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Her voice held all of the e to downplay Worry Fear Tentative hope

We finally released each other, and I leaned back to aze

“I’ll do my damndest”

Chapter Eighteen

It was absolutely breathtaking

When we stepped out of the cave and into the ruddy sunlight, the terrifying beauty of the underworld was ined Massive black peaks scraped the sky far in the distance, and a swanarled forest of black, blue, and dark purple trees took over the landscape Our cave appeared to be part of a e, all porous and pocked as if a volcano had exploded and its spillage had instantly frozen in a jagged wave

“Which way?” I asked, swiveling my head from side to side

Xero pointed at the mountains in the distance “I’m not entirely sure, but I think those are the Devil’s Claws The et lucky and find some on our side”

“Let’s hope,” Kai said griet there? Swim?”

Xero hesitated, and I could see the wheels turning in his head “The swamp is full of killers,” he said “Tiny ones that you won’t notice until it’s too late The forest has its own creatures Larger, but just as deadly”

“I’ll take the devil I can see, thanks”

I started off in the direction of the forest, stepping carefully, as if I ht tread on a landuys follow Xero caught up with me, then pulled ahead

“Let ently “I knohat to watch out for”

“Like that miniature harpy?” I pointed over his shoulder,in my chest like a startled horse

He spun around and swiped at the wo at hi into the swamp Her body hit the water with a splash, and even before she was fully subed, she was set upon by thousands of tiny silver fish The water churned, red with blood and white with froth, as they consumed her alive Her screeches died out after just a second, and clean white bones popped to the surface of the water a moment later