by Ciara Graves
“Shit, man,” Horace snapped.
“Find a door?” I asked.
“That I have.” He held up a head, dripping blood. “Currently unguarded.” Bowen’s smile was dark. “Who’s first?”
Horace volunteered.
Damian and I watched the still-empty road. Luckily, the patrols were not there yet.
Bowen blurred himself and Horace across the street and beyond the fountain.
When Bowen returned, he did the same with Damian.
I waited for an alarm to sound or some forcefield to be triggered which would lock us out, but nothing like that happened. In fact, nothing at all happened to make me think we’d been found out.
“I don’t like this,” Nor murmured when we were alone.
“We don’t have time to come up with another plan. Mercy’s in there. We have no idea what shape she’s in, or what Shuval’s done to her. We’re doing this.”
We had a way out. That’s what mattered. Mercy was our focus. Nothing else was. Nothing at all. We’d grab her, trigger the portal, and get our asses home. That was the goal.
Nor looked like he wanted to say something else, but Bowen blurred back to our side. “Let’s move it. There’s something going on inside the fortress.”
“Take Nor next.”
Nor started to protest, but then they vanished from sight.
I smirked to myself. I was sure I’d catch hell for that later. If we made it out of here in one piece.
I was just turning around to make sure the alley behind me was empty when a hand latched onto my wrist. I had half a second to see Bowen’s face, then he was blurring me across the street. I swallowed back the urge to vomit from moving so fast, steadying myself on a stone wall.
“This place looks massive.” Damian peered around the edge of the corridor leading to a four-way intersection.
Torches lined the walls and voices sounded all around us. The stench of evil magic permeated the air, making it difficult to breathe without gagging. We readied our weapons. I moved to the front of our party. Tracking Mercy here was tricky, what with the intense fog of malicious energy seeping through the stones. I gritted my teeth, willing the tracking spell to keep working. She was close. Very close.
“Right,” I whispered over my shoulder. “Stay close. Keep quiet.”
We maneuvered down the first corridor and then to another, stopping at the end of each one to ensure the coast was clear. At a larger intersection where an arched stone doorway opened to a set of stairs leading downward, three cloaked figures stood guard.
I couldn’t tell what they were from here, but we had to get by them, this much I knew.
I nodded to Bowen. He readied his daggers then winked out of sight.
A heartbeat later, he was back at my side. The three bodies crumpled, clutching their slashed throats. Their blood pooled over the stones.
“Mages. Not hybrids,” Bowen told us. “Whatever’s down those stairs, that’s what’s causing this evil magic.”
“That’s where Mercy is. Anyone who wants to stay behind, do it. We might not make it back up.” I glanced from one face to the next. Each was set and battle-ready. “Let’s go. Remember, getting Mercy is our only concern.”
I said it mostly to remind myself. Envy was here somewhere, and I assumed Shuval was, too. Who knew what else waited down there. I hurried down the steps, picking up the pace in my haste to reach Mercy and get the hell out of there.
The heaviness of the air weighed on my shoulders. Each step was like sloshing through a muddy swamp. It had a smell to match. The odor shifted between charred flesh and rotting meat.
The first set of stairs led to a second one, guarded by more cloaked figures. They spotted us, but Horace and Damian lunged forward, silencing the shifters without giving them a chance to shift or call for help. We kicked their bodies to the side and continued further down.
We were deep underground by now.
I could tell I wasn’t the only one having issues with the evil attempting to smother us. Nor growled continually, his snarling warring with my own rumbling grunts. Gripping their daggers in pale-knuckled fists, Damian and Horace grimaced. Bowen hissed every few seconds, giving his head a hard shake as if that would keep the evil from getting to him.
At the end of another set of stairs, we found ourselves on a long stretch of corridor. Two cloaked figures stood outside a set of black, metallic doors. My lip twitched at the wickedness coming from them.
