The Scarab Sister didn't wait for introductions. She slammed into Buzz with the kind of force that made the entire chamber recoil, metal walls shaking like drums hit by giants. Buzz skidded backward across the floor, carving long glowing trenches behind him. His wings snapped open, gold flashing bright enough to sting Zza's eyes.
The Sister roared again, a sound scraped from the bottom of her ribs, a sound that had lived through wars older than the Queen herself.
Buzz answered with silence.
Silence colder than a winter buried beneath stone.
He launched himself back at her.
Zza pressed a hand to the pillar beside her, pushing herself upright even though her legs felt like someone swapped them with wet sticks.
She couldn't look away.
