Threshold of Annihilation (The Firebird Chronicles #3) - T.A. White Page 0,164

their own, but if Graydon abandoned the line to go to Kira, there was a chance they would fall.

The primal part of him urged him to do exactly that. The only things that kept him fighting here was the oath he’d taken to the emperor and the knowledge Kira would hate him if he let others die in favor of saving her.

The solution then was to kill every single enemy between him and her.

Noting the cruel twist of Graydon’s lips, Torvald switched his grip on his en-blade. “Youngsters these days are so passionate.”

“Will you do it?” Graydon asked.

Ki swirled around Torvald, building in size and intensity until it was a massive ball. Torvald plunged his blade into the floor. Acting as a conduit, the blade channeled the ki directly into their surroundings.

Torvald’s eyes held a faint glow as he bared his teeth. “I’ve protected our immediate area.”

Graydon rolled his shoulders, opening himself to the ki inside. Without Torvald, this would have been dangerous, likely causing irreparable damage to Almaluk.

Color drained out of the world as black ki condensed around Graydon’s hands. An invisible force fought him as he pushed his hands closer together, his arms shaking from the effort.

With a roar, he sank all his strength into those last few inches.

Black ki shot out in a wave.

It snuffed out the glow of life in the androids and they dropped like puppets whose strings had been cut. The Tsavitee fared no better. The wave cleaving them in two.

Graydon fell, Amila catching him before he could hit the deck. Noor stepped toward him as the rest of the humans stared in stunned disbelief. Only Jace and Himoto acted like it was nothing out of the ordinary, understandable given their close relation to Kira.

“Graydon,” Noor said, concern on his face.

“I’m fine.” Exhaustion from burning all that ki pulled on Graydon as Amila steadied him.

Distracted, none of them noticed the way Kent’s expression deadened or the foam that spilled out of his mouth until too late.

“Take cover,” Himoto yelled suddenly.

There was barely any time to react as an explosion tore Kent apart.

Amila pushed Graydon down, her body covering his. Noor moved to intercept the blast, his hastily erected ki shield crumpling like paper.

He took the brunt of the explosion as the ground rocked.

Graydon struggled up, careful to support Amila’s body as those around them started picking themselves up off the floor—those who could still move at least.

“Amila?” he asked, fearing the worst.

His oshota moaned as she shifted. “I’m alive.”

They both stilled as they caught sight of Noor’s body at the same time. The explosive device Kent had installed in his torso was effective, shredding Noor’s synth armor.

The last time Graydon had seen anything like that had been during a battle with the pirates that plagued the Tuann’s borders.

The grief and sorrow in Graydon was reflected in the face of the oshota around them.

To lose any of them was always difficult. More so when the enemy used such a cowardly tactic.

Perhaps if Graydon hadn’t drained his ki and reacted in time or if the explosion had happened a few feet further away.

Either scenario would have led to a vastly different outcome.

“Those who can move take a headcount,” Himoto ordered from where he propped himself up against the wall.

The admiral’s face was unnaturally white; blood stained the ground around him.

The two humans who’d been tasked with guarding Kent were dead, their remains scattered in several pieces.

“The rest of you, quit gawping and fortify our position,” Himoto ground out as Jace went to his side.

Himoto tried waving the other man away. Jace didn’t listen, breaking open a first aid tube containing coagulant which he sprinkled on Himoto’s wounds.

“You need to go. All of you,” Himoto told Graydon and his oshota.

Graydon didn’t answer. The inside of his head was cold and silent. There would be a reckoning for Noor’s death later, but for now he had compartmentalized.

Noor gave his life for Graydon and Amila. Graydon wouldn’t throw that sacrifice away by wasting the gift on rage and revenge.

The only way they survived was by staying clear headed.

The sound of more enemies echoed along the corridors of the station.

“This isn’t their final game,” Himoto said, holding out his hand to Jace.

The rear admiral glared at it before giving in to Himoto’s expectations and helping the admiral up.

“They didn’t bring enough forces to take over the planet and station,” Himoto said when he was standing again. Pain carved grooves into his face.

Around them, those humans who had survived were already