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Every time I saw any opportunity, it was snatched away by this —and everyone

We approached the entrance of another cavern, and once we stepped inside, I realized it was a large doh toward the sky, and there was a break in the center, letting sunlight reach the floor

But there was no floor

There was a pit—without a bottom

I crept to the very edge,a rock over, and I watched it tumble down until it was obscured in darkness “What the…?” I raised ive me an answer

Mastodon glanced down before he gestured toward his men “I’ll take the lead Ian, you take the rear”

“Whoa, hold on,” I said “We’re going down there?”

Mastodon stared at me

“Into a bottomless pit?” I asked incredulously “For what reason?” I hoped that my father’s men would search the countryside until they found our tracks Then they would follow our scent until I was rescued But if I went down there…they’d never find me

It was now or never

“You call it a bottomless pit,” Mastodon said “I call it home”

Oh shit

Without hesitation, I went for it I kicked the ripped the hilt of his sword as he went down—right over the edge I barely got a gliht he would do

He chose his comrade over me

I sprinted out of the cave without looking back, carrying the heavy sword like it was featherlight because the adrenaline was so powerful I chose life over death, because that was all that aiting for me in that pit, death

I hit the sunlight and kept going, heading for the tree line Not once did I glance behind me because that would slow ht disappeared once I was in the shade I jumped over boulders and tree trunks and dropped the sword once on the way

That hen I realized he was right behind me

Fuck, he’s fast

Ito find little nooks and crannies that I could sneak between and that would slow hih everything

This isn’t going to work

Think