Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 109477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Lennox pulled up a trapdoor at the side of the room and motioned her forward. The two at the table rose and hurried over as Tarian bumped into her back. He grabbed her shoulders and directed her on as the others started to descend.
We need to close all accesses to the building in order to set the ward, Tarian explained. There’s no telling how long that creature will stay. We’ll go to our bedchambers and wait it out. It’s time for bed anyway.
Shivers crawled all over her. She turned slowly, the feeling of dread arresting her.
“Get below,” she whispered, knowing what would happen. Feeling it. “Hurry, Tarian. Get below.” The breath was barely leaving her mouth.
He grabbed her hand as she finished turning. As her gaze ventured out the window. As she met the eyes of an enormous creature made of nightmares.
Its body was only partially obscured by the trees. Huge, yellowed teeth curved down from red-and-black gums. Its head was a flatter version of her idea of a werewolf, its nose pulled up like a canine’s but its forehead like a human’s. Batlike ears rose from its head, and its body resembled a gorilla drawn by a five-year-old who didn’t have a firm grip on proportions. Each hand had claws as big as her whole person, and in about two seconds, it would rip into this hub.
Go! Tarian shouted in her mind, yanking her toward the trapdoor.
The compression of footprints shook the ground. Its roar tried to freeze her, but she fought past it and yanked Tarian with her. Lennox waited at the bottom of a ladder.
Catch me, she hollered, dropping into the hole. He gripped her sides and hurriedly moved them out of the way.
A cacophony of destruction rattled the floorboards above her. It drowned out all sound. Wood splintered and metal whined. The creature had charged into the structure. There’d be no setting the ward here.
Tarian jumped in, holding the edge of the trapdoor. He let go at the last moment. The slap of wood as it hit the frame was lost to the rest of the carnage. All light cut out. She felt his hands on her, holding her to him, then saw images filtering in her mind, a tunnel partially lit in ultraviolet.
She closed her eyes as he directed her. A structural groan filled the tunnel. Dirt and rock shivered away from the walls. The ground shuddered.
Another roar, this one frustrated, like the first time she’d lost it. Then a pulse.
Lennox slowed, ready to pause. Ready to succumb to that magical freeze button. To the fear. The two in front of him had as well. She pushed them on, Tarian with her.
The tunnel reached a circular area with four paths. Two stopped at the first on the right, looking back at Tarian. His hand tightened on her shoulder. She could see his nod from his point of view, but he didn’t share what was said. The female branched off left and paused as well. Another roar and more crashing walls. It sounded like it was stomping through the rubble.
Let’s go, dove, Tarian said, stepping in front of her and taking her hand. It was back to the action hero again.
Despite the terror of the situation, she felt his amusement.
The tunnel curved, and he followed it before they hit a fork. He didn’t hesitate to go left. Here he slowed, sneaking, being quiet. She followed suit, holding his hand, eyes closed, watching through his vision and trying not to trip on his feet.
The tunnel dead-ended at a ladder, not unlike the one under the ruined shanty-hub. He paused with one hand on a rung and the other holding hers, looking back the way they’d come. The earth trembled.
She saw herself in his gaze and couldn’t believe how confident and badass she looked, with her determined expression and set jaw. She looked like she was ready to go out and confront that beast single-handedly. Muscle memory, obviously. Show no fear so the enemy or bully or magical person who hates Chesters doesn’t think she’s weak and easy pickin’s. Internally, however, she was absolutely shitting herself.
Did you leave the door open or closed? Tarian asked her.
She racked her brain, trying to remember.
He touched her face delicately, his thumb tracing her cheek. It’s okay, he said. I can look in your memories…
Open, I think, she admitted.
Here’s the situation. I need us both upstairs, with the trapdoor and main door closed, in order to set the ward. Once I do, the ward will render this shanty-hub, as you so lovingly call it, indestructible. It can stomp on it all it likes and only get a sore foot for its trouble, okay? Then we’ll rest.
I should be the one to go, she said grudgingly, clutching his soft tunic. He’d freshened up as well. I know what its version of danger feels like. Let me go—