Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer Page B

net of sunbeams, delicate as lace but far more captivating to the eye. The dancing web of light was broken only by a small, dark opening on the far side of the cavern.
    Shay pointed at the crawl space. “Looks like that’s where we’re headed.”
    “How do you know?” Ethan asked.
    “Haldis was in an antechamber off the main cavern,” Shay said. “I’m guessing Tordis is the same.”
    “Fair enough,” Connor said, despite Ethan’s deepening frown. “Let’s go.”
    I lifted my muzzle, opening my jaws to let the frigid air slide over my tongue. Nothing. No alarming scents. No off-putting tastes that might alert me to danger.
    Shay was watching me. “Any sign of mutant spiders, Cal?”
    I barked and wagged my tail.
    He frowned. “Really? Are you sure?”
    It does seem awfully appealing for a Keeper lair. Sabine’s voice carried an edge.
    I know. I glanced at her, then back at the cave. But I can’t pick up anything.
    So what now? Mason asked, pawing at the ice.
    We keep going. I trotted forward.
    “I don’t like it,” I heard Ethan grumbling. “Something’s in here. It has to be.”
    “Yeah . . .” Connor drew a long breath. “But if there’s no creature feature waiting . . .”
    I twisted my neck around, impatient with their hesitation. I wanted to get Tordis and get the hell out of here. If the Keepers hadn’t left something hideous to guard this place, it was my best guess that our arrival had triggered some sort of alarm and soon this place would be swarming with nasties. Just like when we’d rescued my packmates from the dungeon below Eden. But in Tordis, I couldn’t see or smell anything that signaled we weren’t alone. Other than the bear, I hadn’t spotted any sentinels or stone gargoyles hidden in the clefts of rock, waiting to alert their masters to our intrusion upon the sacred site. Even so, I didn’t want to linger here—the best strategy was for Shay to grab the piece of the Elemental Cross that was hidden here and for us to get back to the Academy as quickly as possible.
    I was about to growl at my lagging companions when Connor’s eyes, which had been flicking around the tunnel, suddenly went wide.
    “Calla, stop!”
    My growl became a whimper as his warning came a second too late. My front right paw came down and met—nothing. There was no longer an ice-covered floor beneath me. Gravity and my own forward momentum propelled me into the empty space. A hole that I still couldn’t see, even as I was falling into it.
    Even my hind legs desperately scrabbling against the ice proved useless. My body tumbled over the invisible ledge.
    I howled, but my cry of terror became a squeal when pain jolted through my limbs, traveling from my tail and rocketing up my spine. I hung in the air, kicking and snarling.
    “Damn it, girl!” Ethan shouted. “Hold still.”
    It finally registered that I wasn’t falling. The pain had resulted from Ethan catching me . . . by the tail.
    My heart was pounding, my pulse deafening as it roared through my veins. Even as Ethan pulled me back up, each moment agony when he tugged on fur and tendons, I still couldn’t see where the floor had ended and the hole began.
    And then I was back over the ledge. My weight collapsed against the frosted stone of the cavern floor. Ethan released my tail and dropped down, resting on his heels as he let out a huge breath.
    I scrambled up, snapping my teeth at him.
    “What the hell?” He glared at me.
    Shifting forms, I returned his ferocious stare. “That was my tail.”
    “Well, sorry,” Ethan said. “I guess I should have let you fall.”
    I stared at him; an abashed smile finally won out over my humiliation.
    Ethan shook his head, laughing. “Some thanks.”
    “Yeah,” I said, knowing I should offer him a real apology, but my butt still hurt. “I guess I owe you.”
    Connor scanned the cavern, eyes narrowed. “’Twas beauty killed the beast.”
    “What?” I frowned.
    “The cave.” Shay followed his