Dark Matters_ Shadow of Heaven (Book 3) - Christie Golden [26]
He cried out and writhed in pain. She sprang off him, a dancer now, awaiting a second chance. As he rolled over, attempting to rise, she found and took it. She darted forward and sliced him from throat to belly. He fell forward and green blood began to pool beneath the writhing form.
It was perhaps the most morally just murder Jekri Kaleh had ever committed. She stepped back, panting and trembling from the exertion. She was so weak! She hated herself, like this. Once she caught her breath, she armed herself with the dead man's disruptor. She almost took the communication device as well, but at the last minute decided against it. Who would she be talking with? And perhaps they could trace her through it. Best not to risk it
She quickly scanned her cell, her home for the last- who knew how long it had been. She had the only thing she needed. Hope gave her energy as she sprinted off to find an exit. She would need to hurry. She did not know the guard's route or how long it would be until someone missed him.
The area was enormous. She guessed it was at least a square kilometer, perhaps more. And it would appear that she was the only prisoner here. She grimaced; it was a dubious honor. Moving as quickly as she could, she trotted past cell after cell. Nothing, no one, no exit Cursing the precious time lost in this fruitless quest, she ducked into the nearest cell and looked upward. Yes, there was a ventilation shaft here as well. She lifted her face toward it and sniffed. Cold air, but fresh. And this grate was in worse shape than the one in her own cell.
Quickly Jekri thumbed the controls. A blue blade sprang to Me. She wished she were taller, she could only just reach the grate if she extended her arm fully. Red chips of rust flaked down onto her upturned face. She wiped them out of her eyes and continued. One more side....
She stepped back quickly, not knowing if the grate would fall immediately nor how heavy it was. But it didn't move. It would require some help. Hoping that she wouldn't be crushed by the weight-now, that would be an irony-Jekri again moved underneath the grate and tried to dislodge it.
It shifted, ever so slightly. Then, all at once and too quickly for Jekri to catch it, it gave way and fell with a loud clang onto the stone. She tried to slow its descent, hut all she managed was to divert it from falling directly on her head. It caught her shoulder and almost wrenched her right arm from its socket.
She swore softly and froze, listening with all the tension of a forest creature. The guard she had killed would seem to be the only one assigned her. She moved quickly. Luck had been with her thus far. She would not tempt it more than she had to.
Carefully switching off the laser scalpel, she inserted it and the guard's disruptor into her clothing. She wished she had a proper belt, but she'd have to make do with what she had.
She sprang upward. There was absolutely nothing to hold on to and she fell back onto the floor. Pain shot through her ankle. She had twisted it slightly. She attempted to stand. It was not broken, at least. Grimly, Jekri tried again. Again, she failed.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and centered herself. She focused on what she would need to do to succeed. Jekri went through each step in her mind's eye: the leap that would be high enough to propel her sufficiently deep into the shaft; quickly extending her feet to wedge herself in; each move of hand and foot as she climbed upward to freedom.
When she opened her eyes, her heart rate had slowed and she was calm. She gaze up, determined where she wanted to be, and jumped.
This time, she went several centimeters higher. At once she kicked out, her arms flying outward to secure a hold. This time, she stayed, though she felt her enemy, gravity, pulling her down. It was dark, but she did not need to see. Her questing hands and feet told her what she