Page 144

The groanof rusted metal grates through the pit as the lift begins its slow descent.

Eamon paces, his breathing sharp, controlled only by sheer force of will.Every time the chains creak, his jaw tightens.I don’t tell him to calm down.Because, for once, I’m just as desperate as he is.

Above us, Seamus operates the controls, cursing the old mechanism.The winch creaks under the strain, rust grinding against rust, chains rattling like bones.

Eamon shoves his hands through his hair."For fuck’s sake, Seamus, get it down here faster."

Seamus’s voice cuts through the dark, brittle with impatience."Unless you want to climb, this is as fast as it goes."

Finally, with a shuddering jolt, the lift reaches the bottom.Before the gate even slides open, Eamon hauls me up, gripping my arm as he drags me off.I stumble, my body weak, unsteady, slower than I’ve ever been.

The lift lurches, a sickening jolt, then starts its agonizing crawl upward.

"Fucking hurry," Eamon growls at no one in particular.His fists are clenched at his sides, and his breathing is ragged and shallow.

The moment the platform scrapes against the top, he doesn’t hesitate, shoving the cage door open.Without a word or a glance in my direction, he takes off, chasing after Ronan and Aoife.

I don’t have the strength to go after him.All I have is Seamus, who steadies me, his grip firm but careful as he helps me into a nearby chair.Then, he grabs a bottle of water from a nearby crate."Drink,” he says, pressing the bottle into my hand."There’s food here," he offers."The guards had supplies."

I shake my head."Not now."I don’t say that the thought of eating makes my stomach turn.Twisting off the cap, I take a long swallow.The water is lukewarm, but it soothes the raw burn in my throat."What the fuck happened?Where were you?"I rasp, the words scraping their way out.

Seamus exhales, dragging a hand down his face."It fell apart the second we got into place."

My stomach turns."Explain."

He doesn’t argue.He just starts talking, his voice raw with barely contained fury."The guards turned on me," he spits."The ones who were supposed to have my back."

He drags a hand down his face.The motion is jerky, almost violent.

"I barely made it two steps before they were on me.They took my weapon like I was nothing while they held me down like a fucking dog."His hands clench into fists at his sides."Then, they locked me in one of the upstairs rooms and left me there, helpless, while everything went to hell."

A slow, cold rage coils up my spine, tightening with every word.

Seamus grits his teeth."The lock was old.Rusted.It took longer than it should’ve to pick it."His voice is low, edged with frustration he can't hide."But the second I broke free, I ran straight down here."

"But by then, Ronan already had her."

The words taste like acid.

Seamus meets my gaze, steady and unflinching."Eamon’s on them," he says."He’ll bring her back."

Before I can respond, a gunshot cracks through the night.Seamus and I both freeze.My pulse slams into my throat.We exchange a look, one neither of us wants to acknowledge.

What the hell just happened?

Who took a bullet?

Seamus paces.I watch him for a long moment before speaking."Go."

He stops, turning to me."What?"

"Go after them."

Seamus crosses his arms."Not happening."

I grit my teeth."I'm no good to anyone right now.I can't fight.I can barely fucking stand.But you can."

Seamus doesn’t budge."I'm not leaving you here.You think I trust any of those bastards not to come back?"