Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 121924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“Get Talon or Ajax, Seneca!” Bevan called out. “Now!”
She disappeared from my sight, but I wasn’t sure why she’d bother—neither Talon nor the Marshalls ever helped during such situations. Candidates had to help themselves.
Still clinging to my wrists, the two male Phoenixians again tried dragging me toward them—something that would have been easier if our skin wasn’t muddy and slippery with sweat. But the ground began to shift once more, sucking my elbows down with it.
Dread clutched at my throat, threatening to steal my breath. Little stones tumbled down the hole, and light splatters of mud dotted my face. Oh gods, I might—
My body abruptly dipped, but Bevan and Atticus tightened their grip before I could drop.
Both males again tried yanking me upward. I had no way to help them; had no crevices in the wall to stick my feet into—all I could do was dangle there, while terror raced through my system as fast as the heart pounding in my chest.
The world seemed to stop as my slippery hand all but flowed out of Bevan’s grip. Atticus, however, held tight—his entire body straining with the effort to keep me from falling. But then a devious light lit his eyes. A light that made me tense.
And he eased his hold just enough for my wrist to slide from his grip.
I dropped like a rock at a speed so fast I had no chance to scream. My back hit the soggy ground hard, the impact slamming the air from my lungs. Excruciating pain racked its way down my spine as I sucked in a sharp breath. My head went light, and little black spots danced before my eyes.
Voices yelled down at me, but they seemed so tinny and faraway that I couldn’t make out any words. I blinked hard, trying to bring the world back into focus; trying to fight my way out of my daze.
Gradually, my hearing went back to normal and the dots cleared from my vision. I didn’t move, though. Feeling battered, I stayed still, my breaths mere rasps.
Several faces cautiously hovered over the pit—Talon, Quillen, Bevan, and Ajax. I was grateful they were careful not to walk to the edge, where they’d be sure to dislodge more of the muddy earth. I’d much prefer not to have mounds of it dropping down on me.
“Talk to us, Anara,” Quillen called out.
“I’m fine,” I gritted out.
The Lykaon exhaled a long breath.
Talon eyed the width of the pit … as if looking for a good spot to land. If he jumped down here I would be livid. It would be the same as saying that he had no faith in my ability to help myself.
And it would mean that I’d failed Xalbia.
While candidates were allowed to help each other to some degree, no one from the Order could interfere unless a person was calling it quits. I hadn’t gone this far to fuck it up now.
“Just feeling a little winded, that’s all,” I added. “I’ll be up and out of here soon.”
A new face appeared. Atticus. I smashed my lips together, my nostrils flaring as I glared at the bastard.
“It’s a relief that you’re okay,” Atticus commented, the image of concerned.
I flexed my fingers, my temper stirring; heating; frothing.
He’d likely thought that the fall would kill me. It could have done.
Anger latched onto me with razor-sharp nails; nails that raked and dug deep. I’d always had a wicked temper, but the ichor had somehow fed it—made it hotter, more intense, easier to trigger.
Spitting a dozen curses beneath my breath, I put a chokehold on my temper. I couldn’t afford to feel right now. I needed to think.
I needed to get out of this damn pit.
I tried to rise, but such awful pain lanced down my back that my stomach heaved and my head swam. I closed my eyes for long moments, pulling in steadying breaths. I would not black out. No way.
Opening my eyes, I gritted my teeth as I forced myself to slowly sit up. My eyes watered with the strain, and a long hiss slid through my clenched teeth. I gave myself a few seconds, waiting for the pain to dim. Then, powering past the burning throb in the base of my spine, I somehow managed to drag myself upright. My legs nearly crumpled beneath me, and I had to plant my feet to steady myself.
“You good?” asked Quillen.
I knew what he was really asking was if I needed rescuing. “No broken bones,” I assured him. “I’ll be with you in a sec.”
Flitting my gaze around, I rubbed at the small of my back with a wince. The pit was blessedly empty of any creatures, thank the gods. But stable? That I didn’t know.
Icy cold fingers dragged their way down my spine as a thought struck me. Would the mud walls collapse? Could I find myself buried beneath them?