The guard twitched. The involuntary jolt sent his hand closer to Nadine. She kicked his open palm forward.
“I’ve got it!” Magnus clasped the massive hand and yanked back. The first few inches were easy, but Regna, it was like dragging a boulder across jagged stone. Magnus pulled and pulled until he could get his legs braced against the bars, and he put his entire body to work. With a straining grunt, he stretched and finally got enough momentum to slide the Nozverak back against the bars. He collapsed, panting for breath as Nadine leapt up and down beside him.
“You did it! Get the key, Magnus. The key!”
Magnus flew onto his hands and knees. He grabbed the creature by the other arm and snatched the keys free. Azolirum’s men grew restless in a cage next to him.
“Free us, nozturel.”
Magnus turned to them as he got to his feet. He opened his mouth to answer when Samar spoke first. “Don’t do it! They’ll kill us.”
Magnus shot Samar a withering look as he fiddled with the keys, trying to work them into the lock of his own cell. Was it the wrong key? Or was it simply that he’d never used such a thing? Magnus just kept his hands from shaking as he tried the next. The other prisoners began howling and beating at their bars, impatient for help. How long before more guards came?
“Free us, nozturel,” Crann snapped.
“Shut up,” Magnus answered, pouring all his concentration into finding the right damn key. This backward angle was infuriating.
The iron block scraped and clicked. Finally, the door was loose, and Magnus shoved his entire weight against it to push the fallen Nozverak out of the way and squeeze through the opening.
Now the buzz in the cellblock erupted into an outright roar. The creatures who’d been watching began shrieking for freedom. Magnus wanted to rail at them to be quiet, but it was pointless. He rushed to Nadine’s cell, trying the key he’d used on his own door first. It worked. Magnus threw open the door, and Nadine launched herself into his arms. He didn’t have time to wrap himself around her before she was pushing away and snatching at the keys. He yanked them just out of her grasp. “Wait.”
She looked around with fear and impatience. “Hurry up.”
Magnus immediately went to his Nozverak allies. Crann and Hezek were standing and straining against the chains as though Magnus might change his mind and leave them for dead. He was vaguely aware of Nadine standing at Samar’s cell, demanding he give her the Eye. For all the good it would do her.
Magnus threw open the cell door and hurried inside to work at the shackles of his allies. Azolirum still lay in a bloody heap on the floor.
“Watch the door,” Magnus ordered them, barely resisting the urge to stop every few seconds and ensure they weren’t about to be overrun by more guards. His heart was pounding in his chest, and an anxious sweat broke out across his skin. They had only minutes. Perhaps seconds.
Crann was free first. He rubbed at his wrists as Magnus hurried to Hezek. As Magnus was about to let the last shackle drop, he realized he should have forced a renewal of their alliance vow. But there was simply no time, and his conscience couldn’t have left them behind anyway. He let the shackle drop to the ground. Now they were free. Would they turn on him?
Crann and Hezek tore out the cell and went in opposite directions to check the exits. Crann turned to Magnus and shouted over the clamor, “Get the Eye!”
Magnus shot to Samar’s cell. He shoved Nadine aside to work the key into the lock. The key he’d used on his own door wasn’t the right key for Samar’s. He had to work through a few before finding the correct one. Samar had backed into his cell, his eyes upon Magnus like he expected to be crushed the moment the door was open. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides.
Magnus worked the heavy lock loose and began pulling at the gate. He gifted the raksa with a look so potent, Magnus could almost let himself believe he was ready to kill. It was what Samar deserved. But of course, Magnus wouldn’t hurt him. Not now, when they were all trying to escape. Not when they needed each other so badly.
Nadine shoved at Magnus, dead set on slipping through to reach Samar first. Magnus wouldn’t give her the chance. He tore open the gate and lunged toward the rat in three gaping strides. The Ebronian struck out like a boy throwing fists at his father. Magnus shoved him bodily against the wall of the cage. All the air went out of Samar’s lungs, and Magnus had to force himself to allow more back in.
The Nozverak who’d toppled over the guard blew past Nadine in his bid to escape. He didn’t make it far. Hezek tackled him and broke his neck with a single stroke. The desperate howling throughout the cellblock dropped into cold silence.
“You see, savage?” Samar said, his voice just above a whisper. “They’re going to kill us now. See what you’ve done?”
Magnus shoved his forearm against Samar’s neck, leaving enough space for Nadine to slip in around him and pluck the Eye from around his throat. She clutched it in one fist and used the other to send a punch straight into Samar’s nose.
The Ebronian squeezed his watering eyes shut as a trickle of blood carried down his face.
“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t gut you,” she said from beside Magnus.
Samar cracked his eyes open. His gaze immediately flew away from Nadine and Magnus both, to a place between and behind them. His lips parted. “It’s us against them now.”
Muttered whispers from the other prisoners made the hairs on Magnus’s neck stand on end. He and Nadine turned as one. Crann and Hezek crowded the front of the cell. An injured, but still deadly, Azolirum stood hunched before them, a menacing glare on his face and one hand stretched out to Nadine. He curled a finger in toward himself. “Give it here, female.”
Magnus released Samar to grab Nadine’s elbow, lest she do something fatal.
“Lance yourself, beast.” Nadine sneered.
Azolirum leered at her, revealing flattened teeth and bleeding gums. Magnus cringed. His torturers had filed them down.
His hand still on Nadine, Magnus stepped toward the horde king. “My friend, we’re allies.”
What were they going to do, take the Eye and leave them behind in this cage? Was that what Magnus’s hesitation had bought them? Had he doomed his bride twice?
Azolirum looked at Magnus. “This alliance was broken the moment that viro departed from us. Give us the Eye or we’ll take it.”
“I would rather die,” Nadine said with total conviction.
“You will. If I don’t give you a way out,” Azolirum answered.
Magnus stepped away from Samar, who was crouched against the wall. He squeezed his bride’s arm. “Nadine.”
She ignored him, her gaze locked on the Nozverak in challenge.
Glanshi. Once again, he was going to have to risk her hate. Swallowing, he yanked her toward himself and covered her chest with his hand. She gripped his wrist with both hands, claws digging in. The Eye slipped beneath his palm, and he met his bride’s furious eyes. “We have to, kandiri. We must.”
They were going to kill them otherwise. Magnus knew it. Nadine must’ve known it, too, because when he begged, “Please, mu hamma,” her grip on his wrist eased.
Magnus didn’t wait. He ripped the Eye from her neck and held it out to Azolirum. He kept a palm against her chest to prevent her from lunging for it. She didn’t try, but she stared after her inheritance with hatred blazing in her eyes. Azolirum examined it only a moment before shoving it into his pocket.