AND SHE WAS NOT AN ADVENTURE I FLYNN CARSEN

Resurgam

Resurgam

They followed the sound of Lamia's voice, using it almost like a rope to guide them through the network of tunnels, Clara barely able to walk now. Flynn glanced worriedly over his shoulder at her, before holding out his hand, Clara taking it, almost against her will. Eve averted her face, looking oddly hurt, making Clara feel guilty. She knew Eve had developed some sort of reluctant crush on Flynn, but despite the guilt, it was the least of Clara's worries right now, Eve's amour appearing almost ridiculous in her eyes.

..."We have achieved the goal of returning magic to the world," Lamia intoned, her voice echoing oddly around the tunnel, "so stand before me, my brethren, and join me in honouring our master's victory..."

"Somebody please pass me a sick bucket," Ezekiel whispered, pretending to vomit violently.

"Over here, idiot!" Flynn hissed, grabbing Ezekiel by the shirt collar and hauling him back, dragging Clara in his wake. The others followed him, their faces pale in the flickering gloom. Flynn snatched the wine bottle from Ezekiel's fingers, before setting it down on the uneven ground with a snap of his teeth, glancing over his shoulder at where Lamia still held court unseen, her voice now leading a chorus of voices.

"Okay, we're going to have to go in there and grab that Crown," Flynn said, making the obvious, obvious.

"But they're going to kill us if we do," Jacob pointed out, making the obvious even more obvious.

"We have Eve," Ezekiel suggested helpfully.

"We do, but she's not enough," Flynn said, struggling to keep his temper.

"But she's an arsenal in human form!" Ezekiel protested.

"But not inhuman," Flynn said testily, making Eve roll her eyes.

"So-what-do-we-do-then?" Clara asked, wincing with pain.

"I don't know," Flynn snapped, letting go of her hand. "Do you have any amazing ideas we can use?"

"I have some ideas," Cassandra said nervously from somewhere close by, her voice oddly muffled.

They all looked at each other, startled, before turning and going round a corner they hadn't explored yet, only to find Cassandra sitting in a cage, the sight startling them even further. She awkwardly fluttered her fingers at them, looking childishly shamefaced. Ezekiel grinned, the only one to show any sign of being pleased to see her again. "Hello kid," he said, folding his arms over his chest, "how's it hanging?"

"Not very well," she admitted. "But as I was saying, I have some ideas" -

- "No way," Jacob snapped, "not after you sold us out like that."

Cassandra paled under the onslaught of his anger, her blue gaze falling upon Clara instead, her lower lip trembling. "I never meant for you to get hurt, Clara," she said quietly and with difficulty, "please forgive me."

Clara looked at her for a long moment, her own mouth trembling. "Lamia-didn't-just-hurt-me-,-Cassie," she said just as quietly and with even more difficulty, "she- killed-me."

Cassandra straightened up, her brow furrowing. "But you're here," she almost argued, gesturing to Clara, "you're walking and talking..." Her voice faded into nothing as Clara pulled back Flynn's blazer, revealing her blood-stained dress, Cassandra looking like she was going to faint. "Oh my," she squeaked stupidly, tears pooling in her eyes, "I... I don't know what to say," she stuttered, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Well, don't say anything, then," Jacob said cruelly, before turning away, angrily wiping his eyes with his suit sleeve.

"We don't have time for this melodrama!" Flynn hissed in an oddly high pitched voice, glancing nervously over his shoulder, half expecting to see Lamia and her horde descending upon them at any moment.