9. Chapter 9 #3
With a sharp nod, I stepped aside, gesturing for Aderyn and Keera to climb into the side passage, even as I smothered my torch.
I watched them scramble in hurriedly, even as bile rose in my throat at the thought of enclosing myself in an even tighter passage—the exact opposite of the open sky I craved.
From the grimace on Keera’s face and the tremor of distaste that ran down the tether between us, I could tell she felt the same.
Still, I clamored in after them as we all pressed ourselves into the shadows of the confined space.
We hugged the walls to be as invisible as possible and held our breath as the sound of the approaching tricrith grew near.
Dread made my skin crawl as the beast drew level with us, imagining how easily it could sting us in such tight quarters and hoping it would not turn our way.
My eyes adjusted to the near blackness just in time to see the monster scuttle by.
As it passed our hiding spot, a shock of revulsion ran through me.
Where the tricriths Keera and I had faced before had been glossy and black—as large as several horses put together and covered in a sleek exoskeleton—this one was different.
Less than a third of the size of its brethren, it was milky pale. Almost translucent. It scuttled past us, only for another to follow, and then another. My lungs screamed for breath, but I dared not make a noise and give away our location as nearly a dozen of the horrifying creatures passed.
Finally, the procession stopped, and the scratching of their passage faded away into the distance. I slowly let out the air that was trapped in my lungs, and the air shuddered around me as Keera and Aderyn did the same.
Carefully, I extricated myself from our cramped hiding spot, before reaching out a hand to help the others.
Aderyn grasped my wrist and I pulled her from her crouch in the side passage.
Silently, she passed me the torches she had taken to relight.
Even if we needed more light to navigate in the passages, we were loath to speak and attract the attention of the creatures who had disappeared in the direction we had come from.
The first torch burst into flame in my hand—too enthusiastic, as always—before I turned to reach back and help Keera out of the side passage as well.
A solid object rammed into my abdomen, slamming me backward before I could grasp her hand. I hit the opposite wall with a thud hard enough to drive all my air from my body. I blinked, trying to make sense of the chaos in the darkness.
The lit torch had flown from my hand, landing on the floor and casting the scene before me in distorted shadows. A larger tricrith had snuck up on us, this one’s dark coating allowing it to blend with the near blackness of the passage.
I reached for my saber but was forced to duck to avoid the beast’s tails swiping past me as it tried to turn in the narrow passage.
A scream rent the stillness of the passage as one of its massive pincers shot out and grabbed Aderyn around the waist. Her arms were pinned to her sides, making her unable to grab a weapon.
My heartbeat pounded in my ears and the voices in my head screamed at me to do something—anything—before my oldest friend’s life was snuffed out before my eyes.
“Aderyn!” Keera shouted as she tried to crawl out of the side passage but was forced to duck back by the tricrith’s skittering legs.
Its pincers were strong enough to sever Aderyn’s spine with a single decisive snap. Instead, it appeared to toy with her, holding her in the air while she twisted and kicked fruitlessly. It waved its chelicerae as if inspecting her—scenting her.
I used the moment to gather my power, clenching my hands into fists as I grabbed at the fibers of magic all around us.
They tangled easily in my fingers—too easily.
The desert’s power was tense and brittle—like a plant that had gone too long without water.
When I shoved the magic at the tricrith, it snapped.
The creature flew back, slamming against the ceiling and wall harder than I meant it to. But it did not drop Aderyn. Instead, it seemed to decide fighting me wasn’t worth the trouble and struggled to its feet before scurrying down the passage away from me, dragging a shrieking Aderyn in its grip.
Dust started to fall from the ceiling as the earth shuddered around us. My mouth went dry, and cold raced up my spine. The passage was going to cave in.
I reached for Keera, still crouched in the side passage, but she shouted. I felt her plea in my mind as much as I heard it out loud.
“Go after Aderyn!”
I had no time to argue with her as a torrent of earth fell between us.
I dived out of the way, only narrowly avoiding being completely buried as I was coated in a layer of sand and earth.
The last thing I saw was Keera’s wide golden eyes, almost glowing in the dim light of the torch before it was snuffed out, and I was left in the darkness as Aderyn’s retreating screams echoed in my ears.