“Hybrids,” I whispered. “Won’t be easy to get past them if they’re like Envy. And we have no idea what’s on the other side of that door. Chances of sneaking in are zero.”
Horace chuckled, smoothed his hair back, and then strode into the corridor out of Damian’s reach.
I growled at him to get back here, but it was too late.
The hybrids had spotted him and were on full alert now. They threw their hoods back.
Inside, I groaned. Dragonborn. Had to be dragonborn hybrids.
“What is he doing?” Nor whispered to Damian.
“Being an idiot. Trying to get himself killed,” Damian replied. “I’m assuming Mercy’s on the other side of that door?”
“She is. I have no way of knowing who or what else is in there with her.”
“You have the bomb?”
I reached for the bandolier strapped across my chest, but the bomb wasn’t there.
Shit.
Horace had all three of them now.
I exchanged a look with Damian, and he cursed then looked toward his brother. “Damned moron.”
“Hey, assholes,” Horace yelled, and the two hybrids started toward him. “Yeah you, ugly.”
Damian rolled his eyes but didn’t rush after Horace.
“I think I’m lost,” Horace said as the hybrids came closer and closer. “You see, I thought I was coming here to find this really hot chick. Gave me her number and everything. Sexy witch, you know what I’m saying? Sexy hot. Told me to meet her here, but I can’t find her.”
My jaw tensed. “Does he want to die?”
“As much as I’d like to agree with you, have a little faith,” Damian whispered.
Horace had his hand behind his back. In his grasp was the bomb.
The hybrids stopped about twenty yards from him, still close to the metallic doors. Why didn’t he throw the bomb? What was he waiting for? Those hybrids could attack him at any second and then we’d have to rush out there to save him.
Then again, if he blew up the doors, he could hurt Mercy. I couldn’t tell what was behind those doors.
“Go get the others, in case he has reinforcements,” one of the hybrids growled. “We have a new prisoner for Shuval.”
“You want me to interrupt the ritual?”
“Do it,” the first one snapped louder. “He might not be alone.”
Horace fiddled with the orb in his palm, rolling it over and over. That’s when I noticed there were two in his hands. One was the bomb that could make a hole where those doors stood. The other was the electrical bomb.
The second the doors opened, he drew his hand back and chucked the electrical bomb into the open doorway.
The hybrid lunged for him at the same time, but Bowen blurred to intercept the attack. Horace and Bowen held back the hybrid as screams and shouts of panic erupted from behind the doors.
I sprinted forward, with Damian and Nor flanking me.
“Rafael!”
Horace tossed me the second bomb. I caught it, lowered my head, and sprinted into that chamber.
The sight that met my eyes stole what last little bit of control I had on my rage.
A dragon I could only assume was Shuval stood in the center of the room between two stone slabs. Two people were chained to the slabs, both limp.
Both appeared dead. One of them was Mercy. Her hand hung off the edge, lifeless.
I couldn’t tell if she was breathing. Her eyes were open, but glazed over. Red wisps of magic washed over her every few seconds, much like a wave.
The hybrids who’d been caught off guard by the electrical bomb recovered quickly.
I threw back my head with a snarl and charged forward. I was ten feet or so from Mercy when a bright green forcefield tossed me back on my ass.
The cloaked figures began to close in around us. The one in front threw back his hood, revealing glowing green eyes.
Envy. He held out a hand, reinforcing the shield around Mercy and Shuval.
“Thank you all for coming,” he said as two swords of pure green fire formed in his hands. “Saves us the trouble of killing you later.”
I didn’t have to look around to know we were surrounded. There was a small army of hybrids, and only five of us to take them down. No, not simply take them down. My mind was filled with the idea of tearing through them all, spilling their blood, and hearing their screams. But I wasn’t here to slaughter them, not with so few of our own numbers.
My hands curled into fists as I narrowed my focus to the objective at hand. Mercy.
Envy’s death would have to wait.
