He halted a few meters away. “Are you detecting anything?”
“No.”
“No explosives?” He wouldn’t put it past the Rahl to have left some surprises to protect their cache.
She released a breath. “No. Nothing. But that doesn’t mean anything if their explosives don’t show on scans.”
He reached out a hand. “Step off and let’s run.”
“Move back.”
He didn’t budge, just made a “come” motion with his hand.
“Damn you.” She stepped off the sensor.
He grabbed her hand and they sprinted. But after a few steps, he didn’t hear anything—no explosions, no nets coming at them, no trapdoors giving way. He tugged her to a stop.
“Nothing,” he said, with a laugh.
Then a small sound reached them. The sound of something small rolling along the stone floor.
Four silver balls came into view, skimming across the floor, converging on Axton and Xenia.
Shit.
“Explosives!” Xenia yanked his arm. “Run.”
“That way.” He pointed toward the stairs he’d seen earlier.
One of the balls hit a pile of supplies. They exploded in a blinding flash of white light.
Another ball ran into a stack of boxes and exploded.
Thick, black smoke filled the air. Flames leaped from box to box, igniting into an inferno.
Two balls were still rolling toward Axton and Xenia. As the first one neared, he pulled Xenia to the side.
The ball altered course, tracking them.
Dammit.He grabbed his timepiece off his wrist. He’d played VelocityBall in his teens and hoped his arm was up to it. He threw the timepiece.
It hit the ball dead on. The explosion knocked Axton off his feet and a wall of wicked heat washed over him.
“Up.” Xenia was there yanking him upright.
The smoke was worse now and he coughed. He stumbled after her.
The final ball appeared out of the smoke.
Shit.He looked up. Saw the steps just meters away.
He wrapped an arm around Xenia’s waist, and at the same time, she grabbed him. Together, they jumped, both of them using their enhanced strength.
They flew upward. Behind them, the final ball exploded.
Flames engulfed them. Axton pushed Xenia’s head against his chest and curled himself around her.
Then the flames were gone and they slammed into a door at the top of the stairs hard enough to dent it.
