CONNOR POV
Cold slime slapped wetly against the top of my head, sliding down the side of my face and dripping onto my neck with the kind of disgusting chill that made every muscle in my body seize. I froze on instinct, and for half a second I honestly hoped it was just the mountain trying to kill me again in some new creative way. But deep down, I already knew I wasn’t going to like what I saw when I looked up.
And I was right.
A Linton worm—an actual, full-grown, cave-dwelling, man-eating Linton worm—hovered right above me, its circular maw spiraling open like some deranged celestial blender designed specifically to remove heads from shoulders. Its teeth gleamed with fresh slime and acid, and the entire monster recoiled just enough to lunge again.
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
Becaus
