Page 40 of Knightqueen

Crouched in the bottom, she blew out a breath and pressed a hand to her chest. “Let’s not do that again.”

Then he yanked her to him.

She was stiff at first, but then she relaxed. “I’m okay.”

Sten needed a second. He closed his eyes and held her tight. In his head, he kept seeing her fall over the edge.

There was no universe he could envisage without Carys in it.

Life wasn’t worth living without her.

And it was wasn’t worth living knowing he was the one who’d caused her pain. That he’d hurt her.

She hugged him back. “I’m all right, Sten.”

He squeezed her and pressed his face to her hair.

A minute ticked by. “We need to get the cart moving again,” she murmured.

It was hard, but he managed to loosen his hold. He let go of her, then cleared his throat.

She lifted a hand, and it hovered in the air for a moment. He pushed his face against her fingers, and she ran her fingertips over his jaw.

That small touch steadied him. He turned and focused his attention on the cart controls. “The power’s died.”

Her mouth flattened. “Do you think the Gek’Dragar will follow?”

“Yes, but at least it won’t be easy for them.” He swiveled, checking the cart. He grunted and opened a hatch at the back.

“What is it?”

“A manual control.” He unfolded a handle, then pushed, then pulled it. The cart inched forward. He started pumping the handle and found a rhythm. It wasn’t fast, but they were moving again.

The cart came around a corner.

“Stars,” Carys murmured.

A blue waterfall of liquid cascaded from one of the mine walls. It glowed brightly, part of it falling down over the rail and into the chasm.

“The mining fluid,” she breathed.

He cursed. “Gul, it’s hitting the rail line.”

She looked up and sucked in a breath. “You said it eats away at metal more slowly.”

“Yes. But we have no idea how long it’s been hitting the rail.”

“And we need to pass through it.”

She tapped a finger against her lips. “I can make an energy shield to deflect the fluid. Then we pass through it as fast as we can.”

It wasn’t a great idea, but it was the best they had.

He nodded. “Ready?”

She nodded back. “Ready.”

She lifted her palms and energy formed, threading together. Sten felt the prickle of power against his skin. A large, blue rectangle of a shield formed on her hands. She thrust it up above their heads. “Go.”

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