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Graeson nodded. They hurried down the hallway. Dozens of questions ran through Graeson’s mind, but he would not find any answers here. Animals of all sorts thrashed at the cells as they passed. Limbs slipped through the iron bars as the animals tried to dig their claws into Graeson and Terin. The animals were rabid, hungry, and angry. It pained Graeson to leave them that way, but what choice did he have? If he freed them, the feral animals, with their dilated pupils and rancid breath, would attack. They had no choice but to continue forward.

The shouts were becoming fewer and farther between.

Then, a torch lit one of the cages. And Graeson inhaled, jerking to a stop again. A creature Graeson had never seen before was slumped against the back wall of its cage. It was skeletal, its bone nearly popping out of its thin, translucent skin. It reminded him of the dragon-wolf they had seen in the forest, but this creature had neither fur nor muscle. As Graeson approached, it barely could even lift its head.

Graeson’s heart hurt. He felt helpless. He wished he could release it or put it out of its misery. He had no keys, no way to unlock the cell. When he scanned the bars, he couldn’t even find where the lock was. He didn’t even have a bow and arrow, only his sword and Kalisandre’s dagger. And if he missed or the blade didn’t pierce deep enough, the animal would only be worse off.

“They’re experimenting on animals, Ter.”

“Not just on animals.”

“What do you—” Graeson stopped short, the words escaping him as he turned around and stared at a human child. Or whatever was left of the young boy whom the Frenzians had mutilated.

The boy was folded over in the corner of the cage. Scales crept up his neck. His fingers and toes had been morphed into claws. His ears were pointed and flat against his head. It was a vision from a child’s nightmare; the creatures that crept into the shadows of the darkest parts of a child’s imagination come to life.

The child groaned. He peeked over his arm, and a dark red eye landed on Graeson. In a flash, the child was at the front of the cage, with large wings spanning from his back as his hands flew past the bars.

Graeson scurried back, bumping into Terin.

“Shit,” Terin spat.

The child thrashed and thrashed. Pain sparking in his blood-red eyes. Pain and something else.

Hunger.

Desperation.

Graeson sat Kalisandre on the ground away from the cell and grabbed his sword. Then, with a quick prayer to the gods asking for forgiveness, he grabbed the child’s hands in one of his. The child tried to squeeze his head through the space between the iron bars.

Graeson thrust his sword into the child’s chest, and the child released a deadly screech. An inhuman, piercing sound echoed in the stone hallway.

Graeson released the child, and he slumped against the iron bars, limp and lifeless.

With a pain throbbing in his chest, Graeson picked up Kalisandre. “Let’s get Dani and get out of here.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Terin whispered.

The two of them ran down the hall, ignoring the rattling noises in the cells they passed. They had wasted enough time. In a full sprint, Graeson rounded the corner at the end of the hall and skidded to a stop with a sharp inhale.

“Fuck, Gray,” Terin said as he ran into Graeson. “Give a guy a—warning.” The last word landed in a near whisper as the two men took in the sight before them.

Domitius thrust his blade forward as Dani hunched over, sweat dripping from her face. Graeson didn’t think. He didn’t worry if he got hurt. He transferred Kalisandre to Terin and then dove.

Chapter61

GRAESON

The blade kissedGraeson’s armor as he grabbed Dani and shoved her out of the way.

Dani landed on her side with a thump. Blood oozed from a deep cut on her left bicep. The bottom of her dress had been slashed, a jagged piece of fabric now loosely hanging from the bottom as if she had narrowly missed a jab at the ankles.

“Are you all right?” Graeson asked, attempting to pull her arm away to inspect the wound.

“I’m fine,” she growled, snatching her arm.

There was no blood or wound Graeson could see, yet her hand trembled as it lay atop her stomach. His lips parted, the question on his tongue.

Dani shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, pushing a tear out. “I’mfine,” she repeated.