Page 133 of Warrior's Reign
Icolo disappeared into the forest,scouting ahead. Reign moved slower. She was good, but she lacked the natural stealth of an Aeddannar.
Ahead, a multi flare of light and the crackle of fire hitting trees ripped through the air.
Reign ran toward the sound of the blaster fight. If Icolo had encountered the enemies, he’d be outnumbered.
Someone shouted in pain, followed by a second cry, this time the voice a masculine tenor she recognized.
Reign bit back a shout, skirting the perimeter of a clearing ringed with benches. Icolo dived behind one, returning fire towards three Yadeshi across the circle.
She fired three times, taking one out once the strikes penetrated his shields. They didn’t have Jordak Athsor’s latest body armor, but the kind of thin suits for undercover work that could be hidden under civilian clothing. Reign grinned fiercely, then advanced towards Icolo, staying on the perimeter of the circle.
Icolo lunged behind a second bench as the one in front of him shattered. Reign stepped out into the circle, drawing fire to give him time to find better cover.
“Get out of the sight line!” she shouted. He wouldn’t hear her, but he read lips.
Instead, he rantowardsher. Reign cursed, melting back into the cover of the trees. Bark splintered around her and she dived to the ground.
Icolo dropped down moments later.
“There’s four, and six more incoming,” he said calmly.
She nodded. “We don’t need to be in a blaster fight. Let’s retreat.”
They shimmied backwards on the ground when a voice rang out across the clearing. “Reign Lozaro.”
Reign halted. “Fuck. Adevega is here.”
Icolo grabbed her wrist. “We still need to retreat.”
“No, I’ll pin her down while you get backup.”
“Are you a coward as well as honorless?” Adevega called. “Show yourself. If you serve, then obey the Imperial writ.”
“She’s going to kill you,” Icolo said, voice tight.
“She’ll try. My suit should last another fifteen minutes. Vykhan is already en route. I can last, especially if you go now and lead them here.”
“You go, I’ll keep her pinned. I can mimic your voice well enough, especially under the cover of blaster fire.”
“You don’t have my armor,” she hissed. “Go, bring backup. That’s an order, Icolo.”
Icolo gave her one last, hard look, then stood and ran as Reign covered him with more fire. Her ocular implant, synced with her armor, told her the suit was down to thirty percent capacity. The one unresolved flaw of these designs despite multiple iterations was that a stream of constant, high energy blaster fire could disable a suit.
She didn’t think she’d last until backup arrived. The chest plate would go first, power routing to the shield covering her head. And then that would go.
Reign stood and walked back into the clearing, gaze honing in on Adevega. “I’ll surrender. Can you guarantee me a fair trial? You’ve been fed false information, I can give you proof that you were duped.”
It was all bullshit, but she needed to stall. If Adevega killed her, then Reign couldn’t testify. If Reign killed Adevega in self-defense, it would only strengthen theEyahun’scause.
Reign walked slowly into the center of the circle, feet away from Adevega. She raised her hands, putting the most sober expression on her face as possible.
“Look, I know you were used by Lohail. I was here undercover to investigate. I know he instigated the bombing, and the attempts on your and Ibukay’s life. He tried to set me up to take the fall. If we work together, we can take him out.”
The guard she’d shot had been replaced, so she was still outnumbered four to one.
“Tell me more,” Adevega said with a serene smile. “Spin this web of lies. I am no fool, humangirl—I know you sent your Fae to bring the others here. I’m afraid I cannot continue to allow you to corrupt one of our finest warriors.”
Six more joined the four, circling her entirely.
