Page 74 of Warrior

“I’m fine,” Harris rasped, followed by a violent cough.“You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” he gasped again, blood staining his lips.

Skylar turned to Marinah; her face streaked with tears.Her voice dropped to a desperate whisper.“Please don’t let him die.”

Marinah met her friend’s gaze, her silence speaking louder than words.

She knew as well as I did that it would take a miracle to save Harris.

Skylar looked away.

We kept moving, the narrow halls echoing with our footsteps.

When we reached a fork in the corridor, I stopped.“Which way?”

“Left,” Harris murmured so softly that even with my Warrior-enhanced hearing, I barely caught it.

Beast tensed inside me, his instincts silently giving a warning.

I froze and held up a hand.

A second later, the sound reached us.

Claws skittered against cement, closing in fast.

Hellhounds.

I pivoted, handed Harris off to Landan, and put myself between them and the threat.

“Run,” I growled.

Marinah’s head snapped toward me.She heard it too.

For once, she didn’t argue.

She grabbed Skylar’s hand and led them quickly down the corridor.They barely made it a few yards before Marinah skidded to a halt.Skylar nearly crashed into her.

“They’re coming from this direction too,” Marinah warned me.

Damn it.

The Federation’s plan was obvious now.

They were flooding the tunnels with hellhounds to wipe us out.

The tunnel lights flickered once, then cut out, plunging us into darkness.Beast’s power surged.He was ready for the fight.

“Stay close,” I growled, my voice cutting through the darkness.“We’re not dying here.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Marinah

Chills raced down my spine as the sound of scraping claws grew louder.It wasn’t just a few hellhounds.It was a horde and they had us trapped.

“We’re heading toward where they’re holding Labyrinth!”King shouted.“Form a chain.Marinah and I can see in the dark.”

King moved past us.He placed Mila’s hand firmly against his side until she clenched one of the leather straps.Skylar was next, her hand going to Mila’s shoulder, followed by Landan, who adjusted the dead weight he was holding so Harris’ body brushed against Skylar.

“Landan, stay close to Skylar,” I instructed.“She’s following Mila, who’s holding onto King.Don’t lose contact.”I ignored Ms.Beast’s grumble at a woman touching King.

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