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I just hoped that I’d have the chance.
* * *
The monster’s approach had the ground shaking beneath me, resonating with each thudding footfall.
But even in my deteriorated state, I noticed Krexar’s eyes darting around, panic seeping into his expression.
My heartbeat quickened, not from fear, but from the gleam of hope that Riley’s ploy had sparked.
To Krexar, this must have seemed like another one of our traps.
The way the behemoth was advancing directly toward him was too precise, too targeted to be mere chance.
That fact made my lips quirk into a weak smile.
Despite the horror of our situation, there was a strange satisfaction in seeing Krexar, the unstoppable predator, finally looking like the prey.
The rustling of the surrounding foliage grew louder, an indicator of the creature’s nearness.
Krexar took a step back, his eyes widening, perhaps finally grasping the gravity of the situation.
But his pride, and maybe his stubbornness, kept him rooted to the spot, a blade poised for combat.
Then, the foliage parted.
The monster was massive, towering over us all, its muscles rippled beneath a hide that shimmered with iridescent scales.
Each step caused the ground to vibrate, and its eyes, multiple pairs of them, glistened with a primal hunger.
Krexar, for all his strength and arrogance, looked absolutely minuscule in comparison.
The beast roared, a sound so deep and reverberating that I could feel it in the very core of my being.
My body, already weak, seemed to shake from the force of it.
But through my dimming vision, I saw something that sent a chill down my spine — Krexar, overwhelmed and panicking, reaching out for Riley.
In his eyes, I saw the calculation.
If he could use Riley as a shield, as bait, he might be able to escape.
My heart raced, adrenaline momentarily pushing back the effects of the poison. “Riley!” I croaked, trying to warn her, to get her to move away.
But she was already in motion.
As Krexar lunged for her, she ducked and weaved, a dance of evasion, her movements were hampered by our handcuffed connection.
My strength was waning, the poison pulling me under again.
I felt myself drifting, the world around me becoming distant and muffled.
But one thought remained, clear and bright amidst the haze:
I had to protect Riley.
With the last of my strength, I tugged hard on the chain connecting us, yanking Riley out of Krexar’s immediate reach.
The action sent a bolt of pain through me, but it bought Riley a few precious seconds.
