“We need to turn back,” Charlie said. “You need medical attention straight away.”
“How do you want to go back? The tunnels behind us are sealed shut,” I said. “There’s nowhere to go but forward.”
Charlie remained silent, and Marcus added quietly, “She does have a point.”
“Then we need to find a different way back, and that’s going to take time,” Charlie said firmly. “We don’t know how much time you have left.”
I took a short breath, and it nearly caused me to topple over. “Look, that snake was aserpens spelunca. It’s a rare breed of cave snake. I know about them, because I’ve studied a few when my parents took us on trips toHok’evale.They live in the cave systems there, though the one that attacked us is a different kind. An Elven mutation, perhaps?”
“What’sHok’evale?”Marcus asked.
“It’s an Anichi village fifty miles from Kinpago,” I explained. “Most cave snakes don’t have deadly venom. They just use their venom to slow down their opponent, so they can hunt them easier. The symptoms will probably go away within thirty minutes after my blood metabolizes the venom.”
“What if it’s not what you assume it is?” Charlie demanded.
I frowned. “Then I’m dead within the hour, and it doesn’t matter anyway.”
“And if you die, what if Oberi and I die, too?” Charlie asked. “You want to condemn us along with you?”
“We don’t know if our bond works like that. You could go on if Oberi survives. Stop trying to be manipulative to save me.” I put a hand on the cave wall, to keep myself upright. I wasreallyfreaking tired.
“Do you guys want to take that chance?” Marcus worried.
Charlie’s stone-hard expression was clear. He had it in mind to drag me back to the Institute, no matter what I wanted.
But I wasn’t willing to give in. We wouldn’t get another chance like this. This was our only shot at getting the next key, which I wassurewas down here.
“You’re being selfish,” Charlie spat. “You’re putting the three of us at risk for a dumb key.”
“Selfish? I’m trying to save the world, here!” I snapped.
Charlie gave a harsh laugh with no humor in it. “Hell, pidge, I’m so sick of you being stubborn. You just won’t give in.”
“I never will,” I growled, but it came out more like a gasp, because the wound in my leg throbbed. Charlie noticed, and his expression tightened at my pain.
“Let’s make a compromise,” Kallie broke in. “We keep going, just another mile. If we don’t get the key by then, we’ll turn around and get Ava help. Maybe Charlie can dig us out.”
“Done,” I said, before Charlie could argue further. “Let’s go.”
Oberi changed into a Fire unicorn, and I forced my aching arms to work as I hauled myself onto her back. The tunnels were wide and tall here, and therefore, there was room for me to ride. Marcus’ orb of light hovered in front of us, leading the way. Rishi jumped up and tried to bat at it like a cat toy, until Marcus told him to stop.
We walked in silence for a time. Kallie and Marcus wandered ahead of us, speaking in hushed tones.
Charlie didn’t say anything for a bit, until he suddenly scowled and snapped, “That doesn’t help, Oberi.”
“What?” I floundered forward, falling against Oberi’s neck. “What did you just say?”
“Oberi can talk to me now,” Charlie said. “She broke through the bond.”
Shock rippled like water over my skin. “I didn’t hear her.”
“You didn’t?” Charlie stiffened in surprise. “I thought you did. She was talking to me after you got bit.”
“No. Have her say something again.”
There was a beat of quiet, and Charlie asked, “Hear that?”
Hurt grew in my abdomen, and it wasn’t from the venom. “I didn’t hear a thing.” Why wasn’t it working?
