Page 110 of The Delver
Bright rays of sunlight, nearly blinding in their intensity, struck him as he climbed. And after the time he’d spent understone, being here with sunshine streaming through breaks in the canopy seemed unreal. All this light, all this life, all this air…
It made his chest constrict, and he shuddered, overwhelmed by a tangle of powerful emotion.
He and Callie had come so close to death, so close to joining the thornskull delvers in that final, endless slumber. But they were alive.
They were home.
And Callie washis.
When he reached the platform at the top, thornskulls had already begun gathering on the nearby platforms, and a small crowd was racing across the rope bridge with Rekosh, Telok, and Ketahn in the lead.
An odd sense of lightness swept over Urkot. He stepped forward, feeling as though his legs would float off the wooden planks at any moment and carry him into the sky. Urkot could see the humans behind his shadowstalker brothers, and Nalaki and Garahk, the leaders of Kaldarak, behind them. After making his bond with Callie, he’d thought his hearts couldn’t possibly feel fuller.
He’d been wrong.
But the weight of his own body crashed down upon him, eightfold as heavy, as soon as his friends reached the platform. His forelegs gave out under that burden, and he stumbled.
He threw his lower arm back to ensure Callie didn’t fall as Rekosh and Ketahn darted forward, catching Urkot’s upper arms and steadying him.
With his friends supporting him, he could rest. Could finally rest…
“You have looked better, stoneskull,” Rekosh said the merest quaver in his voice.
Urkot chittered weakly. “Still look better than you, needlelegs.”
Telok stood before Urkot with eyes narrowed, his mandibles twitching. Tension pulsed from him in withering waves.
“We thought you both dead,” Ketahn said, a shiver coursing through him as he squeezed Urkot’s arm.
The humans stepped onto the platform—Ivy holding Akalahn, followed by Lacey, Ahmya, Diego, Will, and Cole.Several of them had red, watery eyes, as though they’d been crying.
As though they’d been mourning.
“Callie, Urkot! Oh, my God.” Ivy stopped beside Ketahn, holding her broodling with one arm while placing her other hand gently on Urkot’s shoulder.
“I knew you guys were alive,” Cole said, the words oddly thick.
Ahmya covered her mouth as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I’m gonna start kicking some asses for scaring the living shit out of us,” Lacey said, her glistening, glaring eyes flicking between Urkot and Callie. “You guys can’t keep doing this to me.”
Behind Urkot, Callie sniffled. “So glad to see all of you.”
The sound tugged at Urkot’s heartsthread.
“Callie needs aid,” Urkot rasped, looking at Diego. “She is?—”
“Shit.” Diego hurried forward, brow furrowed, with Will close behind. He leaned close to inspect Callie’s bound leg.
“Looks worse than it is,” Callie said.
Urkot could almost feel the soft, reassuring smile she must’ve forced onto her lips to counter just how thin her voice sounded.
“Sure, it does,” Diego said, sounding not at all convinced. “Will, help me get her down.”
“I will carry her to your den.” Urkot strode forward.
Or at least he’d meant to. Ketahn and Rekosh’s easy hold proved more than he could overcome, and he didn’t move a thread’s width.
