Rage and Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,126

rain and the darkness, a thicker shape peeled away from the base of the tree. Was it a person? A ghost? A Shadow Person? I couldn’t tell. Not with the distance and the rain.

Squinting, I could see it about four feet from the tree. I walked forward, and then instinct took over. My pace picked up until I was jogging and then running as I reached for one of my daggers, just in case—

The soft, mushy ground sank under my feet, and for a heart-stopping second, I froze. So stupid, so incredibly stupid, because that was a second too long. The ground gave way under me, sucking me down before I had a chance to scream.

Clumps of dirt and grass fell with me as I plummeted into nothing. Panic rose, but I squelched it as I folded my arms and tucked my legs, bracing myself as best as I—

—slammed into the hard ground, air punching out of my lungs as a flare of pain shot across my pelvis and down my left leg. My head cracked off something, and starbursts blinded me as another spike of pain erupted along the back of my skull and then shot down my spine. The sudden impact stunned me into immobility. I lay there on my side, legs still tucked as I breathed through my clenched jaw, eyes squeezed shut.

Holy crap.

I had to have fallen ten feet or more. The distance explained the deep, steady throb in my leg and my head. That kind of fall would’ve done serious damage to a human. Unclenching my mouth, I took a deep breath and about choked on the overwhelming scent of rich, wet soil. The icy pressure was still between my shoulders, and whatever I’d fallen into was unbelievably chilly, at least twenty or so degrees cooler.

Opening my eyes, I saw...nothing. Nothing but complete, utter darkness.

A seed of panic took root as I jerked upright and scurried backward until I rammed into something hard and solid. Nausea swept through me as a streak of pain lanced my temples.

Okay. Maybe I did some damage to myself.

“Shit,” I moaned, lifting a hand to my temple, realizing I was against a wall. I twisted at the waist, wincing as I reached out, placing my hand against the damp, slimy surface. A stone wall—a moldy, slimy stone wall.

What the Hell had I fallen into?

I strained to see anything, but there was only inky darkness. Was the place devoid of all light? Or was it my eyes? Had they taken this moment to give out on me? The seedling of panic unfurled. No. No. That was not how RP worked, and my skull was thick enough to protect all the important brain cells and nerves responsible for vision. I knew that, so I just needed to calm my heart...and my breathing, because hyperventilating wasn’t doing me any good. I needed to look for a way out—my phone. I could use the light from my phone to see, and Zayne must have felt my panic. For once, I was grateful for the bond I could feel in my chest. He would look for me.

Hopefully not on a nearby street.

I began to reach for my phone while praying that it hadn’t been damaged in the fall, because that would suck. I needed light. I needed to be able to see—

A soft thump echoed not far from me. I stilled, trying not to breathe too heavily or too deeply as I stared into nothing. What was that—

Another barely audible sound caught my attention. A softer thud and then one more, a sound that reminded me of...

Realization kicked in, and my stomach dropped as my grace burned in my core.

I wasn’t alone.

29

The sound of footfalls ceased as I held myself completely still. I knew beyond a doubt that there was someone with me.

What that someone was, I had no idea.

Because it wasn’t Zayne, and no human could’ve made that jump as quietly or safely, but I also didn’t sense a demon. Could it be another Warden? If that was the case, why not say something?

I scanned the darkness, hearing only the steady splatter of rain and the rumble of thunder. There was no other noise, not even the sound of breathing, but I could feel it. Every sense I had was hyperaware of the presence.

I needed to see.

Chills swept down my arms as I slowly, carefully reached for my back pocket. My fingers slipped over my phone. Heart pounding like the rain, I held my