Artemis, Aegis, and I—along with a ragged line of others—pushed deeper into the complex. The fourth level loomed ahead, its entrance swallowing the light and spitting back the metallic scent of old blood and oil. My pulse thrummed against my teeth; this was where things could get messy.
The instant I put a foot over the threshold, a hail of arrows screamed at us. They came in tight, ruthless lines, black points glittering for a heartbeat before they dove. I didn't hesitate—Guardian flared into being, a halo of shimmering force that slammed into the volley and chewed it apart. Arrows met an invisible wall and exploded in twinkling shards; none of them reached us. The sound of impact was a dry drumbeat that echoed down the corridor.
