Page 34 of Code Bound
“And what about Vesper?” I snarl. “Is she a casualty, too?”
I already know the answer. Cipher has taken a liking to Vesper, coaching her in a way that he hasn’t done with me. Past the initial welcome and explanation, he’d just left instructions behind that I couldn’t be bothered to read all of. They must not be important if he doesn’t care to explain. But with Vesper, he’s talked to her the entire time.
“No,” Cipher admits, “but my hands are tied so to speak.”
“Tell me how to help her,” I grunt. “At least you can do that.”
Cipher hums. “You could just leave her,” he says. “She’s dying. Take the loot and go. You have no responsibility to her or to me.”
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED
You defeated your first minor boss. Congratulations. You didn’t die. Now you can get a sweet snake tattoo and tell everyone you killed it with your bare hands.
REWARD: this loot crate. Go on and take it all. You deserve it.
“To you, no,” I grunt, eyeing the chest that suddenly appears floating above the snake’s head. “To her, I do.”
“Is this the sort of loyalty you displayed in Dross?” Cipher asks curiously.
“No,” I admit.
I look around me, searching for something to help. I wish there was a face I could see while talking to Cipher. He sounds like he has a very punchable face. Instead, my anger is left to fester with no outlet.
“Are you going to help me or not?” I spit, my body starting to vibrate with fury.
Cipher hesitates. “I cannot interfere, not fully. What I can do, however . . . is tell you that the safehouse is one hundred meters deeper inside the cave in a norther direction. You will need to cross the river.”
“Is there something in the safehouse that can help her?” I ask, grabbing the loot chest and putting it away in my inventory without opening it. After a moment, I do the same to Vesper’s arrows. She’s going to want those back. Then I carefully scoop the woman into my arms, careful not to jostle her too much as I cradle her against my chest. Her body doesn’t feel right, almost swollen, and the shoulder cracks and pops as I move her, making me wince, but it can’t be helped. Not until I get her some help.
“You must get to the safehouse,” Cipher says instead of answering my question. “Quickly. In approximately three minutes, the river will breach its banks and begin to fill the caverns.”
“You could have fucking led with that,” I hiss, moving over to the edge of the river. It’s flowing fast, fast enough to sweep me off my feet if I’m not careful. I can’t swim, and I’d never been one to hunt resources near the under-tunnels where Wastrels sometimes risked the disease in the water for a good time. If I lose my footing, we’re in trouble. I ease down into the water, the warmth of it enveloping me as I step down through the middle. The water comes up to my waist and then rises until we’re both in the water. Vesper’s black hair flows around her, but I do my best to keep her face above the threat of drowning. I ease us across the water as quickly as I can, my boots digging into rocks and sand at the bottom. It takes brute strength, and a few times, I almost lose my footing, but I manage to keep on my feet until the river begins to grow shallower again.
“Two minutes,” Cipher warns.
I reach the other side and push out of the water, droplets running off us as I clomp my way onto land again. My boots are heavy with water, but I ignore the feeling as my feet squelch with each step. I aim for the cave opening in front of me, moving as quickly as I can, but my ankle is twinged from the fight and it threatens to collapse under my weight, Vesper’s, and our wet clothes.
“One minute,” Cipher chips in again. “You must move faster or you both are going to die.”
“How much further is it?” I grit out.
“Twenty meters.”
I push myself despite the aches and pain, determined to save this woman who refused to let me die. She’s done nothing but help me. The least I can do is return the favor. Besides, I made her a promise I’d watch her back.
“How quaint,” Cipher says. “You are capable of compassion, after all.”
“You know, you’re a real asshole,” I grunt.
In front of me, a glowing door appears and I rush toward it.
“Fifteen seconds,” Cipher says. The cave walls start to rumble around me. “I suggest you make hast.”
“No shit,” I snarl, reaching the door. I kick at it, but it doesn’t move. I balance Vesper in my arms and turn the knob, trying to manage her and the door all at once. It turns and the door opens. Behind me, the rumble turns into a roar and I glance behind me just in time to see a wall of water rushing our way.
“Fuck!” I shout, shoving the door open and leaping inside. I hit Vesper’s head on the doorjamb and wince, but it’s better than leaving her to drown. I turn, trying to kick the door closed, but I don’t make it in time. “FUCK!” I close my eyes, expecting the water to slam into me through the doorway, but after a few seconds of nothing happening, I crack my eyes open again.
The water is crashing against the open doorway, but it stops right at the entrance, as if it’s crashing against an invisible wall. Just like the howler monkeys had. It’s crashing against the walls outside, but it never enters. My shoulders relax at the sudden feeling of safety.
