Claimed By The Mistborne Alpha-Chapter 49: Thud

The first thing I noted was a big explosion. The sound was muffled against the closed door but it was unmistakable. The whole place seemed to be blowing up.

And after that, there was just an uncomfortable form of silence.

It felt like everyone up there was probably holding their breath, waiting to see the outcome of the explosion. Or it was because they were all dead out there. My heart sank at the second prospect.

No, I’m sure they’d survive. They have to.

Avelora would have a plan. They would have definitely been ready. It’s not like they would let years of planning and getting ready for the inevitable war go to waste in just an instant. They would have seen it coming that Darek and the other Lycans would try to sabotage this place.

I pressed my palms over my ears even though the sound had died down. Shadows flickered against the walls, and a creeping sense of dread was growing up in my body now, even though it had been an hour or so since I’d been in the room.

I wanted to leave. I wanted to go up there and find everyone and help them. My fingers were itching to open the metal clasp at the door and race up there to help Valden and the others. I almost didn’t too but then realised I had to do what I was told. What if Darek goes even more feral if he finds me here? What if my going up becomes a liability?

Another dull sound vibrated against the walls again.

Something bad was definitely happening out there. Something bad and something big. It felt frustrating that there was no way I could know for sure.

I moved closer to the door and pressed my ears firmly against it. I could hear faint voices and running footsteps. The screech of metal against stone, the firing of weapons. And again, there was silence.

But this time, the silence hung heavier and didn’t seem to go away.

My heart was pounding so hard I was sure it would give me away if Darek really was here. In fact, if he were here, he’d probably find me out either way, if I were locked up in this dingy room or not.

I feared that something had happened to the others. Valden, Lesra and Joren. To Avelora who was so passionate about taking all of them down.

Did her passions really get submerged in one night? I wasn’t even sure.

My breath came out uneven and I took one step forward and stared at the door handle as if it might bite me. My hand rose halfway before I pulled it back again.

"Damn it," I whispered, pacing back and forth in the narrow space. "That’s it, just five minutes more and I’m going up there."

I still wanted to open the door and take a peek outside, to see if it was still dark and deserted like it was when I came in before. Before Valden left me in here alone. The moment my fingers brushed against the cold handle, another tremor rippled through the ground beneath my feet.

An acrid smell clouded the air, seeping in from below the door and coiling around me. It burned my nose and I covered them with my hands desperately, my heart pounding even faster than before.

I thought I heard someone screaming in the distance. It was too far away to make out who it could be, but the tone of it, desperate and clawing, made my chest tighten painfully.

"Please be okay," I muttered under my breath, my voice trembling already.

A few seconds passed.

And then came a sound way too close to be comfortable.

There was a low thud and then another followed by quick footsteps coming closer and closer.

My heart was in my mouth, my limbs felt like ashes and I backed up against the wall as sweat broke out all over my face.

The footsteps stopped right outside the door and my breath caught.

Whoever it was, didn’t seem to want to knock just yet. I wanted to hide so badly but there was nowhere to go. If they opened the door, I would be caught, front and centre.

Thud.

The door jolted under the impact. My hands flew to my mouth as my pulse roared in my ears. Another thud, louder this time, and the door rattled in its hinges.

"Maeve!"

Fuck.

The voice was rough and familiar.

And so very much Valden.

I let out the deepest exhale in relief and ran to the door, fumbling with the latch before it clicked open and the door swung inward.

Valden stood on the other side, his eyes dark and frantic, soot smudged across his left cheek. His expression looked like he was trying hard to control his panic. His eyes looked troubled and his hand flew up and cupped my cheek as if he was relieved I was alright.

Behind him, stood Joren, bent over and panting for air as if he had been running around all this time, his usual smile now nowhere to be found.

I don’t think I’d ever seen him this serious since I met him. His hand was gripping some kind of transmitting radio with an antenna.

Valden’s voice was rough and shaky when he finally spoke. "We have to move, Maeve. Now."

My eyes darted between the two of them. "What happened? What’s going on? Is anyone hurt?"

Joren straightened, and despite the chaos that I just heard outside, there was a wild glint in his eyes, as if something insane had just happened.

He gave a nervous laugh, the kind that didn’t reach his eyes. "Oh, you’re gonna wanna see this."

Valden shot him a warning look, but Joren just shook his head, still catching his breath, his voice dropping into something almost disbelieving.

"Come on, Maeve."

He smiled faintly, though his hands were still trembling and he was trying hard to conceal it.

"You’re not gonna believe this."