Chapter 46 #2
The supervisor stiffened. His wide eyes traveled over the badges decorating Aiden’s chest. He took a step back and threw my arm away from him.
“Get back to work,” Aiden snarled at me. Then he turned and left as if I were nothing to him.
I stumbled back toward the main tunnel on shaky legs. Gods damn it, that was close. If only I’d gotten the fucking keys. Now I’d have to get close to one of them again. Me, not Ruru. I wasn’t letting him anywhere near a bastard like that.
I glanced over my shoulder. The supervisor was watching me go, dark, violent thoughts twisting in his gaze.
I’d earned an enemy. One who would be hard to hide from.
So be it. If he came after me, I’d take more than his gods-damned keys.
Ruru caught up to me as we plodded back to the forge. “Are you all right? What happened?”
“Stay away from that one,” I said shortly.
“I already picked my mark. He’s half-asleep or drunk. I’ll stumble into him on our way back.” Ruru shoved his sweaty hair out of his eyes. “You sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine. Now stop talking before they punish us,” I muttered under my breath as two soldiers approached.
They peered into our buckets as we passed, but said nothing.
The tightly coiled fear in my chest eased a bit when I saw Maz and Nikella were still in the forge, pretending to work. Maz flashed me a smile.
“Is everything ready?” Nikella asked in a low voice as I took my time pouring my sunstone into the pile.
“Bombs, yes. Keys, no,” I said. I quickly told her where the bombs were located.
She gave me a short nod, her brow furrowed. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker in her eyes of the same fear that was crushing my chest.
If someone discovered the bombs . . . If we couldn’t steal the keys . . . If we couldn’t free the prisoners . . . If our ship didn’t come in . . .
One terrible scenario after another haunted my thoughts as Ruru and I walked back into the cavern.
I joined the line again, but Ruru diverted, aiming for a supervisor who was leaning heavily against the stone wall. A tiny woman holding a bucket of water stood next to him as he slurped from a cup.
Make it quick and smooth, Ruru.
I couldn’t help searching for Aiden as I shuffled forward in line, but I didn’t see him. The loss of his familiar face notched my fear higher.
“Rocks!”
I pressed myself against the wall, cowering under the scaffolding like the others. Rocks showered down. Then a large body smacked into the ground.
I jerked backward, gasping. Several other prisoners whimpered.
The body was a shattered, gory mess. Chains around the ankles.
I swallowed back the urge to vomit. The prisoner must’ve fallen from the scaffolding when the rocks broke free.
The perverse supervisor hurried over, swearing, and kicked the body in disgust. He shifted the helmet on his head to peer up at the scaffolding. “Do you have another to take over?” he bellowed.
“We’ll manage,” someone from above shouted back.
The supervisor glanced around. I made myself small, but it didn’t matter. His dark eyes lit up when they found me.
He jabbed a finger at me and the man in front of me. “You two. Clean this up.”
The other prisoner immediately shuffled forward, his shoulders hunched. I followed, putting him between me and the supervisor.
My stomach pitched and rolled like I was back on Mynastra’s Wings.
How am I supposed to clean up a body in pieces?
I shuddered and gingerly picked up a bony arm that separated from the rest of the body with a horrible squelch.
Bile seared past my throat with a vengeance. I coughed it up, tears springing to my eyes.
The supervisor laughed and climbed back onto his platform.
The other prisoner and I carried pieces of the body to a cart that already held several other bodies. I tried not to sob, gently laying the arm in the cart.
I’m sorry we didn’t get here sooner. I hope the gods find your souls and give you peace.
After a few more trips, we finished our grisly job. I was covered in blood and other things I didn’t want to think about. Truly, I didn’t want to think about this gods-damned place ever again.
The supervisor blocked my path when I tried to re-enter the line. His eyes narrowed cruelly, sliding over me. “Let’s get you cleaned up,” he breathed.
I opened my mouth to protest, but he seized my arm and yanked me toward a dimly lit tunnel that burrowed deeper into the earth. Gated cells pockmarked the dark walls. He flung me against an empty one at the end.
I stumbled over my chain, barely catching myself as I used the movement to grab Mother’s knife.
A lone lantern shone over his repulsive face. He licked his lips greedily, his eyes dipping lower. “I’m going to enjoy this.”
My body felt cold and hard, a sword without feelings, only purpose. “So am I.”
His face went blank.
I darted forward and shoved my jagged knife into his chest. Right into his worthless heart.
He jolted, his eyes wide in disbelief, his mouth gaping in a death rattle.
“From one Abyss to the next,” I whispered and twisted the knife.
He crashed to the ground, as dead as the poor soul I just scraped off the cavern floor.
My hands shook, covered in even more blood. But I felt no shame, no regret.
His keys glimmered at his waist. I yanked them off his belt. Just as footsteps pounded around the corner. I whipped the keys and knife behind my back.
A soldier burst into view, sword at the ready.
Aiden.
I sagged in relief. A raw mixture of terror and rage twisted his beautiful face.
He stopped short when he saw me standing over the supervisor’s body. “Did he hurt you?”
I shook my head, strapping my blade and the keys to my leg. Hopefully, my rattling chain would cover any noise the keys made.
Aiden didn’t lower his guard. “They’re still not here. The ship. I checked.”
My heart fell. What if they’d been hurt or captured or killed? What if they never came?
“We should—”
“You there! Soldier!”
I stiffened, all the blood draining to my toes. Two supervisors with their sunstone clubs aloft stood in the tunnel.
Aiden’s face softened at the panic on my face. “Save the others. Leave me behind if you must.”
What?
He dragged his sword through the dead supervisor’s neck, coating the metal in blood. Then he whipped around with a snarl.
“My name is Aiden Falcryn, and I’ve come to kill High General Dracles.”