Chapter 24 #2
“Both, I suspect,” Thorne said, entering the long corridor. “We’ll have to check each one.”
Together, we crept down the central walkway, rows of iron bars flanking us. In the first cage, a cluster of four ghouls knelt around a fallen body. Wet, chewing noises rang out. Bile rose in my throat, and I gagged, turning away.
“The bastards are eating each other,” Drazen spat. “Flarking savages.”
The next cell contained a trio. Two males, one female. Eyes vacant, they stared at one another, drool running down their chins. At the sight of us, one of the males charged the bars, thrusting his arm out.
“Help me,” he groaned, the whites of his eyes shot through with black veins.
I glanced at Thorne, who shook his head. While not fully infected, this man was too far gone. We were too late. Was it also too late for Speck?
Cell after cell was the same. Each held captives twisted past saving. Not a one remained mortal. I was torn between praying we found Speck and hoping he wasn’t here.
“Serafina,” A guttural voice made me spin. Behind the bars, a familiar face stared back. She was one of the few from Gravestone that I’d called a friend.
“Rose,” I rushed forward, reaching for her outstretched hand.
“Sera, no!” Thorne yanked me against his chest, and the former maid belted out a keening wail.
“You,” she snarled, slamming her head into the bars.
“Rose, stop. You’re injuring yourself.”
“You.” Her forehead slammed against the metal, skin splitting. Black blood oozed from the wound.
Tears blurred my vision. “Oh, Rose. Not you too.”
“Come,” Kronk urged. “There is one more.”
We followed him to the last cell. One look at the expression on his face, and I dared not breathe. Only one captive occupied this space.
In the corner of his cage, he hunched protectively over the object he held. Wet, gnawing sounds filled the silence. Wrapped around his ankle was a filthy splint.
“Speck,” I called out, voice wavering.
Slowly, he turned. A headless rat dangled from his fist, its innards glistening where his teeth had torn them.
My stomach twisted violently. He lifted his head.
Instead of the honey brown eyes that used to greet me with joy, a pair of soulless black orbs took my measure. His lips drew back in a snarl.
“Speck?” My voice cracked. “It’s me.”
In a blink, he hurled himself at the bars, razor nails clawing the air. “Sera,” he shrieked, his cry a high-pitched wail.
I covered my ears, choking on a sob. That wasn’t him. It couldn’t be.
“Come away, Sera. There’s nothing you can do for him now.” Thorne grasped my elbow, and I shook off his grip.
“No!” I spun to face the men, fists balled. “I’m not leaving him here. Speck is coming with us.”
“To what end? The boy’s a monster,” Drazen said.
“I don’t care. I won’t leave him to rot.” I turned to Thorne, clutching the front of his shirt. “Please.”
He winced, glancing at the others. “One boy shouldn’t be too hard to carry.”
“One ghoul, you mean,” Drazen said.
“I will do it,” Kronk grasped the door of Speck’s cell as his flesh darkened, his skin turning to stone. Without straining, he tugged, popping the lock free.
He stepped into the cage, and Speck screeched, flinging himself at the athos. Sharpened claws and daggered teeth had no effect on Kronk. Quickly, he tied Speck’s wrists and ankles, then slung him over his broad shoulder like a sack of grain.
“Shut him up, will you?” Drazen barked. “Before he alerts the others.”
As if on cue, the captives erupted in a chorus of unholy screams until the cavern shook with noise.
“Too late,” Thorne winced, shouting. “Move!”
We raced back the way we’d come, sprinting past cells filled with enraged monsters. Arms thrust through the bars, sharpened claws reaching. Blackened eyes glared their rage while their screams threatened to deafen us.
At last, we burst free of the holding pen, stumbling into the tunnel. Speck continued to wail, so I ripped fabric from the hem of my shirt and used it to gag him.
“Follow me.” Kronk led us into the next corridor. Scuffing feet and the groan of undead voices resonated from the tunnel. The sort of sounds I’d come to associate with the ghouls. We skidded to a stop.
“Flark, they’re after us.”
“Now can I blast them?” Drazen huffed.
“Absolutely,” Thorne snapped. “Kronk, get her out of here.”
“What? No way. I’m not leaving you behind.”
“Come, Serafina.” Kronk scooped me up and tucked me against his hip, carrying me like a sack of turnips.
“Kronk, wait!”
From behind, a masculine whoop of glee rang out. Drazen? Fire exploded, an orange fireball illuminating the dark.
The ear-piercing screeches reached a fevered pitch. Tears stung my eyes. Those monsters were once people. Would this be Speck’s fate as well?
At last, Kronk stepped free of the darkness, into the root cellar. The stench of rotting produce was almost sweet compared to the monster’s lair. He set me down, and my legs nearly gave out. Stars swam in my vision, and I leaned against a shelf.
“Where are they?” Surely, Drazen and Thorne weren’t that far behind us.
Explosions sounded from the dark opening, along with the grind of crumbling rock.
My blood ran cold. “It’s caving in.”
“Here. Watch him.” Kronk dumped Speck beside me, then braced his hands against the tunnel walls. He closed his eyes, grunting. “The blasts fractured the rock. I will hold it as long as I can.”
“Drazen, Thorne, this way! Hurry!” I shouted into the dim cavern.
Their voices echoed, growing louder.
“Behind you,” Thorne barked.
“I see him.” Drazen.
“Run! The walls are coming down!”
I bounced on my toes, hands clenched to my chest. Yes. Yes. Run. Run.
Kronk’s powerful muscles shook as if he physically held up the weight of the tunnels. Sweat trickled down his brow. “Can’t hold it much longer.”
Drazen and Thorne burst from the collapsing tunnel, colliding with Kronk in a tumble of arms and legs. Rock thundered. Debris exploded into the room in a violent rush. I squinted through the cloud, waving my hand and coughing.
“Everyone okay?” I called out over the sounds of grunting and cursing.
“Get off of me,” Thorne snarled from the bottom of the pile.
The three untangled and lurched to their feet, patting dust from their clothes. I scanned them with a healer’s eyes. Other than some scrapes and bruises, they appeared relatively uninjured.
I breathed a shaky sigh. “Thank goodness you made it.”
If anything had happened to them, to Thorne… My throat tightened.
“That cave-in won’t slow them down for long,” he said, gaze flicking to Speck, who lay silent on the floor. “We should head back before nightfall. I sure as hell don’t want to get stuck here after we poked the hornet’s nest.”
I turned to the others. “Will you return to the mountain with us?”
Drazen offered me a rakish smile, taking my hand and kissing my fingertips. “As tempting as your invitation is, Kronk and I must leave at once. We need to warn Carcerem about the army we discovered.”
“I could fly you there,” Thorne said. “Once I have Serafina and her charge settled.”
“No,” Kronk was quick to answer, holding his stomach. “No more flying.”
“I’ll second that.” Drazen readily agreed. “I think we’ve had more than enough adventure for one day.”