The seeker chuckled, a hollow sound. "You speak as if you understand. But you do not. The past is not meant to be buried. It is meant to be reclaimed."
Jude's heart pounded. He had seen what happened to those who defied the seekers. They didn't negotiate. They didn't leave witnesses.
The lead seeker raised his hand once more. "You will give us the artifact. Or you will be buried beneath these sands."
Jude glanced at Lyara. She met his gaze, her expression firm. There was no surrender here. Only a fight.
The first blow came fast. Lyara was already moving, her blade flashing in the sunlight as she ducked beneath the seeker's outstretched hand. Her strike was precise, cutting through the fabric of his robe, but he barely flinched. Another seeker lunged at Jude, and he barely managed to dodge, stumbling backward over the uneven ground.
