The world righted itself, the chaos fading as the Herald's lifeless body slipped to the side. The Mother rose to her feet, the lightsaber that had killed Werth Plouth in her hands.

There was no time to ask where she had found it. Oliviah was already moving, her own saber coming up. The Mother grinned, the family resemblance so strong that Matty couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before. She was still struggling to recover from the attack, her feet weighed down to the floor, but at least the floor wasn't moving.

The lightsabers crackled as they met, the Mother swing ing wildly, Oliviah blocking the lunge. Oliviah had trained all her life, but the Mother had the advantage, her opponent still groggy. She hacked and slashed, forcing Oliviah back step by step until Matty grabbed one of the hilts shed recovered from Gluth and, shouting out, threw it forward. Oliviah caught it, the blade snapping on, a smile spreading over her sweat-drenched face.

Suddenly, she was on the offensive, years of training falling into place. There was no way the Mother could defend herself against two blades, giving up ground at first and then the battle as Olivia hooked one of her blades beneath Elecia's, burning plasma to rip the saber from her hands.

The Mother tumbled back, landing next to the man she had murdered.



Star Wars The High Republic Chapter 56 Page 486