Page 58 of Obsidian Dream

“Three!”She shot him a look as she stabbed another creature through the abdomen, anchoring it to the closest wall.“What does it look like I’m doing?”

She looked fucking magnificent, and in her element as she outclassed and outfought her opponents.There was a slight “fuck you” smile on her lips as she almost floated across the ground.It resembled a choreographed dance, resplendent with blood and death.Too bad those fuckers didn’t play by the rules.Good thing he didn’t either.

From the wall, the creature reached out toward Khalida, its long black claws swiping at her.This one appeared more like a gnarled tree than the others, except for its humanoid-shaped face.It opened its horrifying mouth, widening until a black tongue rolled out, and its sharp yellow teeth snapped at Khalida.The creature groaned as it pushed off the wall, impaling itself deeper as it tried to pull the sword out.Clearly, they were not the brightest monsters.

“Anytime now would be helpful.”

“Patience.”He pushed the pouch of knives to the side, grasping for the familiar shape of the cluster grenades.Khalida went nowhere without them.The small ball bearings within the grenade should do the trick, even if they weren’t entirely plated in iron.A wave of dizziness hit him as the prickling of fire ran through his nerves, starting from his shoulder.He gritted his teeth against the onslaught.“Got them.”

Her eyes widened as she realized what he was planning.“Not without my swords.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

TALIK

Asmall bubble of anticipationand adrenaline surfaced, and for a moment, Talik forgot about the pain steamrolling through him.He pulled the pin of the grenade, keeping one as backup, as Khalida withdrew her sword, black blood dripping onto the ground.

Black blood spurted everywhere as the creature seemed suspended in midair for a second before it launched itself at them.Talik moved, using the aid of gravity to haul it to the ground as hard as he could.He grabbed its mouth, pulling its jaw apart, and shoved the grenade as far down its throat as he could reach.Instantly, it clawed at its face, tearing at its own flesh to get the foreign objects out.From his right, another creature, more humanoid, rushed to its aid.Their screeches filled the air.

“Move!”

Light and metal exploded everywhere as Khalida tackled him to the ground, dragging him behind a half-broken lid lying on its side; the world around them violently vibrated.An almighty crack echoed loudly.

“Fuck.”He pulled Khalida closer, shielding her from the flying debris.She shook, but not with fear.He could sense the adrenaline running through her.He took a breath, and through the sweat and grime, he could smell the scent that was uniquely hers—peonies tinged with amber.That didn’t stop him from holding tight, or his awareness that she wasn’t fighting him.For once.

Dirt and rock continued to fall in the aftermath.Smashing into the ground with a roar that would have made a thunder god proud.After a few minutes, he looked up.Everything was coated in a thick layer of dust.

“I can’t sense them,” Khalida said as she wiped her face, leaving streaks of dirt across her cheeks and forehead.“Can you?”

He blinked.Despite his throbbing shoulder, he was not quite wanting to release her yet.“No.”

The grenade had done the job, but perhaps a little too well.The blast had caused far more collateral than he had expected, but then he hadn’t factored in the structural integrity of the catacombs or, in this case, the lack of integrity.On one end, rocks and debris had blocked the exit.He turned to look at the other side.The white glare was barely discernible through broken-up sarcophagi, but somehow the flashlight was still attached to the straps of his backpack.

“The ceiling has also caved in.”Khalida pointed to the now sloping ceiling.“We are going to need to find another way out.”

Excruciating pain hit him in the center of his chest, as if something was squeezing his heart.He involuntarily let Khalida go, missing her warmth instantly.