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Instead of reaching for the torch, I ran at Zes.
I swung my arm at his pistol and knocked it from his hand.
Zes slammed his fist in my gut. It hit me with such force I curled around it.
I kicked at his chest to wind him and buy me a little time but my foot only struck his armor.
His armor.
And I wore none.
Another fist struck my chin and knocked me off my feet.
I swung at him with a strong throw but he ducked it easily and punched me on the arm.
My rhythm was off and he’d taken me by surprise.
But I still had an ace up my sleeve.
He thrust with his fist but I caught it and twisted, throwing him against the wall. He moved to pull his arm free but I held on and moved back with him, shoving him against the wall.
He ducked, expecting another blow. Instead, I threw my knee up, striking him in the face. I moved down with him and wrapped my arms around his shoulder.
I wasn’t the best puncher but I was skilled at grappling. I tightened my grip.
Zes had trained both me, Qale, and Emana to fight when we were young. He knew all our strengths and weaknesses and we never learned his.
That seemed like a stupid mistake now.
He kicked off the wall and used my strength against me, trapping my leg.
That was it. I was done.
I struggled against him but it was only a matter of time.
“You’re a traitor?” I said, groaning as I fought to keep his hands from my throat.
“I am more loyal to the people than you will ever be, my lord,” he said.
He wrenched his hands free and, in the dark, he swung his elbow across my jaw.
I hit the hard floor with a meaty thud. I moved to push myself up but he pressed his knee to my neck. He picked up the blaster pistol and aimed it at me.
“Now,” he said, “how about we try that again?”
The wall shifted aside and thudded into place. Zes went first and ordered me to follow him out. I did as he said. I didn’t think he wanted to kill me—if he did, he would have done it already. But I didn’t want a hole in an arm or leg. That would hardly improve my situation.
I walked ahead of Zes with my hands clasped on top of my head. He trained his blaster on me.
It was smart of him to bring me in through another secret passageway. The guards would be focusing their attention on attacks on the outside. If they saw their chief with a blaster aimed at me… Well, they would hesitate but ultimately come down on my side.
“When did you sell your soul to the Changelings?” I said.
“I never sold out,” Zes spat. “You did. When you refused to light the beacon.”
“You’d prefer for millions of Titans to die?” I said.
“I’d prefer for our honor to remain intact.”
