Page 163 of By the Flames of Her Fury

Bitterness coated my tongue. Starke looked away, shame blanketing his features. “I’m sorry,” he whispered again.

“Not as sorry as you will be.” I jerked my head toward Mortep. “Men like him don’t keep their promises. Your family’s probably dead, and you won’t be far behind.” I lifted my cuffed hands with flared nostrils. “What a shame I can’t save you this time.”

“Enough of this,” Mortep snarled. Muttering a spell, he threw a hand toward the cave wall, and the entire room quaked. Tessa and Everett both stirred, looking around in confusion as they struggled to get to their feet. Tendrils of wraith shadows danced around Everett’s shoulder, and he fell back with a shout.

“Everett!” I called out. Starke’s hand jerked me back by the collar of my shirt. “Get off me! I have to help him!” I screamed.

“Your precious Swift is beyond helping,” Mortep sneered. “Fitting, isn’t it? To say your goodbyes while caged between stone walls once more?”

Mortep waved his hand again, and fissures spiderwebbed on the far end of the wall. The cave trembled violently again.

Then the first stream of gold water trickled from the cracks.

“Time to go, little bird,” Mortep said, and Starke’s arms locked beneath my shoulders, dragging me backward.

A shriek tore up my throat. “No!” Kicking at the ground, I fought to break loose from his hold. Across the cave, Tessa raised Everett to his feet, and they hurriedly limped after us. Water poured from the walls at a faster rate, slamming to the floor in a deafening rush.

“Vera!” Everett’s voice cut through the roar.

“I’m here!” I screamed back, clawing at Starke’s grip, my fingers scraping uselessly against his arm. “I’m here—just hold on!”

Water surged across the floor, swallowing our ankles. Our calves. Cold seeped through my clothes and into my skin.

Mortep lugged me farther. My boots ground over slick stone toward the exit tunnel behind us. “No—no, stop!” I twisted, ripping my arms free for half a second, just enough to reach out.

Everett lurched forward at the same time, shoving past Tessa, his hand outstretched.

Our fingers brushed.

A sob tore from my chest as Mortep wrenched me back. “Everett!” I cried.

Everett panted hard, but not from exertion. The wraith shadows climbed from his shoulder and spread toward his heart. “Don’t stop!” he yelled over the water. “Don’t stop fighting, Songbird! Get out of here!”

“I’m not leaving you!” I thrashed wildly, panic clawing up my throat. “I’m not⁠—”

More water burst from the cracks, drowning out my words. It was everywhere, golden waves crashing at our waists, battering against the walls. Mortep and Starke both carried me through the open tunnel, and water poured after us.

Mortep lifted a hand.

“No!” I screamed, lunging for Everett, but their hold kept me from moving.

Everett’s gray and green eyes met mine. “I love you, Vera.”

My heart shattered. “I love⁠—”

Mortep’s fingers curled, and a wall of rock shot up from the ground, sealing them inside.

79

Everett

The cave slammed shut.

“Vera!” I lurched for the wall, pounding my fists against it. “Vera!”

Nothing answered me but the thundering of waves rushing through the chamber. Their golden hue lit the entire space, illuminating our grave.

Behind me, Tessa coughed as water climbed up her chest and splashed her face. “She’s gone, Everett. We have to figure out how to get out of here!”