Page 20 of Kingdom of Ashes & Bone
Zephyr snorted. “I told you, I’m the only one who can open it. Only royals can—”
His guffaws died in his throat as the wall slid open in the middle the moment my palms touched it. I darted inside as fast as I could, hearing his footsteps racing after me. Royals my ass. Perhaps it only opened forourpeople. Mud people.
“Close! CLOSE!” I screamed at the wall, slapping my hands up against it again. The underground groaned and shuddered, but began to close. Slowly. Too slowly.
I winced as Zephyr shoved his body toward me and only managed to get stuck. Horror bloomed in his eyes as the wall kept closing in, with him trapped in between.
“NO! OPEN BACK UP!” I screamed to no one, my palms scraping so hard against the stone that it left bloody trails in its wake. Something loud cracked in Zephyr’s chest, but then mercifully, the walls went out again. Zephyr collapsed.
Sobbing, I pushed his body back out into the corridor until he was clear of the tunnel. He was unconscious, but still breathing. “SOMEONE HELP!” I screamed, then ducked back into the tunnel. On second thought, I darted back out and grabbed the long knife from his hands.
“Close,” I breathed into the stone, ignoring the sting in my hands. Darkness fell all around me, and the last thing I saw through the narrowing crack was Zephyr’s eyes shooting open with a vicious and determined gleam.
ChapterSix
Well, that hadn’t been my plan at all. I’d wanted to secure the Nobles closer to the door and away from the healthy ones, and offer a way out for those who’d wanted it. Zephyr returning early put an end to that. And it’d spiraled out of control from there.
I sat down in the darkness of the tunnel, weighing my options. If I was going to escape, I might as well open the wall again and do it while Zephyr was hurt and not a threat to me. Then again, curiosity about the pit burned in me. Were the demons down there alive?
I suspected they were, and that there were other tunnels that connected to the old mines that they could use to travel in. How else would Zariah and I have uncovered nearly a hundred chittering demons that day?
I scooted forward slowly on my hands and knees, not wanting to risk falling down into the pit. My muscles burned and cramped from the uncomfortable position, but I wasn’t taking any chances as my hand slid across the rough stone. I heard the demons before my hand reached out. I touched only empty air.
As I dragged my body closer, the sound of chittering and growls grew. I don’t know what made me do it, but I gripped the edges of the hole with one hand and yelled down into the pit.
“Hello?”
The same pressure and feeling of unease I’d encountered in the cave with Zariah washed over me—a prickling sensation. It was as if my body were being covered in tiny insects. I tried to ignore it and push on.
“Anyone down there?”
A chorus of shrieks and screams met me, so loud and close that I pushed myself back away from the hole. I knew it was deep and they couldn’t escape—otherwise Zephyr wouldn’t have thrown them in there. But it was still terrifying.
“All right. So there’s a lot of you down there.”
I wondered just how many. And for how long? Did they eventually die? Find their way to the larger cavern?
“Mari? MARI! I know you’re in there! GET OUT HERE NOW!”
Shava’s muffled voice came from the other side of the stone, enraged. The pain in my chest had nothing to do with panic or anxiety. It was clear by the tone of her voice that I wouldn’t be given a chance to explain myself or argue; she’d already chosen her side. Even if I did, why would she choose me over her lover boy? And to be honest, it looked bad, really bad. No doubt Zephyr would fill Shava’s head with stories about how I tried to murder everyone, including him.
And it was insane, wasn’t it? How could I defend killing others even if it was for mercy and everyone’s safety? Clearly they didn’t understand it, or they would have done it already. Zephyr hadn’t seen the desperation in the Noble’s eyes. Shava hadn’t seen the relief in the eyes of the women and children as I moved them further away from the Nobles who were turning.
Or perhaps they did see it and chose to ignore it.
I couldn’t ignore it. I wouldn’t ignore it.
Which left one option.
The walls and floor beneath me groaned with effort as the door slowly creaked open, Zephyr was conscious enough to open it for Shava. I let out an inappropriate giggle. If mud blood opened it, then so could Shava. Funny how Zephyr never mentioned that to her, eh?
“I can’t believe you’d do this! I thought you were my friend!” Shava’s voice grew louder, though still subdued by a dozen feet of rock, but becoming clearer as the pathway opened. Her whip cracked against the stone, further emphasizing the rift in our friendship.
I thought you were my friend,my mind whispered, but there was nothing for it. Before I lost my nerve I plunged forward.
I jumped into the pit.
* * *
