Page 66 of Trapped By Claws
If the King of the North Sea wanted Corvin to suffer, he couldn't have asked for more. On and on we moved through dark waters. Three times we reached more open waters in the cave. Corvin moved slower and slower each time, but he guided us into the right passage each time.
This last time I felt his heartbeat racing faster, as if he had been running. Even with all my attempts to help, it wasn't enough. He was fading.
Somehow the lack of the stones around us and the wriggling through the chasm had become terrifying as well. I forced my eyes open as I felt his kicks weaken.
Then I saw it.
My blood chilled.
Below us moved pale lights. Lights like our orb. They were writhing in the space below us, wriggling through the tunnels.
I patted Corvin's shoulder and gestured downward, my lungs burning as if I had inhaled fire.
He twisted his head down as Tagger darted up. His muscles tensed, his arms tightening around me.
He pushed the orb into my hand. I took it in my numb fingers.
He kicked harder and faster, pushing us into a small passage that grated over my backside and thighs. I wriggled and pulled along with him, trying to help propel us into the next air pocket.
He spasmed, his head and back cracking against the coarse rock.
The other claw!
I tasted his blood in the water. Felt him go limp. His right side stopped moving completely, the arm about my waist loosening.
I seized him tight, the fingers of one hand digging into his tunic and the others wrapped tight around the pale-blue orb.
We weren't going to die down here.
Not like this!
I kicked and struggled, wriggling and tugging up—up—up.
My head broke the surface first. I jammed the pale-blue orb into a crevice in the wall above the water and dragged Corvin up the rest of the way.
He'd gone almost entirely grey. Water ran down his face, his lips parted. His hair covered his eyes. I had to drag him along the narrow tube to make room for Tagger to get up.
Tagger emerged, chattering and squeaking. He immediately nuzzled Corvin and nipped at his chin.
"Corvin, come on, it's all right," I rasped. I leaned him against the wall. The water was shallow enough we could sit. But something was coming. I could feel it.
Hands shaking, I groped in the water for a rock. Nothing moved. More holes opened up in the floor. Visions of something lunging up and snatching me filled my mind—sharp teeth, bulging eyes, heavy claws.
My shaking fingers at last found a rock that moved. I dragged it over to block the hole we'd crawled through. It slid partially through and then wedged into place. Bad news for anyone else. A flare of fear pulsed through me as I imagined encountering a similar obstacle.
Corvin's breathing had grown dangerously shallow. He trembled as if he had chills. "Mena," he whispered.
I curled against him, hugging him close. "You can do this. You can do this, Corvin. Just breathe through it. Breathe. Keep breathing! The mate bond is working. I could feel it when wewere in the tunnel. My lungs aren't burning as much. That's got to mean you're getting closer too." Closer—and yet he still had more venom-dipped claws to go.
His left arm wrapped around me. He nuzzled me. "Runes—three slashes and the arrowhead," he murmured thickly. "Fifth chasm down. Two up."
I nodded, though my heart screamed. I wanted to be out of this place. Out of this tight, awful, cold darkness. My breaths shuddered in my chest as I put down those fears and stroked the hair back from his face. "I'm not leaving you."
"You should." He shook his head weakly. "Can barely feel the right side of my body. I'm sorry. It's time now, clever girl. Take Tagger. Get to?—"
I kissed him. The salt of the water mixed with the salt of my tears as I held him tight. "I'm never leaving you."
He smiled weakly. "Tagger," he said, trying to pet the otter. "Tagger, if anything goes wrong, take Mena to air." His gaze slid to me, then his eyelids started to slide shut.
