JR14 resumed his place on Azazel’s shoulder.
Once they were all inside, Azazel straightened with his katana in hand and scanned their surroundings. “This looks good—for now. Any Krystalii here, JR14?”
“Negative, area clear of hostiles. Advisory: this status is temporary and may shift without notice.”
Toni leaned against the wall, her chest heaving and her hand over her heart. “You know, you both suck at giving pep talks.”
Azazel turned to her, his expression softening. “At least we’re both still alive. That should count for something.”
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, and the strained lines bracketing her mouth softened. “Yeah, well, you’re right. Thanks,” she muttered, looking away as a faint blush colored her cheeks.
He nodded, his resolve to get her to safety hardening. She needed to be somewhere where she wasn’t under constant threat. “Okay, JR14.” He glanced at the bot on his shoulder. “Any suggestions on where we go from here?”
Toni followed Azazel deeper into the dim corridor, her nerves strung so tight, she was afraid the slightest nudge would set her off. Her pulse hammered from the narrow escape, and the memory of the suspended Krystalii shimmering in those large glass beakers wouldn’t go away. To make matters worse, every step through the metal-infused crystal passage amplified the tension between her and Azazel. She couldn’t let herself get paralyzed by fear. But it was hard to decide which threat was greater—the army of crystal soldiers or the mysterious man himself.
Her fingers grazed the wall, smooth in some areas and splintered in others. She stole a glance at Azazel. His broad shoulders and confident stride exuded calm, but the energy coming off him reminded her of a sharp, coiled serpent barely held in check.Damn,she’d give anything to trust him. He’d saved her twice now. But how could she trust anyone or anything in this crazy place?
It was hard to shake the feeling that Baelon had sent Azazel to her. What better way to observe how she reacted when confronted with life-threatening danger than having her ideal man work with her to gain her trust? Really, the guy was a sexy mix of Jason Momoa with the mysterious sensuality of Keanu Reeves. She doubted her experience around those kinds of men prepared her for the likes of Azazel.
Especially here.
The man in question slowed and glanced at JR14. “Where to next?” His voice was low but firm.
“Immediate area secure,” JR14 replied, his spider-like form crouched on Azazel’s shoulder. “Next access point is a central node chamber, 300 meters east.”
Toni’s stomach twisted. “Central node chamber? That sounds important. And we know important means guarded.”Oh God. Were they going into another teeny, cramped shaft?
Azazel looked at her, his dark gaze clear. “Yes, but it also means we have a chance to find a ship to escape in. Or, at the very least, discover a way to disable this ship’s ability to track us.” He shrugged.
Damn.She sucked in a breath. Even that simple gesture was done with the grace of a dancer. Or an expert in some kind of martial arts.
“Either way, it gives us a better chance of survival.”
“Yeah, well. I’m sure miracles happen all the time,” Toni muttered, crossing her arms. “I hope you have a Plan B if things don’t work out.”
He didn’t blink. “I assure you, that won’t be necessary.”
She blinked in return. For the first time, she was positive he was lying to her. The spider-bot on his shoulder also glared at her with its two sky-blue, multi-faceted orbs. No help there. Her throat tightened. “Well… that’s spectacular. Good thing we have nothing to worry about, then.”
Before she could say anything else, a low rumble vibrated through the walls.
JR14 clicked his frontal claws, his mechanical voice sharp. “Warning: proximity sensors detecting Krystalii convergence on multiple levels.”
Azazel’s jaw clenched. “They’re triangulating our position.”
Heat rose in her chest, clogging her throat. “Why?” She croaked. “What did we do—”
“We didn’t do anything,” he interrupted. “The Krystalii think like a hive. Once one knows, they all know.”
“Well… bully for them. Freakin’ cheaters.” Her sarcasm felt hollow as the vibrations grew stronger. “So, got any ideas?”
“Yeah. Run.”
He grabbed her wrist and, with a gentle yank, raced ahead.
The twisting, maze-like corridor made her dizzy. Around her, the crystalline walls gleamed as if they were alive and watched every movement as they raced through them.
The sound of their pursuers grew louder, the clinking of glass-like footsteps echoing closer every second.
