Page 80 of Into the Abyss
“No,”she mouthed.“We both haveto move freely.I’m okay. Go,”her lips formed thewords, but I found myself torn between carrying her out of here andlistening to her.“Go.”
I had no other choice; she would only fightme, and we could not stand here arguing about it. We made our wayto the other side of the monolith, opposite the horsemen and mostof the jinn. After a few more feet, a set of rocky steps risingfrom the pit and toward the ruins came into view.
We closed the distance between us and thesteps in less than a minute. Chunks of crumbling sandstone fell outto roll down near my feet. Most of the railing had given way, andwhat remained of it lay on the ground beside the stairs. The stepsdidn’t look as if they would support a flea, never mind the two ofus.
I studied our surroundings again, but unlesswe intended to hang out with these assholes for the rest ofeternity, or until I couldn’t hold the cloak anymore, we had nochoice but to climb.
Amalia’s fingers bit into my hand when Iplaced my foot on the first step and gingerly tested it. I workedto keep my concern for her safety buried so she wouldn’t sense itas I placed another foot on the next step.
Amalia followed me as we carefully climbedthe steps, but though the stairs looked like a breeze would topplethem, they remained solid beneath my feet.
We were nearly three quarters of the way tothe top when something shifted beneath my feet.
I froze, and behind me, Amalia’s breathexploded out of her as for a minute nothing more happened. Then,the stairs turned into sand beneath my feet. I scrambled to findsome purchase, but nothing substantial remained as we plummetedtoward the ground.
CHAPTER 34
Amalia
As we fell, rocks and sand abraded my skin untilMagnus somehow managed to turn over. Keeping hold of my hand, helifted me and pulled me against him while the hundreds of pounds ofdebris battering us tried to tear us apart.
Then, he folded himself around me so that hetook the brunt force of the rubble. He grunted once before ridingthe rest of the crumbling stairs to the bottom of the crater insilence. The dust and sand filling the air clogged my nose, butother than a rush of wind in my ears, the collapse was strangelyhushed.
Our impact with the ground knocked me freeof Magnus’s hold, and I bounced away from him on my ass. Biting mylip until I drew blood, I remained quiet as every jarring impactthreatened to break my bones.
I’d felt so strong after transitioning intomy immortality; now, I felt drained from being in such proximity tothe horsemen and their destructive, hate-filled nature. I couldfeel their depravity oozing from them like blood from a stabwound.
I loathed the way they made me feel anddespised that they’d further perverted this once lush and thrivingplace into something vile.
When I came to a stop, I pushed myself ontomy hands and knees and turned to search out Magnus. The cry I’dmanaged to keep suppressed tore free when I spotted him half hiddenbeneath a pile of rubble.
Scrambling on my hands and knees, I coveredthe distance between us with more speed than I’d ever possessedbefore. Not only did my new immortality fuel me, but so did thestrength of our bond.
Magnus’s silver eyes were dazed when hishead turned toward me. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth,but when he saw me, he jerked against the rocks, and his free handstretched toward me.
“I’m going to get you out,” I vowed.
I seized a hundred-pound rock and lifted itfrom him as hands fell on my shoulder. Screaming, I threw myselfforward to tear free of the grasp. Lifting another stone, I spunand heaved it at whoever grabbed me.
My mother ducked to the side in time toavoid the rock, and when her eyes came back to me, they were widewith hurt. Then, her gaze latched onto my neck, her breath suckedin, and she stepped away from us.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t… I didn’t know it wasyou, Mohara,” I stammered out an apology before digging into thepile again.
My fingernails splintered and broke awaybefore starting to regrow; more of my blood continuously stainedthe stones I tossed aside. Able to move a little better, Magnuscaught my hand when I reached for another rock.
“Run,” he commanded in a gravelly voice ashe stared at something beyond my shoulder.
They were coming for me, but it didn’tmatter. I would never leave him at their mercy. I yanked my handaway from him. “No.”
“Amalia, run,now!”
Then more hands landed on me. The sound thatcame from me was animalistic and unlike anything I’d ever heardbefore. Kicking and squirming, I did everything I could to breakfree of the imprisoning hold. Turning, my eyes met Olgon’s, and Iwent to kick him before someone else gripped my knees and raisedthem off the ground.
Olgon lifted my shoulders and hefted meabove the ground while someone else claimed my feet. Twisting tosee who held my knees, I met the sorrow-filled eyes of myfather.
“Paupi, put me down, please!” I pleaded.
After a small hesitation, he shook hishead.
