Her presence had saved him.
Urkot released a shaky breath and hugged her closer.
Shaper, shelter us. Protector, shield us. Delver, guide us home.
The sooner they escaped this place, the sooner they could begin the life for which they both yearned. The sooner he could enjoy his mate without all this danger and worry.
He and Callie withdrew from one another, and despite that need to move on, he found his attention once again shifting toward the thornskull remains. There was something near one of those skeletal hands, something that didn’t look like rock or vrix bone.
Head tilted, Urkot sank down and brushed the dust off the object.
Despite being worn and tarnished with age, he knew exactly what he was looking at—a yatin horn that had been fashioned into a pick. The wear at the tip indicated it had seen much use. Only frayed threads remained of the silk that must’ve fastened it to its wooden handle, of which there was no trace. He did not know how long must’ve passed for that wood to rot away, but he could feel the weight of countless years pressing down on him.
As far as he knew, thornskulls were not prone to delving very deep, not like shadowstalkers. He could not say for certain if that had always been true. But it didn’t seem like this thornskull had been dragged here by spiritstriders—it seemed to have been digging. Delving.
Which meant that the surface had to be near.
More evidence of that had been in the pelts and hides in the spiritstriders’ hive and the carcasses the hunting party had been carrying, all belonging to jungle beasts.
Urkot couldn’t guess how deep he and Callie had gone, how far they’d traveled, but theyhadto be close to a way out.
Rising, he strode back toward Callie and stroked the backs of his fingers down her cheek. “Come, female. Let us make our way home.”
She smiled and nodded. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Side by side, they returned to the main tunnel. Only now did Urkot notice the ample signs that this passage had been widened by vrix hands. How had he missed the marks from picks and chisels on the walls?
The draft strengthened as they continued onward, as did the faint jungle scent it carried. They strode past more openings and ancient, rotted logs that had been placed long ago as supports, led unerringly by the current.
“You’re quiet, but I can sense your excitement,” Callie said. “These old support beams look like the ones the thornskulls had up where we first entered. We’re close to a way out, aren’t we?”
With a chitter, he replied, “I think we are.”
“Wait, really?”
“Yes.”
Callie stomped her feet and clapped with a little squeal, falling slightly behind Urkot. “Thank God, thank the Eight, thank whoever the hell is listening that we’re finally going to?—”
Her sudden scream cut off her words, piercing Urkot’s heart and pouring cold into his blood.
Something scraped over stone, followed by a dull, heavy thump that interrupted Callie’s scream. Urkot spun in time to see her on the floor. Her wide, panicked eyes met his.
“Urkot!” she cried, clawing at the ground before she was dragged into the shadows of a side chamber, vanishing from sight.
CHAPTER 26
Terror threatenedto overcome Urkot entirely. Countless dark thoughts circled his mind like scavengers waiting out a dying animal, an instant away from swarming and devouring him.
His mate had been taken right before his eyes.
His mate had been taken.
Nothing will take her from me!
Raw, potent fury obliterated his fear. He raced after Callie.
The scent of human blood struck him as he reached the opening, and he rushed into the small chamber.
