Page 145 of Taste of Thorns

I read the details of the task set out for us, trying to decide if it’s worse or better than swimming through a monster-infested lake.

“It says there is a cave entrance we need to find and then we have to make our way through a labyrinth of cave networks to where screech-bats are nesting.”

“I hate fucking screech-bats,” Beaufort mutters.

“Locate the silver egg,” I read out. “That doesn’t sound too bad, right? She can do that.”

Beaufort kicks at loose stones and plunges his hands into his pockets. “I think so. You saw who her partner was, right? Linny.”

“It could have been worse.”

He nods. “Where do you think we are?”

“The Highlands” I say, craning my neck south in the direction of the academy. I can’t make it out but I think it must lie somewhere behind the furthest peaks.

“I don’t like this,” Beaufort says.

“No, me neither. Do you think the Madame knows?”

Beaufort rubs at his chin. “No idea, but let’s get this over with. The sooner it’s done, the sooner we can find Briony and ensure she’s safe. Can you locate the cave entrance?”

I snap off my gloves, tucking them into my belt and let my shadows race hungrily from my hands, and up and down the ragged mountain landscape.

“This way,” I tell Beaufort, setting off at a fast pace, as my shadows, now far away from us, penetrate the cave entrance and sprawl through the cave network. I follow their pull, loose rocks sliding beneath the soles of my boots, Beaufort’s panted breath right behind me.

We find the cave entrance in a matter of minutes. It’s small, half concealed, and we have to duck our heads to slip inside. The tunnels within are narrow, although just about tall enough for me to stand, the ceiling almost scraping my head. It’s dark, though, pitch black. Beaufort creates a ball of shadowy light with his hands and has it travel right in front of me, illuminating our way.

The commoners won’t have that luxury. They’ll have to struggle blindly through the cave tunnels in the dark.

My shadows have already shot through the maze of tunnels and found the nesting screech-bats and once again I let them lead me, stepping through into a cavernous grotto the size of the Great Hall. It reminds me of the huge dungeon under the academy; except there are no dragon bones here, only thousands of roosting bats hanging from the ceiling, their wings swaddled tightly around their bodies.

The cave stinks and beneath our feet is a layer of slime that can only be one thing: bat guano.

“Shit,” Beaufort says, pointing above our heads to where a silver egg also hangs from the cave ceiling, right in the center of all those bats. “We move that egg and all those bats are gonna come for us.”

I stare up at the fuzzy-looking things. They are sort of cute. Nothing like demons or a fire-breathing dragon.

“They bite,” Beaufort states, reading my mind. “And it hurts like hell. Trust me.”

“They’re not demons, Beaufort.”

“I’m just saying,” he says in annoyance, rolling his shoulders. “You concentrate on getting the egg, I’ll deal with the bats.” He grimaces, not loving the idea.

“Sure,” I say, lifting my hands and dragging my shadows towards the egg. “Ready?”

“Yes!”

My shadows swipe at the chain holding the egg, and I step forward and catch it in my hands. Immediately, as Beaufort predicted, the bats stir, one or two at first but the commotion quickly sweeps through their ranks like wind across a canopy of trees. The bats squeal, the sound so hideous I think my eardrums are going to burst. Then it starts; a swarm of them pushing off the ceiling and swooping our way, hissing and bearing their sharp little teeth as they do.

“Oh no you don’t, you little shitheads,” Beaufort says, unleashing his shadows and blasting the things away. They squeal and hiss and then turn around and flap away down a tunnel at the opposite side of the grotto. Beaufort lets out a loud sigh of relief, swiping his hand over his brow and the cave fades away.

A moment later we find ourselves out on the academy field, the stand in the distance, and the taller Titan twin waiting for us.

He glances at his wristwatch.

“Record time,” he grunts, scribbling something on his clipboard.

I toss him the egg and then we sprint away. We need to find Dray and Fox and then be ready for Briony.