“Talamh,” I panted, briefly clasping arms with him. His green eyes glinted fiercely in the dark, his face smeared with dirt and blood. “Do we know who let them in?”
“Lord d’Leocopus,” he sneered as the ground moved beneath our feet.
“Fuck,” I swore, stilling the earth once more before sending my own powerful shockwaves through the crust. Shouts and surprised exclamations came from the other side of the dirt wall, which I quickly expanded and strengthened while kneeling on the ground.
At the very least, the wall in the darkness should confuse them enough that we’d have time to put some distance between us and them.
“What do you mean Lord?—”
“I watched as Razia slit his throat. That evidence seems rather damning,” he muttered.
I nodded my head in agreement, shocked the betrayal didn’t come from Razia.
“We need to get out of here. Staying in Lishahl is a death trap, especially if Lord d’Leocopus helped plan it.”
Talamh grunted as we started picking our way through the dark, rounding up survivors as we did to push them northward.
“If we can get to the mountains, we can take the passageway through the mines and into Alvor,” Talamh muttered loud enough only for me to hear.
“And you know of these how?” I panted, the adrenaline causing my body to break out in a sweat as my muscles jumped at every sound.
“I’m the Prince of Deucena. Ishouldknow?—”
“Torin! Talamh!” A familiar deep growl had relief sagging my shoulders as Fay, Rohak, and Ellowyn came into view, lit by a Mage Orb clutched in the Rune Master’s hands.
My eyes skated over my bride, and my hackles raised at the cut on her cheek and blood marring her dress.
“It’s not mine,” she said quietly, wiping shaking hands on the dirty dress, only to leave more blood behind. Ellowyn’s eyes scanned me, too, obviously checking for any sign of injury. Satisfied I was unhurt, she turned her attention to Fay and Rohak.
“They need to get back to Vespera, make sure there isn’t a two-pronged attack happening,” she said, indicating the General and his Bonded.
“Fuck, I didn’t even think about that,” I admitted, carving my hands through my hair.
Rohak’s shoulders tensed as his intense gaze bored into mine.
“I wish we could stay and help, but if this is the start of the Sundering . . .” he trailed off, a silent exchange happening between him and Fay.
“We need to make some quick adjustments and moves,” Fay finished, pulling her eyes away from Rohak.
“I understand,” I grunted.
“Where will you go?” Rohak asked, eyes darting between Talamh, Ellowyn, and me.
“Alvor,” Talamh interjected quickly. “Alvor. The mountains?—”
“Have passages that lead all the way through,” Fay breathed in admiration. “Brilliant, Talamh. Find the Bondsmith. Take her with you and have her ward the cave?—”
“I’m here and will do what I can once everyone is inside the passageways,” the Bondsmith concluded, appearing from thin air.
“What the fuck!” Rohak swore as we all jumped in surprise.
The Bondsmith’s feral smile was only made creepier by the shadows the Mage Orb cast across her features.
Fay simply rolled her eyes before turning to Rohak. “We need to leave. Now.”
He grunted, clasping his hand in hers. “Send word once you reach Alvor.”
Fay passed a second Mage Orb to Ellowyn before fleeing into the night with Rohak.
