“Ma’am, are you injured?”one of them asked.
“Yes,”Cassiesaid breathlessly.“No.Maybe.Honestly,Ihave no idea anymore.”
The warrior exchanged a glance with his partner.
Before either of them could ask another question,Severincame up through the beam.Helanded on his feet like he did this sort of thing all the time, which maybe he did.Themoment he sawCassie, he came toward her.
Then he stopped.
Not because he wanted to, she thought—because a third warrior stepped between them and raised a scanner.
“Stand apart,” the warrior ordered.“Possiblebiological contamination detected.”
Severin’s expression went cold at once.
“She is infected but stable,” he said.“Ineedto stay near her.Ineed to give her the cure.Didn’tyou get any of the informationIsent?”
The warrior’s posture shifted slightly.
“We have containment orders.Ican’t go against contamination protocol.”
Ravik came up through the beam next and landed with a growl, his shock blade still in hand.Everyweapon in the shuttle immediately pointed at him.
“Drop the blade!”someone barked.
Ravik glared at them, obviously ready to argue.
“Ravik,”Cassiesaid quickly.“Please—drop it.”
His jaw clenched, but he dropped the blade—it clanged loudly on the shuttle floor.
The hatch sealed a second later, cutting off the sight of the tower, the mist, and the scatteredInfectedbelow.Forone breathless second,Cassiethought they were safe.
Then a cool mechanical voice filled the cabin.
“Biological contamination detected.Quarantinelockdown initiated.”
Red lights flashed overhead and a transparent containment barrier snapped down betweenCassieand the two males.Itwas like a smooth, elongated glass dome and she immediately felt claustrophobic.
“What?No!”Shelunged toward the barrier and hit it with both palms.Itwas solid, warm, and faintly humming.“Wait—my guys need to stay with me!Please, don’t separate us!”she begged.
“Cassandra,”Severinsaid quickly from the other side.“It’sgoing to be okay—don’t panic.”
“Too late,” she snapped, pressing one hand against the clear dome wall.“Iam very much already panicking.”
Ravik moved toward the barrier too, but two armoredKindredstepped in front of him.
“Stand down,” one ordered.
Ravik bared his teeth in a silent snarl.
“Move.”
“Ravik, don’t,”Severinsaid.“They’reonly trying to help us.”
“They’re frightening her!Frighteningour?—”
He stopped abruptly andCassiewondered what he had almost said.Fora moment she was afraid he might say something awful—might reopen the fight right there in the middle of the shuttle while rescue warriors and red quarantine lights surrounded them.
