Colm felt a brief sting of disappointment as she covered her naked body, but he pushed it away. Now was not the time for those thoughts. After he dressed, he helped Honor stuff their belongings in their bags. He snatched up his coat and tied it to his backpack.
“What’s going on?” she whispered.
“We have company.”
With his hand, he gestured for her to head out into the tunnel. To the right, it was easy to hear that someone, or something, was coming.
Together, they turned left and quietly slipped deeper into the tunnels.
Finally, after putting some distance between them and their mysterious visitors, Honor grabbed his arm.
“Who was it?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I couldn’t see. But I believe the question to ask is ‘what was it?’”
“So not the pirates. Why are you so worried, Colm?”
“It wasn’t wolves, Honor. Whatever they were, they were searching. And they were communicating.”
“Shit.” A line creased her brow. “An intelligent species?”
“Maybe. For now, we keep moving, and put as much distance between them and us as we can.”
They snaked their way through the twisting tunnels. Every now and then, Colm stopped and strained to hear something. Nothing.
He was finally deciding they were safe, when faint sounds reached him again.
“I can hear grunts. They’re following us.”
Honor tilted her head. “I can’t hear anything. But I trust you.”
Hearing those words made Colm’s chest go tight. He knew she was a woman who didn’t trust lightly. To have a woman like Honor’s trust meant the world to him.
The grunts got closer and louder.
Honor’s eyes widened. “I can hear that.”
“Run.”
They sprinted down the tunnel. Moving so fast meant that at times they both slipped on the slick ice. But they kept moving.
They were deep into the ice tunnels now. Finding a way out would be tricky. But for now, he focused on evading their pursuers and keeping Honor safe.
They turned a sharp corner, and ahead, a huge, white creature appeared.
Colm cursed, and he and Honor skidded to a halt. He took a second to take in the white fur on the massive humanoid body.
The creature roared at them.
Colm drew his sword. Protect Honor. That single imperative beat inside him. Protect Honor.
His nanami flooded him with energy, more than he’d ever felt before.
He charged at the beast. It let out another roar and charged to meet him.
The beast swung out with sharp claws. Colm ducked and thrust his sword forward. He felt the sting of claws on his chest. He saw the spurt of red blood on the creature’s side, bright against the white fur. Ignoring the sting of his wounds, Colm attacked again. Three more thrusts of his sword and the creature fell, collapsing onto the icy floor.
Colm stepped back, dragging in air. Power raged through him, and he couldn’t rein it in.
“God.” Honor appeared, clutching her pistol. “More are coming, Colm.”
Let them come. He wanted to shed more blood. His hand curled around his sword.
“Colm?” She stepped in front of him, her worried gaze on his face. “What’s wrong? We need to go.”
Why was she questioning him? He was a warrior. He knew how to fight. He felt his hearts drumming in his chest, a muscle ticking beneath his eye, rage flooding his veins.
Was this how his father had felt?
Colm froze.
“Colm?” Her voice edged with concern. “Tell me what’s wrong?”
“No…control. Move away.”
Her eyes narrowed and she stepped closer. “You are the most controlled man I know.” She pressed her hands to his cheeks. “Let me help you. What can I do?”
Just the warm touch of her seemed to help. It seeped into him, and he managed to draw a deep breath into his chest.
“I feel better.” Now he could hear the grunts and snarls approaching them quickly. He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. “Come.”
They ran again. The sounds of the creatures echoed down the tunnels.
Honor and Colm rushed out of a tunnel and into a huge ice cavern. The white-blue walls glittered and the ceiling was a huge dome above them.
“Over there.” Honor pointed across the cavern. “We can climb the wall. It’s cracked, so we should be able to find toe and hand holds.” She smiled at him. “I hope you can climb, warrior.”
They reached the wall and Colm watched Honor start upward. She didn’t rush, taking her time to find cracks to jam her feet and hands in to.
Colm took a breath and followed her.
A few times, his hand slipped. The wall was slick; some of the cracks wouldn’t hold his greater weight and crumbled. Above him, Honor looked like a Markarian monkey. Damn, she was good.