Page 42 of The Hyena’s Guardian

The larger creature released the King’s Hand and turned toward them.

Theron’s voice dropped. “Guardian.”

The word changed the chamber.

The massive wolf’s pale eyes settled on Matt with terrifying focus.

It recognized him.

The chamber fell completely silent.

When the creature spoke again, the voice sounded quieter now, though somehow even more dangerous because of it.

“You should not be here,” it said.

Matt swallowed once. “You know, people keep saying that to me tonight, but nobody’s offering transportation options.”

To Matt’s surprise, the Guardian's expression shifted. It was not amusement exactly, but something closer to recognition, as though it had encountered that kind of deflection before. “You speak as though nothing owns you.”

Theron stiffened.

The King’s Hand smiled. “There it is.”

Matt stared at him as if the answer had raised several new concerns. “There is what?”

“The flaw,” the Hand whispered. “The thing no one accounted for.”

A low rumble rolled suddenly through the catacombs beneath their feet. This time the movement did not stop.

The entire chamber shuddered violently as distant shrieks echoed upward through the tunnels beyond the walls. Dust poured from the ceiling while several of the glowing symbols flickered erratically across the stone floor.

Theron’s head snapped toward the corridor entrance. “They’re moving.”

The Guardian looked upward, listening toward something far deeper in the mountain than Matt could hear.

Then uncertainty crossed its face.

“They woke the buried ones,” it said in almost a whisper.

The rumble deepened beneath their feet.

Stone groaned throughout the chamber as fine cracks spread through several of the glowing symbol rings carved into the floor. Dust poured steadily from the ceiling now, drifting through the silver light in thick waves while distant shrieks echoed upward from somewhere far below the catacombs.

The Guardian lifted its head sharply, listening.

“They are breaking containment,” it said.

The King's Hand laughed softly through bloodied teeth. “You say that like it can still be stopped.”

Theron’s growl rolled low through his chest again. “Silence.”

The King's Hand ignored him completely. Its silver eyes remained fixed on Matt with unsettling intensity while the restraints surrounding the platform trembled harder against the mounting vibrations beneath the chamber.

Matt's finger settled against the trigger. “Okay. I feel like we have officially crossed into the part of the evening where someone explains what the hell is actually happening.”

Another tremor rolled through the chamber before anyone answered him.

This one hit hard enough to stagger the hungry ones clinging to the tunnel walls. Several shrieked in agitation before retreating deeper into the adjoining corridors, their movements suddenly frantic again.