Stiffening, she opened her eyes to a wall of black. Her heart jerked as the events from last night played back in her mind. The side of her face was pressed intimately against the demon’s bare chest, his musky scent and heat enveloping her. Afraid she’d wake him, Nadua tried to remain still. Unexpectedly, his grip tightened around her. Panic nearly engulfed her, making her pulse burn through her veins. She had to get away, get back to camp, signal her soldiers. But how was she going to do any of that? She wasn’t sure exactly how long she’d slept, but she assumed there should be some light outside by now—or perhaps it was already midday—yet the cave was still pitch black. He must have taken her farther inside than she thought. Somehow, Nadua would need to get the demon to lead her out. Without him, she might never find her way. The Caves of Kayata were said to be a complex labyrinth of passages, mostly unexplored due to the many dangers. Pitfalls, cave-ins, and toxic air. And those were the non-superstitious obstacles.
