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Selena snapped, “Orwith the Hierophant?”
“Don’t know if you’ve noticed this, Archer, but ht into that canyon And I’ve got twelve paws to be concerned about down there”
The tree trunks thinned out, the ground turning gravelly In the distance, gunshots grew sporadic Truck engines revved as the Teeth began rolling out
Finn jerked his head around “They’re coh there,” Lark called, pointing to the loo canyon
The rock walls were sheer, about four stories high, the width between thehway
Jack stopped at the entrance, cupping my face “Stick to me like a shadow, you” How o first!”
Dafuq “You’re goan to stay behind me and step where I step Same for you, coo-yôn This ain’t up for discussion!”
“The wolves can go first,” Lark said, concern in her eyes “They should take the lead”
Jack raised his brows “Mais yeah!” For sure “Send ’eh!”
The trio started forward swiftly They were difficult to see, blending with the dark Jack rushed to catch up with the me behind him, while I yanked on Matthew
Within the walls, it was even darker Sound was a I could barely hear the others trailing behind us
Ten minutes passed, twenty How much farther could it be? Terror in the rain, Matto? When would it end?
“Hang on, bébé Not too !”
We whirled around, saw Finn collapsing to his back, a bear trap biting into his right calf Blood poured
“Finn!”
As he screaan to flash erratically all around us—day to night, theto his knees, grappling with the ed the rusted jaws a couple of inches wider, but they sla back in his head as he passed out
“I can cut through it!” I called
“You and coo-yôn doan oddamned inch! Look at that boulder, Evie!” He jerked his chin at a nearby rock
I could see where that trap was attached by a chain to an anchored bolt I could also see several other bolts and disguised chains leading to still-hidden traps
We were surrounded by the in the rain
Jack used his crossboedge open the jaws, freeing Finn at last Then he reeled in the chain of the trap, throwing it like a lasso onto the ground between round Another
He turned behind hi the same for Lark and Selena “There could still be more,” he said as he hefted Finn over his shoulder “And watch your six for Teeth!”
We’d just started forhen bullets began to rain down
Lark cried, “They’re above us on the canyon walls!”
“Move your ass, Evie!” Jack yelled as he ca toward me, Finn secured in a fire once round around us, but the men were careful not to hit us—
One of the wolves stu sound A tree trunk hurtled through the air, a battle raht toward the wolves Jack lobbed Finn atme and Matthew over like dominos—just as the trunk hit a wolf
Ireat body colliding with Jack They were both hurled into the air, careening over where we lay I screa over on ht
The wolf scra Jack’s liainst a rock He was unconscious, blood strealed myself from Finn and Matthew and crawled to Jack “Please wake up Oh, God, please, Jack!”
Behindincoherently “The three, the three”
Selena sprinted fordown the canyon behind us!”
Fangs bared, Lark’s wolves charged back to attack Machine-gun fire rang out Whimpers, howls Then the wolves went quiet
The last one li dead at Lark’s feet, twitching She stared doith parted lips Shock
Selena grabbed my arm “We need to run, Evie!”
Run? Jack and Finn were unconscious “Never! I’et theh the bastards weren’t aiht above our heads “We can break the guys out later, just like JD and I did with themyself to leave Jack “Wake up, Jack! Please wake up!”
Spotlights flared down, blinding us By the timeout of a nearby trap door in the ground
Like ants
17
Hell was a cannibal y, littered with bones
Ten guards surrounded us, forcing us closer They had spiky teeth and sickly skin Their bodies were gaunt, starving
Each had n of the Hierophant’s enthrallment
Seven of the men leveled rifles at Selena, Lark, Matthew, and ear and weapons
Neither Jack nor Finn had awakened, filling ed Finn by an ankle Two ister any of this, just kept , “The three Water The three”
With dread, I realized the Hierophant’s call was getting louder “He’s down there,” I whispered to Selena
She nodded, her eyes a little wild “Just stay callyphs are dark Every second we can survive, you recharge froe? In a lanced over my shoulder, saw Lark’s eyes fill with tears She was too young for this We were all too young She’d lost her beloved wolves, and we’d still been captured