“We can’t keep going like this.” Hassan’s face was drawn, his fatigue obvious in the shadows beneath his eyes and the croak in his voice.

Beru couldn’t even fault him for the outburst—he was only saying what they were all thinking.

They had stopped to rest only four times over the past five and half days or so, although the passing of time was hard to gauge in the dark caverns. Each stop got progressively shorter, and Beru could see the bone-deep weariness on everyone’s faces. Even Jude, Hector, and Khepri were starting to look ragged.

Beru’s own exhaustion made it harder to block out the god’s voice in her head. Even with the Godfire collar on, she felt its presence more acutely with every passing hour.

Now, on their fifth stop, they had no sooner sat down than Jude was telling them to get up again.

“We’re all exhausted,” Hassan said bluntly.

“We have to go,” Jude replied tersely. “The Witnesses are too close.”

The Witnesses gained a little more ground each time Beru and the others stopped to rest. They must all have stolen Grace that increased their endurance, because there was no other way they could be pushing through the caverns that quickly. Beru felt a twinge of guilt at that thought.

“How close?” Hassan asked, alarmed.

Anton chewed his lip. “You remember that big rock formation we passed? The one that looked like an elephant?”

He looked terrified. Though Beru knew they were around the same age, Anton suddenly seemed so young. He didn’t look like a Prophet at all, not like the person who had lit up the sky just a few nights ago, the one who was supposedly destined to save the world. He just looked like a scared kid.

Hector scratched at his jaw. “That was what, an hour ago?”

“They’re going to catch up to us,” Ephyra said. “It’s not if but when.”

“I knew coming through the caverns was a bad idea,” Hassan grumbled. “I knew it.”

“Like you’ve never had a bad idea before, Hassan,” Khepri said acidly.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

She gave him a look that left him gaping in outrage.

“Something’s wrong,” Illya said. “We should’ve lost the Witnesses days ago.”

“You’re right,” Anton said. “Something is wrong. Let’s start with the fact that we invited someone who was working for the Witnesses on this little journey. You want to know how the Witnesses are tracking us? Let’s start with him.”

He shot Illya a venomous look.

“You really think I’m still working for them?” Illya demanded. “Why would I have helped rescue you and your friends?”

“Just because you helped us doesn’t mean you won’t betray us again.”

“Ephyra, tell him that I’m—”

“I don’t know why you’d think I’m on your side,” Ephyra said.