They dove toward the closing space, their wings striking against the forming wall in quick, angry bursts.
“Move,” Nova said, her voice firm now.
We didn’t need to be told twice.
Keegan pulled me forward again, and we ran, the sound of wings and sharp squeaks echoing behind us as the wall continued to lower, sealing off the path we’d just come from.
Twobble glanced back, his expression caught somewhere between impressed and concerned. “They’re not going to like that.”
“Neither will the goblins,” Stella added.
Nova didn’t look back. “It’s not permanent.”
“That’s supposed to make it better?” I asked.
“It will give us time,” she said.
“How much?”
“Enough.”
The sound behind us shifted again, dulling as the wall fully sealed, the frantic flutter of wings now trapped on the other side, their noise muffled but still there.
I slowed just slightly, my breath catching as I glanced back, even though I knew I wouldn’t see anything now.
“They’re stuck,” I said.
“For now,” Nova replied.
Twobble nodded, though his mouth tightened just a bit. “Goblins are going to have opinions about that tunnel being closed.”
“I’ll deal with it,” Nova said.
“You can’t always have all the fun,” he replied.
Keegan’s grip on my hand eased just slightly as the immediate danger faded, though his attention didn’t drop; his gaze still scanned the tunnel ahead.
“You okay?” he asked.
I let out a breath, my chest rising and falling as I tried to steady it. “I will be.”
“That’s not the same as okay.”
“It’s close enough.”
Stella brushed a bit of dust from her sleeve. “Well, that was invigorating.”
“That’s one word for it,” I said.
Nova finally stopped, turning back toward us, her expression focused but calm. “We keep moving. They won’t stay contained forever.”
“The wall?” I asked.
“It will hold long enough for us to lose them,” she said.
Twobble gave a small nod. “Timed, then.”
“Yes.”
