without hearing any outcry. A large metal grate surrounded the shaft, and as they grew closer, she realized that there was no platform inside.
“Where’s the lift?” she whispered frantically.
“It must be on the surface,” Varga said reassuringly. “Do they keep it up there when they’re not using it, Ahona?”
“Oh yes, your honor, yes. Surely they do.” Ahona sounded even more nervous, and Varga frowned at him before looking at Issar.
“I don’t think we have any choice. It’s the only way to the surface.”
“I agree.” Issar shrugged. “At least there’s only one option.”
He reached out and slapped a large red button, and they all heard the faint grinding of the chains. Joan cast a nervous look over her shoulder again, but Varga gave her a reassuring smile.
“I know it sounds loud, but no one would be able to hear it unless they were right here.”
She suspected he was right, but it didn’t stop her from shivering. There was a small outcropping of rock to one side of the shaft, and Varga urged them all behind it. At least this way they wouldn’t be immediately visible if there was someone on the platform when it descended. She hoped.
The creaking increased, and she looked up to see the base of the platform far overhead. It descended with surprising speed, but to her relief, the sounds didn’t get any louder. When the top of the platform finally came into view, she shuddered and tried to fade into the rock. Two guards were standing there, chatting idly. They didn’t seem suspicious and she prayed desperately that they would head straight back to the blockage. Her pulse was pounding in her ears so loudly that she couldn’t make out what they were saying, but she heard one of them laughing, and the sound sent a chill down her spine.
The platform came to a halt, the gate lifted, and the two guards stepped out. They didn’t even glance in their direction, and Joan was about to sag with relief when disaster struck.
As the guards descended, Polly had tried to push herself further and further back against the rock. Somehow, she dislodged a small shower of stones. The clattering noise was loud enough that the guards turned in their direction. One of them gave a loud cry, and the other raised his electric whip. Varga raced forward, and to her horror, the whip landed on one of his scars. Golden fluid gushed out, and he crumpled to his knees.
“Varga!” She was already starting towards him when Ahona caught her arm.
His fingers were cold and slippery but surprisingly strong as he started dragging her with him.
“Look, your honors,” he said eagerly. “I found a female. I brought her along just for you.”
She tried to struggle as his words penetrated but the grip on her arm was no longer just strong—it burned. A fiery pain emanated from where he touched her, and a sudden wave of weakness swept up her arm.
“My arm…”
“I told you it was irritating,” he muttered maliciously, his face transforming to a humble smile as he approached the guards. “Just for you, your honors.”
There were two simultaneous roars. A black shape seemed to fly past her, and it took her increasingly foggy brain a second to recognize Issar. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as she watched him reach one of the guards and bury his claws in the male’s stomach. Varga was no longer on his knees. He had the whip in his hand, and he had it twisted around the other guard’s neck.
Good, she thought slowly.
The burning pain vanished from her arm, and she looked over to see Rummel bring a rock crashing down on Ahona’s head. She thought she should be relieved, but it all seemed so far away. The cavern began to spin around her, and the ground raced up to meet her. Someone caught her just before she hit, but she didn’t have time to wonder who it was before the world went dark.
Chapter Fourteen
Varga cast the dead guard aside and raced for Joan as she toppled to the ground. He knew he would never make it in time, but to his astonishment, Polly reached her first. Polly managed to break Joan’s fall, but both females hit the ground. As soon as he reached them, he snatched Joan into his arms with a grateful word to Polly. He frantically checked Joan for injuries, swearing at the sight of her swollen, blistered arm, the print of Ahona’s hand clearly visible.
He growled,