The Network ( Book One of the Grounders Series )

42

When I return to the corridor, all the prisoners are dead and any lingering magma has faded, but the temperature has spiked.

"It was wise of you to take my advice, Alaric," Arosi says, leaning forward so I can see his big meaty arms and massive claws. Within one of his claws is...

My mother.

"It'd be marvelous if you took my advice again. I'm offering a deal. Remember that day when you were banished from Daws and your mother was killed. Well she's still alive, and I'm offering to give her back to you if you stand down and let me take over the Network. Think about it, Al, you and her can live happily in Arocule together."

Mother is unconscious, but I can see the rise and fall of her chest. This is real. This is happening.

But I know there's a catch. There's always a catch.

Arocule. That's it! I know Arosi. I know that his goal is too takeover the Network. But I know him better than that. If he defeats me today, he won't just conquer the Network, but he'll conquer Arocule and everything else in the world as well.

"No," I say.

My mother melts into red blood and pours over Arosi's talon. "Foolish boy. Now you'll have to die!"

My legs are moving before he finishes his sentence, charging toward him.

He blasts another breath of fire in my direction and I leap into the air, catching the ledge of one of the second story prison chambers, and I slip within the threshold.

I take my moment of peace to load another arrow and then I step back onto the threshold. I fire my arrow and it whizzes through the air. I have another arrow loaded and flying before the first one hits its target.

The first arrow sticks solidly in Arosi's left eye, and the second one in his right. Now my opponent is blind.

The Dragon roars in fury. "You fool! I can still kill you!"

I sling my bow over my shoulder and leap out of the prison cavity, onto Arosi's massive talon that held my dead mother a second ago. I charge up his arm and onto his shoulder. He's too slow to swat me off.

I brace myself on his shoulder and then leap, latching onto one of the massive scales on his neck.

"You stupid little creature!" He howls.

I rip the scale off of his skin, and catch another before I fall and plummet to my death. I raise the sword as slide it vigorously into the exposed flesh.

Smoke sizzles around my blade as I rip it free and hot red blood gushed down on my like a waterfall.

"Aaahh!" He screams so loudly the entire cavern tremors.

I hear the clank of chains as he falls. I crawl up his shoulder and onto his back to avoid being crushed by him as he crumbles to the ground.

I inhale, the first breath I've consciously taken since I arrive here. I am covered in hot blood from head to toe. I am exhausted. But I've saved my people.

I let my hand release the sword and it rolls across Arosi's back and onto the stone with a clank.

It's over," I say aloud, "it's finally over."