Fighting for the Lost (Sebastian's Daughter Book 4) (COMPLETE)

Chapter 39

We ran for what felt like ages, searching desperately for what we hoped would be a doorway out of this mysterious place we'd been trapped in. Every corridor looked the same. Just rooms upon rooms of nothing.

It was when my coughing began again that we finally stopped for a break. Alex stopped running as I did, and his grip on my hand tightened as I sank to my knees and he knelt beside me. The others all turned and approached as well.

"Breathe, Selena," Alex cooed. "It'll pass. You're alright."

After several long moments, the fit ended, and I took deep breaths. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for. I'm sorry I didn't think to give you a break sooner," my brother answered. "Can you keep going?"

I thought for a moment. I knew we had to keep moving, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep running without stirring up another fit. After a few seconds, I shook my head. "I don't think so," I told him, my voice hoarse.

He nodded, then looked up to Samantha and Finny, who were both clearly worried about me, but also anxious to keep moving. I couldn't blame them. The longer we stayed here, the more likely we were to be found.

Alex stood then, looking down at me. I stared up at him, wondering what he was thinking, until he lifted me into his arms and started running alongside the others. I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly, memories flooding my thoughts as I recalled the times Alex had had to carry me around because I'd been too weak to walk on my own. If we make it out of here, I'll take that medicine and hope he doesn't have to carry me like this for a long time.

I shook my head, clearing it of thoughts of coughing up blood all over Alex and the possibility we wouldn't escape. We're going to get out of here. I know we are. We have to. Dad...

I couldn't help but chuckle against the pang in my heart. "If Dad ever finds out about this..." I croaked.

Alex gave me a small smile. "He'll never let you leave his sight again. Next thing you know, we're all going on missions with him and that guard dog."

I giggled, then rested my head on his shoulder. I knew Dad was going to find out about this eventually. Maybe he already knew, but still, I didn't think I would mind an excuse to stay with the people I cared about all the time.

It was another several long minutes before everyone came to yet another halt. I lifted my head and looked at the others, then realized why they had stopped.

We'd reached a dead end.

"This place is like a maze..." Samantha said. "How are we supposed to figure out the right path?"

"We could try following one wall all the way around," Finny suggested, half jokingly. "It'll take a long time, but it will guarantee we find an exit."

"What if there isn't one?" Samantha asked. "What if they sealed us in here?"

"I don't think that's the case," Alex told them. "They haven't come to find us yet, meaning they are probably all waiting for us at the exit. They want us to make our way out of here so they can test us for something."

"But what would they be testing us for?" Samantha inquired.

We were all silent for a moment, thinking. Then, it dawned on me.

"Not all of us," I told them, hugging Alex tighter. "Just us."

More silence followed as everyone realized what I suggested was true. Nathaniel was our kidnapper, that much was obvious. He wanted to test me and Alex to see if we were worthy to keep alive for experimentation.

"Even so," Samantha said quietly, "we still have to find a way out, and you're currently too weak to do much of anything."

I lowered my head.

The silence that followed was loud as we were all trying to think of what we could do to get out of here. I weighed each fact carefully in my mind: Alex and I were the real test subjects in this sick game, Nathaniel clearly had set it up, I was weak from trying to find the others, the walls were coated in some sort of material that hurt angels, they were also infused with both demonic and angelic energies, this place seemed to be shaped like a maze, and I was starting to get sick again. Something out of these things had to help us get out of here.

Suddenly, I got an idea.

"Alex."

He looked up at me. "What is it?"

I made him put me down, then told him. "When I was looking for you and Samantha, I tracked you down by searching for your energies. For Samantha, I searched for demon energy, and for you I looked for angelic. Well, they made it really hard to find both of you because they infused both kinds of energies into the walls somehow. I don't think I'll be able to do it again in my state, but you should try. If you're able to sense the energies in the walls, maybe you'll be able to see everything like a map or something."

"This place does seem to be shaped like a maze," Finny thought aloud. "If that will help you see the walls, it could save us time by knocking out the dead ends."

"Selena, that's a great idea!" Samantha exclaimed.

I smiled tiredly. "Yeah, but Alex, if you're anything like me, search for demon energy first. When I tried looking for your angel side, it hurt and seemed to drain me."

Alex nodded. "Are you alright to walk? Why did you make me set you down?"

I gave him a weak smile. "I want all of your focus to be on getting us out of here. Finny can carry me if I need him to." My expression then turned to pleading. "Please, Alex. This is the only way I know of that will get us out of this maze."

Alex looked between me and the others, then nodded. I backed away from him as he closed his eyes, and felt Finny grab my shoulders to steady me.

There was another long, intense moment of silence as we watched Alex concentrate. After a couple of minutes, he said, "I've got it."

We all cheered, the Finny lifted me into his arms and started to follow Alex through the building, and hopefully out of this maze and back into the sunlight.