Page 68 of A Touch of Chaos

“Just keep moving!” Persephone commanded. diving beneath and climbing over barbed branches as fast she could. All the while, Ariadne continued toward freedom.

As Persephone neared the boar, its hot breath washed over her like a furnace, smelling of rot and decay, roiling her stomach. Its large tusks tore through the wall of thorns with a strength that made them seem like glass.

She steeled herself as the swipe of its tusk came within a few inches of her and swung forward with all her might, shoving her blade into the tender flesh of the creature’s nose. The boar roared and swung its head, scooping Persephone up with its tusks and tossing her through the air.

She screamed, feeling branches break across her back as she soared through the air, landing on the solid ground with the blood-soaked blade still clutched in her hand. Pain lashed through her, stealing her breath, but she knew there was no time to linger. She sat up, her head spinning.

“Persephone!” Ariadne cried, racing toward her.

Behind her, the boar roared, breaking free of the final layer of thorns.

Persephone rose, unsteady on her feet, still aching from the impact of her fall.

“Run!” Ariadne yelled.

They raced along the dim corridor with the boar on their heels. Ariadne yanked her arm, pulling her through a break in the stone wall. Persephone hoped the sudden move would put distance between them and the boar, but then there was a terrible explosion, and rocks rained down on them as the creature crashed through the labyrinth wall.

They covered their heads and continued to run, their path now scattered with debris. Persephone’s foot caught on a stone.

“Persephone!” Ariadne screamed her name as she hit the ground.

The impact was jarring, the pain almost unbearable. As much as Persephone wanted to scramble to her feet, she didn’t think she could manage it.

Clutching her knife, she rolled onto her back as something large and black leaped over her and crashed into the boar.

A mix of deep growls and roars erupted, booming in Persephone’s ears. For a moment, she couldn’t take her eyes off the large creature engaged in battle with the boar.

“Persephone, let’s go!” Ariadne said, pulling her to her feet, but as they started to race away, the boar’s deep growls turned into something that sounded like a high-pitched oink, and then it was suddenly silent.

Persephone slowed, and so did Ariadne as they lookedback only to find Galanthis sitting in front of the still form of the boar, licking her paw. After a moment, she looked up, her green eyes like pale lights in the distance.

“Meow,” she said as if greeting them.

Then she rose and disappeared into the darkness.

Persephone took a step forward, calling after the cat…orcreature…whatever it was. “Galanthis!”

But she soon returned with Persephone’s spool clutched between her teeth, thread unwinding as she walked.

“In case there are mice, huh?” Ariadne asked.

Persephone exchanged a look with the mortal and shrugged. Then her eyes fell to Ariadne’s arms, which were covered in bleeding gashes. Dark spots stained her shirt too.

“Are you all right?” Persephone asked, frowning.

Ariadne nodded, but there was a distant look in her eyes before they rolled into the back of her head. She swayed, and Persephone lunged to catch her. She managed to lower her to the ground before she started to feelwrongtoo.

Fuck.

“Ari?” Persephone said her name, though her tongue felt swollen in her mouth. It was like all the moisture in her body had been used up.

“Don’t let it keep you,” Ariadne said, her voice sounding far away.

“What do you mean?” Persephone asked, confused, but there was no answer.

Her head spun, and before long, she found she was lying on the ground amid the broken stones and sandy earth.

Something furry touched her leg, followed by a muted meow.

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