I slowed down, shoving the stragglers along. I cut what chains I could with Mother’s knife. This was the best use this gods-damned knife had ever seen.
A soldier crashed into me. I fell to the ground, and people trampled over my body. Pain pounded through me. I cried out, dragging myself into a side tunnel.
I clutched my knife, trying to catch my breath. The next explosions could happen any moment. But I hadn’t seen Aiden, Maz, or Nikella.
I squeezed my eyes shut. Panic threatened to drown me.
Breathe. Breathe. Keep moving. Get out. Save the others. Breathe. Breathe. GO!
I hauled myself to my feet, staggering as pain wailed through my body. Gritting my teeth, I tailed the stream of soldiers and prisoners. No need to use Aiden’s markings.
I found the body of one prisoner, then another. Trampled. I prayed for them as I snatched up a discarded sunstone axe.
The salty smell of the sea and the stench of burning oil hit me the moment I stumbled out of the tunnel into blinding sunshine.
Screams and shouts battered my ears. A battle raged on the beach between me and a dark ship.
Shadow-Wolves and Dag warriors clashed with soldiers. Arrows whistled through the air. Steel and sunstone drew blood. Bodies dotted the sand like flies.
“Kiera!” Ruru waved to me from the water. His arm hung at an odd angle.
I raced forward, dancing around soldiers and warriors.
“I can’t swim,” he panted, sweat trembling on his upper lip. “Keep leading them.”
The prisoners were wading toward the stolen Shadow-Wolf ship, but a few of them balked at the Wolves standing at the railing. One of them yanked off their mask, revealing red hair.
“Climb up!” Skelly shouted, waving at the rope ladder he’d let down.
I sheathed Mother’s knife and threaded my arm around Ruru’s waist. “We’ll lead them together.”
I plunged into the cold water. It dragged at my heavy ankles and the remnants of my chains. But I kept charging through.
Ruru groaned, doing his best to stay upright. A few of the prisoners slipped under the water before flailing above it again, still clutching their makeshift weapons.
“Drop them!” I screamed. “Just get on the ship!”
One man—the same one who’d helped me clean up the body—dropped his sunstone chisel to the bottom of the bay and paddled for the ship. Only for an arrow to sink into his back.
My last thread of calm shredded. I beat at the water, kicking my exhausted legs, keeping a stranglehold on Ruru’s waist.
They will not kill me. They will not kill us. We will not die here.
I thrashed my way to the ladder. Prisoners clambered up it and onto the ship. I shoved Ruru onto it.
“Climb,” I gasped and turned around.
“Kiera, don’t!” he called.
But I’d already started swimming back to the beach. There were more prisoners to save. I wasn’t done yet.
A series of explosions ripped through the white stone cliffs. Rocks ground together like giant teeth. The cliff buckled.
My heart stopped.
The tunnel coughed out dirt, shuddering.
And then?—
