Page 5 of Tangle of Lust and Lethargy

“It’s a cave-in!” Brody’s voice cut through the chaos. “Everyone out!”

I caught a glimpse of his muscled arms wrapping around Zara’s waist. She released a startled yelp as he hurled her through the opening, her form disappearing into the dim light beyond.

A shadow loomed overhead. My heart leaped into my throat as I looked up to see a boulder easily the size of a small car plummeting toward me. Time seemed to slow as I braced for impact, the acrid taste of fear flooding my mouth.

But the crushing blow never came. Brody’s massive frame appeared, his arms straining upward. The veins in his neckbulged as he caught the immense rock, his legs trembling with effort. The ground beneath his feet cracked and splintered.

“Justice!” he roared. Sweat poured down his face in rivulets, his skin flushed deep red with exertion.

Justice stepped forward, his hand outstretched. “I can help?—”

“Get Sawyer and everyone else out of here now,” Brody cut him off, forcing the words between ragged breaths. His arms quivered violently, threatening to give way at any moment.

“Brody, no!” I screamed, and my throat constricted as realization dawned. “We can’t leave him!” I lunged forward, but Justice’s iron grip closed around my arm, yanking me back. His other hand latched onto Damon. With a powerful heave, he threw us both toward the exit.

I hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind from my lungs. I gasped, rolled over, and saw Brody still in the cavern. “No!”

Time seemed to slow as I watched him straining against the falling debris, his muscles bulging with effort. Our gazes locked one last time, and I saw fear and resolve in his eyes.

“Go!” he mouthed as the cavern gave way.

The sickening crunch of bone and rock melded with the roar of the collapsing cavern. As the dust settled, an eerie silence fell, broken only by the plink of smaller stones finding their resting place.

“Brody?” I whispered.

No response.

“Brody!” I screamed, my voice echoing off the jagged walls.

I scrambled over the debris, ignoring the sharp edges that cut into my palms and knees. My heart pounded in my chest, a frantic rhythm that seemed to mock the stillness around me.

Then I saw him.

Brody lay motionless, half-buried under a pile of rocks. His face was pale and still. Too still.

“No, no, no,” I muttered, clawing at the rocks covering him. “Don’t you dare do this, Brody. Don’t you dare leave us.”

As I pulled away the last stone, overwhelming sorrow smashed into me. Brody’s chest wasn’t moving. His eyes stared blankly at the cavern ceiling.

I had seen people die before, but not a friend.

A raw, primal scream tore from my throat. It echoed through the cavern, a sound of pure anguish that seemed to go on forever.

Rage boiled up inside me, a molten fury directed at the serpent, at the unfairness of it all, at my own helplessness to save him.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I choked out, my voice breaking. “We could have found another way.”

Tears streamed down my face, cutting tracks through the dust and grime, but I barely felt them. All I could feel was the burning in my chest, the hollow ache where my heart should be.

I reached out with a trembling hand and gently closed Brody’s eyes. “Thank you,” I whispered. “You saved us all. I swear, your sacrifice won’t be in vain.”

Justice knelt beside me and put his hands on my shoulders. “I’m sorry, Sawyer. He’s gone. We have to get out of here before more of us die.”

I nodded numbly. Grief threatened to crush me, but I forced it down. There would be time for mourning later. Right now, I had to honor Brody’s last act.

I allowed Justice to pull me to my feet on shaking legs. Brody had given everything to keep us safe, and I would make damn sure we finished what we started.

CHAPTER THREE

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