steep and merciless. In the blink of an eye, it recalibrates, matching Vornas's newfound chaos with cold, mechanical efficiency.

Time seems to slow as I watch a shining limb arc through the air. I try to scream a warning, but the smoke steals my voice. The razor-sharp appendage connects with a sickening slice, and Vornas's roar of pain drowns out my strangled gasp. He stumbles back, dark liquid seeping from a gash across his chest, and for the first time since I've met him, I see real fear flash in his eyes.

Something snaps inside me. Maybe it's adrenaline, or maybe it's that primal part of my brain that's been slowly awakening since I landed in this mess. Whatever it is, I'm moving before I can think better of it.

I swing down from my perch, using momentum to propel myself onto the robot's back. My claw gloves find purchase in its exposed wiring, and I tear into it with all the fury of a woman who's had enough of this whole "being hunted" business.

The robot thrashes wildly, trying to shake me off. It's like riding a mechanical bull on steroids, and it jumps down to the forest floor.

"Vornas!" I yell, clinging on for dear life. "A little help!"

Through the chaos, I catch a glimpse of Vornas. He's clutching his chest, dark liquid seeping between his fingers. But there's a familiar glint in his eyes—that look that says he's about to do something either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.

Probably both.

He charges forward, his powerful legs propelling him straight at us. For a second, I think he's lost his mind. Then I see where we are—teetering on the edge of a ravine I hadn't even noticed in all the commotion.

Oh crap.

"Jump!" Vornas roars.

I don't hesitate. I launch myself off the robot's back, tucking and rolling as I hit the ground. The impact knocks the wind out of me, and I'm pretty sure I'll be finding new bruises for weeks.

But I don't have time to catalog my injuries. I spin around just in time to see Vornas slam into the robot with the force of a fluffy battering ram. The mechanical hunter teeters on the edge for a heart-stopping moment, and then…

They both go over.

"Vornas!" The scream escapes my throat as I scramble to the edge of the ravine.

This can't be happening. Not after everything we've been through. Not when I'm just starting to figure out how I feel about him.

I peer over the edge, dreading what I might see.

The dust hasn't settled yet, and I squint through the cloud of leaves and dirt, desperately searching for any sign of Vornas. Seconds stretch into an eternity as I scan the jagged rocks below, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

"Vornas?" I call out, my voice cracking. The ravine echoes my cry, as if mocking me.

A flicker of movement catches my eye, and I lean further, pebbles skittering beneath my hands. Is it him, or just my desperate imagination playing tricks? I strain my eyes, willing them to pierce through the swirling dust.

"Come on, you oversized fur ball," I mutter, my fingers digging into the earth. "Don't you dare die on me."

Another agonizing moment passes. Then, finally, I spot a flash of striped fur. My heart leaps, but I force myself to temper my hope. He could be…

No. I can't even think it.

"Vornas!" I shout again, louder this time. "If you can hear me, give me a sign!"

But I'm only met with silence.

I hold my breath, praying for any response, any indication that he's alive.

And that's when I hear it.

"A little help?" Vornas calls up, repeating my earlier words back at me, but his usual smugness is dampened by the fact that he's crumpled up in pain.

Within seconds, I'm already moving. Those tree-climbing lessons Vornas gave me are about to get one hell of a field test. I grab one of the omnipresent sturdy vines—because apparently, this jungle is just one big Tarzan playground—and I swing it over the rocky cliff.

From there, I inch my way down the ravine, every muscle aching. My arms tremble with the effort, and I feel like I've gone ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer. But the thought of Vornas bleeding out on the rocks below keeps me moving, one painful grip at a time.

"Your climbing has improved," Vornas remarks once I reach him, sounding annoyingly casual for someone hanging on by a thread.

"Thanks," I pant. "Nothing like mortal peril to motivate a girl."

Getting him back up the ravine is a nightmare. He's basically a muscular sack of potatoes with claws, and I'm pretty sure I pull every muscle I own in the process. But somehow, through a combination of determination, adrenaline, and what I can only assume is divine intervention, we make it back to solid ground.

