This is it, Pierre thought, tasting blood on his lips. The metallic tang filled his mouth as he struggled to remain conscious. Hardy's power is almost gone. I can barely stand. And Saxe hasn't even broken a sweat.
The amber glow from the ancient artifact cast long shadows across the chamber, turning Saxe's scarred face into something from a nightmare. The enforcer moved with casual, unhurried steps, twin sabers catching the light as he advanced toward Pierre's crumpled form.
But then something extraordinary happened.
Alyssa stepped forward.
