The smell of rotting flesh permeated the air around her, and she fought the urge to vomit. She moved slightly and felt an immediate stab of pain shoot up her left leg. She couldn’t see the damage, but she knew it was serious if it had yet to heal on its own. Wherever she was, it wasn’t Paradise. She didn’t understand why they hadn’t killed her. Why had they kept her alive? She was bait. The realization hit her when she thought of Val. He and his brothers would search for her. He would sense her presence and walk into whatever trap the D’kalhiks devised. She couldn’t allow that to happen. Heavy footsteps drew her attention. Her powers limited, she managed to create a force field around herself. She heard the high-pitched cackle of the enemy before she saw him. There was no face, just a black void and a hideous body of decomposing flesh. “I see you didn’t bother looking your best for my arrival.” She hoped her sarcasm disguised her worry. How long could this shield last?
