Struggling to my hooves, I stumbled passed the kin and slung my arm around Rio’s. The light that filtered through the ice above us was just that left over from the setting sun and the few stars that emerged. I squinted up in time to see the doorway we had entered this room by pass in front of me.
“Jump!” Rio yelled.
Kewyn and I leapt onto the slippery ledge, running forward to allow room for Rio to follow. I glanced back to see Levent growl something at Theteau then withdraw. He jumped off the platform, landing with only the slightest slip. He nudged me forward with his injured arm and we followed the other two into the icicle-filled hallway.
Rio looked back at us as Kewyn stumbled through the ice ahead of him. Levent stopped to let the half-blood follow me through and he took up the tail, ready to fight off Theteau once he freed himself from my bonds.
As I watched Kewyn’s blonde hair bob ahead of me to know which way to go, I paid my silent respect to my walking stick. It was my favorite, and it had served me well.
We were almost through the hall when I heard a sickening ripping sound and the clang of metal as Theteau freed himself from my vines. I stepped past the last icicle, Rio and Levent immediately behind me when we heard the hollow sound of shattering ice. The tunnel lit up as Theteau hurtled a fireball at us.
“Hurry hurry hurry,” Rio chanted as Kewyn flung herself through the hole in the door. I did the same, this time just launching myself through headfirst and crawling out the other side.
The blonde hurried ahead without a backward glance. I waited for the kin to crawl through before I ran after her. Unfortunately, I ran a lot slower than any of the people I was traveling with. Rio glanced back to check on me every few seconds, and Levent slowed himself down so that he was last again. Every time he glanced over his shoulder, my heart leapt in panic.
As the airship came into sight, it struck me that Theteau might have thought to sabotage it in some way. However, Kewyn had already opened the door and was starting up the engine. The balloon began to expand, but it was going to take a few minutes for us to be able to be airborne.
I turned to check on Levent as he ran beside me. I caught movement out of