Page 41 of Witch Unbound
Okay…That was good, right?
But my gut said otherwise, because why would they stop so abruptly? My question was answered a moment later as huge, hulking shapes appeared on the horizon to the east.
They were moving fast and headed my way. Legs, so many legs. No. Hell no.
I broke into a jog, thighs trembling, knees giving way every other stride. How much blood had I lost?
The spiders were close enough to make the ground tremble.
Fuck this place. Fuck it.
Maybe Jasper was back home? The thought sent a fresh flood of energizing adrenaline through my limbs.
Jasper could be home.
I needed to get back to him.
The ground in front of me opened up, and a hairy beast, all legs, fangs, and too many eyes, leapt at me.
My scream came out as a terrified gurgle and then the fucker was on me. Gloop spattered my chest, stinging and burning as it seeped into my existing wounds. Fangs scraped my arm and fire raced under my skin.
Poison?
I needed to get my dagger from my boot.
My boot…
The gem.
The spider’s fang.
I dropped to the ground, hand fumbling for the gem as the spider reared up, ready to spear me.
Come on. Come on!
My fingers closed around it, and as the spider’s fangs rushed toward me, I brought the gem up and smashed it against the tooth with all my might.
Green light exploded outward, saturating my vision, and then a fist closed around my torso and yanked me away from the spider.
Away from the abyss.
Just…away.
* * *
TOR
Her pain leads us to a silent street, to a nondescript door. I bang hard on it with my fist, but no one answers.
“She’s in there,” Leif says. “She’s through there.”
“A gateway?” Rune ponders. “This must be the door Lauris opens to get into Shady Lane.”
We all double over as another wave of Cora’s pain hits us.
“We break it.” I take several steps away from the door and then charge it. My shoulder slams the wood and the structure shakes but holds.
“No ordinary door,” Leif says.
