Page 269 of Red Ruin

With less background chatter from their silks, I can sense the pulse more clearly. “See the gold? It flashes almost every twenty seconds. Wait for it…there.”

I turn to meet a wall of blank stares.

“Nothing flashed,” Cherise says slowly.

“Except my life before my eyes,” Tan mutters. “Again.”

Great.

Just me, then?

I sigh. “Retreat to the wall and hope that I’m wrong.”

This time, the Sentinels don’t snap to obey.

“Is it safe for you to do this alone?” Reyes asks.

Simms glances upward. Then he scoops up Tan and breaks into a jog, dashing for the exit. “Sun’s down. They’re coming for her.”

“Shit.” Reyes turns to run. “Everyone out.”

The squads scatter.

I have a few more seconds left of mental quiet.

I creep forward.

The egg rocks.

I kneel close enough to touch the shell, but I keep my hands to myself. My silks aren’t as easy to control.

They pop out to wriggle, making me shiver with that itchy, nosy, instinct that says someone needs our help.

Godsdamnit.

Someone?

The egg responds to my presence. The pulsing movement isn’t shifting light.

Soul-silks as fragile as ancient spiderwebs flash in and out, tangled in a hopeless layer of knots. The wisps of undead magic aren’t what leave me shivering.

“Hello?” I whisper-call.

A weak pulse rolls beneath the scales.

My pulse picks up.

I catch the vaguest sense of a scattered mind, but the resonance feels weak, even to me.

The energy grays out while I watch.

Whatever’s inside the egg is fading.

I’m not sure if that’s good or bad, but I’m not taking any risks.

Slowly, I back away.

Before I get far, my foot snags.

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