Secrets of the Crown Assassins

55

INDIGO

There was a loud explosion somewhere in the distance behind us. The bang ricocheted off the walls, piercing our ears. Wolf, Nydia, and Cree stopped just a little ways ahead, looking around the hall with wide eyes. Maybe they were wondering if Lily had changed her mind, had set a trap for us. There was a moment of silence. And then there was the sound of metal creaking, of cement collapsing.

"The bombs!" Cree shouted. "The Crowns set off the bombs. The tower is collapsing."

Shit.

"Run," Wolf ordered. We ran.

We sprinted down the tunnels, following Cree as he guided us through the network laid all across the city, past the Ravens' symbol spray painted across numerous walls. We had exited the tower's base at least ten minutes ago, but the shock of the explosion was affecting the rest of the tunnels. And if the tunnels were collapsing, it was possible some of the roads and buildings above them would collapse too. We would be buried alive.

I hate my luck.

I sprinted faster as the ceiling above us shook, cracks forming. Clouds of dust followed us, marking the destruction of the tunnels behind us. I could barely see the others, trying my best to follow their shadows as splintering dust stung my eyes. It scraped against my throat, forcing me to cough. I struggled to breathe as I kept running.

"Cover your mouths!" Wolf shouted, his voice muffled. I whirled my head around as a sinking feeling set in. I couldn't tell where he was.

And then a hand gripped my arm. The tension in my shoulders eased. He was just to my right.

I followed his advice and pulled the top of my shirt up, covering my mouth and nose, using it as a filter. It was better, though it wouldn't last. Eventually, my shirt would be so caked in dust that it would be impossible to breathe through. We needed to get out of here.

As if on cue, the air around me lit up, the dust glittering white as splinters of daylight shattered through the heavy clouds.

Daylight. An exit.

Perhaps my luck wasn't abysmal after all.

Wolf and I sprinted down the last couple yards, finally reaching the opening in the ceiling. I didn't hesitate before letting go of my shirt and swinging my hands by my side for balance as I kicked off the wall and pushed myself up towards the exit. I reached it, my fingers almost instantly bleeding against the cement as I gripped the exit. Hands grabbed my arms and pulled me up into the alley above.

I fell to the ground, the gravel piercing my skin as I gasped, breathing in the clean air. From the corner of my eye I could see Nydia and Cree reaching back into the tunnel to haul Wolf up. The outside air, the dark blue and orange sky of sunset, the cold breeze lapping my face—all of it seemed like a dream. As if the past few hours toiling in an elaborate prison was so far away, so distant, so unimportant. Everything was peaceful.

And then I was being grabbed once again, pushed to my feet. Nisa ushered me through the doorway of the neighboring building as my mothers bound hands gripped my arm, nails digging in, almost as if to keep me awake and tethered to reality.

"We need to clean off the ash," she hissed as we walked into what looked to be a premium fitness center. A pool sat in the center of a large room. "It could be toxic."

They pulled me through another door and before I could even process it, I was standing beneath a shower, the water running. Nydia, Wolf, and Cree were also sent into showers beside me though, notably, only Nisa was shoving them in while my mother stood in the corner, simply watching the whole ordeal.