Blood Red (47 page)

Vivi Anna

way. No more lit torches. Just rock and dirt. They soon came to a dead end.

Red advanced on Rapunzel. “I knew it. It’s a trap.”

“If you’d just wait. I’ll show you.”

“Show me what? The knife you’re holding so you can stab me in the back.”

Rapunzel stomped on the ground. She kicked at the dirt.

They watched her in disbelief. Red grabbed her arm. “What are you doing? Alerting the others of our whereabouts?”

Voices wafted from down the corridor. Someone was approaching them.

“You see? A trap, just like I said.”

Rapunzel continued to stomp hard on the packed earth. Wolf finally understood what she was doing.

He stomped on the ground too.

Red looked at him. “What are you doing?”

“Helping get us out of here. Maybe you should shut up and do the same.”

The rock caved in where Rapunzel was stomping.

It crumbled away to reveal a quick moving stream of water beneath them.

Red looked down in amazement.

“The stream runs under the castle and comes out into a lake on the other side. I’m not sure how long it is. So we could all still die in the process.”

“It’s better than the alternative.” Red kicked away the earth. More dirt fell away, producing a hole big enough for a man to fit through.

The voices neared.

“In,” Red said to Rapunzel. “Why do I have to go 92

Blood Red

first?”

“Because it’s your escape route. If it was mine, I’d go first.”

Rapunzel put her hand on her hip. “You’re a bitch.”

“Yeah, and?”

“Fine.” Rapunzel sat down on the dirt and dangled her legs into the water. “Good Lord, it’s cold!”

“Go!” Red commanded.

Rapunzel slid into the water. She took a deep breath and went under.

“Now Rose.”

Rose stepped up to the hole and looked down. She looked back to Red. Her eyes were pleading. “I can’t do it.”

“You have to.”

“Watch out!” Wolf grabbed Red and pulled her forward. An arrow hit the rock wall inches away from her head. Another arrow came. And another.

Wolf aimed the crossbow. He rapid fired three arrows down the passageway. They heard a scream echo off the walls.

“It’s now or never, Rose, come on.” Red turned back to the girl.

Rose leaned back against the rock face. Her eyes bulged. A little smile played at her lips. Red looked down. Rose clutched at her stomach. An arrow stuck out grotesquely.

Red grabbed her. She brought her hand down to the arrow to yank it out. Rose stilled her hand. She shook her head.

“I’m sorry.” Red looked up into her face.

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