Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 125422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 627(@200wpm)___ 502(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 627(@200wpm)___ 502(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
It’s unlikely, but Rauta understands and starts sniffing around, nose to the ground and tail wagging. I’m not surprised when he comes back shaking his head.
“Well, fuck,” I mumble.
Rauta pads forward and pushes his soft nose against one of the cell bars, opening his mouth and slowly running its iron tongue along the metal. Then, he bares his metallic teeth, sharp and strong, as thick and long as my thumb.
I move back cautiously, unsure what he has planned.
The dog bites down on the bar, and sparks fly, the sound so grating, I have to cover my ears. He starts to tug at it as if it’s a meager chew toy, and I watch, wincing, as Rauta pulls the bar out, widening the gap. He moves on to the next bar, pulling it in the opposite direction until there’s just enough room for me to squeeze through.
Fuck. That dog is a lot stronger than I thought.
I quickly get up and squeeze through the bars, stepping out into the dimly lit corridor.
“You did it,” I whisper, leaning down and scratching behind his ears. “Good boy, good boy. Now, let’s get Sarvi. We have no time to lose.”
We hurry to the next cell over, the place I expected Sarvi to be, only to find it empty.
I stare at it for a moment, dumbfounded. I could have sworn I heard the unicorn in here. Then again, I have been in and out of consciousness for a while, and Sarvi never once communicated back. Perhaps it was someone or something else. Perhaps it was nothing at all.
Panicked, I go to the next cell and the next, but I’m the only prisoner here.
And I’m running out of time.
“Okay, Rauta,” I say to the dog, “looks like it’s just you and me, boy. Do you know the way out to the Crystal Caves?”
The dog nods and then starts trotting down the corridor, already disappearing around a corner.
I hurry after him, trying not to think about what could have possibly happened to Sarvi. I have to believe my mother spared them, welcomed them into the fold, that Sarvi is smart enough to play along and pledge allegiance, even if it’s a lie. I have to believe Sarvi made it out of here alive. The alternative is too bitter of a pill to swallow, not when it feels like I keep losing everyone by the minute.
I round the corner, going past one of the statues outside of the crypt that hasn’t turned into a living saint and walked away like the rest of them. It has one sword implanted in its hand, and I use all my strength to try and pry it off the marble. In the end, I headbutt it with my horns. They’re strong enough to shatter the hand into pieces, freeing the sword into my grasp. It’s old and slightly rusty in places, but it will have to do. I can’t depend on an iron-jawed dog to save me if we run up against any of the guards—or anything else.
But as Rauta leads me to the underground water system where my father often launches his boats, we don’t come across anyone. Still, I know our luck won’t last if we don’t move fast.
I look to the right, to where the water passes through the gate and empties out into the sea. Part of me thinks that would be an easier way of escape, but the moment we enter the open water, we’d be sitting ducks for the guards patrolling the castle above.
So, we climb into the tiny boat, with me at the oars, my new sword at the ready, and Rauta at the front. I start rowing toward the darkness, which should eventually lead us to the sparkling spectacle that is the Crystal Caves.
The boat creaks as I set the oars into motion, the faint echo of water lapping against stone walls following each stroke. Rauta sits at the bow, his iron jaw parted slightly, as if tasting the air. Darkness surrounds us like a heavy blanket, and with my ability to see in the dark now lacking, I have to strain my eyes to see where I’m going.
I keep my new sword balanced across my knees, trying not to think about what it will be like if we run into trouble here. I can’t expect anything friendly in these depths. I think the two of us could handle a couple of guards, but anything more than that, and we might be outmatched.
Still, I find myself whispering into the gloom. “We just have to reach the Crystal Caves. There’s a route there that leads deeper underground—maybe we can slip away, find allies, or just hide until…until what?” The question drifts unanswered. I shake my head, refocusing on the sound of the oars, the splash and pull of water.