Page 84 of Dark Rebel's Mystery

The second cell's lock opened as readily and smoothly. The occupant, a young man barely out of his teens, was hiding under the bed.

They repeated the routine from the first cell, and soon, they were on to the next.

Max was almost as impatient and anxious to find Kyra as Jasmine was, and he explained it by his need to bring her to safety and get out of enemy territory.

Jasmine approached the next door. "Three is a lucky number, right?" She peeked through the window. "It's a woman." Her voice cracked.

Max's gut clenched in anticipation as the lock slid open.

A whimper sounded from inside the cell, the sound cutting through Max like a knife.

Dark hair was spread across the dingy pillow, and her face was gaunt, but he knew her instantly.

Kyra.

Even without having met her, he knew. A flood of recognition and an inexplicable pull hit him hard in the chest.

"Dear Fates…" he whispered, swallowing. "What did they do to you?"

Yamanu moved forward and then motioned for Ell-rom to come closer. "We need to snap these cuffs without hurting her."

Max didn't answer, stepping closer.

Kyra appeared barely conscious, lips parted as if she was trying to breathe through a parched throat. Her cheeks were sunken, and fresh bruises colored her wrists where the metal cuffs bit into tender flesh.

"Kyra," Max said softly, crouching next to her and reaching out with trembling fingers to brush the hair away from her face. A raw wave of protectiveness overtook him. He'd never felt anything quite like it, a fierce, almost possessive need to ensure no more harm could come to her. "We are getting you out."

She stirred, blinking up with bleary eyes, pupils dilated from drugs. "Who?" she croaked.

"Don't try to speak." Max leaned in, ignoring the dryness in his own mouth. "You are free."

"Not yet," Yamanu said. "But if you move aside, she will be."

Reluctantly, Max straightened to allow access.

Ell-rom and Yamanu sprang into action. Their formidable combined strength was barely enough to snap the steel links of the chains, which fell away with a harsh clang.

They could now move Kyra's limbs, but the cuffs were harder to snap.

Yamanu decided to take Kyra as she was. "We'll have the tools and the time to deal with the cuffs on the flight."

A soft whimper from behind him drew Max's attention away from Kyra to her daughter.

Jasmine stood in the doorway, her hand pressed to her mouth and her eyes leaking tears.

Max wished he hadn't let the doctor fall into stasis so mercifully. He would have relished the opportunity to wake him up and inflict hell upon him endlessly.

A faint moan escaped Kyra's lips. Then, with what seemed like a monumental effort, she lifted her trembling arms toward Max, voice cracking, "Y-you… came for me…?"

He was confused, but he leaned down and took her into his arms. "I came for you, Kyra. You're safe now."

Footsteps approached from behind, and then Jasmine uttered a choked sob. "So, it's true."

Max had a good idea why Jasmine was sounding so shocked. Kyra looked the same age as her daughter. She was immortal.

Kyra's gaze flicked to Jasmine, eyes widening with a strangled gasp, and then her arms spasmed, and she abruptly went limp in Max's arms.

"What happened?" Jasmine sounded panicked.

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