“Rafael, give me the bomb,” Damian whispered, pressing into my side. “Get Mercy and trigger the portal. We’ll hold them off.”
“You can’t.”
“Do not argue with me.”
The sharp tone of his words drew my gaze to him.
“You get her out of here, understand? Even if that’s just her body, you get her home.” He choked on his words, and then the bomb was in his hand.
He shoved me into Nor, then threw the bomb at Envy’s feet.
The blast shook the walls of the massive chamber.
Nor and I were thrown back into the horde of hybrids.
Through the dust and debris, the green shield that had been protecting Shuval and Mercy shattered and collapsed to the floor.
Shuval doubled over, screaming for her minions to stop us. Whatever she’d been doing seemed to have weakened her.
This was our chance. I pushed myself upright. Nor was behind me, yelling at me to move it.
I rushed to Mercy. The manacles easily snapped apart in my hands. My claws lengthened at the sight of her motionless body. I freed her wrists then her ankles and threw her over my shoulder. I couldn’t feel her breathing against my body, but there was no time to check for a pulse.
I was on the move again.
Horace, Bowen, and Nor fought against those getting to their feet, creating a path toward the door.
“Do not let them leave,” Shuval screamed.
I grabbed the shotgun slung over my back, whirled around, and aimed it at her.
She opened her mouth, revealing several sets of fangs, took one step toward me.
I pulled the trigger.
She staggered back.
I racked a second shot. This time, the blast from the gun had her on the floor.
“Move it,” Horace bellowed. “Let’s go! We’re out of time!”
The air crackled with magic as the hybrids stopped coming at us and instead, formed a circle. The chanting surrounded us.
Horace stood at the doorway. Bowen was next to him. Nor and Damian were there, too.
I reached them. “Open the portal,” I yelled to Nor.
He threw the talisman at the wall.
Bright white light flooded the passage. The portal stretched open in front of us.
Gigi and Sycamore were waiting on the other side.
I shoved Nor through, then Bowen, handing him Mercy’s body. I grabbed Horace and tossed him through next and reached out my hand for Damian’s.
A whip of green fire wrapped around his torso.
I grabbed hold of his arms, growling as I struggled to get him through the portal.
Nor and Horace held onto my shoulders, dragging us outward, inch by inch.
Behind Damian, Envy stalked out of the chamber, face burned and missing half his arm. The whip of green fire was in his remaining hand. He yanked on it, nearly ripping Damian from my grasp.
Rushing out the doorway, surrounding Envy, were the hybrids. And they were being led by that bastard, Quin Nolan.
“Get them,” Nolan ordered. “Bring them to me.”
Forearms screaming in pain, I dragged Damian forward another foot, but Envy’s power was too strong.
The flames burned through Damian’s clothes, eating at his skin. He cursed, glancing over his shoulder at the small army coming for us.
“Let me go,” he uttered on a gasp of pain.
“No.” I tugged harder.
Envy pulled back the same time.
I was torn further out of the portal, bringing Horace and Nor with me.
“Rafael, if you don’t, we’ll all die. Let me go,” Damian demanded. “Do it.”
“You have to make it back. You have to make it back for Mercy.” I shook my head, tightening my hold on his hands. “I won’t do it.”
Horace had wrapped an arm around my middle now, to keep me from being drawn into the advancing force of enemies.
Damian’s eyes flickered to Horace. “Watch over her, brother.”
“Damian,” Horace pleaded.
“No, I won’t let go,” I insisted, gritting my teeth.
Damian let go of my arms. There was a sad smile on his face, but the look of a true warrior in his eyes. “Take care of her. Tell her I love her.”
“Damian—No!”
Envy jerked his arm back with a yell.
Damian slipped out of my grasp.
I shouted and snarled, fighting to get back to him.
Nor and Horace held me back.
I was mostly through the portal when Envy ran Damian through with a flaming, green sword.
The smile remained on Damian’s face. That’s when I noticed the tiny, silver orb, still in his hand. Damian dropped the bomb at his feet.
