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Something screeched from somewhere above us, a chilling noise that reminded me of nails scraping stone. The sound seemed to agitate the little bugs and they all started moving, straight toward us.
“Go, go!” I shouted, hurrying up the root to where Mab climbed.
Krubera scurried out of the hive and swarmed the root. I kicked out at the ones beside me, leaving my magic for last. My fire might melt any of the glass we climbed. A slimy antenna grazed my arms sending a shiver through me.
I hated bugs.
Mab screamed as three of the cave ants moved near her, snapping their pinchers at her clothes. I moved quicker, slicing the bulbous heads that got too close. The spiderweb widened, giving us a chance to leave the life root and move out into the cavern. To our left a massive piece of crystal created a walkway away from the root.
Alisha appeared from the other side, using her blow gun to quietly knock the ants out.
“Get to the branch,” I called out.
Mab kicked one of the krubera and it fell off the root just missing my shoulder as it fell. She jumped to the wide walkway, giving my heart a drop at how close she landed to the edge. Within moments, I was behind her, stabbing at krubera crawling at us from every direction.
The walkway led out to more of the spiderweb that had pieces of pallasite and other minerals. From here, I could see the entire cavern including Kelia.
Kelia stood near the edge where I had left her, blue light flowing from her hands, one arm outstretched creating a barrier around the darkthing, her other arm, out and around the hive, covering the nearby holes. Our gazes met and I had never been more amazed. Power glowed around her, highlighting her in an ethereal aura that took my breath away.
Magnificent.
Knowing Kelia would keep us safe, I urged Mab forward. “Walk slowly.”
Mab nodded. “You still have the crystals?”
“I do.” Surprisingly, I had managed to keep hold of the bunch I’d been carrying.
“Good. I’m almost—”
Her words ended in a scream as the walkway in front of her broke off. I grabbed her arm, falling on to my stomach and catching her at the last minute.
“Mab!” Kelia screamed, but her and I both knew she couldn’t help. The moment she moved her magic away from the rest of the hive, we’d be swarmed.
Mab dangled, the hot boiling springs below her. She gazed up at me with wet eyes as my grip slipped. I needed both hands.
“Don’t!” Mab cried, almost knowing what I was about to do.
My body inched forward, closer to the edge, the smooth crystal a terrible place for saving someone’s life. “I have to.”
She cried. “Please.”
I cared for the prince, but Mab was my blood and now that I knew that, I was never letting her go.
“I’m sorry.” I dropped the life crystals and grabbed her arm with my other hand and pulled her up and over the ledge where she was safe in my arms.
There was no time for thank-yous, though. Lines appeared around us on the walkway. We had to go or we’d both die.
“Portal out!” Kelia screamed from across the cavern.
“I’m not leaving you here. I’ll try and get back to the root.” Looking behind me, the krubera scurried back, almost knowing that the walkway we were on was about to crumble apart.
“Go, Callum. Now! I’ll be fine. Hurry!”
“Come on!” Alisha took out the rod, opening the portal.
Kelia fell to her knees just as the barrier keeping the darkthing at bay began to crack. Mab held on to me tightly and Alisha screamed at me to move.
With a growl, I turned and jumped to the ledge Alisha stood on. “I’m coming right back for you.”
