Chapter 184
Pain exploded through my body, a searing agony that stole my breath away. I gasped, struggling to regain my senses. I was lying on my back, the air knocked out of me, every muscle screaming in protest.
I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my leg, forcing me back down. I groaned, realizing that I was injured, possibly badly.
Slowly, carefully, I reached out, my fingers brushing against something cold and damp. It was stone, rough and uneven. I was in some kind of underground chamber, a cave or a tunnel.
I strained my ears, trying to pinpoint the location of the creature in the darkness. It was difficult, the acoustics of the chamber were strange, echoing and distorting the sounds. But I could tell it was moving, circling me, its heavy footsteps padding softly on the stone floor.
I had to get out of here. But with a bad leg and an unknown predator lurking in the shadows, my chances weren't good.
Think, Alayna, think! What do I have? What can I use?
