Rian curses, instantly cutting off his magics. The remaining water sloshes to the ground, soaking into the dirt—gone, like it was never there.
But it’s too late.
Another deep, ominous groan rolls through the walls, and thepacked earth around us quivers, unsettled.
I step forward instinctively, pushing my hands outward, reaching for the earth. My magics flare—deep, ancient, steady. I try to hold the tunnel together. Reinforce the walls. Keep the ceiling from falling.
But there’s too much. We’re too far underground. The weight of the land above us presses down, heavy, endless. I can’t hold it.
The ground shudders violently again.
Thane turns to me. “Amara?!”
I grit my teeth, trying to force my power deeper, to extend it further, but it’s too much. The weight of the earth is winning. I suck in a sharp breath, pulling my magics back. If I push too hard, I might trigger a collapse myself.
The tunnel shudders again. The vibrations roll through the tunnel as the creature grinds forward, its ridged body filling every inch of space.
Garrick doesn’t hesitate, voice grim as he raises his sword. “There’s no way to fight this worm demon—no way to get around its front.”
Lyra, her daggers already in hand, throws one. The blade spins through the firelit air and lodges deep in the creature’s maw, wedged between two jagged, spiraling teeth.
For a single breath, there is no reaction. Then, the monster screeches. A horrible, bone-rattling shriek, a sound that isn’t a roar or a growl but something worse—something that doesn’t belong in the world above.
Lyra takes a sharp step back, eyes wide as the worm-like beast thrashes against the tunnel walls. “Shit!”
The dagger’s still lodged between its fangs. The tunnel quakes with each thrash.
Then, before anyone can react, the worm strikes out, its ridged body slamming into Lyra with brutal force. She’s hurled backward, crashing against the stone wall with a sickening crack.Her head snaps back, slamming into stone. She crumples to the floor.
“Lyra!” I scream, reaching for her—but an arm yanks me back before I can move.
Thane. His grip locks around my waist, pulling me back just as the worm demon thrashes again, its movements still uncontrolled, still furious from the dagger lodged in its mouth.
I struggle. “Let me go! She’s—”
“You can’t help her if you’re dead.” Thane’s voice is sharp, steady—but I can feel the tension in his grip.
Garrick doesn’t hesitate. He ducks low, moving with the practiced speed of a warrior, his sword back in its scabbard in a flash.
The worm demon rears up, slamming its ridged body against the ceiling. Garrick dives beneath it, reaching for Lyra’s limp form. In a single, powerful motion, he scoops her up and throws her over his shoulder.
“Move!” he bellows.
Thane releases me, grabbing my wrist instead as we turn and run.
THE STARLIT CHAMBER
TWENTY-EIGHT
AMARA
The worm creature is close behind us, its massive body grinding against the passage walls, its teeth clicking together in a nightmarish rhythm. The tunnels twist and turn—endless. The air is thick with dust and damp earth.
We don’t stop. We can’t stop.
The ground shudders. I can feel it—something old. Relentless. Born in the dark. Survived in it for centuries.
Thane runs ahead, his grip firm on my wrist, guiding me through the shifting maze. The bond tugs at both of us, leading us left at the next fork. We veer sharply, dodging low-hanging roots and jagged walls. The flying orbs keep pace, firelight casting shifting shadows as we move deeper.
