The shadows shrank away from Axanderus just as they did from her, a beacon when they found themselves plunging once more into the gloom.
“A warning,” she gasped out, slumping against his chest and breathing heavily. “For Magnus and Thad.”
Shite, he hadn’t even thought of that.
—Something is wrong—
Magnus huffed. No shite.
He could feel it in the way Pet writhed within, howling to break free and stating the obvious in his gravelly, earthy voice. In the tiny hairs on his body as they stood on end. When he peered into the darkness of the chasm and feltsomethingrising to the surface.
—Let me out then, lad. Ye’ll be needing me?—
Not yet. The beast was ruled by blind instinct and Mag needed to keep his wits.
He paced along the chasm’s edge as the twin moons dropped lower to make way for Solyrian in the clear sky, Thad right at his heels.
It hadn’t even been a whole day, but Mag was crawling out of his skin with the waiting and wondering.
Yesterday, early evening, the ground had shaken beneath his feet for over an hour, massive quakes shuddering across the land. He’d felt his brother’s power trickling up through the earth, familiar as always, but Mag’s already fraying nerves haddisintegrated a little more when he’d failed to appear with the witchling in tow.
Then, nothing. Magnus hadn’t slept a wink for the worries plaguing him. Were they safe? Were they well? Why the fuck was it so stars-damned silent?
Not that it was silent anymore. Nightmarish shrieks had started filtering up from the abyss to break the monotony and his mask of calm, growing louder and closer with each passing minute.
Whatever was making that cursed sound was enormous. He could feel it as much as hear it. The only question was whether Brand and Lunara were in front of it, or had been left in its wake.
Weeping shite.
“What in the realms is going on down there, Mag?”
“Wish I fucking knew,” Magnus sighed. “Nothing good, since my mangy mongrel is clamoring to come out.”
—Maggie, my lad, we’ve talked about this. Name calling isn’t nice?—
Magnus clicked his tongue. How he’d got paired with a wolf more suited to being a nursemaid than a mighty, ferocious warrior was beyond him. Still…
Sorry, Pet.
—Ach, no worries. Now, let me out?—
“Sorcha is acting up too,” Thad said, turning worried eyes to the chasm. “Do you think they’re alright?”
He couldn’t even answer that. The possibilities were endless, and he sure as shite was not going to entertain the worst of them. Brand had to be okay, or Magnus didn’t know what he would do. That behorned, uptight arse wasn’t just his little brother—he was Mag’s best friend in the world.
Pet internally howled his agreement.
Magnus kept up his trudging, moving back and forth along the edge and searching the fog for any sign or signal while he and Thad waited.
And waited.
Fuck, he hated waiting.
—Come now, Maggie. Patience is a virtue?—
Hush, you. You’ve been fighting to get out since the first screech.
—It’s my purpose to fight monsters. What’s your excuse?—
