Free Bonded by Ria Candro

fear permeated her body, rooting her to her spot. Those were Malucons out there. Malucons. The creatures who’d decimated her people, who’d hunted her ever since. Instinct told her to run from them as fast as her feet could carry her.
    But she couldn’t. Wouldn’t.
    The Spygians were fighting them. Her Spygians. And it was her they were fighting over. Much as she might long to run, she wasn’t about to. By the gods, she was going to be there to help Neichon and Valeron.
    If she was lucky, she’d get to slip her dagger into a Malucon or two before the battle was over.
    Inara took several deep breaths, letting a shock of adrenaline fuel her senses. She wouldn’t contemplate what would happen if the battle ended in their defeat. One thing was sure, she wouldn’t survive it. So she might as well be there, contributing to her defense.
    Heart racing, she reached for her dagger and palmed it. This was craziness. Pure and utter craziness. But she was doing it.
    She headed toward the sound, moving as swiftly as she could without attracting attention to herself. It took only a few short moments for her to reach the scene of the struggle.
    Neichon and Valeron stood in a clearing, their backs to her. Both men had found thick, heavy branches and were now using them as weapons to fight the six Malucons. Though her Spygians were well over six feet tall, the Malucons towered over them, their broad, gray bodies flexing as they fought off the sticks. The Malucons had clearly been caught off guard. They didn’t carry any weapons, probably hadn’t thought they needed any since they were chasing a defenseless Chivean girl. Their heavy, prominent brows furrowed above their large, flat noses, as if they were confused about why they were being attacked.
    One of them let out a grunt when Neichon’s stick hit the side of his head. The rough bark stuck in his ratty black hair, ripping off hunks of it when Neichon whipped the stick back. He let out a low howl.
    Take that, you sick bastard.
    Yet even if her Spygians landed a hit or two, it was still three against one, and the Malucons had size and sheer brutality on their side. Her heart ached at the odds.
    But once I join in, it’s only two against one.
    She wouldn’t think about the fact that she was far weaker than the Malucons. If she got lucky, maybe speed would be on her side.
    One of the Malucons battling Neichon rushed forward, gripping his free arm and yanking it. Neichon let out a strangled yell. Acting on impulse, Inara lifted her dagger and let out a banshee scream, then rushed toward them. Everyone stopped fighting, looking over at her in surprise. She used that to her advantage, zipping between Neichon and the Malucon who still held his arm and ramming her dagger into the Malucon’s chest. His rawhide-like skin offered resistance, but her dagger was sharp. It shoved into his chest and the spray of dark blood told her the weapon had found its mark—his heart.
    The Malucon opened his mouth, shock transforming his features. A trickle of blood oozed from his lips and he fell backward, losing his hold on Neichon. Her hand still on the dagger, Inara fell down with him. She was only dimly aware of the Malucons yelling in their language, of Neichon jumping in to fight the remaining two when they started toward her.
    Not wasting any more time on the dying Malucon, she pried her dagger loose, then turned to survey the battle. Neichon was holding his own against the other two Malucons, despite the fact that one arm seemed to be broken. Valeron looked beaten and battered, but he’d managed to knock down one of the three men he fought. However, the other two were driving him back toward a tree.
    Hoisting her dagger, she rushed toward the man Valeron had knocked down. His eyes rolled in his head, but he was trying to get back to his feet. Acting quickly, she squatted and yanked on his hair, forcing his head back, and slit his throat. He gurgled and collapsed onto his side, the stench of