Page 93 of On a Rogue Planet
She was right. But that didn’t mean he liked it.
She shoved her shoulders back. “So, oh-great-CenSec, which way to the center of this hellhole?”
He looked at the three pathways that lead off from their location. He remembered the images Forge had showed above. Xander had memorized the few brief aerial shots.
“That way.” He pointed to the central path.
They headed down the narrow pathway. It was only wide enough for the two of them to walk side by side.
He didn’t like the fact that nothing had attacked them so far. It left his nerves on edge, and he could feel the tension pumping off Malin.
She cleared her throat. “Flames are your friends and never take the easy path…what was the rest of it?”
“Find the point and become the master. Reach the treasure. For now, let’s just focus on the first part.”
“Right. Flames are your friends and never take the easy path.” She scowled. “I get the feeling there are no easy paths in here.”
They came to a four-way crossroads.
“Look, flames.” Malin trotted over to where red-orange flames shot upward from a pipe against one wall. “They don’t look very friendly.”
“Let’s keep moving.” Xander felt the sensation of someone, or something, watching them. Damn his systems being offline. If he could scan the area… “Let’s head left.”
The path twisted and turned.
And led away from the center of the maze.
They reached another junction.
“Dammit,” Xander muttered.
Malin bumped his side with her shoulder. “You didn’t think this was going to be easy, did you?”
No. But he thought he’d have all his enhancements available to him. Right now, he felt blind. And that left Malin in danger, which was unacceptable.
“No flames around here.” She wandered forward. Above them some junk arched overhead like some sort of giant metallic sculpture.
He studied the twisted metal overhead. Something about it…
She took another step forward.
“Malin, no—” He dived, tackling her to the ground. He turned so he took the brunt of the fall, her slight weight on top of him.
Flames shot downward in a long sheet, like a deadly, orange waterfall.
“Sweet scrap.” Malin sagged against him.
He held her tight for a second, and tried to calm his racing heart. Then he helped her to her feet.
After the flames died off, she studied the metal above them. “It has a motion sensor. But this part to the left—” she gestured “—doesn’t seem to be connected. Looks safe to go through there.”
He studied it. She was right, but still… “I’ll go first.”
They safely skirted the fire trap.
On the other side, she gave a little laugh, and moved up beside him. “We’ll have to?—”
Suddenly, the floor gave way beneath her. She screamed.
