“Stay back.” Lin’s voice, quavering.

I had two choices: to wait and see if Lin survived this, or to— Ah, it looked like my feet had made the choice for me already. The ladder was held solidly in place, which I was grateful for, because when I’d descended low enough to see the cavern below, my limbs trembled.

The Emperor stood between me and what Mephi had accurately identified as a monster. A construct filled half the space, its flashing golden eyes as big as my fists. Its maw was open, exposing multiple rows of sharp, white teeth. Muscular legs ended in claws that could end me with one swipe. I’d never seen one so large. What was it doing down here, behind four sets of locked doors?

I caught a glimpse of shelves, of something hanging on the walls, before my gaze was drawn inevitably back to the stand-off.

Lin held the lamp in one hand, her engraving tool in the other, and she wasn’t budging. Was she mad? That thing was going to eat her.

And then the construct’s gaze landed on me.

There I was, hanging partway down a ladder, staff clutched in one sweaty hand. My most potent trick required contact with the ground, which was… still a fair bit down.

“Jovis,” Mephi hissed from above me, “move!”

It was a testament to my foolishness that I went down the ladder rather than back up, sliding as quick as I could manage. I felt the rush of air as the creature moved, its jaws snapping just above my head. Apparently, I looked like I made a more appealing meal than Lin. I was a fair bit larger. And she did look rather sinewy.

But I didn’t have time to speculate on the culinary qualities of humans. I jumped the rest of the way, the impact from the fall jolting the teeth in my jaw. But I had my staff in hand, and the thrumming in my bones. The construct charged at me again, and I stamped a foot.

The entire cavern shook, dust coming loose from the ceiling. The monster stopped in its tracks but did not topple, did not so much as wobble.

Four legs. Right.

From behind it now, Lin rose, striking dust from her robe, evidently not the benefactor of the same sort of stability. “You’re going to bring the whole cavern down on us, you fool!” she spat.

I couldn’t argue with her. I’d panicked at the sight of the creature, forgetting where I was. I lifted my staff, hoping strength and speed might help me stay alive. I wasn’t sure how I could kill such a creature, or if I could at all.

“You followed me,” Lin said, brandishing her engraving tool. “You broke into my locked chambers. How did you even get down here?”