I inhale sharply when I reach her. She’s huddled into a tiny ball in the corner, making the small cavern seem bigger than it is. She’s not moving, and my heart nearly gives out as I crawl to her, wondering if I’m too late.
But then I notice the faint up-and-down movement of her back that tells me she’s still breathing. I lift a hand to her cheek and she looks up, very slowly.
I have to bite down on a cry when I see her face. Her glasses are gone, and there isn’t an inch of her skin that isn’t dark blue or nasty green. Except for the caked blood in various parts and the split lip.
“Quill?” she mouths.
I draw her into my lap, feeling her shiver against me.
“You came for me,” she breathes against my neck.
I want to squeeze her to me, but I can tell she’s hurting. If her face is so bruised and bloody, I’m scared to think of what they did to the rest of her.
“I’ll always come for you, cricket,” I answer, once I can trust my own voice. “Always. You belong to me.”
It feels like she’s melting in my arms, and I groan at feeling so complete so suddenly, after the past few days of absolute anguish.
It’s the hardest thing in the world to get up, still holding my trembling girl in my arms, knowing that if we stay here, we’re as good as dead, no matter who wins the battle being waged in the cavern.
She protests at the movement, and my heart breaks anew at knowing how much pain she must be in.
“It’s okay, little cricket,” I murmur. “I’m going to take care ofyou.”
Then I look around, wondering how the hell I’m supposed to do that. The only space I see, apart from the tunnel leading to the large cavern behind me, is a tiny opening in the rocks. But trying to head out through there is as good as accepting we’re going to die entombed in this place, since I can only assume it’s a dead-end.
Piper mutters something in my ear.
“Hmm?”
“Cave.”
“Yes, we’re in a cave,” I murmur, kissing the top of her head. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
But she insists. “Cave.Throughcave.”
“What’s a through cave?” I ask distractedly, while looking around more desperately than ever. I can sense the gunfire slowing down, and I have a feeling the victor is about to come find us. Between my injured arm and an injured Piper in my arms, I won’t be able to do a thing to defend her. Especially if it’s Tragen.
I feel her hot breath against my neck and I can tell she’s trying to push words out.
“It’s okay, little cricket,” I tell her again. “I’m going to get you out of here. I’m going to take care of you.”
I’m at a loss for how to do that, though. My heart is thudding sickeningly against my chest as I hear the fighting in the other cavern come to a stop. It’s a miracle it’s even lasted so long. I guess some of the men managed to hide in the deep crevasses.
Still, it’s a single room crammed with dozens of men. Only one victor could possibly emerge. But who?
I’m stuck deciding whether it would be better to chance our way in that miniscule tunnel, or face the music.
I’m just deciding on the latter when Piper groans, “Through cave. There are two entrances.Idiot.”
In spite of our precarious situation, I can’t help but smirk at the cute little insult. She hasn’t lost a speck of verve. Forcing through a whole lot of pain for the sole purpose of mocking my lack of vocabulary.
But that means the tunnel stretching out before uscouldbe our salvation. Providing it’s large enough for us to fit. Providing the entrance hasn’t been sealed up. Providing it evenisthe second entrance Piper is referring to.
That’s a whole lot of ifs. But gritting my teeth, I decide to take a chance.
I push her through and follow her inside the cavity just as two or three people enter the room, shouting loudly. In the weird hollow echo effect of the cavern and the tunnel we’re in, the words reach me, distorted. I can’t tell who’s come after us. No time to find out.
It’s hard work pushing Piper through the sinewy, narrow tunnel. Her energy is depleted, and she can barely help herself. It would be easier if I could be in front of her, pulling her after me, but it’s too narrow a space for me to clamber over her. Plus, it would hurt her to be pulled through the rocky, uneven surface. All I can do is wrap an arm around her waist, nudging her along.
