Page 187 of Once the Skies Fade

He angled his head at me and flashed me an incredulous look like I had just asked a ridiculous question. “You didn’t attack me. A bit too obviously, if I’m being honest. Should have at least given me a scratch or a broken bone if you wanted to avoid raising suspicions.”

“You wanted me to hurt you?”

“Not my preferred source of pleasure, so no. Your shadows bypassing me made it clear you knew who I was and knew not to harm me, which means you were sent by Niko. I can’t risk my cover being blown, though. They cannot know who I am or why I am here.”

Despite all the questions this conjured in my head, I had no time to ask any of them. Matthias needed to get help, and he wouldn’t get that here.

“How do we get out of here without endangering you and your mission?”

Alek opened his mouth to answer, but Asher chimed in first. “And without getting ourselves killed.”

“You have trust issues, don’t you?” Alek asked, turning a bored eye to my friend. He didn’t wait for a response, though. “First thing you learn about living in the mountains: you never want to be trapped. We ensure every cave has a secondary exit at least.”

I looked around but saw nothing but solid walls peppered with anchor points and dangling chains.

Alek chuckled quietly. “Second thing you learn is to not make them obvious.”

At this he straightened up and strolled over to a pair of empty anchors in the corner. Gripping them with both hands, he turned them—one clockwise, the other counter. The wall let out an airy hissing noise as hidden seams in the rock opened. With far less effort than expected, Alek pulled the section of the wall toward him and slid it to the side.

He turned and motioned toward the gaping hole, which was big enough for us to walk through. “This tunnel will lead you to a narrow mountain pass that we no longer use. Your friends will meet you there.”

“But how will you explain our escape?” I asked, more to save my own skin when I faced the nightwalker rulers again.

“Not your problem. I’ll take care of that on my end. You just need to get out and soon. Wait too long and you’ll lose the cover of nightfall.”

Nodding, I gestured for Asher to help me lift Matthias, but a voice stopped us short.

“You shouldn’t move him like that,” Ami said, pressing her fingertips to her temple as she slowly pushed to her feet, using the wall for support. “It’s too risky with his injuries.”

“Can you heal him?” I asked.

“Not without supplies or something to close up the wounds.”

“I might be able to help,” Asher said.

Chapter 94

Matthias

Ididn’t remember much after I tackled Alek and nearly burst my abdomen open—more open, anyway. Sliding in and out of consciousness, I heard bits and pieces of their conversation. Talking was usually more ideal than fighting, so we must not have lost. At one point the ground seemed to vibrate, sending stabbing pain through my upper back and down to my gut.

“Scales?”

That word pierced the darkness around me. I wanted to ask what that was about, but my body refused to let me open my eyes again, conserving my energy. I supposed not dying was more important than seeking clarification. I found enough energy, though, to bellow out a groan when something pressed hard against my belly.

Make it stop.

Just leave them hanging out.

I’ll find a way to live with my innards on the outside.

Once the pain subsided, my world tilted, forcing a grunt from my chest, and the same pressure—though thankfully less agonizing—settled on my back, and warmth wrapped around my torso. The rock floor floated away from me, replaced by firmgrips on my legs and arms as I slipped back into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Darkness enveloped me—so dark I was nearly convinced I’d lost control of my eyelids. Or I’d gone blind. At least I was out of that chair and seemed to be lying down. I shifted, surprised to find a luxurious, warm bed beneath me instead of the rough, unforgiving rock. Moving, though—even that small amount—seemed to tug at my larger wounds, not painfully, but noticeably enough. In fact, the pain had all but disappeared, and only a faint itch nagged at the two spots. My fingertips throbbed minimally, a blessing compared to the flames that had ripped through them before.

“Are you there, Killer?” I croaked out the words, my eyes searching the blackness for her.

Silence.

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