He stumbled, then bolted. The sudden movement made the stone creature lunge after him, its heavy strides shaking the floor. Sebastian was there in an instant, sword raised. The steel rang uselessly against stone, but it served as a distraction. The monster’s gaze was fixed firmly on Sebastian now. Crimson light flared from Sebastian’s palms. Thorne strength magic crawling up his arms, his movements so fast it looked like he blurred at the edges. She could feel the heat of his crimson from here. Sebastian drove a kick into its chest. It staggered. The creature swung again. The blow caught him across the eye, but Sebastian barely flinched. Morra sprang forward, throwing her hands towards the ground, the earth obeying her call. Thick vines burst from the soil and coiled up the creature’s legs. They strained and snapped but slowed its swing. Sebastian didn’t stop, striking again and again with the pommel of his sword. Angling his body to keep the creature away from the others – no hesitation. Gregor moved next. He didn’t run. Didn’t speak. He walked steadily, hands glowing amber. The stone monster turned towards him. Too slow. With a sharp thrust of Gregor’s palms, light burst outward. A stream of amber energy struck the creature’s chest dead centre. It paused mid-strike, limbs trembling violently, then cracked, breaking apart, piece by piece. It turned to rubble where it stood.
“You couldn’t have done that sooner?” Sebastian asked, chest heaving, his sword hanging loose by his side.
“Wasn’t as easy as it looked,” Gregor grunted, his breathing noticeably heavier.
Sebastian looked at Morra. “Thanks for the help.”
She nodded, but Oryen’s face was murderous. “Who the hells on the Council decided we’d face stone monsters trying to kill us?”
Sebastian barked a humourless laugh. “Sounds like my father’s idea of character building.”
Kara was barely listening – she knelt down by Jax’s side, hands scanning him for injuries as he stirred feebly. She found them quickly – a fracture in his skull. A break in his collarbone. Her magic surged without conscious thought, emerald bursting through her fingertips as it wrapped around the cracked bones. Slowly, steadily, they knitthemselves back together beneath her touch. He stared up at her, dazed, as the last of the pain left him.
“You’ll live,” Kara said. “But try not to touch any more walls.”
Jax groaned faintly but nodded.
She helped him to his feet, shaking off the throbbing that echoed in her own head from the healing.
“I’m fine,” he huffed. “Just got the wind knocked out of me.”
“We need to keep moving,” Oryen said fearfully, glancing down the tunnel, evidently worried more of those creatures waited.
They hadn’t gone far before Kara dropped back beside Sebastian. One eye was already beginning to swell where the creature had struck him, a streak of blood dripping down his cheek.
“Hold still,” she said, lifting a hand towards his eye.
He stepped away from her touch. “Thorne don’t use healers.”
“That’s going to swell shut,” she said exasperated. “You’ll be half blind.”
“I’ll manage,” he said, pulling a tin of salve from his pocket.
She huffed out a breath. “Suit yourself.” She quickened her pace to walk with Sienna.
She glanced back once and caught him dabbing a yellowish paste around his eye with practised movements, like he’d done it a hundred times. Of course. Crude salve and pride – when an actual healer was offering to help.
He’ll get himself killed out of sheer stubbornness.
When she looked over to Sienna, she noticed she’d gone very pale. “Are you okay?” Kara asked.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine. I just, I didn’t expect – I mean – I didn’t do anything to help,” Sienna said glumly.
Kara laughed. “We’re not out of here yet.”
It wasn’t long before the tunnel opened into a small chamber with two diverging paths – one left, the other right. Without warning, a thick stone wall rose behind them, shutting off their way back. They had to make a choice. But there were no markings, no clue as to which way.
Jax broke the silence. He glanced at Oryen. “Well? You’ve got the brains. Left, or right?”
Oryen stepped forward, staring hard at the fork like he could make it reveal its secrets through sheer will. “There’s nothing here,” he said uneasily.
Morra crouched low, touched the ground, yellow magic snaking from her hands. “Left,” she said, as she stood up. “There’s something large that way, drawing all the water to it.”
Gregor grunted again and marched left alongside Morra. Kara looked at Jax who shrugged and followed Gregor down the fork. Barely seconds after they had stepped over the threshold, a deep groan echoed through the maze. Behind them, another wall came down with a grinding crash. The walls either side of them began to move. Not just shift – but close in. The passage narrowed. Stone scraping against stone.
“Run!” Sebastian yelled, grabbing Kara’s arm and dragging her forward. “Go!”
They sprinted.
