Page 80 of Diamond

I leave it to its fate, then look around for signs of where Nasrin could have gone before spotting multiple genali puddles below. I move toward them cautiously until I see a trail of red blood.

My hearts stop simultaneously. What could be happening? I grip my knife nearly tight enough to break and move closer.

I snatch one of thegunsfrom the puddles, then I break out into a run, gasping at what I realize are two trails of blood splatter. The green-haired woman must be with Nasrin and both are injured.

Judging by the greater amount of blood, they paused at an outcropping, then ran again. I follow, finding an injured genali and finishing it off with my blade.

I know I should be cautious, but I'm panicking at the amount of blood and break into a sprint, sliding down shale into a small valley. Up ahead, in the direction of their trail, I see two genali circling.

Did they find them? My chest squeezes and I almost charge right toward them, then remember thegunin my grip. It still feels awkward. Nothing like a bow, but I've gotten better at using it in the past few frantic minutes.

I raise it, still not quite sure how to best aim it and squeeze off multiple shots, the grip awkward in my hands.

One of them falls, but the other dodges to the side, moving behind a bush. I keep firing, but keep my shots high, not sure if Nasrin might be there too, just hoping to keep the genali pinned down as I sprint.

It works, and before I know it, I'm looming over the slime, bludgeoning it with the wooden part of thegununtil it stops moving.

Whipping around, I search for the women, but don't find them. Their trail clearly leads here, ending in a place where it looks like something leveled the bushes.

My hearts are pounding so hard I barely hear the sound, whipping back toward it and forcing my breathing back under control.

It comes again, this time making me realize it's underground.

It sounds like Nasrin and both of my hearts constrict.

I drop to my knees and listen for the direction of her voice, relieved when it seems to be more to the left. I dig my hands into the crumbled-up rocks and dirt, throwing them out behind me furiously until I see a gap of space. Her cries are much louder, making me realize that anything could have happened to her in the time I was away.

What was I thinking?

As if to fuel myself into more fear, all the things that could have happened to her in my absence start to go through my head. Scene after scene of all the possible ways she could be getting hurt keep going through my head like deadly projectiles. Just when I started to feel like my honor could be restored…

All I can do is hope I can get to her in time.

What if the green-haired woman in the chamber has been killed? Worse still, what if Nasrin has been crushed under a large rock or hurt by a dangerous, underground-dwelling animal? What will I say to Ree if I am unable to save either woman?

How will I live if Nasrin dies?

The thought of losing Nasrin leaves a bitter taste on my tongue and a clump of uncertainty sitting in my stomach.

I love watching her and listening to her speak and can't imagine losing her.

No, I will not let it happen and keep tearing at rocks and dirt.

I decide when I dig enough to see an opening that I will dive through and get her out. I lie down flat and reach my arm down as far as it goes to dislodge a particularly large rock that had been getting in the way. A little more effort and I have exposed a large enough section of the ground. I'm starting to get somewhere and my chest fills with joy.

I can hear her clearly now, the poor female shrieking her voice hoarse for a reason I have not yet figured out. She's yelling something out over and over in a language I don't know.

Her anguished cries are punching a hole in both of my hearts, and I stand up and push a foot into the gap, yelling out her name.

She doesn't seem to hear me.

I need to get there faster. I won't be able to forgive myself if anything happens to her or the emerald-haired woman.

Loose rocks fall through to make the gap even bigger, big enough for me to squeeze through and slide down to reach her.

Sand gets in my eyes and sharp rock fragments try to tear at my skin as I struggle to reach her, her voice getting louder the more I move through. The tight fit is terrible and the weird stone the ground is made of is scratching deep gouges all over my body, but I persist.

I want to anchor my legs, but the space is too small and I can only use one hand to push rocks away while the other stays pinned to my side.

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