Knightqueen

Chapter 8

Carys stared out over the yawning abyss.

It reflected how she felt inside.

Empty.

No, that wasn’t true. Deep down, she wasn’t empty. Far within lay a hard ball of hurt.

Sten stepped up beside her, scowling as he scanned the mine.

“We could cross the chasm using the mine railway line.” She tried to keep her tone brisk and businesslike.

“It looks too dangerous. We can’t risk it failing. I suggest we go back out the way we came in.”

She nodded. “As you wish.”

She knew her tone was cool and stilted, but right now, she couldn’t make herself care. She watched his shoulders stiffen.

He shot her a frustrated glance, but she turned away. She couldn’t deal with his feelings on top of her own right now.

“Carys—”

She started walking. “We should get moving, Thorsten.” Something twisted in her chest. He might have hurt her, but she still loved the man. “How’s your injury?”

“It’s almost healed thanks to whatever you did to it.”

“Good.”

He’d restocked his pack with what he’d found in the mining gear, and swung it over his shoulder. They walked in silence back toward the entrance. The art on the wall looked duller today.

When they neared the mine entrance, a loud clang echoed through the tunnel.

They froze, and Sten grabbed her bicep.

There was another clang.

“Someone’s trying to break through the door,” he said.

The Gek’Dragar.

Of course, they did everything with brute force. She glared at the doorway, the need to fight them churning inside her.

Sten swiveled and pulled her back down the tunnel. “We have to find another way out.”

Her heart rate picked up. Right now, they were trapped between the enemy and a really deep hole.

“Armor on.” As he said the words, his armor formed, snapping into place on his body.

With a simple thought, Carys activated her own armor. It felt so good to have full control of her implants again. She watched the black flow down over her arms and legs.

Back at the chasm, Sten shoved his hands on his hips.

“We have to risk the mine rail,” she said.

A muscle ticked in his jaw.

“Sten, we’re out of options.”

He gave her a brisk nod.

They hurried toward the platform where several mine carts sat, hanging from the mine rail. As they neared, she saw more of the metal track. It was rusty in places, and covered in dust. Her stomach clenched.

“Uh, it’s not in great condition.”

“No.” His tone was unhappy. “But the Gek’Dragar are definitely not safe. Like you said, we’re out of options. I haven’t found any other way out of here. I looked while you were sleeping.”

While she’d been lying in that bed alone and he’d been avoiding her. She steeled herself and nodded.

Sten stepped into the first cart. It hung off the rail above and there were two seats in front of a control console. A huge empty cart dangled underneath for carrying the mining ore.

She stepped inside, then heard shouts echo through the mine.

The Gek’Dragar were inside.

Sten dropped onto one seat. “Come on.”

The cart wobbled a little as she slipped onto the seat beside him. The chasm yawned ahead of them.

Stars, if the rail broke…

It was going to be a long drop.

Focus, Carys. Stay positive.

Sten touched the controls and the panel lit up.

“There’s power.” He pressed some buttons and the cart lurched forward. Carys gripped onto the console.

Then they started moving.

She decided not to look down. She focused her gaze straight ahead. They were halfway across the huge chasm when the shouts got louder. She looked back over her shoulder.

She saw several Gek’Dragar soldiers standing at the edge of the hole, pointing at them.

And lifting their weapons.

“Sten, down!” She yanked on his arm.

They both ducked as laser fire lit up the space around them. Sten shifted, covering her body with his. The cart rocked and came to a stop.

Her chest squeezed. She wasn’t going back to their prison.

Sten reached up toward the controls, but more laser fire hit.

“I could—” She didn’t finish. There was a low rumble of sound and vibration. She frowned. “What is that?”

“I’m not sure.” His fingers tightened on her arms. “It’s coming from…below us.”

She saw the Gek’Dragar had stopped firing, and were looking around in apparent confusion. The sound got louder.

“Sten.”

His hand engulfed hers and squeezed.

Suddenly, a cloud of large, flying creatures streamed up out of the mine. They filled the cavern.

