“AHHH!”
“The Old Gods have returned!”
CHAPTER 32
Ginger
My palms were slick with sweat as I bent over and spilled my breakfast onto the stone floor of the dungeon, my stomach heaving over and over again.
My heart thundered wildly in my chest, threatening to crack my ribs.
Erebus.
The God of shadows.
The God of darkness.
The God ofevil.
I hurled again, splashing more bile onto the ground.
Everyone was panicking.
Linc immediately fled, his flight instinct kicking in with impressive efficiency.
Tommins was shouting, trying to gather the rest of us to get us out of the dungeon while clearly panicking himself.
Tandor was scooping a wailing Kizzi up into his arms and tucking her protectively into his chest.
Fiella was curled up in a ball on the floor, covering her ears as she screamed over and over.
And Redd was frozen solid, hovering over Fiella while his blanched face stared at the god in the cell.
And Shade, noErebus, was lying on his back in a pool of his own golden blood, his eyes unfocused and unseeing.
“Go!” Tommins shouted, grabbing my elbow and hauling me upright. “Now!”
I stumbled toward the stairs. My leaden legs refused to cooperate.
“Let’s go!” Tandor shouted. He hoisted Kizzi over one shoulder and barreled into me, scooping me over his other shoulder as he hauled us up the stairs. My stomach heaved in protest, fighting the intrusion, but luckily, I didn’t hurl all over his back.
“Wait,” I protested weakly.
He ignored me.
“Everybody OUT!” Tommins thundered.
I cringed away from the deafening sound.
Tandor plopped me unceremoniously on the floor of Tommins’ office and then pulled Kizzi back into the cradle of his arms to examine her face.
She was trembling, staring off into the distance.
I couldn’t feel my fingers. I focused on pulling air in my lungs. Pushing it out. Pulling it back in again.
With a start, I noticed the small black cat curled in the corner of the office, his green eyes squinted half shut in something close to a glare.
The others made it up the stairs. Tommins slammed the door shut and then threw the latch, effectively sealing the dungeon shut. He leaned his back against the door and then slid down onto his rear.
