Wild Lands (Savage Lands #2) - Stacey Marie Brown Page 0,22

pulse echoed in my ears. Distant shouts, bangs, and movement haunted the hallway, scraping my nerves. We could be caught at any time.

Zander led me down the hall toward the lift, but he skirted me to a bookcase, his hands pushing and stabbing at every book on the shelf.

“What are you—” I yipped in surprise as the bookcase shifted, swinging in. Stone steps descended into a pit of blackness.

“Stay close.” His hand clutched mine, pulling me in. The moment the door shut behind us, a firebulb flickered on, giving us enough light to see in front of us.

“Killian and his main guards use this tunnel all the time, but it’s the only chance we have.” Zander moved down the steps. “If they decide to use it…”

“We’re screwed,” I finished.

“Basically.” His warm brown eyes glanced back at me, his fingers threading through mine. We padded down the secret stairs, passing a few doors inserted deeper into the stone wall, heading under the ground.

Zander came to a sudden stop, going rigid, his head tilting to listen as he sniffed the air. Below, a door slammed, and so did my lungs. I swallowed back the rush of fear, feeling my heart rebound off the walls like it was trying to tattle on me.

The thud of footsteps hitting the stone beat in tune with my heart. We were done. Our escape was about to be exposed in seconds.

Zander’s head snapped around frantically, his eyes locking on something behind me. He surged for me, his arms wrapping around as he yanked me into a doorway we had recently passed. His hand covered my mouth, his body tucking me tightly to his, trying to make us dissolve into the shadows. He pressed us against the corner, the uneven stone cutting into my vertebrae.

The steps grew closer, our pounding hearts knocking against each other.

A crackle of a voice filled the chamber, the guard’s gait slowing.

Oh. Baszd meg… of all guards.

Nyx came into view, half her face swollen and cut as if she had been violently reprimanded. She brought a device to her mouth. “I’m heading to her now, my lord.”

“If you hurt her, I will kill you, Nyx. There are no second chances if you disobey me.”

“Yes, sir.” She clicked off, pausing on the same platform as us, a snarl curling her lip. “Szuka…” Bitch.

Terror engulfed me. I couldn’t breathe or even think. All she had to do was shift her eyes just a little more toward the door, and she would see the lumpy silhouettes in the corner. Discover us.

She rolled her head, letting out her annoyance. Her frame went stiff, her hand reaching for her gun.

Fuck. Fuck. Bile scorched my throat.

A distant boom seeped through the tunnel, and she took off, racing up the steps. Her footsteps ebbed away.

My body sagged into Zander’s, relief whimpering in my chest. Zander exhaled, his hands rubbing my arms. “That was close.”

I scoffed. “That was beyond close. I thought we were done.”

“Come on. We have to go.” He squeezed my hand, pulling me back down the steps. My legs wobbled under the stress, but my training kicked in and I stayed upright.

We descended quickly to the bottom, then ran down an underground path, stopping at a heavy door. Zander dug out a set of keys, and potent magic hummed off them, telling me this door was protected with a spell. No one could get in or out unless they had the key to the spell.

He unlocked the door, but instead of opening it, he turned to me, hands gripping my shoulders, his gaze drifting back and forth between mine.

“Once again, I am forced to watch him take you away.”

My brow furrowed with confusion, but he gave me no time to ask. Pulling me into him, his mouth slanted over mine, and he gave me a quick kiss, his lips soft.

“Our paths will meet again. I promise you.” He cupped one side of my face, his eyes filling with adoration. Then he shook his head, inhaling, and yanked the door open, letting in the commotion outside. “Head that way.” He pointed behind me. “Go!”

I jolted between the doorway and Zander.

“Hurry!” The intensity of his voice shifted my legs, and I scrambled out the door. Act first; ask questions later. It was instinct. Survival. I peered over my shoulder at him. He gestured, pointing the way. Deep purples and reds painted the sky, reflecting the last bits of light in his brown eyes. They were filled with a sorrow I didn’t