Page 157 of Emperor of Wrath

“Hang on,” I mutter, pulling the belt tighter to make sure it’s in place.

“Annika. The water.”

I turn my head, half-expecting a tsunami to come surging over the lip of the metal walkway. But when I look, I realize the room has gotten a lot quieter.

The water isn’t rising anymore.

I get to my feet and move to the walkway. When I gaze down, the water looks to have leveled off three or four feet below us.

Thank. Fucking. God.

I go back over to Kenzo and kneel next to him. My brow worries as I push his hair out of his pale face, peering into his hooded eyes.

“How do you feel?”

He smirks quietly. “Just peachy, princess.”

I smile wryly, but I can feel my heart clenching as I stroke his face and lean down to kiss him softly.

He…doesn’t look good.

At all.

“Annika…” His eyes close, open, and then close again. His head falls back against the wall. “Annika, where…”

“I’m right here,” I choke, taking his hands in mine and squeezing. I lean down and kiss him again, hating the weakness I feel in his soft lips.

We need to get out of here and get help now.

“Valon…” Kenzo rasps out. “Where…”

“He’s gone?—”

“No,” Kenzo groans, shaking his head slowly. “I saw him run.”

Cold, naked dread creeps up my spine.

“What?”

“Before…” His jaw clenches and he grunts in pain. “Before the blast… He kicked that duffel bag away and ran into the tunnel behind him.”

The creeping sensation on my spine intensifies as I glance behind us, half expecting to see the monster lurking right there.

Then I swallow, staring down the dark tunnel into the abyss.

“I’m going to see where this leads?—”

“Nowhere,” Kenzo murmurs quietly. His eyes are closed as he slowly rocks his head back and forth against the bricks. “It leads nowhere.”

“I can find a way?—”

“It’s a maze, princess,” he whispers quietly. “Mal and I used to explore these old bunkers when we were younger.” His head rolls side to side again. “Up here on this level, there are dozens of tunnels”…his throat bobs…“leading to empty rooms, dead ends, traps…”

His eyes flicker open and then shut again.

His breathing is getting shallower.

My pulse thuds as I glance down the tunnel again.

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