I wiped my mouth and groaned. That was unpleasant.
I rose and arched my back, working out the kinks. I was weak and tired, but I had made it through the day on my own two feet. No one had to carry or help me once. Ihadmanaged—barely.
I strolled in a large circle where the camp was almost ready, inspecting the terrain and searching for creatures through the mist. It may have been the blood remaining on us from the pack of deer, but no other living thing had appeared. Their teeth had been sharp, so they were meat eaters. They may have been the breed that rules this part of the forest.
I squatted through the mist and peered down at an odd crack in the ground. It was four feet wide and corkscrewed across the expanse of ten feet. I got closer and squinted, but there didn’t appear to be an end to the hole, it going far,fardown. The camp was a bit of a walk away right now, but the rulers needed to see this. It was fascinating.
I stood up and waved my arms, shouting, “Your Royal Highnesses, come and look at this! There is an odd crack in the ground over here—”
“Don’t move!”King Elon and Queen Alora bellowed at the same exact moment, their hands shooting up in the air quickly in a stopping gesture.
I froze where I stood—my arms still up in the air. I asked loudly, “Why?”
“Earthquakes can cause those or sinkholes from heavy rain,” King Elon barked. “The ground may be unstable where you are standing!”
I peered down at the Blood Forest’s floor. “It looks stable enough!”
“We will come and get you, Trixie,” Father snapped. “Donotmove.”
“All right,” I conceded. I didn’t know enough about earthquakes and floods. I needed to read on them when we finally got out of here. “How are you going to—”
I snapped my mouth shut as I started to slide.
I wasn’t moving on purpose. The ground was moving under my feet, bringing me toward the crack. The edges started to crumble and disappear into the depths below, pulling farther and farther away, the gaping crack becoming more massive.
“I’ve got a problem!” I screeched. “I think it’s collapsing more, and it’s taking me with it!”
The five rulers broke into a sprint straight at me.
I glanced back and forth frantically, scouring the ground all around. “It’s all moving! Stay back!”
“If you die, we all die!” King Elon bellowed, not halting. None of them stopped. They kept charging forward. He bellowed, “Run, dammit! Get away from the hole!”
“You told me to stand still!” I screeched. I pivoted and started racing away from the opening, but that only made it worse, the edges of the crack falling off faster. I wobbled on my feet and fell straight onto my face, clawing at the ground to keep from being sucked in. I bloody well screamed, “Help!”
“Trixie!” Father shouted with fear.
I scrambled on the ground, but it suddenly wasn’t there.
There was no Blood Forest floor beneath me anymore.
My stomach dropped…and then I dropped. Iscreamed.
A brutal hand snagged my wrist from above, and my body swung down to slam against the side of the expanded crack. Dirt and twigs toppled down onto my head, tumbling to my shoulders and further into the void. I choked from the mud pieces, coughing brutally, and quickly lifted my other hand to grab the wrist of the person holding me. I knew immediately who it was by the size of it—far,fartoo big.
“Athon!” I shrieked in terror. “Get me out of here!”
“We are trying, you fool!” King Athon grunted quietly, his face pinching in discomfort. “Your father’s tying a rope around my waist now. Just hang on and try not to squirm. The ground is crumbling around me fast.”
I screamed, “They’re going to pull us back?”
“Yes. Calm down, Princess. You need to staycalm.”
King Athon snarled as the edge of the crack broke off again, throwing his torso over the side. My entire body hit free fall for a few feet before it jolted to a stop again, the shifter king retaining his hold on me. His other arm swung down and grabbed my other wrist now that he was dangling halfway over the side.
The King of Shifters glared down at me, his hanging long white hair swaying slightly between us. “Does trouble just follow you wherever you go?”
“Not until I met you,” I growled.
