He set her on her feet. “I could try.”
The sudden absence of her body against his had him taking a deep breath to settle himself. He craved the way her short frame felt against his tall lithe one. Wanted to burrow his face in her throat and inhale her intoxicating scent.
But first, they needed to get the fuck out of here.
“So…explain.” He looked at her with intensity, hands on his hips.
She didn’t break his gaze. “I…” she trailed off, seemingly thrown off by his stare. “I did not think three of you was enough to fight this…creature. And I knew my magic might be of use.”
He raised a brow. “Well, alright then.”
Raine studied the dark space. They were in a tunnel, with the sandy ground strangely suspended above them where Maeryn had fallen through. Odd.
With a flick of his wrist, he sent roots and vines through the entrance, but they were immediately sucked back toward him, following the flow of the sand.
Another attempt, this time Ava and Casimir joining him. His hand trembled as he fought against the suction in the trap. Again their magic was thwarted, the force much too strong.
“Getting out of here won’t be simple,” Casimir said. “Perhaps someone from above can send vines down to us.”
“They’d better hurry before this supposed monster shows up,” Raine said.
A skittering sound echoed in the tunnel behind them, as if speaking of it aloud had summoned the being living beneath the sands. The noise grew louder. Every muscle in Raine’s body tensed as he met eyes with Casimir.
“Run!” Casimir ordered.
They took off, heading away from the sound, their feet pounding on the rocky floor. Raine shoved Maeryn in front of him, taking up the rear. She yelled at him in anger, and pushed him in front of her instead. “My magic will be more useful than yours against this monster! General, stay back with me! Use your starlight!”
Raine pushed himself faster, joining Ava. The sounds of Casimir and Maeryn shooting their magic behind them echoed in his ears.
Chancing a glance over his shoulder, his heart nearly stopped as he beheld the creature.
It was massive. Hundreds of legs moved in tandem as it pushed its segmented body through the tunnels with ease. A nearly translucent exoskeleton protected it against their magical assaults. Three sets of pincers snapped together, resounding through the tunnel, above a round orifice full of thousands of needle-like teeth.
“Fucking hells!” Raine shouted.
The magic didn’t seem to be doing any good, Casimir and Maeryn’s powers hardly causing any damage to the creature’s shell.
And it was closing in, gaining on them with ease. They sprinted even harder, barreling through the passageway.
“I think it’s blind!” Ava yelled.
“How do you know?” Raine asked, turning a corner and almost skidding into the wall. Ava stumbled and Raine grasped her elbow, pulling her along as they picked up their pace.
“Just trust me. I have an idea!”
“Make it quick, because our magic is doing nothing!” Casimir shouted.
“We need to hide!”
“Hide? Where are we supposed to—” Raine was cut off when Ava shoved him into an alcove in the wall.
“Here! Everyone get in here and freeze. Don’t move a muscle. And be silent!”
Casimir and Maeryn crushed themselves against Ava and Raine, remaining still and trying to catch their breath. The sound of the creature’s pincers grew louder as it approached, not slowing.
Raine held his breath, his pulse like a drum in his ears.
But it passed by and continued through the tunnel, as if it didn’t notice them.
