“Krougger!” I roared. “I’m going to—”
With a vague shimmer Krougger appeared out of the corner of my eye. “Ye’re gonna what?” he snarled, diving at me with a bayonet attached to the end of his rifle.
I staggered backward, barely managing to catch the blade with my synth arm and parry it to the side as it pushed through the space where I’d been standing a moment before.
“I’m better equipped this time!” he shouted. “Maunhouser gave me everythin’ I need to kill ye!”
I dove at him, pulling my blued blade, but the butt of his rifle came around faster than I’d expected. I brought my synth arm up to catch it on the forearm, but the impact was fiercely jarring. My arm roared with synth pain, and I staggered back again, trying to understand how he’d managed so much force with the swing. Then I