Carys cried out. Wings flapped in her face, and tiny fangs ripped at her hair.

Sten smacked them off her, and covered her with his body again.

“Gul,” he gritted out.

The creatures kept streaming up, like a giant, black cloud. She heard the Gek’Dragar soldiers’ guttural shouts.

Sten swore.

Peering around Sten’s brawny arm, she saw three creatures clinging to a Gek’Dragar. They lifted the soldier off his feet, and the soldier kicked and screamed.

The creatures flew out over the chasm…then dropped the soldier. The Gek’Dragar screamed as he fell. Meanwhile, other creatures were tearing at the remaining soldiers.

“We need to get out of here.” Sten shifted back to the controls.

A second later, the mining cart started moving again.

A flying creature landed on the front of the cart and screeched.

Oh, stars. She realized it was an adult version of the cute little bats they’d seen earlier. But as adults, they were no longer fluffy or friendly. This one had a sharp beak and leathery wings.

She summoned an energy ball and threw it at the creature. It knocked it off the cart, its screech echoing down into the hole.

The cart picked up speed, clanging on the rail. They turned a corner and spiraled downward.

Her stomach dropped as they went faster and faster.

Suddenly, a rock wall loomed ahead.

“Sten!”

He cursed and thumped at the controls. “The cart won’t slow down.”

Her throat closed. They were careening right toward the rock wall.

Sten yanked her down. She clung to him.

She didn’t want to die.

Just as they neared the wall, a hole suddenly opened up in the center of it.

There was a door hidden in the rock! They’d clearly triggered some sort of opening mechanism.

They sailed through the arched gap.

Sten kepta tight hold on Carys as their mining cart zoomed into another cavern. There was enough light filtering in from somewhere for him to see thick, bronze veins of ore glowing in the walls.

Senum.

He arched his neck to look down. Below them lay another deep, yawning darkness.

Suddenly, the cart dipped downward like a wild ride. Carys screamed, and he tightened his hold. She clung to his shirt, fingers digging into his skin.

Thankfully, the cart evened out, and he blew out a breath. He had no idea where they were going, but at least they’d slowed to a more sedate pace.

Shakily, Carys pulled away from him. “Well, that was wild.”

She wouldn’t meet his gaze. Hadn’t since they’d woken up this morning.

His gut felt like it was filled with rocks.

He’d lied to her, and in the process, he’d hurt her. It’s for the best. His hands flexed. It was what he had to keep telling himself.

I am Knightguard Thorsten Carahan. It is my duty to protect my queen. I am her sword, her shield, and her devoted servant.

He’d spent years trying to lock down his feelings for her.

Now she wouldn’t even look at him.

Get her out of this safely.That’s all he could focus on right now.

The cart picked up speed again, and his gut lurched. “Stay down. We need—”

The low, rumbling noise grew again. More flying creatures were coming.

He cursed.

They streamed upward from the blackness like a nightmare. Sten formed an energy ball and threw it. They scattered, their wild screeches hurting his ears. The ball hit the rock wall, sending rocks tumbling down into the chasm. He threw another energy ball. This one clipped some of creatures, and he saw them slam into the rail above. The entire structure shuddered.

“Maybe don’t knock the already unstable mine rail down,” Carys said with a gasp. “At least not while we’re hanging from it.”

He grunted.

Thankfully, the cloud of flying creatures arrowed downward and disappeared.

“I see light ahead.” She leaned forward. “What is that?”

A bluish glow lay in the distance, growing brighter.

Suddenly, the cart jolted to a hard stop.

Sten staggered, but managed to catch himself.

Carys wasn’t as lucky.

In horror, he watched her lose her balance, waving her arms. Then she tipped over the edge of the cart with a sharp cry.

“Carys!” He lunged forward.

He gripped the control console with one hand and thrust his other arm over the edge. He caught her hand and held on tight.

She hung below him. Thankfully she was a knight, so she didn’t kick or scream in panic.

“Sten…” Her voice was strained.

“I’ve got you.”

She looked down, then quickly jerked her gaze back to his. “Please, don’t let go.”

