Kef it. Time to do what I do best—rush forward and think about the consequences later. I move forward, grab the back of Alice's neck and drag her toward me for a quick, hard, kiss.
"Stay safe or I'll be mad," I murmur against her soft lips, then give her a nip with my teeth.
"You are so getting laid when we get out of here," she breathes. "Let's do this shit so I can jump your bones."
I laugh at that, then move toward the lock on the door again, and run the wrist-cuff through. A soft chime indicates the heavy, thick metal door is unlocked, and I grab the handle and push it open a crack.
The courtyard spreads out on the other side. Even though it's dark, I can make out cobbled pathways and neatly trimmed shrubs. Flowers bloom along the paths, and lush greenery is everywhere. The cluster of buildings—like a small town—is mostly square and regular, and it's exactly as Salvotor described. Most of the buildings are clustered close together, with a grander-looking building off to one side, a small lab near the wall, and at the far end of the compound, the shuttle house and dock.
Adrenaline rushes through my system. There are no guards on this side of the door, but I can see people moving around near the buildings themselves, shadows dancing with the night-time lights set into the walls. Most of the guards seem to be set near the bigger buildings, which must be where the gladiators are housed. There are a few people gathered near what looks like a practice arena between the largest of buildings and the shuttle dock, but I'm confident we can avoid them. "Stick to the back wall," I whisper, gesturing at the wall that stretches along to my left. "Stay out of the light. And follow my lead."
Excitement hums through my system. I crouch low in the shadows, slinking forward with my club in hand. When it's safe to pause, I look behind me to verify the others are following. Salvotor takes up the rear and Alice presses up against the dark wall, her hand tight on Sterre's harness. The carinoux is panting, her mouth open, and her tail flicks as she watches the distant movements of the guards, but I hope she chooses to stick with Alice instead of going on the attack.
So far, so good.
I nod at the others and continue along. The lights set high into the walls themselves beam a soft, golden glow outward, just enough to provide ambient lighting and a pleasant atmosphere. It means that the entire compound looks more like a vacation home than a prison camp, which works to our advantage. There's a lot of shadows to hide in, and we're able to make good time sneaking our way around the walls.
As we get closer to the arena pit, though, my skin prickles with awareness. The pit itself is dug out, a sandy, bleak depression amongst the carefully cultivated grounds of the compound itself. Low-rise bleachers made of stone curve around one side of the pit. One of the gladiators is in the center of the sandy pit, training. He and an armor-covered man are in the pit, and the armor-covered mesakkah—judging by the horns—barks orders at him as multiple clone guards look on. It's a lot more people than I counted on, but I can handle a few a'ani. It's the gladiator that has me concerned, and when Sterre growls low in her throat, my alarm grows.
The gladiator stiffens, turning slowly toward us.
Kef me, it's Crulden the Ruiner. And he knows we're here.
80
KASPAR
Things are just going from bad to worse.
I stare at the gladiator. Even though we're in the shadows and across the compound, something tells me that he knows we're here. This is my worst nightmare come to life—that I've put Alice into a situation, and now I can't protect her. All I've got is a dead shock-stick, and if the vids I've seen are any indication, it'll be useless against him. Taking down a'ani guards is one thing. Taking down Crulden the Ruiner is something entirely different.
"Kas?" Alice whispers, touching my arm.
I protectively move her behind me as Crulden's gaze flickers. Does he see her? Is he going to fight me for her? I'll die before I let him touch Alice. Jaw clenched, I step boldly in front of her, edging close to the light. "If he comes after me, I want you two to head on to the shuttle," I tell them. "I'll provide a distraction."
"What? No!" Alice clutches at my arm, panicked. "How are we supposed to get away without you? I can't fly a shuttle! Salvotor can't, either, right?"
"I rode in a shuttle once," Salvotor whispers helpfully.
"See? We're fucked. You can't leave us." She clings to me as I try to take another step forward. "Come back here!"