Page 108 of Zayrik
Then, with deliberate slowness, he raised his gaze.
Almost... impressed.
He smiled then, his sharp teeth flashing.
He swung the rod one last time.
Pain.
Electric fire ripping through every nerve, down to the marrow of my bones.
Like it wanted to burn me out from the inside.
Somewhere beneath the burn, I thought I felt him.
Zayrik. His fury pulsing through our bond like a war cry.
But maybe that was just the pain talking.
Maybe that was just hope refusing to die.
The sound of my own ragged breath, a broken thing.
Each inhale carrying copper and smoke and determination.
Each exhale a promise to survive.
To return.
To him.
Vask’s voice, was smooth and amused. Like this was entertainment. And my pain was just another form of profit. “Still holding on?”
I sucked in a breath, the metallic taste of copper filling my mouth.
Didn’t answer. Refused to beg. Unwilling to break. I Wouldn’t give Vask the satisfaction. Wouldn’t let Zayrik feel me give in.
Zep didn’t make a sound. I prayed that meant he was still breathing.
Not just lying there watching me break.
Watching me burn.
My brave, loyal friend.
Another reason to endure.
Vask studied me. Then he slowly turned away. Not leaving. Not done.
Just... changing tactics.
He acted like he had all the time in the galaxy.
Like he couldn’t feel death approaching.
I braced.
Not because I thought I could handle it. But because I knew I had no choice.
