Chapter 6

Lilly’s POV

The sound of the Hollowed faded until there was only the soft sound of dripping water. The tunnel walls trembled once with the last of the chaos outside, then settled. We were sealed in by a iron door standing in silence in the dim glow of the lantern lights, our breathing still uneven.

Lilac whimpered quietly against Mary's shoulder, her small fingers clenching the edge of Mary's jacket tightly.

"It's safe for now," Liam finally said, his voice low but with a firmness to it.

I looked around at everyone as no one argued with Liam's statement, everyone was still, and that stillness was almost painful.

Scarlet broke the silence first, "You said this tunnel led to the river, correct?"

Liam nodded, "The tunnel runs under the old city sewage line. We stocked stocked it last month with food, water, medical supplies and even blankets. We planned this for if the compound ever fell and this would have to be our back up plan."

I scanned the space as he spoke and noticed metal crates were stacked neatly against one wall marked with faded red crosses and numbers. There was a table made from plywood and had pipes as legs that sat in the corner, it was scattered with candles and a few hand drawn maps. They had made this tunnel liveable, even almost comfortable.

Mary sat Lilac down on a folded blanket that was near the crates, the little girl's curls framed her face they were streaked with grime but somehow still innocent, as she was already dozing off before Mary even finished tucking her in.

John remained silent busy checking his weapon, and Scarlet busied herself with lighting more lanterns trying not to look at the rest of us.

I could feel Liams gaze flick towards me every now and then, me, the stranger who had just burned a Hallowed alive without fire, I wasn't sure which of us was more unsettled, not to mention everyone else avoided eye contact with me.

"You should get some rest," Liam finally said. "We'll take turns keeping watch."

Scarlet let out a tiny noise of agreement, "I'll take first shift."

I sat down against the wall and pulled my knees to my chest, my body ached from all the running, fighting and surviving, but I had no room to complain when so many weren't.

My mind wouldn't settle down, all I could think about was the voice that has been whispering to me and calling me Tether. The word continues to echo around my mind forcing me to dwell on the unknown.

I leaned my head against the cold concrete and let my eyes finally shut, just for a minute, I told myself, just until the ringing in my ears stops.

When I opened my eyes the tunnel was gone and I was standing in a wasteland of black sand under a burning red sky. The air here felt heavy making it hard to breathe, and it looked foggy like there was smoke. The horizon stretched endlessly rock and ash where mountains used to be.

I wasn't alone, I turned and there he stood a few paces away with his back to me. He was tall and broad, his silhouette wrapped in a faint red light that seemed to pulse with every slow, steady breath he took. His armor looked like it had been forged from the night itself, etched with marks that shifted like they were alive.

I didn't know him, but somehow I felt like I did.

"Where am I?" I asked, my voice coming out softer than I meant it to.

He turned his head slightly, just enough for me to see the edge of his profile. He had a strong jaw, dark hair falling against his cheek, and his eyes were gold and burned like the sun.

"This isn't a place," he said, his voice deep and rough, "It's a memory caught between the worlds."

I took a slow, cautious step back. "Who are you?"

"You've heard me before."

It clicked. The whisper that had haunted me since before the compound.

"You," I swallowed, my throat dry. "You said you would find me."

"And I have."

He turned fully then, and the heat around him flared, pressing against my skin but not burning me. His presence filled the space between us, vast, ancient and dangerous.

"What do you want?" I managed to ask.

For a moment he said nothing and just studied me like he was trying to remember something that wouldn't come.

"To protect what is mine," he said quietly.

I flinched, "I don't belong to anyone."

A faint smile ghosted across his lips as he replied, "No, I suppose you don't, but you will need protection very soo, whether you want it or not."

"I don't need you."

He stepped closer then, and I realized how wrong I was for thinking the heat came from the world around us. It came from him, he was magnetic, pulling at the edges of my will. I could feel my pulse beating in time with his.

"The world will consume you, little light," he said softly. "The dead are only the beginning and then the gods will come for you too."

My heart stuttered, "Gods?" I wished this was all me going crazy but everything was starting to make sense.

He nodded once, the gold in his eyes dimming slightly like dying embers. "They have already noticed the Tether has awakened."

"I don't understand any of this."

"You will soon," his gaze lingered on me filled with something that looked close to regret, "But not yet."

The ground cracked beneath us with a low rumble splitting the air and the sky began to shatter into black smoke.

"Wait!" I yelled and reached out, but the world began to fall away piece by piece. "Who are you?"

He looked back once more, his name a low whisper that brushed against my mind rather than my ears.

Kael.

The moment the sound touched me a fire flared through my veins, warm not painful, but powerful. Then I was falling through ash and darkness until I jolted awake.

I gasped, sitting upright, my heart was pounding against my ribs and then the tunnel light swam into view.

"Hey," Scarlet's voice came softly from the other side of the room, "nightmare?"

"Something like that," I whispered back, wiping the sweat from my neck.

She gave me a tired half smile and nodded toward the others. Mary and John were asleep beside Lilac, and Liam sat against the far wall, rifle across his knees with his head bowed as if caught between sleep and exhaustion.

The air felt still, safe, for now. But inside me the fire still hadn't faded, Kael's voice lingered causing me to worry.

"They have already noticed the tether has awakened."

And somewhere deep in my chest, beneath the fear and confusion, a part of me knew he was right and there would be no escaping it.