Assassin of Truths by Brenda Drake

Author:Brenda Drake [Drake, Brenda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: paranormal romance;fantasy romance;travel;international;quest;love triangle;libraries
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Published: 2017-12-14T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Tumbling in the rushing water, mud caking my face and stinging my eyes, I tried to grab on to one of the roots sticking out of the wall, but came up short. I reached out again and caught one, my grasp slipping. My knee slammed against the ground and pain shot up my thigh. Another root brushed against my other hand, and I grabbed it, my body banging into the wall.

Bastien snatched one beside me. “Use the roots to scale the wall,” he yelled over the rushing water. “It isn’t far to the other tunnel.”

The knot from the rope securing the cloak around my neck dug into my throat. I grabbed root after root, my boots sliding down the wall as I tried to get a foothold. Edgar made it to the other tunnel. We were moving upward so the water sped down the passage going the other way.

When I reached him, Edgar grabbed my arm and tugged me to safety and then turned back to help Bastien. Drenched, muddy, and cold, I leaned against the wall and gulped in the dank air.

Bastien bent over and grabbed his side. “That was unfortunate. Are you hurt?”

“If I get swept away by one more flood”—I took a breath—“I’m giving up.”

“A water main must have broken,” Edgar said, wiping the mud from his face. “Let’s find an exit before something else happens.”

After recovering from the wet and wild ride, we followed the Talpar tunnel to a nearby exit. We climbed up a poorly constructed ladder and through a manhole into the city. Water and mud dripped from my hair and clothes, and I loosened the cloak’s tie around my neck. Edgar shut the manhole cover. The tiles on it were arranged in a beautiful mosaic design.

We were in an alley. The back doors on either side of the road were different sizes and colors. I’d been to Mantello before with Bastien and Nick. We’d come for a trial and spent an evening at the festival there.

Edgar had many allies in the haven. He actually had them all over the Mystik world.

“This way.” Edgar traipsed down the uneven cobblestones. By the slump of his shoulders and the shuffle of his feet, he was tired. We were all exhausted, actually, and I wondered if we could keep going, but then he added, “There’s an inn down the way. We can get cleaned up, have a meal, and get a good night’s sleep.”

Bastien draped his arm around my shoulder. “What’s on your mind? The night we spent here, I’m assuming.”

I decided to play coy. “No. Just how muddy you are. You look like a sewer rat. And you’re not always on my mind, you know.” My lip twitched.

“Ah, your little quirk gives you away, mon amour.”

“Aren’t you two adorable.” Edgar’s whisper held disdain. “Maybe you can save your lovey-dovey crap until we are safely out of sight and you’re a bit cleaner.”

Bastien removed his arm and walked silently beside me. We took turns sneaking glances at each other.

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