Page 429 of Coal Hearts

Five years.

Five years, he’d not only endured but done things that would forever haunt him.

How wasn’t he catatonic?

How was he still sane?

Peter went to hold back my hair but cursed under his breath as his bleeding hands stuck to my strands. “We’ve got to go, Ily. I don’t mean to belittle your reaction, but...save the throwing up till tomorrow, okay?”

Caishen planted a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “I’ve always respected you, even if you pissed me off for being such a stickler for the rules. I’m sorry for every mean thought I ever had that you got preferential treatment for being our little leader.”

“Respect me by getting her moving.” Sucking down his agony, Peter looked at the other jewels scattered in varying degrees of dread. “None of us will end up in that cupboard. I promise you. I meant what I said. I’ll kill you myself before I let anyone else be brought into this temple. But right now, forget everything you saw and follow me. As fast as you can. It’s dark the deeper we go, but use your hands, and you’ll get by.”

Shuffling behind the small podium—another rock that’d been chipped and chiselled to make a platform—he beckoned us to hurry. “Fuck the weapons. We’ve run out of time. Let’s go.”

Vanishing behind a thick outcropping of stalagmites, he limped into the darkness.

Rachel bounced on the spot, urgency flooding her. “We’ve got to go.” Waving at the other girls, she ordered, “Come on. Move. Quickly.”

Citra led the pack, following Peter through the secret passage.

Caishen gave me a worried look. “I don’t know about him, but I’d feel better if I had a knife.”

“Me too.” I flew toward the chest.

Together, we flung out canopic jars and tossed away heavy black velvet robes. Almost in sync, I found a few battery-fed torches, and he found a single knife with a nicked blade as if it’d been used against stone.

“Let’s go.” Holding out his hand, Caishen gave me a kind smile as I threaded my fingers with his.

We didn’t say a word as he pulled me through stone into hell.

Chapter Four

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Henri

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I LOST TRACK OF TIME AND sanity.

The deeper the cave system swallowed me, the worse I lost myself.

The cave—with an altar, cupboard full of skulls, and carved seating for devils to watch fucked-up ceremonies—chilled my bones until I turned numb.

The energy in that place coated my skin with goosebumps.

I wanted to leave as soon as I stepped foot inside it and only stayed long enough to ransack the boxes and cupboards, looking for something to help me do whatever it was that I would do.

Nothing.

Nothing but a torch with half-dead batteries.

I had no idea what my plan was.

I was barefoot, freezing, and frankly, I feared myself.

Feared how fucking good it’d felt to squeeze the life out of Charles.