Page 146 of Liar Witch

“Anything is better than being crushed to death.”

He pulls me to the edge of the roof then jumps. My magic and his keep us safe as we land on the street below. Instead of taking us towards the docks, Val leads us towards the largest building in the cove. Dodging collapsing walls, falling rock, and frightened pirates as we head away from the open sea.

“Where are we going?”

“There are only three ways out of this cavern—with a ship, through the passage that Cas’s scaly ass is blocking, and through Cirio’s escape tunnel.”

“More tunnels? Doesn’t that seem a bit risky?”

“It’s our only chance. Noster’s beast is challenging Casimir’s for dominance. This won’t end until one of them submits, and that might not happen before they collapse the whole fucking cove.”

As if to punctuate his point, Cas roars again, echoed shortly after by his twin as they collide above us.

We reach the huge stone doors of the ruined, circular building just as the house next to it is flattened by a thrashing tail.

I almost expect another long-winded password, but Val surprises me this time by slicing his palm and placing his hand to the handle-less door.

“Pierce.” The door slides away, and he meets my curious stare with one of his own. “Cirio’s mate’s name. It used to be his mother’s, but he changed it when they mated. It takes blood and the password to get into the treasury.”

If the situation weren’t so dire, I might find that funny. All of those ridiculous passwords for everything else and he chose his mate’s name to guard the treasure? That’s a sweet, unexpected gesture for a feared pirate lord.

Val drags me past piles of gold. Crowns and vases and a million other treasures, but I can’t focus on any of it. When he reaches a single bare piece of floor, he stops and places his hand on the floor once more, smearing it with more of his blood. “Excogitate.”

And we were back to the ridiculous words again.

The gap in the floor opened up, revealing a drop and then…

Water.

“No.”

“Nilsa, it’s the only way.”

“We have toswim?” I back up. “No, Val. I can’t. I’ll go out there and see if I can reason with the twins…”

“The smoke is too thick. They can’t scent you, and they won’t hear you past the racket they’re making. You’ll be crushed the second you get close.”

Val’s being calm. Too calm. Meanwhile, my heart is racing in my chest.

He wants me to swim in an underground tunnel which two leviathans could collapse at any moment. I shake my head again, feeling physically sick.

“We can’t stay here.”

“I know that!” I screech, then grimace at myself. “Val, I can’t do this. There’s no Klaus, no moonlight down there, no nothing.”

“There’s me.” He looks almost desperate as he edges closer, torn between me and the gap in the floor. “Come on, witch. You’re a fucking Shadow.”

“I’ll drown.” Just the word seems to steal all that remains of my breath.

“I won’t fucking let you.” I keep stumbling backwards and something in his eyes hardens. “Don’t make me knock you out.”

That stops me in my tracks. If there’s anything worse than swimming through that tunnel, it’s being helpless as Val drags me through the water.

The whole building is hit by another tremor and Val’s calm facade falters for a second. “Look, Nilsa. I know I’ve been a shitty mate. I’ve given you no reason to trust me. I don’t even expect you to like me. I just need you to believe me this once. I won’t let you drown.”

He holds out his hand like an offering as the world quakes around us in a room filled with ludicrous amounts of gold. His dark eyes hold mine, filled with sincerity and more than a little desperation.

Both of us are caught in our own nightmare. Him, trapped on land and far away from his ship. Me, facing the dark, unforgiving water below. He has no choice but to face his, so how can I let myself do any less?