“It’s okay,” Daegan says calmly. “They’ll be back.”
I begin to pace the clearing, nervous something’s happened to them. All of them. There were burned skeletons back in our tunnel. Something like that could happen to my friends.
Eventually, Daegan grabs onto my shoulders.
I don’t look at him.
He shakes me.
“Elysande, look at me.”
I do, finally.
And I’m reminded of the calming, reassuring effect he has on me. “It’s going to be okay.”
I nod.
“Should we go in after them?”
He shakes his head. “Give them a little more time. Besides, which one would we choose? We can’t do both. And we’re not splitting up.”
“Damn it.”
Screaming echoes from one of the tunnels and I whip my head that way. I immediately know who it is.
Without thinking, I run toward it.
“Elle!” Daegan shouts.
I sprint faster than I ever have. I don’t have time to check if he followed.
Meela needs me.
She’s in trouble, and I’m running straight into danger without a second thought. All I know is I have to try to help.
Her scream echoes through the tunnel again, much closer this time.
I begin to see a bright light up ahead, and two silhouettes in front of it.
They’re…
Oh.
They’re running toward us, and a flame that fills the tunnel is chasing them.
“Elle, run!” Her face widens in panic as she sees me sprinting toward her. I stop, throwing out as much water as I can manage, and it pushes the flames back significantly.
I guess the vines down here don’t react to an elf’s fire like it does a dragon’s. This fire is wild and unpredictable.
I throw more out as she and Rhydra get closer, giving them a lot more distance. And then a hand is pulling me back, and I turn and run. They’ve caught up now. We might just make it.
Daegan runs ahead of me, pulling me by the hand. I let Rhydra and Meela pass us, turning back to shoot more water at the flames that look angry and hungry. It helps.
“I have an idea!” I shout ahead at him. He looks back at me, slowing a little. I’ve bought us a little time.
We make it into the cavern, still no sign of Gaethri and Raef, and everyone lets me pass them as I direct them quickly.
“Down their middle tunnel!”
