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“It could have at least told us what parts of our supernaturals are going to be suppressed, at least then we would know what we’re working with and have an idea of how to get around it,” the Draconian member that we met in the search for Coen a few days ago says.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Neith

One of the other members glares at me, “It’s her fault. She’s human, so the Choosing is trying to make it even. We’re all going to get killed because of her.”

“Shut the fuck up, Jamie,” Coen snaps. “If you can’t keep up with a measly human then you deserve to fucking die.”

Jamie puffs up and takes a step forward, “You want to say that again?”

Coen’s smile is sharp, deadly, and his eyes light with violence. Before he can say a single word though Rupert does, “That’s enough. Jamie, Coen’s fucking right, she’s stayed alive this far, if you can’t without one of your gifts or abilities you deserve to fucking die.”

My eyebrows rise, and so do Coen’s. We aren’t the only ones who look surprised. That was almost a compliment from him. Kylen seems to havenoticed as well and narrows his eyes at Rupert. Rupert clearly notices, but is choosing to ignore it.

“We can figure out what our limitations are, it’s the Choosing; it’s supposed to be difficult, and cutting us off from something that we are used to relying on is a good test of that,” Ransom points out.

“Where the hell are we anyway?” Rupert asks.

I grin and point to the cave entrance, “Go and take a look.”

He narrows his eyes at me, but clearly curiosity wins over suspicion because he and Kylen both head to the cave entrance. There is just enough light left that they should be able to get the full effect of the view and, more importantly, the situation.

“Shit, we’re really fucking high up,” Rupert says with a slight grimace that strikes me as odd because he’s a dragon and flies, so he should be used to heights.

“North is up further,” Ransom says with a slight frown. “We’re going to have to climb to the top, and there’s no way of knowing what’s up there.”

“Let’s get going then, I don’t want to be here with you fuckers any longer than I have to be,” Kylen says as he steps closer to the edge.

“We aren’t going anywhere until the sun comes back up,” Raiden starts.

Kylen sneers at Raiden, “Don’t tell me what to do, you filthy reaper.”

“Watch it,” River growls.

Raiden just rolls his eyes, “If you want to get torn to shreds and slowly eaten as the creatures keep you alive until you’re nothing but bones,” he gestures toward the cave entrance, “then sure, go ahead and leave.”

“The instructions clearly said that we needed to work together,” Griff points out, “I think splitting up in the first five minutes and then getting eaten isn’t going to help us pass this task and get back to the castle with all of us alive.”

Rupert immediately comes away from the edge of the cave and moves to stand back with the rest of the team. Kylen takes one last look out of the cave entrance and teeters on the edge, as if he is tempted to call our bluff. As he stands there, the sun finally sets, and night falls completely. Like a switch has been flicked, there is suddenly a terrifying screech that fills the air. One is quickly joined by another, as the creatures that Raiden warned us about wake up. A huge prehistoric-looking creature, with glowing red eyes and a thin pointed tail, suddenly appears at the entrance to the cave. It’s so big that it throws the entire place into darkness, and fear spears me at the sight of its two heads, and humanlike arms tipped with deadly sharp claws.

“Kylen!” Rupert calls out urgently, “Get the fuck away from the entrance!”

Kylen doesn’t move; he doesn’t even twitch as he stares at the creature.

“Shit,” Raidne curses. “These creatures have the ability to freeze you in your place. I don’t think he can move.”

Before any of us can react to Raiden’s explanation, the creature screeches again and its tail whips out and wraps around Kylen’s leg. I have to admit there is a moment in time where I consider just letting him get eaten, but then I remember that we don’t know if we need Kylen alive in order to break the control he has over Coen, and that the instructions from the Choosing said that we had to help each other and get to the portal together.

Oh, and murders bad blah blah blah.

Is it technically murder if I just watch it happen and don’t help?

Looking at Kylen’s team it’s clear that none of them are going to do anything to help, they’re all as far back in the cave as they can possibly get and make no signs to move.

Coen rolls his eyes, “For fuck sake.”

He strides forward, moving toward Kylen to help him. That’s enough to spur the rest of us into motion. We’re all perfectly fine with letting Kylen gethurt before we rescue him since he is such a monumental asshole, but not Coen, he’s ours.