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“No. I can’t leave you.”
I groaned. “Go.” He hesitated, and I shouted. “GO. Fucking finish this.”
He pulled me in for a fast, fierce kiss before taking off after her into the darkness.
Chapter 31
Theron
Theescapehatchwasunlike the fine, etched walls found everywhere else in Hundaelr. Cold, damp stone pressed in on all sides, the path sloping downward as if leading into the very bowels of the earth, before turning sharply up. Here, away from the grandeur of the city, the walls were raw, unadorned save for the occasional dripping stalactite. Every footstep seemed to echo endlessly, making it hard to distinguish direction or distance. Moisture clung to the air, the scent of old earth and decay coating my skin.
Rage surged through me as I pursued my mother. If I’d been even a minute later, I would have lost Kael. My vision pulsed red as I pursued her, determined to end this once and for all.
I’d grown up hearing tales of secret tunnels and catacombs beneath the city and had searched for them, hoping to find an escape, but I’d never found them before. My eyes adjusted to the dark. The faint luminescence from the odd moss patch growing on the walls aided in lighting the way just enough. Every noise was amplified in the stillness—the soft patter of water droplets, my ragged breaths, and the echoes of steps. Were they my own reflection to me or Nyana’s leading me deeper into the abyss?
My instincts screamed at me to be cautious, to be aware of every shadow and every corner. But the urgency of the chase and the need to stop her pushed me forward, faster and even more recklessly. Every so often, I’d reach out to touch the wall, grounding myself and ensuring I didn’t lose my way in the winding tunnel. But all the while, my senses remained focused on one thing; catching her and ending her reign of terror.
The path ahead of me split, diverging into two distinct tunnels. I halted, a sinking realization hitting me. This wasn’t just a random escape route. It was a maze, designed to confuse any pursuers.
I took a moment to study the pathways, my heartbeat echoing in my ears with every thump. To my left, the tunnel was wider; the stones were worn smooth, suggesting more frequent use. To the right, the path was narrower, the ground uneven, and I could sense a faint draft of cold air. Both routes were equally shadowed, offering no hint of which was the right choice.
Closing my eyes, I tried to center myself, drawing upon every story, every piece of lore I had heard about Hundaelr’s underground labyrinths. Nyana’s strength was in her planning, and her meticulous attention to detail. But her arrogance was her weakness. She would expect her pursuers to falter, to doubt themselves, and take the worn path. But I wouldn’t give her that satisfaction.
She could use the wider trail more often to traverse inside the mountain. The narrow one—that was the exit.
It was a gamble...
I took the narrower tunnel on the right, moving faster, determined to catch up to her. A faint glint on the ground caught my attention, revealing a nearly invisible tripwire stretched across the path. I stepped over it, slowing my pace to watch for more traps.
I came upon an area where the stone tiles underfoot seemed raised, each one intricately designed. Bending down, I inspected the tiles. They were pressure plates, no doubt intended to raise an alarm. I carefully sidestepped them, using the narrower gaps between the tiles to find a safe path forward.
This had to be the right tunnel. She’d set numerous alarm traps, no doubt to tell her if someone was on her trail.
Every few steps brought a new challenge, a new puzzle to solve. She wouldn’t have any warning that I was following.I’d catch her unawares. Kill her.I repeated the thought with every turn and twist of the labyrinth. I had to be not only faster, but smarter.
A faint whirring sound reached my ears, and I instinctively ducked, hearing the whoosh of air as razor-sharp blades swung out from hidden recesses in the walls, narrowly missing my head. They swung back and forth in a deadly arc, forcing me to time my movements to avoid getting cut to pieces.
“Atar’s hammer,” I murmured to myself.
A distant sound echoed through the tunnels, growing steadily louder — the rhythmic drumming of footsteps, many of them. Had Nyana sent guards to intercept me? I pressed my back against an icy wall, listening intently, trying to discern the direction of the approaching threat. But the labyrinth played tricks on the senses, making it impossible to pinpoint the origin of the sound.
Determined not to be cornered, I pressed forward, every fiber of my being alert to the dangers around me. The path ahead grew darker, the faint luminescence of the moss fading away. I continued onward, the echoes of my heartbeat deafening in the stifling silence.
I turned the corner, dim light spilling from a narrow gap ahead. The exit? I stepped into a corridor that was like stepping into another world. The walls, ceiling, and floor were covered in mirrors. Reflected in every direction was an image of Nyana, smirking, laughing, taunting. Paintings of her were interspersed with the mirrors. The effect was disorienting, meant to confuse and mislead. Every step I took was met with countless reflections, making it challenging to discern reality from illusion.
I stopped, unsure which direction to move. This was the perfect place for an ambush. I would never see her coming because she was everywhere. Frustration mounted as the images of Nyana seemed to mock my every move. Unless that was the point? Not to attack, but to slow me down even further. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes, relying on my other senses, listening, feeling the vibrations in the ground. Guided by instinct rather than sight, I found my way through the mirrored maze, emerging on the other side.
My breath caught in my throat as I saw it. A ray of sunlight pierced the darkness, illuminating a wide open space with a large archway at the end — the exit to her hidden tunnel. I could see Nyana silhouetted in the light, just steps away from freedom. This was it.
“Mother!”
I picked up my pace, determined to close the gap between us even as she began to run. Adrenaline surged through my veins and I pushed myself harder, no longer hampered by obstacles or traps. With every step forward, I gained ground on her until I was close enough to touch her.
The ground disappeared beneath me.
The floor opened, a hidden trap door giving way to an abyss below. I plunged into the darkness, barely registering the shock before coming to an abrupt halt as I was ensnared by an earthborn metal net that had been rigged beneath the stone tiles.
“Theron,” a voice cooed from the shadows above, dripping with malice. Nyana. “Always so headstrong, so eager. Did you truly think you could outsmart me?”
