“We go,” Aden said behind her ear.
Robin released another arrow on the soldiers, ducking her head as more orbs launched through the air toward them.
Aden swung her around and deposited her in the boat.
Robin kept her arm lifted, holding her bow out of the water as Aden bent forward at the waist to push the boat forward as swiftly as he could.
With their hands on the oars, the other two band members were doing their part to get the boat moving as quickly as possible.
The cave narrowed into a small tunnel that led out to the sea. It was only a short distance away, and then their boat would be out of sight.
Robin turned to look at the soldiers in the cave. They were walking across the sandstone, pressed forward by the soldiers that continued to pour down both staircases behind them.
The soldiers at the front stepped into the water, using their hands to move quickly instead of producing the chaos magic orbs. But that was because the soldiers behind them were making enough orbs.
As more magic missiles flew in the air around them, the cave filled with an eerie purple glow.
Aden gave the boat a mighty push and then launched himself over the side as they rowed toward the narrow tunnel mouth.
They were almost out.
They had taken all the boats.
The soldiers splashed through the water in pursuit, but the water was deep, and they would be unable to keep up with the speed of the boat.
Just before they rounded the corner, the soldiers released another wave of purple orbs.
Robin ducked, but the back of the small rowboat was not high enough to cover her. Pain exploded across her shoulder.
It felt like nothing she had ever experienced, like a zap of lightning had hit deep inside of her shoulder, ringing through her bones. Her whole body froze in shock, and she was unable to breathe.
The boat slammed into the far stone wall as they disappeared into the dark tunnel.
Robin’s breath came back in frantic gasps. Her arm fell as pain took over her entire consciousness, and the bow teetered in the air.
Aden grabbed it from her hand.
Purple orbs followed them, smashing into the stone of the tunnel and causing the walls to shake around them.
Robin leaned forward. The pain in her chest increased with every inhale and every exhale.
Aden yelled something, but she could not focus on the words.
“That . . . beast we saw . . .” Robin said. Every word felt like an explosion in her chest. “That was the same kind of magic . . . ?”
“Yes,” Aden replied. “That was the same magic that cursed me.”
Chapter 35
Ian stepped across the rocky beach, his heart racing much faster than his feet could move over the treacherous terrain. These sea caves clearly made for an excellent secret route because they were so difficult to access.
Ian wished that he could have followed the generals back inside the monastery, but three against thirty was not great odds. Not that Ulli would have let him regardless.
He hoped that Robin and the others had made it out safely. But every second he did not see them approaching from the opposite direction meant that they were still inside the monastery. Likely locked in combat and far outnumbered.
This had been a foolish idea. He had known it from the start. His chest tightened as he berated himself for encouraging Robin to pursue this plan.
It was selfish of him, he knew. He’d wanted to believe the promises she had made. That taking the monastery was the first step in taking back the castle. That it would give them an advantage in freeing the incoming Majis. That it would allow him to make a public stand against Gareth.
