Sam sucked in a horrified breath.

All the House of Galen fighters had implants. On their necks, arms, or faces. She looked at the Thraxians and Srinar and saw that the weapons they were holding could actually shoot the implants.

“Galen,” she whispered. “We need to get out of here.”

His face was set like stone, a muscle ticking in his temple.

“Bind them,” a Thraxian barked.

Nero moved forward, the implant on his arm gleaming dully in the muted light. He was carrying a chain with sturdy cuffs at each end.

He grabbed Sam’s arm and snapped the cuff around her wrist. As he tightened it, she glared at the Thraxians. Next, Nero fastened the other end of the chain to Galen. They were now chained together with a few meters of chain between them.

Shit, they needed to do something. Whatever the Thraxians had planned for them, it wouldn’t be good.

“Galen.”

“We can’t leave them.” His gaze moved to Raiden.

“We aren’t any good to them dead.”

She saw the torment on Galen’s face. Then he pulled something off his belt. She frowned and watched as he threw it.

A cloud of gray smoke exploded around them. One of Lore’s tricks.

Galen grabbed her hand and yanked her up, the chain rattling. Then they ran.

Behind them, she heard shouts. In the smoke, she bumped into someone and heard a grunt. But Galen yanked her on.

“There.” She spotted a way out.

They sprinted down the maze tunnel. Sam lifted the chain so it didn’t drag and slow them down. They moved through several turns and intersections, arms pumping.

Soon, the sounds of chaos and confusion died away behind them. Finally, they stopped. Sam sucked air into her aching lungs.

Galen pressed a hand to the wall, his face no longer impassive. She felt the fury rolling off him.

“Galen—”

He turned and punched the wall, blood spraying from his knuckles. He punched it again and again.

She grabbed his hand. “Enough.”

He tried to pull away, but she held tight.

“I know,” she whispered. “I’m here. Hold on to me.”

He gritted his teeth and wrapped his arms around her. “We left them. We left Raiden.”

“I know.” She squeezed him, sharing her strength. “But we’re going to rescue them.”

“They’re under drakking Thraxian control.”

“We’re going to get them back.” She went up on her toes and kissed him, rough and hard. It took a second, but he kissed her back, his fingers clenching on her arms.

“We need to find the scientist and the implant controls,” she said. “Zhim said the scientist was here somewhere. He’ll know how to disable the implants.”

Galen heaved in a breath. “We’re in a maze. How the hell will we find him?”

“I don’t know. But we won’t give up.”

She watched him rein in his fury and he nodded. “Let’s see if we can get these chains off.”

Galen grabbed a rock and smashed at the chain. Sam tugged at her cuff.

It was no use. They were too sturdy, specially designed to hold unwilling prisoners.

“Forget it,” she said. “Let’s get moving.”

Together, they turned and moved deeper into the maze. With the chain tethering them together, it took them a few minutes to work out how to run while linked. The burning torches made light and shadows dance. The maze was eerily empty, but occasionally she heard moans and the distant sound of fighting.

Galen was brooding and she knew he was thinking of his people.

The Thraxians thrived on hurting and enslaving others. Sam didn’t understand how they could do that with no conscience—she’d spent so many nights, nursing her wounds and wondering about it. But it didn’t matter what had turned the alien species so uncaring and bloodthirsty, this had to end. They had to rescue their friends.

“Galen.” The static-filled crackle came from Galen’s belt.

He reached down and snatched the communicator. “Zhim?”

There was another crackle.

“… Connect… Can you hear…?”

“I can barely hear you. We’re underground. Where are you?”

“… Ryan… Rillian.”

“We need to find the scientist,” Galen said. “My gladiators have been implanted. All of them. We have to help them.”

“Scientist signal… Center… Above.”

Suddenly, the communicator cut off and Galen cursed.

“Center above,” Sam murmured.

“Zhim and the others must be up in Zaabha,” Galen said. “We need to get out of here and back to the surface.”

Sam wasn’t so sure. She moved to the rock wall and gripped it. “Let’s climb up and see what we can see.” She rattled the chain. “I need you to come with me.”

He gave her a brusque nod. Together, they quickly scaled the wall, finally crouching on top of it.

Sam glanced toward the center of the maze. Dios, there were so many tunnels. Her gaze fell on a towering column of rock in the heart of the maze. The maze circled around it in a dizzying array of open tunnels. She looked up, taking in the tower’s rocky surface.

Then she spotted something. “Galen, look.”

High up on the rock tower, close to where it met the surface, were a bank of windows.

Galen cursed. “They’re drakking watching us.”

“Like rats in a maze. The scientist must be up there. Center above.”

“Time for a climb.” Galen stood on top of the wall. Sam followed suit.

The walls were wide enough to allow them to walk on top of them, rather than down in the maze. This way, they could easily see where they needed to go. Once they determined the walls were sturdy and could easily hold them, they picked up the pace and started to jog.

Finally, they reached the end of the wall.

“We need to jump.” Galen pulled their chain closer. “Together.”

She nodded. “On three.”

“One. Two. Three.”

They threw themselves across the gap. Sam landed on the next wall, bending her knees. Galen crouched, gripping the edge.

He shot her a small smile. “No one else I’d prefer to be chained to in the middle of a deadly maze.”

She smiled back. “You say the sweetest things, Imperator Galen.”

They kept running. In one tunnel, they spotted several Zaabha fighters. The group, dressed in ragged clothes, looked up and shouted in surprise.

