Chapter 6 · The Maw's Janitor

"Stop running, little rat."

The blade punched into the wall beside my head.

I flattened myself against the metal and bared my teeth. They were still too small to look threatening. Great. Very useful. I had the body of a starving trash mob, the strength of a kicked mop, and a hunter with a sword trying to turn me into floor paste.

"You missed," I said.

The hunter yanked his blade free. "I was aiming to scare you."

"Then aim better."

He kicked the wall.

The whole tunnel shook. My claws slipped on the damp metal, and I dropped onto the narrow ledge below. The hunter leaned over the edge, his boots scraping against the grate.

"There you are."

I ran.

A red line flashed across the tunnel ahead. The dungeon's lockdown seal. It had appeared three seconds ago, right after Vera's voice came through every monitor in the maintenance wing.

Lockdown active.

Gates closed.

Erase timer: 08:41.

Not exactly comforting.

I skidded before the glowing line and spun around. The hunter was climbing down after me, one hand on the ledge, the other holding his sword low.

He was tall enough to make the tunnel feel smaller. Black armor.