Chapter 27

VALERIA My heart is in my throat. Or in my ears. I don’t even know now. I feel my heartbeat everywhere, and it’s still not loud enough to conquer the voice in my head that’s getting louder and louder with every step. “Stay here. Don’t run.” I’m not listening to it. I will never listen to it, in fact. Even though I’m breathing hard and sweating like crazy, I don’t dare stop running. Hell, I don’t even pause to look behind me and see what those red-eyed creatures are. All I want is to get out of here, even if it means dragging Celeste while running and exhausted. Speaking of Celeste, she seems to be in a shock. Or a daze. She’s not speaking, not even properly walking or running. She’s just stumbling along, her eyes unfocused and her pace uneven. “Celeste,” I bark at her, trying to get her attention as I continue to follow the main path of the tunnel. “Listen to me. Can you even hear me?” She doesn’t say anything. She just blinks slowly like a toddler fighting sleep. I curse under