CAGED (#3, of Crows and Thorns)

Chapter 96

Swinging my daggers over my head, I slammed them into the jagged edge of the blasted rock. The blades didn't quite run smoothly through the stone as if it were butter, and an intense jarring sensation vibrated through the dagger to rattle my bones and loosen my grip. Fuuuk!

But they sank in and held and I hung by the hilts, my body swinging with the crazed momentum.

Tipping my head back, I squinted up into the gaping hole overhead. My gaze sharpened on the smoothness of the upper portion of the hole, the symmetry of it, the elbow bend at the very crown of the hole. This wasn't random, nor a simple frantic act of escape, there was a second tunnel up there and the creature had blasted the hidden entrance to it open.

And Yezekael was scrambling into the tunnel.

I twisted my head and body aside as stones were dislodged by the creature's rough movements and rattled down the hole, falling past me. He disappeared quickly from sight when he entered the escape tunnel that ran horizontally through the catacombs.

Yanking a dagger free, I punched a hole higher up the gouged rock.

I burst into rapid motion, repeating the movement—

Crack, crack, crack—

Using brute strength and agility to punch my blades through stone—

To haul myself swiftly upward.

Reaching the very top I clambered onto the ledge and rolled to safety. Huffing for breath, I slipped the daggers back into their sheaths before I twisted over to rise unsteadily to my feet. The tunnel was wide but it didn't give me much headroom. I had to bend my torso over to avoid smacking my head on the low ceiling of the passageway. I shoved forward, my posture cumbersome, which slowed my speed considerably. Yezekael, I imagined, was scrambling on all fours like a cockroach. The sound of his escape became more and more distant as he pulled away.

Indeed, young Crowther, he's far ahead—grumbled the Uzrek.

Hellsgate!

My boots slammed along the rocky terrain as I ran, cursing myself. I couldn't stretch my legs long. I couldn't pick up my usual speed. I traversed tunnel after tunnel, panting for breath. It seemed like all I'd fucking done today was run. My thigh muscles burned and my lungs caught fire, sweat drizzling down my spine. I hurtled around pin bends, ducked lower to avoid overhanging rock, and wove through twists and turns. I pounded up slopes and fell to my knees to crawl my way through shallow tunnels before clambering to my feet and pushing onward.

Shit, shit, shit...

I slowed my speed when I realized the tunnel split into three possible choices ahead of me. Which way had Yezekael gone?

The Uzrek entered my mind—The left, young Crowther.

I threw myself down the left tunnel, careering into a faster pace, the steady thump of my boots on stone slapping against the rounded walls. The rush of air raked cool fingers across my face, tossing my sweaty hair from my forehead. Darkness streamed by and time became meaningless. On and on I ran and Nelle was with me, pushing through my focus, taking up residence in my mind.