by Liz de Jager
For the first time Dina looks a little impatient at Thorn’s words. ‘But you won’t be the only one to answer to him, Thorn. You have your friends with you. Do you think he wouldn’t hunt them to the ends of all the worlds for as long as he is alive? They will not be safe, not ever, regardless of what you do.’
‘We can take care of ourselves,’ Aiden says, stepping forward and sketching the most mocking bow I have ever seen. It was worthy of a slap. ‘Thank you so much for your concern.’
Dina’s mouth quirks and I see amusement in her eyes. ‘And you, Blackhart? Are you capable of taking care of yourself? Of your family? You know Aelfric will come after all of you.’
‘Not if we stop him.’ My voice is almost too quiet and I clear my throat again. ‘He shouldn’t be able to play god with our lives in this way.’
‘I agree,’ Aiden says grimly, ‘wholly and wholeheartedly. Thorn, mate, your dad’s lost the plot. We have to stop him. I know you feel loyalty towards him because he’s your dad and the king too, but what he’s doing … it’s not just Dante we’re talking about – it’s your world and my world and our futures he’s messing around with here.’
Dina closes her eyes, pained, but she’s nodding as Aiden speaks. When she looks at Thorn again her face is full of anguish. ‘The wolf is right. Aelfric has to be stopped before he succeeds in any part of his plan.’ She steps forward and captures Thorn’s face between her hands. ‘Thorn, you have seen all of this, I know you have. And you have seen the countless outcomes, the repercussions our choices could forge. Even so, life doesn’t always go to plan. In the end what matters is that we tried to leave behind a better world.’
Thorn bows his head to his mother and she smooths her fingers down his face before turning away abruptly, once more queen and commander of an army.
‘We need to prepare.’
Thorn ignores her words and instead looks at me and Aiden in turn. ‘You shouldn’t be part of this, either. This is up to me to finish.’
For a second I just stare at him in disbelief, then I step closer and jab at his chest, making my point. ‘Remember how I promised – no, vowed – to look after you when Scarlet lay dying? Do you think I give my word that easily?’ I draw myself up to my full height and scowl at him. ‘You go back in there and I will be right by your side. You try to leave me behind, I’ll find a way to follow you. You brought us both here to rescue Dante. Nothing has changed. We’re going. All three of us.’
‘Yeah, and I go where she goes,’ Aiden interjects. ‘Sorry, mate. Besides, I’ve grown really in like with Dante. He makes excellent pancakes. You just can’t let that kind of talent go to waste, you know?’
A smile stretches across Thorn’s face and his attempt to glare us into submission fails badly. ‘I don’t deserve friends like you.’
‘You’re wrong,’ says Aiden, grinning now too. ‘You deserve a girlfriend like her and an awesome friend like me. Because, werewolves – you know? We’re the accessory you can’t live without.’
In answer Thorn just pulls us both into a warm hug. ‘Fine. Let’s try to save the world one more time.’
‘It could be a hobby, don’t you think?’ Aiden says, and he winks at me but I can’t wink back. Instead I nod and duck my head, desperately praying that we’re not walking to our deaths.
Chapter Forty-Six
We wait until it is nearly dusk before we make our move. Thorn kisses his mother farewell. And after another scan of the maps showing the tunnels that run between the temples, we make our way to the larger of the buildings right on the edge of the complex. I just hope that we don’t get spotted by Aelfric’s scouts. Dina and her Stormborn will be bringing up the rear, moving in beneath three other temples. The rest of the massed army will stay behind, cover our backs and join the battle if required.
As we enter the first tunnel, the darkness stretches ahead – and even with my enhanced sight, things look positively Stygian. Thorn mutters softly and presses a hand against the carved stone wall on his left. A soft glow forms there and, as we move, the light moves with us, illuminating the striations in the stone and lighting our way just enough.
