Chapter 179: You Are My Breeder

He stilled. That was the one argument she suspected no Zyrgin could refute. He nodded. His claws extended and retracted, and she thought it was an involuntary action.

"Will it hurt?" she asked the doctor. "When you drain out the nanos, will I feel it? Will it hurt when I die?"

Larz's claws extended again with soundless threat.

"Yes," the doctor said.

Larz shifted his weight again, facing the doctor. "You will not touch her."

Zacar stepped forward and drew his sword, the movement almost beautiful.

Larz shifted to put himself between her and the two warriors. "You will not touch her," he repeated.

Marcie struggled upright, feeling curiously lethargic. "Please, Larz. Don't take this chance away from me. I want to die a woman with honor. Someone you can admire." For so long she'd lived with the motto that the end justified the means. She wanted to die better than she'd lived.

"I admire you."

"No, you don't. You won't even take me as a breeder."