Page 28 of The Claiming

“It is at certain points before it opens up.”

We reach a dead end and she huffs, “What, did we go the wrong way?”

“As if.” I reach around me and, as I find the opening, I push the stone aside with a grunt.

“Seriously.” She gasps as the huge stone scrapes against the dirt. “How was I supposed to know one of them was loose?”

“You weren’t.” I chuckle softly. “You’re lucky I’m showing you. The monks were clever and didn’t make it easy for their prey, which explains why nobody ever got away.”

I crawl through the narrow hole and then stand, the height of the roof allowing me to stretch my legs. As Cassie joins me, she breathes a sigh of relief as the light hits us from all angles. “Daylight.”

“Barely.”

I glance up at the hole in the roof and she shivers, the cold air reminding me we are barely dressed. In an act of chivalry, I pull her close against me, adding, “Shared warmth. I don’t want you catching anything before the main event.”

She remains silent, but her expression reflects her gratitude for the gesture as she shifts a little closer, grateful for the heat I share with her.

“Now what?” She asks, as she shines her torch to the end of the passageway.

“This is where it splits. There are five tunnels. Four lead to nothing, one to the river. This is where many escapees met their damnation because this–” I shine my light on an iron door set into the stone. “This is where the centurions were hiding. They used it to watch which tunnel the prisoner took and unless they selected the one to freedom, they merely waited for them to reappear. If they took the correct one, the centurion gave chase immediately, effectively preventing the escape.”

“Unless the prisoner was faster, of course.” She snaps and I shake my head.

“You’re forgetting the prisoner was weak. This was the final step to hell because by now he was tired, starved of food, air, and water. He must have been here for several weeks and his limbs would be slower. The centurion had the advantage and would capture him easily, using his strength to disable the prisoner and drag him back to the chamber.”

“So, in your challenge, do you wait here and do the same, or do you play fair and retrace the footsteps of whoever you are chasing?”

I push against the door. “See, this door hasn’t opened for generations. We can’t find the key and despite our best efforts, we have been unable to pick the lock. There are no unfair advantages in The Claiming, Cassie. It’s a challenge in which victory is earned fair and square.”

She glances at the tunnels.

“I can see why you limited the number of competitors. I can’t imagine what it will be like with ten people down here.”

I shrug. “Not all of them will make it to this point. Many of the girls are using it as an excuse to be exclusive. The guys won’t be interested in anything other than what The Claiming involves. Only the determined will reach it this far, and I’m hoping you are one of them.”

“Of course.” She glares at me angrily. “I don’t want to play your stupid game for any other reason than proving I am better than you.”

“Who said I was taking part?”

I drop that into the conversation and the shock on her face makes me laugh inside. Outwardly, I remain disinterested and she gasps, “I thought–”

“You assumed, Cassie.” I head toward her and, lowering my lips to her ear, I whisper, “And that is a basic mistake. Never assume anything. Always plan for the unexpected. I thought you knew that.”

I sense the fury coming off her as she hates knowing I’m right. Cassie will be angry with herself. I already guess that and she sighs, pulling away as she returns her attention to the tunnels with a sharp, “Here’s hoping you aren’t involved.”

I dim my smile because we are aware what a lie that was. She can fight it all she likes, but Cassie wants me as much as I want her and there will only be one outcome from this and we both know it.

The atmosphere shifts as she attempts to regain control and hisses, “Okay. I’m choosing the fifth tunnel.”

“For what reason?”

I’m interested in her judgment and she says with thoughtful consideration.

“The air is less stifling coming from it, which tells me there is more oxygen in the air. The wall inside the entrance is cooler than the others, telling me there is more moisture.”

I’m impressed by her deduction. “Then off you go. I’ll follow you.”

She says nothing and as she holds her phone in her mouth, she crawls into the tunnel, her ass waving like a written invitation in front of me and with a shit-eating grin, I set myself behind her, knowing that following her will be a pleasure I wasn’t expecting today.

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