Path to War (The Chosen Twins Book #2)

Chapter 18 - Execution

I risk a glance upwards to see Anakin and Padme pulling apart just before they're brought out into the open area. I arrive a few moments later and glance around the area, scanning it hastily. Four giant poles are in the center of a great clearing, with balconies all around for the Geonosians to watch from. I don't know how many creatures are here, but there's thousands of them. And I've seen more than enough for a lifetime.

Anakin is being taken over to one of the four giant poles, the one right next to Obi-Wan, who is chained to the one on the far right. Padme's on the far left.

"I was beginning to wonder if you got my message," Obi-Wan calls.

"We retransmitted it as you requested, Master," Anakin replies as he is chained to the pole, "Then we decided to come and rescue you."

"Good job," replies Obi-Wan, looking pointedly up at his chains. Good job, indeed.

"Hello, Obi-Wan!" I holler as the Geonosians drag me to the pole between Anakin and Padme. Why they chose this spot for me, I have no idea, but at least I'll be able to defend her when the execution begins. I trust the others can take care of themselves until I can rescue them. "Coming here seemed to make more sense than just letting you die, right?" I ask, ignoring the annoying feeling of the chains on my wrists and as they're pulled over my head to be chained to the pole.

"Yes, because now we can all have fun dying together," Obi-Wan remarks dryly.

"I'm insulted you think we'll die so easily. It's always part of the plan." Not really. It was just a last-minute attempt. Hopefully, it'll work. No guarantees, though. I specialize in improvised plans, along with Anakin, but I truly have no promises it'll work.

"The felons before you have been convicted of espionage against the Sovereign System of Geonosis. Their sentence of death is to be carried out in this public arena henceforth," declares one of the creatures.

"Let the execution begin!" commands the one I'm pretty sure is the leader. My eyes fall on the people standing around right behind him. Gunray. And Count Dooku. Anger flares through me at the sight of him again. Maybe looking was a bad idea. I need to focus on the battle I know is soon to come, but I'm having a hard time controlling my emotions right now. I'll never understand how Dooku can do this and act so casual about it.

My attention is brought fully back to the life and death situation we're in now when an enormous gate on the other side of the arena opens and five giant creatures walk in. The first one is a reek. It's red and dark green with three huge horns. The second creature is a green, six-legged creature that looks a lot like a bug. If my memory is serving me correctly, that's an acklay. I seriously sympathize with the person who has to fight that thing. Unless it's me, of course. The third and fourth are nexus, which are gray and brown. They're very lizard like, with huge, very sharp claws. And razor-sharp teeth. Great. It would be awesome to be on the receiving end of those. Not.

"I have a bad feeling about this," worries Anakin as the Geonosians begin chasing the creatures our direction.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," I declare, trying to display a sense of optimism I don't quite have. I glance over at Padme. She somehow has successfully managed to get one of her handcuffs off and starts climbing up the post. "Good one," I murmur. Now she won't be collateral damage in the fight. "I'll be alright down here," I assure her.

From the looks of it, the acklay is headed for Obi-Wan and both nexus are heading for me and an already-escaping Padme. The reek is heading for Anakin. I consider myself lucky for getting the least-dangerous creatures. Unfortunately, however, there are two of them.

"Oh. Wonderful," I comment sarcastically, eyeing the lizard-like creature with impossibly sharp teeth crawling towards me. Anakin gives our brother a questioning and worried look, hoping for advice.