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“Here” Khrys grapples at his waist and slides soh stun Use it when you have to”

He doesn’t even hesitate The fact that he trustsI could turn on hiratitude and eer for a second

He has another one, and he adjusts soht our way out of this”

I bite s—all that exists now is our escape “When?”

“Soon” His voice is terse “Wait for my command”

I scan the area, but see nothing “Where?” I can’t believe my enhanced eyes can’t find theures where there are none, hiding the real beings “I don’t see” My body begins to tremble with fear and frustration “Why don’t I see them? With my eyes, I should”

“They’re in causted with hi’s chest and pull the trigger Don’t flinch The laser sight will show you when you’re locked on”

“I still can’t—”

The grass around me erupts into motion The closest patch of flowers rises and s and a face I screa, and before I realize that it’s a being in a cleverly created suit of foliage, an arrow flies at my face—

“Move!” Khrys grabsbut the arrow zings harmlessly past me, so close to my ear that I feel the barest brush of the feather tail “Fire, Kailani Now”

I raise the weapon I force et into the zone of attack that helped me so well back at the auction When the world slows to a crawl, I know I’ve hit the sweet spot A local being pops up out of the mist and raises a bow to his shoulder;to the ground Then I get another one

Behindat least five “There are so many of them,” he calls out “At least forty Our only option is to scare them into retreat”

So far, the locals haven’t faltered A flock of arrows fly, singing in the air with high, wheedling screa my enhanced vision to predict where they’ll be when they hit me, and barely avoid the attack

“Don’t even touch the arrow tip on the ground,” Khrys orders “I don’t kno much toxin is fatal to us”

He shoots off his laser guns Ragged cries and screams a