Kael
"The lower one."
Liora stopped with her blade beside the exposed contacts.
"This?"
The tether pulled beneath my ribs.
"Yes."
The technician reached her with the long-handled tool he had brought from the outer housing. His injured hand stayed clear while Liora fitted the tool beneath the lower plate.
Orven was conscious behind the stone shoulder.
The guard kept him from sliding when the remaining hold tightened.
Malcris moved toward the plate.
Veylan met him.
The strike drove both men away from the working space, but Malcris no longer had the whole room helping him.
His next step left blood on the stone.
I could not see exactly where Veylan had cut him.
I could see that he had felt it.
Malcris changed his footing before putting weight on that side again.
Veylan noticed. He pressed the angle, keeping his weapon between Malcris and the people at the plate.
I wanted to look long enough to see the next strike land.
The tether pulled instead.
