Chapter 35. You Must Go, Love.
My legs carried me forward, my eyes planted at the turn of the passage Roxanne had disappeared behind. It was at least a hundred yards to the portcullis that I knew of: if the bells signaled for them to drop, we had no chance of making it on time.
I glanced behind me for a split second before taking the first turn of the tunnel; Francis ran behind me, ushering me forward: Caleb and Simon fell into step behind, their weapons drawn.
“Duck!” Caleb yelled, and we all dropped to the ground before the first arrow flew past us. “Run!” his scream echoed through the stone walls as Francis pulled me upwards. “Faster! They are on our trail!”
They are trapping us into the portcullis, like prey—
I swung at the second turn of the passage: two more to go.
We won’t make—
More arrows flew past my head when Francis pushed me down to the ground.
“Fire!” Caleb’s voice rang through the bells as a hot wave of air hit my back. An agonizing scream followed after.
My own scream ripped through my throat when I glanced behind me—
My legs refused to obey when my eyes planted on the horrid scene. “Simon!” I cried.
“Run!” Francis barked, pushing me forward.
“Simon!” A roar ripped through my throat as the arrow that had planted deep in his chest caught aflame. The black shadow traveled down his skin in every direction, turning it into ash. A silent scream froze on his face when the flame reached it as well.
In a fraction of a second his flesh was no more than ash, falling down on the ground—
“Don’t look!” Francis pushed me before him as we reached the third turn.
Roxanne stopped at the next corner, her arrow flying past us.
Francis’ hand squeezed mine before dropping it. “Keep going!” He unsheathed his daggers, holding them out for a throw. “Go!” He stopped at the corner, averting his gaze from me.
My lungs cried from pain as my legs carried me away from our followers, away from Francis. I managed a quick glance when the daggers left his hands, flying towards his targets.
“Which way?” Roxanne yelled from ahead of me.
“Left!” I told her, glancing behind me. “Francis!” I screamed, when he ran after me emptyhanded. A second later, Caleb appeared behind him: his sword now carried crimson.
I dropped to the floor, sliding my dagger towards Francis.
“Run!” Francis caught my weapon as a figure in a dark blue cloak appeared behind the corner, a few yards away from Caleb—two swords in their hands.
“Behind!” I yelled to Caleb as my legs carried me towards the fourth—last—corner.
Caleb swung his sword, cutting the waist of the figure in half in one swift move—
Roxanne stood at the entrance to the passage, her arrow drawn, pointing in our direction before it flew above our heads, landing in her target. The only sign of her success was a heavy thud of a body against the stone floors.
“Hurry!” She yelled, looking upwards when—
The shriek of chains against each other reached my ears above me.
The portcullis were about to drop.
