Resurgent (The Shattered Veil #2)

Veiled Recap

Annalise

“Tyr, if this doesn’t work, I’m so sorry. You mean so much to me. Please tell Mattey I love him, and that I’ll always love him.”

I hear him roar, not just in my head, but far off in the distance outside of the cave. But I know even if I waited for him to get here, he wouldn’t be able to make it to me this deep into the cave.

With a scream of pleasure and pain, I rip the dagger from my leg, using the endorphins from my orgasm to muffle the agony threatening to tear me apart.

In one shaky motion, I slam the blade into the back of Platt’s head, angling it back toward me, and bite down on Web’s swelling shaft until I hear a pop.

Platt doesn’t move, not that I expected him to after plunging his dagger into his brain stem, but Web’s fist slams into my face the second I shove off of him.

I won’t have long before this eye is swelling shut, too.

Web crumples, clutching his broken and bleeding dick. He’s curled over himself, his forehead almost touching the ground as he rocks in pain. The cave is practically silent until he tries to sit up, then his agonized screams engulf the cavern.

Every tiny movement sends more blood gushing from the gaping wound in my thigh. In any other situation, I’d already have a tourniquet on it—but I have nothing. No tools. No time. I need to get out before he sees me.

Using the wall for leverage, I try to push myself upright. The cave spins, my good eye blurs, and my injured leg buckles so hard that I nearly go down again. If I go down, I don’t know if I’ll be able to get back up, so I clamp my teeth together and will my legs to support me.

I need to get to the old Ghost Walking clearing. I don’t know if the classroom is still hidden or not, but it’s the best chance I have of escaping. I’ll pass out or bleed out long before I can make it to the infirmary.

I dare a glance over my shoulder—Web is still bent over, his breath hitching, his body trembling with pain.

He doesn’t see me.

Not yet.

Every step I take sends a fresh wave of agony tearing through me, but I don’t stop. The edges of my vision start to pulse and darken; my “good” eye is fluttering, desperate to close, but I force it to stay open, focusing as hard as I can on the mouth of the cave ahead.

Just a few more yards.

“I’m leaving the cave...trying to get to the old…Ghost Walking…classroom,” I tell Tyr with what’s left of my mental capacity.

"I’m flying over Ravenwood, I’ll be there in less than five minutes.”

Web’s labored breathing suddenly cuts off, a monstrous snarl echoing behind me—he’s realized I’m gone.

I don’t dare look back again as I limp as fast as my broken body can manage down the game trail.

My vision tunnels as my blood drains from me, each pounding heartbeat sending more of it spilling out, and lighting my path like a signal flare for Web to follow.

Level ground—I’ve finally made it to level ground!

A flicker of relief hits me just before my already unsteady leg hits mud that I didn’t see. My foot slips out from under me, sending me crashing into the cold, wet ground, and my body detonates into violent tremors.

“You’re fucking dead,” Web’s hoarse voice growls from somewhere behind me.

A broken whimper tears free before I can stop it.

I try to pull my legs under me to push myself back up, but they’re done.

Refusing to give up, I do the only thing there is left to do.

I bury my fingers deep into the mud and drag myself forward—inch by inch—while the sound of Web’s thundering footsteps close in behind me.