Catalyst Page 0,70

head. The sound came again and again, and then it finally grew quiet.

Uncertainty spilled into her veins. Kahli looked back the way she came, back to the place where Will lay in the snow. She could double back and drag him away. They could hide again, but how long would that last? Reggie found them in less than a day. Even Will didn't realize how traceable he was. Kahli took a deep breath and walked on.

She remained crouched, slowly placing one foot in front of the other, continuing down the hall, expecting to be attacked at any moment. Breathing steadily through her nose, she tried to control her panic. Her throat was so tight that she wanted to scream. This was much worse than fighting a few wolves. With the wolves she knew what to expect. If she avoided their teeth, she lived. With the vampires though, the fangs weren't the only thing to watch out for. She didn't even know what powers the King had or how to avoid them. Maybe it wasn't possible. Maybe she was walking to her death. Kahli didn't care. She couldn't go back. The only way to deal with this was to face the monster at the other end of the tunnel. Killing him would set her free, and then she'd destroy the Queen and her idiot brother. He should be on the front lawn by now, she thought to herself. Kahli doubted the Queen would respond the way he hoped, especially since he arrived with an empty truck.

Kahli stopped abruptly as a sound caught her ear. Wildly, she looked for a place to hide, but there was nothing. Holding the frozen stake, Kahli inched forward with her heart in her throat. So, it'll end here, she thought and moved forward.

The sound came faster and louder. She stood at the junction of two tunnels, both equally dark. The dust in the left tunnel was disturbed. That was the direction the King had gone. Backing into the opposite tunnel, Kahli hid her body in the thick shadows. She crouched low to the ground and waited.

As the footfalls came closer, her heart raced faster. As soon as his head came through the tunnel, she'd spring on him and stab him in the heart. That would be enough to slow him down until she severed his head. Kahli breathed slowly, trying to steal her nerves. Every inch of her felt alive, vibrating with anticipation. Her skin prickled as she waited, bouncing on the balls of her feet. It was so dark.

Within seconds a dark head appeared in the tunnel and she leapt. She could just make out the features on his pale face. Kahli sprung from her hiding place, her arm falling fast, but the man turned suddenly, like he knew she was there. The stake scraped the side of his face, leaving an angry red trail of blood down his cheek.

The man's hand flew up and caught Kahli's wrist. Smashing it back above her head, he hit her hand into the wall. It shredded the top of her glove, and cut the back of her hand. Kahli kicked out her knee connecting with his gut. The man gasped and bent in half. Kahli's arm ached, but she was still able to hold onto the stake. Kahli crouched low. The shadows obscured her face. She didn't have a chance to look at her attacker. It was too dark. It wasn't until she rushed him and slammed his taut body into the wall again, that she saw his face.

"Cole?" she gasped, saying his name as the air was forced from his lungs.

Cole didn't seem to see her. He was still fighting; his arm was pulled back, ready to connect with her face when he stopped mid-swing. Cole held his fist there, hovering in the air. "Kahli?" he asked, as if she were the last person he expected to see.

Kahli nodded and shoved him hard, before stepping back. He gave her space and looked behind them. The tunnel was empty. "What are you doing here?" he asked, irritated.

"Assassinating the royal family," she said casually, like this was a normal part of her daily routine. Breathing hard, she bent over and put her hands on her waist. Her hair fell over her shoulders like an orange curtain. It was the first time she stopped to catch her breath since she ran from Reggie. Kahli sucked in a deep breath, and asked, "You?"

Cole's chest rose and fell sharply. Sweat clung to