Page 24 of Devoted

“How would you even know?” I muttered crossly. “Everything looks the same, and if we don’t get out of here soon, they’re going to…”

One minute the torches were flickering, casting long shadows up the walls. The next, a ribbon of living shadow peeled free from the stone, then unfolded into eight impossibly jointed legs, each ending in needle-sharp points that scraped across the floor with a metallic hiss.

“Luca,” I breathed.

“I see it.”

Another one sprouted from the ceiling, like they’d been birthed from the pocket of darkness there. These things were evil given shape, stitched together with writhing malice and hideously clicking pincers.

“Run.” I grabbed Luca’s wrist, but he yanked me the opposite direction just as four black-uniformed guards rounded the corner I’d been heading toward.

“Wrong way,” he dragged me back the way we came, then we were running full bore, the clatter of sharpened claws and heavy boots behind us, loud enough to echo off the walls.

“They were waiting for us.” He managed to give me the side-eye. “Those… things. They were waiting for us. Do you think this is a trap?”

I was panting, holding my aching side as we flew past the door leading back to the dock.

Yeah, not going back that way.

“You heard them?” I gasped. “You could hear those things’… thoughts? Do they have thoughts?”

Not thoughts exactly. More like… intentions. Kind of like… a chittering noise.

He shoved my shoulder. Go left… here.

We made the turn without losing our footing, which was the only reason those creatures weren’t already on top of us. Those needle-like claws didn’t provide good traction on the glassy marble, thank the gods.

We flew past tapestries. Then ornate vases perched on pedestals. We’d hit the public section, paintings blurring past I recognized.

Wait. There’s something up ahead, Em. His panic brushed against my mind.

Three guards above us with crossbows on the balcony. Stay to the right, close to the wall so they don’t have a clean shot. Don’t look up.

I obeyed, wincing when a bolt slammed into the marble a few inches to my left. My heartbeat stumbled, then picked up. Luca wasn’t guessing. He was reading their minds, anticipating their actions clearly enough, we just might get out of here alive.

We ran until we reached the main section of La Sala, ducking through an archway lined with ancient portraits when someone behind us shouted, “Drive them toward the council chamber.”

Fuck. I knew I recognized this hallway.

Keep going, I urged. There are a dozen exits on this floor, and all of them lead outside. Once we’re free of the building, we dematerialize to the safehouse and regroup. If we get separated, do you remember how to get there?

I think so.

The beat of bootsteps behind us grew louder. Above us, the shouting turned to orders. Gunshots rang out, bullets ricocheting off stone.

They’re herding us like cattle. Luca’s face had gone pale. They’re trapping us, Ember.

Up ahead. There’s a hallway leading to a garden. We can scale the wall. We hadn’t taken ten steps when another of those horrible spiders skittered out of the shadows, intercepting us.

Go right. Go right, Luca. There’s one more entrance that we can…

We turned to find so many black-uniformed guards blocking our way, I couldn’t count them all. The other end was full of those spiders, more skittering down the hallway towards us. We were trapped between two nightmares, though I’d take the guards over the spiders any day.

We only had one option.

The council chamber was to our left. I recognized those burgundy velvet swags—Dominico colors. Wondering dimly why my uncle hadn’t torn them down, I grabbed Luca’s hand.

Listen. We have to go inside. There’s one last way out. A secret exit, to the right of the council table, behind Severin’s chair. No matter what happens in there, if you have the chance to escape, take it.