“Ember,” Angel said, a wary tone in her voice. “Look behind us.”
I glanced over my shoulder at the entrance to the tunnel. Hundreds of baby beetles—if you could call them “babies”—were swarming into the cavern. Before long, they’d be everywhere.
“Crap.” I turned back to the massive beetle in front of us. “Let us have him and we’ll leave you in peace.”
To my surprise, a hissing noise echoed through the chamber, forming into words. “He’s mine. I am to guard him. You cannot have him, and now you will feed my children.”
“Looks like we’re going to have to do this the hard way,” I said, pulling out my sword. “Raven, whatever you’ve got, we need it. Angel, if we can give you an opening, get over to Viktor.” It crossed my mind that Gyell might be nearby and we needed to get moving before he returned.
Raven circled to the right and I followed, drawing the beetle’s attention away. Angel started edging slowly to the left, trying to keep away from the walls, which were rapidly filling with the death beetles.
“Can you use your lightning bolt?” I asked, my sword ready for action.
Raven was moving deliberately, one step at a time. “No, I think death beetles are immune to lightning. But I know they can burn.” She paused, holding out her arms, palms up. Twin flames appeared in them, and she whispered something I couldn’t catch. The next moment, twin streams of fire poured out, jetting toward the mother beetle. They hit her square on the face, and I felt a surge of joy.
The beetle let out a hissing screech. “For that, you will die,” she said, her shell looking charred. She lurched toward Raven, and I jumped close enough to stab at her with my sword. I knew a slicing attack wouldn’t work. The exoskeleton looked thick and hard to penetrate. But a piercing attack might do something.
I brought my sword down on her side as she listed toward Raven, and the tip of my blade met her shell with a loud clang. I pushed hard, leaning on the hilt, and there was a crunching sound as the shell splintered and my blade went through it, biting deep into the flesh below.
The beetle hissed again, swinging my way, and I lost my grip on the hilt of the sword, which was stuck deep into the beetle’s flesh. I darted back, reaching for my daggers that were strapped to both legs. Raven cursed as she moved back to prep another spell.
By now, Angel was at Viktor’s side, and she was frantically examining the locks on the shackles around his wrists. She reached up toward her hair for something and went to work on the locks.
I turned my attention toward the beetles on the walls and ceiling. They were still teeming out of the tunnel. One fell on me from overhead and I shrieked and shook it off.
Raven’s eyes narrowed and she held out her hands again. “Vedium, redente, mordenta caleth!” As the words echoed from between her lips, a black smoke poured out of her fingertips to surround the mother beetle and the creature froze. I wasn’t sure whether it was paralyzed or frightened or dead but when Raven said, “Get over to Viktor,” I ran, passing behind her.
Raven followed me as beetles began dropping from the ceiling. We dodged them, right and left and then right again, as the scuttling masses attempted to prevent us from reaching Viktor’s side.
Angel shouted, “He’s loose!” as Viktor slumped forward to the floor.
She shrieked as a couple beetles began to scamper atop him, swatting them away, sending them flying. Raven and I reached her side just as the mother beetle began to move again. Apparently she wasn’t dead.
“Angel, get out the scroll!” I shouted, freezing as I glanced outside the cavern, only to see the shape of a large dragon winging our way. “Hurry! I think Gyell’s coming.”
Angel fumbled in her pocket, finally pulling out the scroll. Hands shaking, she tried to unroll it, but dropped it. I swept down, grabbing it up. As I unrolled it, the dragon shape was closing in on the opening.
“Quick, we need to be touching, grab hold me and one of you grab hold of Viktor!” I scanned the scroll. Thank the gods it was short and sweet. Well, at least short.
Raven grabbed hold of my right arm, Angel grabbed hold of my left with one hand, and she stretched down to grab Viktor’s wrist