Endless Knight(49)

At his words, Matthew grew wild-eyed, crushing my hand. “WATER!”


Of course he was terrified after nearly drowning in his basement. That was why Matthew had been so pensive—he’d known this was in our future. So why not give us a heads-up? “Swim it, Jack? What about Matthew and Finn? Maybe we can go back the way we came?”


“If we do that, we’ll run out of light,” he said. The flashlights were already flickering. “And we’re getting close. Feel that air breezing?” He pointed toward the black expanse in front of us. “We’ve got to be near the end.”


Finn said, “Don’t stop on my account. I’d rather swim for a stretch than climb.”


Another shaft-shuddering quake. What sounded like larger boulders dropped in the distance, exploding against the ground.

“I can help Finn across,” Selena said, “but we need to push on. Any more quakes and we’re going to get trapped down here. Look at the roof trusses.” She tilted her light up.

Massive lengths of wood bowed under the weight of boulders, curving like the ribs on a ship. Ominous splintering sounds echoed.

In a rush, the water started rising even faster. To navigate that in the dark?

“WATER. WATER!” Matthew was hysterical. I was getting there myself, my heart thundering.

Jack brushed his knuckles along my cheek. His skin was shockingly cold. “Listen to me, bébé, it’s just like a swimming pool. You were a terror in the pool, non? As soon as you’re across, coo-y?n will be clamoring to follow you.”


Matthew had been traumatized just weeks ago. Now we were expecting him to swim in a dark mine with rising water?

Lark said, “Look, I’ll go first.” She bounded into the water, diving in an arc like a porpoise. Her rats were dislodged, paddling in her wake. When she surfaced some distance away, I saw her cutting through the water—until she disappeared into the murk.

Moments later, she called, “I’m here. On the other side. Yawning.” Even her echoing voice conveyed her impatience. She’d made it look so easy.

I turned to Matthew, peeling my hand from his. “I’m going to follow Lark. And then you and Jack will swim after me.”


“NOOOO!” he howled, the sound paining my ears.

“Coo-y?n, listen to me. It’s not far. How about I swim with Evie, then come right back for you? I’ll be beside you the whole way.”


Matthew seized my shoulders. “Dying! Dying! Death!”


With a muttered, “Screw this,” Selena eased Finn down to a sitting position, then jogged off to scout the way back.

Jack tried to pull Matthew off me. “We’re running out of time, kid!”


“Nooo, Empress!” Matthew thrashed, accidentally clocking me in the face.

My jaw sang. I reeled, dizziness and another tremor almost sending me onto my ass. “It’s o-okay, honey, just calm down.”


Selena returned. “We’re blocked. Trusses fell, tangling up like pick-up sticks. There’s only one way to go.”


“Calm yourself, coo-y?n!”


Matthew’s long arms connected with Jack, battering him. He was like a drowning man on land.

“Sorry ’bout this, boy.” Jack drew back his fist and popped Matthew in the face.

Matthew lurched, flashed a wounded expression, then went limp.

“Jack!”


He caught Matthew, laying him on the ground. “We doan have time! I’m going with you first.”


“No, you have to stay with Matthew! Make sure he gets across. I’ll be fine—just like you said, I’m a t-terror in the pool.”


“No way, Evie.” He curled his finger under my chin, lifting my face up.

“Stay with him, Jack. Please!”


“We’ll swim together, Matthew in tow.” He pressed a brief kiss to my lips, then reached for my pack.

I shimmied away. “I can handle it. You’ve got enough to carry.”


After a pause, he nodded. “Then in you go, bébé. You can do this.” He turned to Selena. “You got Finn?”


She helped him to stand. “We’re right behind you, J.D.”


I hurried in, the shock of the cold water hitting me like a blizzard’s blast. At the drop-off, I treaded water, startled by how much my clothes and pack weighed me down.

I aimed my light back at the shore, saw Jack dragging Matthew’s lanky frame into the water. After maneuvering the boy onto his back, Jack looped one arm around Matthew’s chest and started after me. “Doan look back and doan wait for me! Just get to the other side.”


Teeth clattering, I started across, holding the light with one hand. Farther out, the water was rougher, waves battering me. The chill temperature numbed my limbs, but I was able to make headway.

Jack was determinedly following.

The quakes continued, rocks falling. A softball-size one struck me square on the head. Pain erupted, faintness almost overwhelming me. I’ll heal, keep swimming! I breathed in water, coughing on it.

The mine rocked harder than ever before. Boulders began plummeting from the ceiling, roof trusses stabbing down into the water. “Jack!” I shrieked.