Page 72 of Wicked Prince of Shadows
"It's not working!" Osric's voice cracked with panic as he grabbed the chain and began pulling as hard as he could.
"I know!" I struck harder, desperation fueling each swing. The rock shattered, crumbling into multiple pieces.
We were out of time. A cold finality spread through me, and I set my jaw. “Osric, get me that rock over there.” I pointed at the biggest rock I could see.
He seized it and ran back to me. His gaze darted from me back to Vetle. “What’re you going to do? That chain isn’t going to break.”
I braced myself, fear fluttering in my stomach. No. The rocks and chains were too strong to break in the time we had left, but…my bones could. “I need you to do something for me. I need you to focus very hard on Fahlda, all right? Cover your ears and focus on him. Look for every detail. It will help me save him.”
He scowled as he handed the coarse grey rock to me. “Why do I have to close my ears?”
“If you’re denied one sense, the others sharpen in response. So close your ears hard and just use your eyes.” My insides tightened.
His amber eyes flickered with concern, then he nodded. “All right.” He hesitated a breath more, then turned toward the chasm, pressing his hands over his ears, shoulders hunched against the wind.
My stomach twisted into a knot so tight I thought I might be sick.
I’d said I’d do anything. Now it was time to prove it.
I took off my shoe and shoved the side in my mouth. The foul taste coated my tongue as I set my teeth against the leather to keep from breaking my teeth. Then I lifted the rock in my left hand, positioning it carefully above my right thumb and bloodied wrist. A panicked breath escaped me.
The metal cuff gleamed dully in the red light.
I could do this.
I…had to do it.
Do it.
My fingers trembled. I gripped the rock tighter.
Just do it.
Do itNOW.
Clenching my eyes shut, I slammed the rock down on the base of my thumb and wrist. White-hot agony exploded through my hand as the bone gave way with a sickening crunch. My vision whited out for a heartbeat. I bit down hard on the shoe, crushing the scream that tried to tear from my throat into an agonized but muffled screech.
Tears streamed down my face as I gasped for air through my nose, my jaw clenched so tight against the leather my teeth ached. The rock slipped from my fingers and clattered against the boulder.
My thumb hung at an unnatural angle, already swelling. Nausea rolled through me in waves, and I had to breathe through it—slow, deliberate breaths that did nothing to dull the throbbing fire radiating up my arm. But I slipped myself free from the cuff, my blood helping ease the path.
I dropped the shoe from my mouth and choked back bile as I cradled my ruined hand against my chest. The pain was like a living thing, thrashing in my veins, pulsing with each heartbeat, but I was free.
"Osric!" I stumbled toward him and grasped his shoulder with my good hand. "We have to go. Now!"
He turned, his eyes going wide as he took in my bloodied, mangled hand. "Sabine, what did you?—"
"No time!" I pulled him back toward the narrow point of the chasm. I knew an eidon when I saw one. Vetle’s words about desperate and vengeful eidons echoed in my mind. And the face that had just shown itself above the chasm definitely wasn’t dead.
We ran as fast as we could toward the narrowest part of the chasm. My heart clenched, the darkness of the chasm calling to me. “Who did Fahlda make the deal with? Did you hear who it was?”
“I didn’t recognize the name.” Osric’s arms pumped at his side as he kept pace, his features drawn tight with worry. “But he was outside.”
“Did you hear anything else? See anything at all?” I asked.
“I—no. But everyone was surprised,” Osric responded. He kept pace with me though I was already panting. “You could ask Maltric. He saw. And he was surprised too. Really surprised.”
“Why’s that?” I asked, my gaze fixed on that narrow point. It was drawing closer by the second, the coarse terrain ripping beneath my feet.