We collapse in a heap, both of us gasping for air for a good minute. When our eyes meet, a surge of elation rushes through me. We did it. We survived. A giddy laugh bubbles up from my throat, and Vornas joins in with a rumbling purr that vibrates through the ground. For a moment, we allow ourselves to revel in our victory against impossible odds.

But then a metallic screech from below shatters our fleeting moment of triumph.

We crawl back to the cliff's edge and watch in horror as the robot's pieces start to twitch and reassemble, like the world's most terrifying jigsaw puzzle.

"No way," I groan.

But just as soon as I say it, the robot suddenly freezes. A tinny voice emanates from its battered speakers: "Energy levels critical. Returning to the charging station."

Vornas and I exchange a look of disbelief. It's almost anticlimactic, like the universe just hit the pause button on our action movie.

Not that I'm complaining.

I stare at the battered robot dragging itself away, leaving a trail of sparks and oil like some demented Hansel and Gretel breadcrumb path. My body aches, my lungs still burn from the smoke, and I'm pretty sure I've got leaves in places they shouldn't be. But as I lock eyes with Vornas, I know we're thinking the same thing.

"We're following it, aren't we?" I sigh, already knowing the answer.

Vornas nods, his sharp eyes glinting with determination. "It's our best chance to find answers… and perhaps a way out."

"Right," I mutter, helping him to his feet. He winces, and I look over the nasty gash on his chest. "You okay there?"

He glances down at it, then forces his eyes back up. "I'll manage. We can't lose this opportunity."

I bite my lip, glancing between Vornas's bleeding chest and the retreating robot. "I hate to say it, but you're right. We can't let that thing out of our sight." My stomach churns as I eye his wound, but we need to end this game, and following this walking trash heap might be our only shot.

So, ignoring every part of me that wants to tend to Vornas until he's all better, I sling his arm over my shoulder, and we set off after our mechanical tour guide.

The jungle seems to close in around us as we trudge along, following the erratic trail of destruction left by the robot.

"You know," I pant, adjusting Vornas's weight, "when I used to dream about exploring exotic locales with a dark, handsome stranger, this isn't exactly what I had in mind."

Vornas chuckles, the sound rumbling through his chest. "Disappointed, little human?"

I roll my eyes. "Oh yeah, totally bummed. I mean, where's my fruity drink with the little umbrella? And don't get me started on the lack of spa treatments."

He looks at me, confusion clear on his face. "I… don't understand most of what you just said."

"Join the club, buddy," I mutter. "I'm pretty sure I've lost my mind. You still like me though, right?"

He smiles. "Always."

We fall into silence after that, conserving our energy for the trek. The robot's trail leads us deeper into the jungle, away from the familiar territory we've been navigating. The foliage grows denser, the air thicker. It's like the very atmosphere is trying to push us back.

But just when I think my legs are about to give out, we stumble into a small clearing. And there, half-buried in vines and moss, is what looks like… a door?

"No way," I whisper. "Is that what I think it is?"

Vornas straightens, his ears perking up. "What is that?"

"I think it's a way into an underground facility. It must be where the robot was heading to recharge. Fuel up. You know?"

"Like how we refreshed ourselves on plyput?"

I nod, wishing I could go back to that time.

Vornas groans, his hand over his wound, and I realize the injury is really taking its toll on him. But he grits his teeth and says, "Well? Let's move. Our only chance of defeating this hunter is keeping it from recharging."

I eye the door warily. It's sleek and metallic, a jarring contrast to the wild jungle surrounding it. "All right. So we just waltz in and hope we don't get turned into alien smoothies by whatever's waiting inside?"

Vornas grins, and despite everything, I feel a little flutter in my chest. "Where's your sense of adventure, Chloe?"

I sigh, knowing we really have no choice. "All right, Jungle King. Let's see what's behind door number one."