Guardians: Away Mission Book 2 of the Guardians Saga COMPLETED except for edits

The Battle Begins Ch. 9.3

"That's how it's done by a mammal," Alex said. "A really angry one."

Rile switched his sword to his right hand. "By two angry Guardians. Take their swords please, Alex. The palace harem might need them."

Alex did so and walked back to the harem entrance. She called out, "It's me, Alex," while cautiously opening the heavy door. She didn't want to be brained by a scared male.

Many Anolis male faces turned to her.

"Alex." Kress came up. "We've been evacuating by the back route as quickly as we dared."

"Any trouble at the exit? There could be an ambush," Rile said.

"Not that I know of, but it is slow as the tunnel is very narrow. We think that the palace guards are too busy fighting the revolutionaries to care about the tunnel," Kress answered.

"Here." Rile handed him the swords of the two guards. "Can you bar the door? Don't open to anyone but me, my brothers, or Alex."

"Don't worry, we won't. Your brothers are in the Kuni's private harem. The entrance is behind her throne. I don't know if the Kuni loses, if she'll bring them with her or execute them," Kress said.

Rile braced for the speed burst as Alex grabbed his hand. The throne room was in a fury of fighting.

"No Kuni," Rile said. "But there's the door."

"I'm smashing through it," Alex said. "You coming or you fighting?"

"I'm with you."

"Speed-burst it is," Alex said and she flew straight at the door.

The door splintered into a thousand pieces under the strength and speed of Alex's slipstream. Alex stopped on a dime and she and Rile brought their swords up.

They saw the backs of Anolis warriors as they stampeded out a side door. Alex started to chase them.

"Alex! Don't! My brothers first!" Rile shouted.

Gabe and Cale were kneeling in opposite corners, a thick metal choke collars around their necks with a chain that led to manacles on their wrists, hands behind their backs, and the manacles then chained to their ankles. Any struggling would have led to suffocation.

Rile raised his sword over his head and he towered over Gabe, who bent his head and exposed his neck.

"Rile! What are you doing?" Alex grabbed his arm. "Don't kill him!"

Rile's eyes bugged out and he stared at her. "You think I'd kill Gabe?"

"Uhm." Alex dropped her hand. "What are you doing, then? Those are metal restraints. We'll dull our blades and it won't work."

"These are Guardian swords," Rile said with patience. "They should cut through the inferior metal of collars and chains, but not other weapons. Watch." He swept his sword down in a wide arc and the metal collar fell off Gabe, sliced through.

"Show-off," Gabe said. "Just cut the rest of these chains."

Rile made an exaggerated bow. "You're welcome. Alex, you do the honors on my not-so-grateful brother's chains. I'll cut Cale free."

"Uhm, I don't have your strength." Alex backed away. "Or your skill. I'd probably chop off his hand."

"Rile, cut these chains now," Gabe ordered.

"Say please."

Gabe hiss-growled deep in his chest.

"Please, can we focus?" Cale pleaded from the other corner and Alex rushed to him. He smiled up at her. "Try sawing my chains with your Guardian sword, please." At her hesitation, he encouraged, "Just try. Go slowly if you're worried."