15

The silence that followed Atlas’s words hit Zara harder than the echo of the Torrak’s weapon. Her heart pounded in her chest as she knelt beside him, her hands trembling against the exposed metal of his chest. Sparks flickered faintly from the damaged core beneath his synthetic skin, the glow of his silver-blue eyes dimming with every breathless second.

“No,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Don’t you dare say that.”

Atlas tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable but somehow softer than ever before. His lips parted, and for a moment, she thought he might argue. Instead, he lifted his right hand—the only part of him that still moved with precision—and let his fingers brush against her cheek.

“You’re crying,” he said softly, his voice tinged with wonder.

Zara froze, the faint warmth of his touch spreading across her skin like a phantom imprint. She hadn’t even realized the tears were there, spilling silently down her face as she stared at him.

“You’re falling apart,” she said, her voice trembling. “And you’re worried about my tears?”

His lips quirked into the faintest hint of a smile. “I’m worried about you.”

Her chest tightened, and a frustrated sob broke free before she could stop it. “You’re impossible,” she muttered, wiping at her face angrily. “Why do you always have to—”

“Because you matter,” he interrupted, his voice steady despite the strain she could see in every line of his body. “More than anything. You are the one thing I’ve ever been sure of, Zara.”

The weight of his words made her breath hitch. She stared at him, unable to speak, unable to look away. There was nothing mechanical in his gaze, nothing cold or calculated about the way he looked at her. It was raw and human and real.

“You don’t get to do this,” she whispered, leaning closer. “You don’t get to protect me like this, break yourself for me, and then act like it doesn’t matter.”

“It matters,” he said, his voice barely audible. “It matters more than you know.”

Her chest felt like it might cave in under the weight of everything unsaid between them. She could see it now, the depth of his emotions—so much more than programming, more than the logic he was supposed to follow.

“Atlas,” she began, her voice trembling, but the sound of distant engines interrupted her.

The Torrak weren’t done.

Atlas turned his head sharply, his eyes narrowing as the faint hum grew louder. The glow in his eyes flickered, brightening momentarily as he straightened despite the visible strain it caused.

“They’re coming,” he said, his voice hardening as he pushed himself to his feet.

“Atlas, you can’t—”

“I can,” he said, cutting her off. His gaze softened as he looked at her, his towering frame somehow both imposing and gentle. “I promised to protect you, and I intend to keep that promise.”

Her stomach twisted as she stood, gripping her rifle so tightly her fingers ached. “And what happens if you can’t?”

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, his expression wavered. “Then I’ll make sure you get out,” he said quietly. “No matter what.”

The finality in his voice made her chest ache. She shook her head, stepping closer to him. “I’m not leaving you,” she said firmly.

“Zara,” he began, but she cut him off.

“I’m not leaving you,” she repeated, her voice trembling but resolute. “So stop trying to push me away.”

Something flickered in his eyes—something raw and vulnerable—and for a moment, he said nothing. Then he nodded, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at his lips.

“Stubborn as always,” he said softly.

“You wouldn’t want me any other way,” she shot back, though her voice wavered.

His smile grew a fraction, but the moment was short-lived. The sound of approaching footsteps reverberated through the cavern, the Torrak soldiers closing in.

“Stay close to me,” Atlas said, his voice low and commanding.

Zara nodded, her pulse racing as she raised her rifle. “Always.”

The first Torrak appeared at the edge of the cavern, its glowing eyes locking onto them immediately. It let out a guttural snarl, its massive form bristling with weaponry as it charged.

Atlas moved first, his damaged frame a blur of motion as he intercepted the alien. His right arm swung in a powerful arc, connecting with the Torrak’s chest and sending it crashing into the wall. Sparks flew as the impact cracked the stone, but Atlas didn’t pause. He turned sharply, driving his knee into the alien’s torso before delivering a final, devastating blow to its head.

“Zara!” he shouted, his voice sharp.

She turned just in time to see another Torrak closing in on her. She raised her rifle, her hands steady despite the fear coursing through her veins, and fired. The pulse shot struck the alien’s shoulder, staggering it but not stopping it.

Before she could fire again, Atlas was there. He grabbed the Torrak by the neck, his fingers digging into the metal as he twisted with a sickening crunch. The alien collapsed, its lifeless body crumpling to the ground.

“I told you to stay close,” he said, his tone somewhere between exasperation and concern.

“I am close,” she retorted, her heart still racing.

He glanced at her, his glowing eyes softening briefly before he turned his attention back to the fight.

The battle raged on, each moment blurring into the next. Zara fired shot after shot, her pulse rifle overheating in her hands as the air filled with the acrid scent of burning metal. Beside her, Atlas fought with an intensity that was almost terrifying, his strikes precise and unrelenting.

But even he wasn’t invincible.

One of the Torrak soldiers landed a blow to his side, the impact sending him staggering. Sparks erupted from his damaged arm as he countered, his movements slower now but no less determined.

“Atlas!” Zara screamed, her voice cracking.

“I’m fine,” he said, though his voice was strained.

“You’re not fine!” she shouted, her chest tightening as she fired at the alien that had struck him.

The Torrak fell, but more were already closing in. Zara’s stomach twisted as she realized they couldn’t hold them off forever.

“We need to retreat,” she said, her voice trembling.

Atlas hesitated, his glowing eyes flickering as he turned to her. “There’s nowhere to retreat to,” he said quietly.

Her breath caught at the weight of his words. “Then what do we do?”

He looked at her, his gaze steady despite the chaos around them. “We fight,” he said simply.

Her chest ached as she stared at him, the sheer determination in his voice both inspiring and heartbreaking. “Together,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Always,” he replied, a faint smile touching his lips.

The next wave of Torrak soldiers was larger, their guttural snarls echoing through the cavern as they advanced. Zara’s heart pounded as she raised her rifle, her pulse racing as she prepared to fight.

But as the first alien lunged, Atlas stepped in front of her, his massive frame blocking her view.

“Atlas—”

“Stay behind me,” he said, his voice firm.

Before she could argue, he charged, his glowing eyes blazing as he threw himself into the fray.