CAGED (#3, of Crows and Thorns)

Chapter 62

The godsdamned Crowthers!

I covertly peered around the corner to see the guard hurrying to the foot of the stairs. There came a volley of shouting between the brothers. Caidan bellowed, "Godsdammit, it got through!"

"Hells!" I heard Jett curse.

"We need to start locking down the levels to trap it!" Kenton shouted.

"That's going to take forever," Caidan groaned.

"Do it!" Kenton bellowed. It was his voice roaring down the spiral staircase. "Lock down the Barracks!"

Panic broke out beneath my skin.

Shit, shit, shit.

"Yes, sir!" came the reply from the guard on duty.

The brothers moved on. The sound of them cursing and shouting orders faded swiftly.

I didn't know what to do. I'd hoped the Brunnie would have led the Crowthers on a chase and they wouldn't be near the barracks when Sage attempted his ruse, let alone have the godsdamned place locked down. I spun on my heel, urging my wraith-wolf on with a flustered hand. "Hurry Sage, hurry!" I whisper-hissed.

I heard a terrifying noise—a loud click, and then a grinding.

My wraith-wolf whipped around. Muscles bunched as he ripped into motion, flying swift and sure.

A blur of speed.

A ripple of porcupine needles.

He barreled past, clawing around the corner.

I peered around the hallway's edge, watching Sage race across the large vestibule and past the guard with a strange high-pitched yowl that irritated my ears. He moved so fast it made him seem as if he were a whirlwind of chaos like the Brunnie had done down in the training pit.

The guard let out a startled cry. "It's down here!" She jittered, unsure what to do. Then cursed low, drew her sword, and dashed off after Sage who'd fled down a corridor, retreating out of sight.

I stared in horror as a dark shadow cast long across the gloomy floor right in front of the entrance to the barracks. The shadow was moving and that grinding noise grew louder and louder and louder.

Thanks to Sage, the area was cleared and I bolted toward the entrance of the barracks. I sprinted as fast as I could across the empty chamber, the black hood of my scarf falling from my head, its ends flapping behind me. There was absolutely nothing inside of the chamber that I could hide behind if soldiers or guards, or gods forbid, a Crowther suddenly made an appearance.

My blood rushed in my ears and my feet slapped upon the stone floor, friction heating the soles of my feet as I skidded around the corner and into the barracks entrance. It was a fat wide corridor with a few doors lining its walls, that ended at a junction and what looked to be a mess hall beyond. But inside the corridor, 15 yards ahead of me, were two gigantic adamere doors, more like walls that were thick and heavy, and they were sliding inward to meet one another to enclose the barracks behind their might.

No, no, noooo!

I threw every last scrap of energy into running for the closing gap.

The loud rasp of stone on stone hollowed out my ears, as the doors grew closer and closer together. The gap between them was narrowing—

Narrowing—

Adrenaline burned through my blood

I pushed myself faster, faster, faster...