Page 54 of Fireline

A high-pitched mewl stopped Nova in her tracks.

She squinted into the haze. Wide eyes peered out of the brush near the base of a tree. Nova recognized the round ears and mottled coat.

A mountain lion cub.

And where there was a cub, its ferociously protective mother wouldn’t be far behind.

As if on cue, a blood-chilling growl rumbled behind her.

Adrenaline spiked through Nova’s battered body. She made a slow, awkward turn on her twisted ankle.

A sleek and powerful female mountain lion stared at Nova. Her ears were pinned back. Body crouched low to the ground. Hindquarters raised. Tail twitching.

“Okay, mama. I’m a human, not dinner.” She kept eye contact and spoke in a loud, assertive voice. “You stay there. I’ll leave you and your baby alone.”

Too bad she didn’t have a frozen steak in her leg pocket today. Or maybe it was a good thing.

She began backing up. Slow and easy. She didn’t dare turn her back.

The cub’s cries sharpened.

“Go! Go take care of your baby! Go on!” Nova waved her arms. “Get outta here before the fire?—”

The soil dissolved beneath her boots, and she was swallowed up by darkness.

A scream lodged in her throat.

Arms windmilling, she grappled for something to stop her fall.

Nova landed hard on crumbling shafts of wood. The planks under her back gave way, and she careened down a rough slope. Jagged splinters pierced her skin and snagged her uniform. She tumbled over a staggered wooden barrier and slid to a stop.

Nova planted her hands and pushed off the ground, forcing herself to sit. She spat rotted sawdust into the dirt beside her. Every breath sent shards of stabbing pain through her ribs. She had to suck air between her teeth just to get her mind to quit spinning.

Nova looked around, but all she saw was darkness and the faint shadows of the pile of rubble that had collapsed in.

She was trapped.

Buried alive.

She fumbled for the tiny flashlight in her pocket. Her hands shook but she managed to drag it out. A flick of the switch yielded no light. She banged it on her palm. Really? Nothing?

“Blast!” She threw the useless thing against the wall, and the clattering sound echoed into the darkness.

Breathe, just breathe…

Wait. Didn’t miners die breathing toxic gasses in caves?

Stop. Just…stop.

There were tunnels and caves all over these mountains. Surely she could find her way out of here.

She scanned the shadowy outlines of rocky debris blocking the way back. No way could she dig through that barricade with her injuries. Even if she had the strength, those unstable mine workings could collapse and crush her.

Which left her with only one choice.

Face the unknown darkness—pray for another exit.

Nova crawled to the nearest wall and dragged herself upright. Her head swam, and she had to brace a hand to stay upright on unsteady legs while she fought the encroaching unconsciousness.

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