Chapter 152
I shiver at the sensation of cool air on my bare skin and the dull ache pulsing through my leg. It’s a stark contrast to the suffocating heat of the cavern I’d blacked out in. I blink against the dim light, my body stiff and heavy, and the moment I move, a sharp sting runs up my left leg.
I glance down, realizing my leg is splinted and wrapped in fabric that looks suspiciously like my shirt. My stomach flips when I spot what’s bracing it—a piece of petrified material that’s unnervingly bone-like.
Cora sits a few feet away with her head in her hands, eyes closed, as if she’s catching a rare moment of rest. Her hair clings to her damp face, and the weight of exhaustion is evident in the slump of her shoulders. Before I can say anything, her head snaps up, her sharp eyes locking onto mine.
“You’re awake,” she says, her voice edged with relief as she scrambles to her feet and kneels beside me. “How are you feeling?”
I wiggle my toes—or at least, I try to. There’s no response, but the deep ache radiating up my leg reassures me that it’s still there. “My leg’s definitely broken,” I say, my voice hoarse. “But I’m just glad I still have it.”
Cora nods, brushing dirt from her hands. “I did what I could. It’s splinted, but moving around won’t be comfortable.”
“What’d you use for the splint?” I ask, eyeing the bone-like material with suspicion.
Her mouth quirks in a half-smile. “Petrified... something. I think it’s bone.”
I glance at her incredulously, then at the crutch she’s holding out—a large, blackened stick, slightly curved at the top. “Is this a femur?”
She exhales sharply through her nose, her version of a laugh. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want answered, darling.”
I groan but take the crutch, running my hand over its smooth surface. “Do you know the way back up?”
Her expression darkens. “Only to the cavern we fell from, unfortunately.”
I take a deep breath, steadying myself. “That’ll do.”
Planting the crutch firmly on the ground, I push myself up, balancing on my good leg. The pain flares instantly, and I wobble, the crutch slipping against the uneven surface. Cora rushes to steady me, gripping my arm as I grit my teeth against the sting.
“Why are you in such a rush?” she asks, her tone soft but pointed.
I glance around the cavern, the oppressive atmosphere weighing on me. The glow of magma reflects off the slick walls, and the distant hissing of steam fills the air. “Because this place looks like one of the circles of hell,” I mutter. “And while that’s nice and all, Wake and Khale are going to have a hell of a time finding us down here.”
Cora chuckles under her breath as she helps me take a shaky step forward, then another. “Khale knows better than to waste time or resources on me. The villagers will be looking to Nereid for help.”
I snort. “No offense, but Wake doesn’t give a damn about those villagers. And Khale? Considering the way I’ve seen him look at you, I’d say he’s exactly where he wants to be.”
Despite the oppressive heat, a faint blush creeps up Cora’s neck. She stutters, her usually composed demeanor slipping. “It isn’t like that.”
I raise a brow. “It isn’t?”
Her lips press into a thin line, her gaze fixed ahead. “I had my mate,” she says quietly. “Fate doesn’t smile like that twice.”
“Yeah, but your mate sucked,” I counter. “And also, he’s dead. That’s cause for a redo if I’ve ever heard one.”
Cora cracks a sad smile, shaking her head. “Even if that were true, my... feelings for Khale are irresponsible.”
I glance at her sidelong, adjusting my grip on the crutch. “Because you’re older than him?”
“No.”
“Because you have an entire family you couldn’t introduce him to?”
“…No.”
“Because you’re technically his boss?”
“Darling, please.” Her tone is weary but affectionate.
I grimace as I put weight on my injured leg, the pain sharp and unforgiving. “Sorry. I just don’t get it. How does dating one of them put their entire society in danger?”
Before she can answer, we round a bend, and the cavern opens up into a massive chamber. The sight stops me cold.
At first, I think the floor is shifting—like the lava beneath us has breached the surface again. But as my eyes adjust, the truth is infinitely worse.
Dozens, maybe hundreds, of massive creatures scuttle in synchronized motion, their hulking forms the same grotesque amphibian/insect we’d faced before. Each one is the size of a small car, their bodies a patchwork of slick, oily-looking skin and jagged, armored plating.
Their legs are segmented and clawed, moving with mechanical precision as they scale the walls or haul jagged chunks of glowing mineral from the depths. Their tails curve menacingly overhead, tipped with what looks like serrated stingers that glint in the dim light.
The glow from the minerals clings to them, reflecting off their iridescent hides, and some of them emit faint bioluminescence from the ridges along their spines. Their movements are fluid yet disturbingly deliberate, acting with clear purpose.
“What are they…” I trail off, unable to finish the thought as my brain struggles to process what I’m seeing.
My eyes follow the pattern of their movements. Clawed forelimbs tear at the cavern walls, peeling away chunks of a glowing mineral embedded in the stone. The chunks are passed down an assembly line, carried by others who cradle them delicately in their many limbs.
The mineral glows brighter when grouped together, casting an otherworldly light across the creatures as they pile it into mounds near the center of the chamber. There, still more creatures arrange the pieces into rough blocks, their claws moving with an almost hypnotic rhythm.
“They almost look like they’re mining,” I say, my voice trembling. The creatures don’t speak, don’t grunt or growl. They don’t need to. Their tasks are simple, clear, and repeated over and over again. “It’s an assembly line.”
“Yes,” Cora murmurs, her voice low but sharp. “Yes, it is.”
The eerie hum intensifies as my gaze shifts to the far side of the chamber. A massive creature towers above the others, easily three times their size. Its body pulses faintly with heat, glowing brighter than the rest. Its tail is enormous, ending in a jagged blade that glints even in the dim light. It watches over the operation, unmoving, like an overseer ensuring the work is done.
Unnatural.
“What are they doing with it?” I ask, my stomach twisting as the magnitude of what I’m seeing settles over me.
Cora grips my arm, her fingers biting into my skin. “I don’t know, but we don’t have the time to figure it out. We need to leave. Now.”
I glance at her, and for the first time, I see real fear in her eyes.
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