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Metal screeched and for a second, the ship hung motionless.
Then it fell.
He held on tight to the table and Carys. He braced for impact.
“Sten—” Her gaze met his.
He hated seeing her afraid. “I’ve got you. Keep looking at me.”
Crash.
CHAPTER FIVE
Her heart was hammering hard in her chest.
They were jolted roughly, and Carys heard objects crash and shatter.
Then the ship came to a violent stop.
She gripped Sten’s body hard. She heard him grunt, but his arms never loosened. No, her knightguard sheltered her. As always, keeping her safe.
“We made it,” she whispered.
“You’re not hurt?” he asked gruffly.
“No.” She twisted to look at him and saw blood sliding down the side of his face. “But you are. You’re bleeding.”
He carefully let her go and swiped at his temple. “It’s just a cut. We need to get out of here. The Gek’Dragar will come to investigate.”
With a nod, she swiveled and crawled out. She glanced back and saw he was looking at her ass.
Her pulse did a jagged dance. She saw him drop his chin to his chest and drag in some air.
“Sten?”
“Coming.” He slid out from under the table and rose. “We need to move quickly.”
They clambered through the ship. A huge hole had been torn in the side of it. Sten leaped out and held his hands up for her. She jumped and he caught her by the waist.
“Well, at least it was a shortcut to the bottom of the ravine,” she said.
He shot her a look.
She smiled. She guessed he wasn’t quite ready to joke about it. “Not that I want to do it again.”
“Come on.” He set a fast pace, jogging down the ravine. Rocks crunched underfoot. Carys winced, thankful that her implants blocked most of the pain of walking on her bare feet.
He scanned the skies, and she did the same, searching for any Gek’Dragar scout ships or drones.
Suddenly, a stench hit her. She held her hand to her nose. “What’s that smell?”
Sten appeared unaffected. “Something rotting.” He strode to a pile of rocks and climbed up. She followed behind him.
On the other side, they discovered the rotting carcass of a strange beast with matted, brown fur.
She wrinkled her nose. Its side had been slashed with sharp claws.
“Come on,” Sten said. “Let’s cross this ravine fast, and find a way up the next mountainside.”