Sweet Legacy

Gretchen and Nick left us until they return. Which means that, for now, we wait.

My questions for Thane wait, too. In the dim glow of the flashlight, I watch him while he pretends not to watch me.

CHAPTER 3 GRETCHEN

Even with my eyes fully adjusted to the practically nonexistent light of the abyss, I can barely make out our surroundings. Black, black, and more black, with a greenish tint, just in case it wasn’t revolting enough. Good to see nothing’s changed since last time.

The beastie ambush was a surprise. I’d like to know how they knew we were coming and where we’d come out—especially since we didn’t even know we were coming until a few hours ago.

Luckily, my sisters held their own, and the boys turned out to be more useful than I expected. Not that I’d admit it to them, but I’m glad they came.

“Looks like the coast is clear,” I say when I’m pretty sure none of the monsters have stuck around for a second try. The last thing we need is a repeat performance now that Greer is injured and we’re down by one while she recovers.

If Thane hadn’t acted quickly with the antidote, we’d be down by one permanently.

I turn to head back to where we left him and my sisters—I don’t like the idea of them being out of my sight in this place—and run smack into Nick.

His hands wrap around my arms and he holds me in place.

“Gretchen . . .” His dark blue eyes narrow in pain. “I had nothing to do with that attack. I was just as surprised as you were.”

I watch him for a moment, checking for some reaction in his face and for some flicker of doubt in my gut. His face remains completely steady, and my gut is more worried about getting back to my sisters than the boy in front of me.

Question answered.

Finally, I nod. “Yeah, I know.”

He flashes me a cocky grin, like he knew I’d believe him. I see the relief below the surface, though. He’s worried that I’m still not convinced he’s on our side. To be honest, I’m worried too, a little—worried that maybe I’m putting my feelings first. In any case, I’ve decided to trust him, and my gut agrees. Decision made.

Without another word, we turn and start back for the cave where we left the rest of our group. We haven’t gone five steps when I hear something. I raise a hand, wordlessly telling Nick to stop. He freezes behind me, and I tune my ears to listen. Vast silence, punctuated by moans and groans from the depths of the abyss, nothing more. Maybe I only imagined—

Then I hear it—a soft shuffle. Quiet footsteps on the cave floor. More than one set—at least five that I can count. The swish of something dragging across the ground.

Whatever it is, it’s coming toward us from the other side of the rock formation just ahead.

I place my hand around Nick’s wrist and—without waiting for him to respond—pull him after me. Seeking a better strategic position, I move up, over onto the nearest boulder. He follows right behind, and I release my grip so I can move stealthily.

Belly-crawling across the smooth surface, I inch toward the edge of the rock, toward the sound that could be a million things. A million dark and nasties.

Whatever it is, I have to draw it away from my sisters.

As I lean forward out over the edge to get a better view, I hold my breath. Surprise is a crucial advantage. Whatever is coming doesn’t know we’re here yet, and I don’t want to give away our position until I’m ready.

I peer down, but I can’t see anything in the inky space below. The shufflings stop—all but one. Then I hear a loud “Oof!” followed by a vehement “Shh!”

“Sorry,” a small voice says. “Not know we stopping.”

“Shhhh!” Louder, and more irritated.

“If you no want Sillus—”

A loud smack, followed by an angry “Shut. Up.”

Then a muffled “Sorry” that sounds more like “Rawry.”

I smile. Leaning out as far over the edge as possible, I can barely make out several shapes below in the faint glow. One gleams in the green light, golden, metallic.

The golden maiden.

I hadn’t realized how tense I was at the prospect of another battle this soon after the first until now, when the relief washes over me. The creatures below are no threat. For now, the fighting can wait.

I turn to grin at Nick, throwing a playful punch at his shoulder. Pushing to my feet, I scramble back down the way we came, leaving him to catch up.

Back on ground level, I have to smother a laugh when I see one of the onyx guards struggling to hold a palm over Sillus’s little furry mouth—or, I should say, his big furry mouth. The group of seven creatures is trying so hard to be quiet—and they’re failing miserably. As I step out in front of them, I say, “You guys suck at stealth.”

“Aaaack!”

“Shhhhh! For the love of Zeus, Sillus,” the golden maiden blurts. “Do you want the entire Nychtian Army to hear you?”

The little monkey monster peers out from under one of the pegasus’s silver-gray wings. “Sorry. Sillus say sorry. How many times?”

The golden maiden rolls her shiny metal eyes at him. Huffing out a tight breath, she turns to face me as Nick steps to my side. “Gretchen, we—” She blinks. “Wait—are you Gretchen?”

“The one and only.”

She smiles. “And this must be your friend.” She looks at Nick, cool and appraising. “The one you came here to rescue last time.”

“Hi,” he says, stepping forward and offering her his hand. “I’m Nick.”

She takes his hand between hers and gives him a squeeze. Then, turning to me, she says, “But you are not alone. We had heard—”

“Three huntress come through,” Sillus interrupts. “All three, in Abyssos!”

This time everyone in the party—including me and Nick—shushes him. His eyes widen. We all glare at him. Then he seems to finally get the message and draws his fingers across his mouth like a zipper.

“We were hoping to find you,” the golden maiden says. “We heard you and your sisters had come through a portal. There is news you need to know.”

That sounds ominous.

“Fine,” I say. “But it’s not safe out here. You’re not the only ones who know we’re here. Let’s get my sisters to your cave. Then we can talk.”

“I’m afraid that is impossible.” She shakes her golden head. “The cave is no longer safe.”

“Army find,” Sillus says, his voice quiet for once. “Break everything.”

One look at the golden maiden and I don’t have to ask why. The sad look in her eyes says it all. The monster bosses down here must have found out she and her friends helped me rescue Nick. They got punished. Anger rolls through me. If I ever see that dog-headed freak they call the boss again, he’ll wish I’d never been born.

I don’t like it when people get hurt for helping me.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I should never have—”

“You are not at fault,” she insists. “You did not wield the ax.”

The cave had been an oasis of light in the dark abyss, a home for creatures who never hurt anyone, for the beasts who taught me that not all monsters are bad and that the abyss is worth saving. The image of the Nychtian Army taking an ax to the makeshift shelters and furniture makes my blood boil. I’ll make them pay, for that and so