The blast catapulted us through the portal. It closed with a harsh crack behind us, cutting us off from the hybrids.
I ended up in a heap of limbs and bodies, in wide-eyed terror at what I’d witnessed.
Damian was dead. He was gone.
“Mercy? By the goddess, what did they do to you?” Gigi held Mercy’s head in her lap, tears streaming down her cheeks.
I rose to my knees. “Is she alive?”
Gigi sucked in a harsh breath, but no words came out.
“Gigi, is she alive?” I repeated, taking hold of Mercy’s wrist. There was a pulse, faint, but it was there. My head dropped in relief.
Her skin was clammy and cold. Her eyes were open, but if she saw us, there was no sign of it.
“I’ll get her to a room.” I glanced around Damian’s place. Of course, he wasn’t here. He never would be again.
Horace glared at the wall where the portal had dumped us out.
Nor patted his shoulder.
Bowen sat on the floor, looking lost for the first time since I’d met him.
And Mercy had no idea that Damian was dead.
Gigi and Sycamore followed me to the bedroom to lay Mercy down. Neither said much unless it was to each other, discussing what they could give Mercy to try and wake her up and bring her body temperature back to normal.
She was so cold. When her teeth chattered, I bundled her in the blankets then held her hand.
“You have to make it. You hear me?” I whispered fiercely as I kissed her forehead.
The taint of evil clung to her like a second skin. It had me gritting my teeth, but I stayed by her side.
Todd hovered on the other side, looking guilty and torn between staying with Mercy or comforting the others in the sitting room. Eventually, he faded away. I wondered if he simply let go and moved on, unable to deal with any more losses.
Gigi propped Mercy up with my help.
Sycamore poured a light blue liquid down her throat.
“What is that?” I demanded.
“Simple healing remedy,” Sycamore explained quietly as we laid Mercy back down. “Until she wakes and can tell me what she’s been through, I can’t do much else. Anything I try could harm her
more. This will help fight off the taint of evil magic.”
Mercy’s dark blue eyes listlessly looked toward the ceiling. She breathed in deeply, then they finally closed, and it appeared she was sleeping.
Gigi said something, but I didn’t really hear the words.
She and Sycamore left me alone.
I climbed onto the bed with Mercy, holding her close to keep her as warm as possible.
I had her back, but we lost far more than I’d bargained for. Would Mercy come back to me? Would she be the same?
The nightmare in which she’d told me I was too late rushed to the forefront of my mind.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured against her hair. “We’ll get through this, you’ll see. Just hold on, Mercy. I’m here. We’re all… here.”
Except we weren’t all here.
Not anymore.
I glanced toward the doorway where Bowen lingered.
He nodded, face drawn.
I motioned for him to come in and he dragged over a chair, sat by Mercy’s other side, and held her hand.
Neither of us spoke.
What was there to say?
Chapter 9
Mercy
The magic closed in around me. Red light filled my vision. My screams echoed. Hands grabbed me.
I shot upright, waiting for the bite of chains to dig into my wrists and ankles again. I met something solid instead, holding me to a warm chest bearing a familiar scent.
Someone else held one of my hands, the touch cold, but comforting.
“Mercy? Can you hear me? You’re alright. We’ve got you. You’re safe,” Rafael was saying as he held me close. “You’re alright. You’re with us. Just look at me, love.”
I blinked against the lighting in a familiar room. This wasn’t a dream or a nightmare. Rafael was here.
I glanced to my right. There was Bowen, holding my hand tightly.
What little strength I’d had vanished, and I slumped into them both, tears slipping from my eyes. That pissed me off, but I didn’t have the energy to wipe them away.
Bowen released my hand.
Rafael held me closely, kissing the top of my head, hugging me as I came apart. “I thought I was too late,” he murmured. “You looked dead on that stone slab. Gods, I was certain you were dead.”