“Alright. Keep him distracted,” I tell Locke. “I’m gonna leap on his back.”
“You’re gonna what?” Locke growls. “That’s a bad idea! That’s a very bad idea!”
Svetlana comes fluttering back. “I found it. It’s on his back.”
“I know that,” I say, laughing. “I just saw.”
“Yes, because I told you.” She nods. “I cannot turn the wheel since I do not have thumbs.”
“Don’t worry,” I reassure her, shaking my head. “I’ve got it.”
I prepare myself to run and leap onto the Boiler King’s back. Once there, I won’t have much time to turn the wheel. I’ll need to land, hold on, and turn all in a matter of seconds. Too long and he’ll dislodge me.
“Okay, I’m?—”
From the left catwalk where none of us are currently standing, a figure appears in the steam. My eyes trace the outline and I tense, forgetting what I’m doing. Locke is still distracting the Boiler King, so he can’t see, but Havoc straightens and uncrosses his arms. He reaches for the sword he keeps on his back.
“Who the fuck is that?” he asks, staring at the shape taking form.
I sigh, annoyed. “Trouble,” I growl. “It’s fucking trouble.”
Stryker appears from the steam, his white-blonde hair shining in the dark space. He grins at my answer, his pretty, dangerous smile flashing sharp canines.
“Aww,” he coos. “You have a nickname for me? I have one for you, too.” He stops and poses like this is some sort of fucking runway. “It’s . . . Delicious.”
“How do you know a Leech?” Havoc snarls.
“Know is a strong word,” I growl back. “He’s been following us since the Verdant Nexus.”
“And you didn’t think to mention it to me?”
“Oh, fuck off!” I snarl at him. “Excuse me for not telling you every fucking detail when you hardly interact with us!”
“Now, now, Mom and Dad,” Stryker goads. “Calm down. There’s plenty of me to go around.”
“I suggest you turn around and leave,” Havoc commands.
“Oh, fuck,” Locke shouts when he finally catches sight of Stryker and then repeats the words when the Boiler King nearly takes off his head. He ducks a quarter of a second before he would have taken a direct hit to the face.
“Locke,” I say. “You’re going to have to turn the valve on the Boiler King’s back.”
“How am I supposed to do that?” he demands. “He follows me wherever I move!”
“Figure it out,” Havoc growls. “We have something else to take care of.”
Stryker grins. “All of this trouble for little ole me? How silly. I’m just here for one reason and one reason only.” His eyes fixate on me. “Another taste of that sweet Beastly life force.”
“You’re fucking kidding me,” Havoc spits. “You let him taste you?”
“He got a sip in the Broken Caldera,” I snarl back, pissed that he’s blaming me for this. “I gutted him for it.”
“She did,” Stryker nods. “She did so well. It really impressed me.” He slips deeper onto the platform. “Let’s see if you can impress me again, Beastie.”
And then he lunges toward me.
I’d put my Bloodsense Fang up for the Boiler King, but I need it now. I drag it from my inventory the same time as I leap to the side, just barely missing the swipe of Stryker’s claws, but it puts me within reach of the Boiler King. The Minor Boss swings at me, his large fist narrowly missing my face and instead pulling a few hairs out that get caught in his gears. I ignore the tiny pinpricks of pain to instead roll over to Havoc.
“He’s an Ascendant,” Havoc says. “Tier Five, clearly.”