“I’ll never let you go.”

Stunning gold eyes stayed locked on his. “I know. I trust you more than I trust anyone.”

He felt a wrench in his chest, then hauled her up and back into the cart.

Crouched in the bottom, she blew out a breath and pressed a hand to her chest. “Let’s not do that again.”

Then he yanked her to him.

She was stiff at first, but then she relaxed. “I’m okay.”

Sten needed a second. He closed his eyes and held her tight. In his head, he kept seeing her fall over the edge.

There was no universe he could envisage without Carys in it.

Life wasn’t worth living without her.

And it was wasn’t worth living knowing he was the one who’d caused her pain. That he’d hurt her.

She hugged him back. “I’m all right, Sten.”

He squeezed her and pressed his face to her hair.

A minute ticked by. “We need to get the cart moving again,” she murmured.

It was hard, but he managed to loosen his hold. He let go of her, then cleared his throat.

She lifted a hand, and it hovered in the air for a moment. He pushed his face against her fingers, and she ran her fingertips over his jaw.

That small touch steadied him. He turned and focused his attention on the cart controls. “The power’s died.”

Her mouth flattened. “Do you think the Gek’Dragar will follow?”

“Yes, but at least it won’t be easy for them.” He swiveled, checking the cart. He grunted and opened a hatch at the back.

“What is it?”

“A manual control.” He unfolded a handle, then pushed, then pulled it. The cart inched forward. He started pumping the handle and found a rhythm. It wasn’t fast, but they were moving again.

The cart came around a corner.

“Stars,” Carys murmured.

A blue waterfall of liquid cascaded from one of the mine walls. It glowed brightly, part of it falling down over the rail and into the chasm.

“The mining fluid,” she breathed.

He cursed. “Gul, it’s hitting the rail line.”

She looked up and sucked in a breath. “You said it eats away at metal more slowly.”

“Yes. But we have no idea how long it’s been hitting the rail.”

“And we need to pass through it.”

She tapped a finger against her lips. “I can make an energy shield to deflect the fluid. Then we pass through it as fast as we can.”

It wasn’t a great idea, but it was the best they had.

He nodded. “Ready?”

She nodded back. “Ready.”

She lifted her palms and energy formed, threading together. Sten felt the prickle of power against his skin. A large, blue rectangle of a shield formed on her hands. She thrust it up above their heads. “Go.”

Sten worked the crank as fast as he could. She maneuvered close to him, her back pressed to his as she held up the shield. He crouched a little and kept them moving.

They shifted under the waterfall, and the fluid hit the shield. Carys braced. Several small droplets dripped off the metal, hitting the edge of the cart. It sizzled.

Gul. Sten saw the rail was about half the size it should be, partly eaten away.

If it broke…

He pumped his arm faster.

“We’re through.” She dissolved the shield and grinned.

“And look.” He pointed ahead.

A platform appeared out of the darkness. Beyond it, lay a tunnel entrance.

“Thank the knights,” she said. “I’ve had enough of this ride.”

All of a sudden, the cart lurched to the side, tilting wildly.

They both grabbed onto the seats and sides of the cart.

It was slanted on its side. Sten looked down at the yawning darkness below and gritted his teeth.

“Sten, the rail line isn’t going to hold much longer.” Her tone was low and urgent.

They had to hurry.

“Get into the front of the cart and get ready to jump.” He cranked the handle, and the tilted cart moved, metal screeching on metal.

She climbed up and perched on the front of the cart.

“Almost there,” he said. “Go!”

She leaped into the air, athletic and graceful. She landed on the platform with a roll.

There was a crack from overhead.

Sten felt the cart dip.

His luck had run out.

It was too far to jump from the back of the cart. If he moved, the cart would fall.

Suddenly, there was another screech, and the cart fell away from under his feet.

“Sten!” Carys’ scream echoed through the chasm.

He leaped straight up, using all his enhanced strength.

His hand closed around the main rail. He held on tight and looked down.

The falling cart was swallowed by the darkness.

Leaving him dangling.