Page 158 of Emperor of Wrath

There’s no way out. At least not through there.

“Well,” I smile weakly, turning to stroke the hair out of his face. “At least the water’s stopped?”

Kenzo’s eyes remain closed. His head drifts side to side again.

“It’s not the water,” he croaks. “It’s the air…”

I shiver. “What about the air?”

“Old chemicals…unexploded ordinances releasing toxic shit for decades…” He swallows again. “Without airflow…” His haggard, pale face swivels to mine and his eyes crack open a slit. “When—when you taste rotten eggs on your tongue,” he mumbles. “That—that’s when our timer starts.”

It’s only then that I realize the air is completely still. Before the blast, down below, you could feel it moving over you faintly, like someone left a door open.

Not anymore.

I turn to look back down the pitch-black tunnel, gaping like a demon’s maw.

There has to be a way out. Or maybe we can escape via the caved-in floor.

Whatever it fucking takes, we are getting the fuck out of here.

“I’m going to find us a way out,” I whisper quietly, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

His hand slips around my wrist, holding me as tightly as he can right now.

“Valon…” he breathes. “He might…”

I reach down and wrap my fingers around the hilt of his sword from where I’ve laid it on the ground next to him. It makes a smooth, metallic sound as I drag it from its sheath.

“I’ll be careful,” I whisper as I kiss his cheek again.

I check the makeshift bandage over his wound. The blood has soaked completely through it. But it does seem to be buying us some time.

We’re going to need it.

Standing, I turn to face the darkness, sword in hand. My heart thuds in my chest as my eyes pierce the gloom. Slowly, I make my way forward, ignoring every terrifying childhood nightmare that comes screaming out to play.

I make it fifteen steps before I come to a brick wall in front of me. The passage turns ninety degrees to the left, so I follow it. When it turns again, I keep going, trying to reach out into the blackness on either side of me to see if there are other doorways or passages.

When I hear the crunch of stone underfoot, my entire body goes rigid and still, my heart climbing into my throat as vicious terror claws up my spine.

I’m not alone.

The crunching sound comes again. I ignore the screams in my head. I hold back the vomit that wants to hurl from my stomach as pure horror engulfs me. Instead, I shrink against the wall next to me. My fingers wrap tight around the hilt of Kenzo’s sword as I try to hold my breath, listening.

A cold, wheezing chuckle floats out from somewhere in the darkness.

It’s alarmingly close.

“Oh, don’t go quiet yet, puppet…”

Oh God…

Valon’s voice floats out of the inky dark, like an evil spirit hanging in the air.

“I know you’re there…”

Keep moving. Don’t get trapped.

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