“Get them!” one man bellowed.

As the fighters tried to climb the wall, Galen and Sam kicked them back.

“Keep moving,” he called out.

Sam jumped over the grasping hands and kept moving behind Galen.

But before too long, the walls narrowed until they were too thin for them to walk on. Dammit, they were so close. She could see the tower only about twenty meters away. Galen nodded at the ground.

They both jumped, landing on the rocky floor.

“This way,” he said.

They ran down one tunnel, but it finished at a dead end. Galen shook his head. They turned and headed back.

“That one,” she said, pointing. The tower rose up above them, taunting them. So close.

They kept jogging and Sam thought about the others, praying they were okay. Suddenly, Galen stopped, and Sam almost collided with him. She looked up, her heart thumping against her ribs.

The base of the tower was right in front of them.

Sam grinned. “Made it.”

Then a ragtag group of fighters appeared, all holding rocks and makeshift weapons.

Sam’s hands curled. Dammit. They all looked malnourished and desperate. She didn’t want to kill them.

Then a woman stepped forward, her long hair tangled around her face. “You came back.”

Sam tilted her head. It was one of the workers from the engine room on Zaabha. She glanced around, seeing other soot-lined faces. “I told you we would.” She looked at Galen. “The imperator always keeps his promises.”

Something moved over Galen’s face. “First, we plan to take care of the Thraxians, then we’re getting you all out of here and back to Kor Magna.”

There were cheers and sobs. The crowd stepped back.

A young man nodded at them. “Good luck.”

Galen looked down at Sam. “Now we climb.”

* * *

Galen gripped the rock and pulled himself upward. He grunted and heard the damn chain clank as Sam climbed up beside him.

Whatever it took, he was getting his people back.

But he wasn’t alone.

He turned to look at Sam. His. A warrior who fought at his side, who put her arms around him when he needed it. He had a woman who was strength and softness. A woman who would bend, but never break. The Thraxians had tried to break her, but instead, they’d just strengthened her.

Sam was a woman he could count on and lean on. One who gave him things he never knew he needed.

One of his boots slipped. He bit back a curse and quickly pressed himself against the rock. If he fell, Sam would plummet with him.

“Okay?” she asked.

“Yeah.” He got a firmer foothold and kept moving.

With a smile, she moved past him, climbing like she did it every day.

“You’re enjoying the climb,” he said.

“I used to rock climb on my vacations back on Earth. It’s fun.”

Galen snorted. “I think we can disagree on that.”

“Well, I do prefer a safety harness, as opposed to being chained to my climbing partner—”

Suddenly, a projectile thumped into the rock beside Galen.

He jerked and Sam gasped. A black, metal bolt was lodged into the stone.

Galen looked down and saw several Thraxians at the base of the tower. They were all aiming crossbows at him and Sam.

“Sam, climb faster!”

She nodded and moved upward, her muscles flexing. Galen followed.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

Bolts peppered the wall. Grimly, Galen held on and kept climbing. He felt like a drakking target in the training arena.

Another bolt hit close to Sam. She cried out, her hands slipping off the rock.

She fell.

Galen lunged after the chain. He gripped it hard with one hand, clinging to the rock with his other hand and his boots. He gritted his teeth and met her gaze. Her face was white as she hung there.

“I’ve got you,” he said.

“I know.”

Perfect trust in her tone. He pulled her up until she could reach the wall again. She gripped it, pressing flat against it.

“Shit.” She pulled in a breath. “Thanks.”

More projectiles hit the wall.

“Keep going.”

They climbed steadily, and the next round of projectiles hit below their feet.

“We’re out of range,” he said.

“Thank God.” Sam arched her neck. “And we’re almost at the windows. Look.”

He saw the windows not far above them. “Let’s do this.”

He wasn’t leaving his people as enslaved prisoners any longer than necessary. Galen and Sam closed the distance, stopping just below the window.

“How do we break the glass?” she asked. “Sword hilt?”

He hefted the chain. “I have a better idea.”

She smiled and nodded. Together, they swung the chain at the glass.

Crack.

Galen saw the spiderweb crack form. They swung it again.

The window shattered.

“Now!” Galen pushed himself through the window.

Sam followed him in. They both leaped to their feet in time to see several Thraxians running toward them.

Then Sam looked at him and smiled. At the same time, they both reached over their shoulders and pulled their swords.

“For honor and freedom,” Galen said.

“For honor and freedom!” Sam yelled.

Galen swung high and Sam dropped low. She swiped out with her leg, toppling the closest Thraxian. Then she was slicing upward with her sword. Galen tugged on the chain, yanking her up with extra momentum.

Then he turned and slashed his sword at another Thraxian. He swiveled, his blade hitting against another Thraxian’s sword.

Sam leaped into the air, pulling hard on the chain. Galen moved closer to her and watched as she gripped a Thraxian by the arm, bent down, and tossed the alien over her shoulder.

“Sam.” He lifted the chain, and she nodded.

Together, they ran, slamming the chain into two Thraxians. Then Sam jumped up, twisting, and the chain wrapped around the aliens. They fell in a tumble of arms and legs. Galen followed with his sword, pouring all his burning fury into the fight. Soon, all the Thraxians were down on the ground, dead or groaning in their death throes.

In front of them, cowering by a large bench, was a tall, thin Thraxian, wearing a long, silver robe. The scientist.

And sitting in the center of the bench, resting on the metallic holder, was a white crystal cube.