Maya looked down at him, gave a sudden smile, and then stiffened. The point of Gyre’s silver sword, crimson with blood and crackling with energy, emerged from her stomach. Maya blinked, eyes going very wide, and her haken slipped from her fingers, blade vanishing as it hit the stones. She followed it a moment later, collapsing first to her knees, then toppling sideways, red hair splayed out around her. The hilt of the silver sword stood out from her back. Behind her, Kit straightened up and smiled.

Gyre wanted to scream, but he didn’t have the strength.

“Sorry I took so long,” Kit said. “Had to pick my moment.” She looked down at Maya. “This is her, isn’t it? Your sister.”

Gyre tried to move and nearly fell over, catching himself on his hands and knees. The energy bottle. Blocking so much deiat had drained it, drained him. He fumbled in his pack with one hand, searching for his last spare.

“You’re looking for this, I imagine.” Kit held up the bottle in one hand. In the other, she had the remote trigger for the bomb he’d put in Naumoriel’s war-construct. “I’m sorry about this, Gyre, I really am.”

“W …” Gyre’s mind felt blank. He tried to raise his head and instead found himself meeting Maya’s gaze, empty and staring. “What … are you …”

“I really do like you, Gyre.” Kit set the energy bottle down carefully, well outside his reach. “I promise I’ll come and collect you on my way out. But Naumoriel was very clear that the Leviathan can only have one master, and it has to be me.” She bent over and kissed his cheek. “Just rest here for a minute. I’ll go blow up the old ghoul and collect my prize, and then we’ll be on our way, yeah?” She leaned a little closer and whispered in his ear. “And if you thought fighting our way out of the Spike made me horny … well.” Kit straightened up, smiling brightly. “See you soon!”

Her footsteps receded. Gyre’s legs gave way, and he slid down onto his belly. The energy bottle sat tauntingly on the floor, meters away. For all the strength he had left to him, it might as well have been on the moon. He stretched out an arm, straining, but even that brief effort was too much. The vision from his silver eye winked out, and shortly after the real one followed.

*

Gyre woke with a splitting headache and a need to vomit. He managed to roll over before his stomach had its way, spewing a thin stream of bile onto the rock. Gyre turned away from it, gasping, and lay on his back breathing hard.

He could see. Through both eyes. His hand went to his side and found an energy bottle, warm and humming with power. Strength was already returning to his limbs.