Gabriol grunted in response and Rydon turned to the dais to see Peleon and Xoran and the remaining Imperial Guard shuffling their royal burden toward a waiting carriage.
A cleric darted out from under one guard and ran down the steps of the dais toward them.
“No!” Croak shouted, lunging to grab Rydon’s arm when Rydon sprang at him, intent on gutting the man. “He’s with us!”
Rydon froze and frowned down at Croak, then looked back at the cowering cleric, his face ashen and eyes wide as he stared back at Rydon.
He grunted, bent down and, as carefully as he could, lifted Terena Luca’s broken body into his arms. Croak fussed over her for a second before Rydon snarled at him to move.
“We have maybe ten seconds before the guards reach us,” Gabriol called out, breathless as he rushed past, the frightened girl, Sonah Yahn, in his arms. The look of terror on her face gave way to tears when she caught sight of both Croak and Terena.
Croak, to his credit, narrowed his eyes and turned, no trace of fear on his face. Striding forward, he cleared a path through the mob. Rydon rushed to follow.
“What now?” Croak screamed over the noise. Rydon heard Gabriol swear behind him and several people cry out.
“We move!” he yelled back and shoved Croak aside to barrel through the crowd.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Would you fucking move?” Croak fumed, shoving Orry in the back as he stopped again to retch. Croak’s heart was pounding so hard he thought it might burst. He didn’t need to worry about Orry, too, while they all fled for their lives.
Orry mumbled something and started moving through the sewer once more.
Croak grabbed his arm to haul him along. “I’ve puked twice now. You didn’t see me stop, did you?”
Gabriol looked over his shoulder at them, Sonah Yahn a limp doll in his arms. At least she was in better shape than Ren.
Croak swallowed.
“You boys all right back there?” Gabriol called out as he turned back to the front.
“Fantastic,” Croak bit out, groaning as Orry once more stumbled through the shit at their feet.
Rydon was well ahead of them, despite carrying Ren’s unconscious body. They had made it through the worst part, according to him—although, personally, Croak thought going through the sewers twice was worse.
Getting past the Imperial Guard and the City Watch as they madetheir way through the streets of Metilai was what Rydon and Gabriol had been most worried about. But with the chaos breaking out after Terena’s spectacular performance and the crowds helping to shield their escape, they’d made it to the sewer entrance in the garment district much faster than they’d expected.
But they weren’t safe yet.
“How’s she doing?” Croak called out.
Rydon didn’t answer for a bit, and Croak looked up, scanning ahead to Rydon’s back.
“She’s still out.”
“Alive, though, right?”Please be alive.
“Alive,” Rydon called back.
The relief washing over him was short-lived as Orry retched, his knees buckling.
“What a dramatic little shit you are! Seriously, how much did you eat this morning?” Croak groaned as he hauled his friend back upright. Some of the puke flew onto his tunic and Croak gagged. “Oh, my gods.”
“Here!” Rydon stopped, stepping back a bit to let Gabriol get in front.
He set Sonah on the ground. Croak had left the grate on the grass, so Gabriol pulled himself up to make sure it was clear.
Sonah leaned heavily against the wall as Croak neared with Orry in tow. He saw the sweat on her forehead as she closed her eyes. He whipped off his cloak and draped it over the girl’s shoulders. She looked up at him with haunted eyes, clutching the cloak tight around her.
