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e against the damp stone under his paws. The air grew colder, and the sensation of being very deep under the earth increased. Odd, when the path he followed seemed to be going up rather than down.
The smell of death sharpened the air. He slowed, knowing he had to be close.
Light shimmered up ahead. He stopped, not sure what he was seeing. Then he realized he was viewing the torch through a curtain of water, and the tension in his gut increased. The clothes of the kid they’d found torn apart in the warehouse had been damp. Now he knew why.
He edged closer to the water. The zombies were standing next to a stone table that reeked of blood. Not fresh blood, but old. As if the stone had spent years and years steeped in it.
He couldn’t see the two girls, but the soul-sucker stood in front of what looked like a second cave, placing small stones across the entrance. When she’d positioned the last one, she made a motion with her hand, and the air shimmered briefly. Another magic wall, obviously. Only this time, he was on the right side of it. With any luck, all he had to do was shift the placement of those stones and the energy wall would dissipate.
The mara walked past the old stone table to the other side of the cavern. She stood in front of it for several seconds, then made another motion with her hand. The curtain of darkness that shadowed the wall seemed to flow aside, revealing another tunnel. One that had a slightly phosphorescent glow. He had no doubt a sample would match the material under the second kid’s fingers.
The soul-sucker glanced at the zombies, and all but one followed her into the greenish passageway. He shifted his feet, itching to attack, knowing this was possibly his best chance. But Kat had said the mara would know the minute one of the zombies died. Right now, he couldn’t afford to do anything that would attract the soul-sucker’s attention. Not when he was alone and the mara was so close.
Besides, he doubted if he could outrun the zombies, and he certainly couldn’t fight when he was carrying both girls.
It left him with very little choice. He’d have to wait and see whether the mara and the zombies intended to leave the girls here. Then he’d have to go back and wait …
The thought died as a distant sensation of foul energy vibrated through the air. The hackles along his back stood on end, and he turned, sensing the main source of that power came from behind him.
The buzz increased until the air was thick and electric. The rock under his feet quivered, and hot air blasted down the tunnel. Then energy died and silence fell once more.
He remembered the fissures he’d seen in the tunnel. Remembered the zombies stopping. Knew that Kat was due back any minute. Felt fear engulf him—a fear that was both his and hers.
His four legs had never moved so fast as he raced back to the tunnel.
KAT PUSHED HERSELF UPRIGHT AND SWIPED AT THE WETNESS running down her face. The sound of the explosion still rang in her ears, but it didn’t prevent her hearing the rush of water—water that was up to her knees and rapidly rising.
And the tunnel was no longer dark. Dust danced in the golden slithers of light that thrust into the gloom, and even from where she was standing she could see the gray of threatening clouds.
But those same sunbeams allowed her to see the water. It looked as if half the damn river was being diverted into her prison.
She rose and staggered forward. The water poured in through two fissures. They were large enough to thrust a couple of fingers through, large enough for the water to pour in with sufficient force to tug at her feet and threaten to topple her. But not large enough to allow a raven to escape, let alone a human.
Being caught in a tunnel was bad enough. Being caught in a tunnel rapidly filling with water was the stuff of nightmares …
She took a deep breath, trying to calm the rapid pounding of her heart and the fear threatening to lock her limbs.
The water was only at her knees. She had plenty of time to find a way out. She looked up, studying the roof, noting at least half a dozen fissures that dripped water. But move one rock, and she might just bring not only the wall down but the rest of the river as well. Getting to the trapdoor that lay beyond the wall was definitely out of the question.
She turned and went back through the water. The darkness weighed in on her as she moved away from the fissures and the sunlight. She tried to keep her breathing even, tried not to think about the weight of the river above her or the water that was creeping up to her thighs. Tried to think warm, calm thoughts as a chill crept across her skin and made her teeth chatter so hard her jaw ached.
She raised her hands, running one along the wet walls, holding the other out in front as she waded slowly through the swirling water. It wasn’t long before she hit something solid—but it was a solid she didn’t want to feel. Another wall of rock.
She bit back a curse, ignored the rising sense of panic, and edged sideways. It couldn’t be totally solid. There had to be stones she could move. Even if she only made a hole big enough for the water to escape through, it would be enough. Ethan was beyond this wall somewhere. She was sure of that, if nothing else. He’d find her. He’d get help and get her out—if the soul-sucker and her zombies didn’t find him and the rescue party first.
Rock tipped under her touch. Kinetic energy surged to her fingertips. She carefully withdrew the stone from the pile and tossed it behind her. Water splashed, creating a wave that lapped past her hips. She bit her lip and grabbed another rock, working methodically to create a gap as dust and pebbles rained down on her and the water continued to rise.
Sweat trickled down her face and a pounding ache settled into her head. She was beginning to push her kinetic limits, but she had no other choice. The water was rising faster now, and creating a hole was her only hope of escape. Her only hope of immediate survival.
She pulled out another rock. There was an odd sound, like an old man groaning as he struggled to rise, then rocks and debris began to rain down on her.
She yelped and jumped back. Her feet slipped and she went under the water, the coldness snatching her breath. Stones rained around her, churning the dark waters, confusing her senses so she couldn’t tell up from down. She tried to relax, tried to let herself float, but a rock hit her shoulder, and she cried out in pain, sucking in water, filling her lungs with ice. Then something hit her head and darkness closed in.
ETHAN DROPPED THE BACKPACK AND SHIFTED SHAPE AS HE ran into the cavern. Where the entrance of the tunnel had been was now a wall of stone and rubble. He could hear the rushing of water and knew the fissures must have opened in the explosion, providing the river with a brand-new course.
A course that might kill Kat if he didn’t find some way to free her quickly.
He slid to a stop. Near the very top of the wall there was a small gap. No water escaped through it, which surely meant it hadn’t reached that high yet.
