Page 243 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
We’d escaped the passage, rushing out the exit from beyond the crater.
My vision still swimming, I drew my last arrow by instinct. Through the haze, I saw three figures remaining, Ryker facing them.
They looked even more menacing in the sun, as if no beings such as these should have existed. They belonged to the darkness.
Ryker raised his dagger at them. “Lay down your weapons and you will not be harmed.”
No, they would be interrogated until we sapped every drop of truth from them.
Time stopped as we waited, both of our weapons aimed at their masks.
In eerie unison, they raised their swords. But just when I thought they’d drop them, they impaled each other straight in the chest, the sickening sound of slashed flesh scratching against my bones.
They left no truth behind, only ash and questions.
Chapter
Fifty-Seven
ALLIE
The masks hadn’t even thunked onto the mounds of ash when Ryker rushed in front of me.
As soon as I laid my bow down, he engulfed me in his embrace.
My body still trembled from the rage of battle, but softened in his arms as I listened to his heartbeat like it was the song keeping me alive.
“You’re alright,” he chanted against my dusty, ashy hair. “You’re alright. I was so beyond myself when–”
He let go of me, hands on my shoulders. Even with his support I swayed on the spot.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. I hated what I heard in his voice.
Horror.
“The lights,” I mumbled. “They’re draining me.”
“Stop feeding them!”
“Can’t,” I slurred. “Warriors still inside.”
“Blasted Protectorate principles,” he said, sounding exasperated and proud all at once. His gaze slashed around us, looking for more enemies.
There were none.
Danger didn’t linger in the air anymore.
He guided me onto the ground gently and I let him, basking in the fresh air. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.”
He kissed my forehead–and somehow didn’t grimace at the ash covering my skin–before he dove back inside the passage. I turned to look, but there was no gaping mouth in the stone on this side.
Nothing but those menacing shards stood guard. The sun had barely peeked over the horizon. The sky still couldn’t decide if it wanted to be purple or blue or some other strange hue.
Not even an hour had passed since we’d entered the passage.
It had felt like an eternity.
My heart slowed down even further, in tune with the pulses in the passage. It was a struggle to keep my eyes open.
