Weapons Master Galactic Gladia - Anna Hackett Page 0,50
rows of columns.
“Press them to the base of the columns,” he ordered. “And spread out, ensure we get good coverage.”
They started pressing the explosives to the columns until they had none left.
“Let’s go.” He held out his hand.
She took it and they moved to the hole they’d used to get down. She spared Vossol’s body one last glare.
Maxon wrapped his arms around her, then jumped upward. She clung to his wide shoulders.
They landed on the track. The arena was completely empty.
The silence and emptiness were eerie. She looked around at the place that had been her prison for so long.
The stands were void of beings, and there were destroyed bots all over the track. Even when there hadn’t been races on, the place had always been filled with prisoners and Edull.
“No one will die here again,” she whispered.
“It’s almost over.” Maxon held out a small detonator.
She took it and nodded.
They jogged off the track and into a tunnel.
“This will lead us out,” she said.
They wound their way upward, and soon, she saw the glow of sunlight at the end of the tunnel ahead.
“Do it,” Maxon said.
Bellamy didn’t hesitate. She pressed the button on the detonator.
They waited a few seconds.
Nothing.
“Drak.” Maxon frowned, looking back down the tunnel. “You get out, I’ll check what happened—”
“Oh, no. That’s not how this works, Ace. We’re a team.”
He scowled at her. “Drakking Earth women.”
Bellamy poked her tongue out at him.
They moved back down the tunnel and into the arena. They came out in the empty stands. The spooky silence made goose bumps pimple her skin.
She started down the steps. “Let’s—”
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The ground shook beneath them.
Oh, shit. She grabbed Maxon to keep herself upright.
In the center of the arena, she watched the track explode upward, rubble flying everywhere.
“Run!” Maxon shouted.
They sprinted back into the tunnel. There were more violent explosions behind them, and she felt the floor start to sink under their feet.
“Faster!” he roared.
“I’m going as fast as I can,” she yelled back.
He scooped her up, and then he moved.
As the walls blurred, she looked back over his shoulder. The ceiling was collapsing behind them. She gripped him hard.
Then, a second later, they burst out into blinding sunlight.
Maxon sprinted across the large landing pad in front of the arena. Ahead, a crowd milled on the sand. She spotted Magnus and the others.
Maxon kept running, and then behind them came an earsplitting crash.
They tumbled to the sand, both of them panting. They turned, and Bellamy watched the Edull’s battle arena collapse inward.
Holy hell.
The structure collapsed and dropped out of sight.
“Now, it’s over.” Her voice was a whisper. She could hardly believe it.
“You’re free, Bellamy.”
She looked at Maxon. The sunlight caught the gold strands in his hair, lighting them up. His face was so serious.
“Now, you put the Edull behind you.” He touched his fingers to her cheekbone, brushing it like he was memorizing her face. “You can do whatever you want.”
Her throat tightened. Why did his voice sound like a goodbye?
“Start afresh,” she said. “Explore my new home.”
His jaw flexed. “Yes.”
“Meet new people and make new friends.”
“Yes.” He sounded like he was chewing glass.
And he thought that would take her away from him. She crawled to him, and saw his eyes widen.
“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.” She nibbled his lips. “I’m going to work with you.”
“Really?” he said slowly.
“Yep. You’re going to have to share your workshop, Ace.”
His hand cupped her face.
“I’ll drive you crazy every day, and sleep beside you every night,” she said.
“You have it all planned out.”
She gave him another kiss, and noticed the others heading their way. “I’m going to make you fall in love with me.”
He stilled, his brows drawing together. “I don’t know anything about love, Bellamy.”
“Then hold on for the ride, Ace.”
Maxon cradled Bellamy as they waited for Rillian’s ship to land. He wanted out of Bari Batu and out of the desert as fast as possible.
Bellamy seemed fine. They were both battered and bruised, but alive.
And she wanted him.
A life with him.
He wanted it more than anything, but drak, his gut was churning. No one had loved him. His family had all walked away from him in the blink of an eye.
What if Bellamy did too? It would destroy him far worse than his family’s abandonment.
The cyborgs and gladiators were busy organizing and calming the rescued slaves. So many were children, so many not from Carthago and with nowhere to go.
“Hey, there.” The gladiator Lore crouched down beside them. “You two need some water?”