The tunnels are well kept and I wonder who maintains them. We don’t speak at all but occasionally Thorn will look over his shoulder at me as if to ensure that Aiden and I are still hot on his heels.
‘I hear something,’ Aiden says after a while. ‘Chanting. And drums, really big drums.’
A shiver passes over me and I close my eyes, fighting against the memories. Last time I encountered this place, people had died and things had almost gone very badly wrong.
‘We’re close, then.’ Thorn glances at me, then Aiden. ‘It’s not too late to turn back, if you’d prefer. I can do this by myself.’
‘No.’ My voice is firm. ‘Stop trying to make us go back.’
‘Yeah, it won’t work,’ Aiden agrees. ‘Just lead the way, sweet baby dragon, and we’ll back you up.’
I hide my grin behind my hand as Thorn scowls at Aiden. ‘Sweet baby dragon?’
‘I’m nervous, okay – it’s the best I could come up with at short notice.’
‘Wolf, you try my sanity.’
‘What can I say? It’s a gift.’
We’ve been hurrying down yet another passage as they quibble in low voices; just listening to them relaxes me. This I understand: it’s a way for them to deal with the hot mess we’re about to hit and it distracts me from my own growing anxiety.
Then Thorn pauses at an intersection and glances back at Aiden.
‘I’ve got this,’ Aiden says. ‘Let me scout ahead. I’ll be back before you can blink.’ His hand brushes mine reassuringly as he ghosts into the darkness.
Thorn crouches, and I copy his movements, looking up to find him watching me closely.
‘You’re worried.’
I nod silently and lick my suddenly dry lips. ‘Yes. I’m worried for Dante. I’m worried about us too, about what may happen if we don’t stop them performing the ritual.’
‘I need you to do me a favour, Kit.’ Thorn pushes my hood back and tilts my chin up so he can look at my face. ‘When the time comes, you must ensure that Dante gets away, no matter the cost to me, or anyone else. Do you understand?’
‘No.’
He jerks back at the force of my denial, and I put my sword down so I can rub at my face. My skin is cold and clammy and my hands are like ice, yet they’re sweating. Explain that, science.
‘We’ll all come out of this,’ I tell him. ‘We have to. There is no other choice.’
‘How are you always this stubborn, Blackhart?’
‘You love me for it,’ I say, trying for sass. But then realizing what I’ve just said out loud, I gape at him in dawning horror. ‘Oh, wow, I don’t actually … not, you know? Not love love, because that’s just awkward. Holy hell, just let the earth swallow me now.’
I pull my hand away from my face in mortification and find that he’s watching me even more intently than before.
‘I do, Blackhart.’
‘You do what?’
‘Love you.’
I have the stupidest impulse to laugh right then, because this really isn’t happening. Not now, not like this. But then he leans in and kisses me. It’s not a big dramatic kiss, but a press of his lips to mine. It’s soft, quiet and solemn – and filled with so much promise I can’t help but lift my hand to the nape of his neck to steady myself because I feel as if I’m falling.
‘Hey,’ he says, resting his forehead against mine. He cups my face. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t expect you to say it back. We’ve not … this … ? This is not how I wanted to tell you.’
‘It’s fine.’ My voice sounds so small. ‘I, how about we do this again once we’re back outside and not in fear of our lives?’
‘Stubborn and clever.’ His nose nudges mine in an Eskimo kiss and I grin because how is he this cute? ‘It’s a promise.’
He pulls me upright but doesn’t stop staring at
me, not even when Aiden silently appears out of the gloom.
‘They have Dante on the stage in the main amphitheatre, tied to a huge black plinth. He looks drugged out of his mind. Aelfric is there too. And others I don’t recognize – but they all look really pompous, swanning around in their black gowns like they’re from Doctor Evil’s School of Evil Wizardry or something.’ He glares at nothing in particular as he gets his thoughts together. ‘And there are around two hundred people in there, just chanting gibberish with those drums egging them on.’
‘It’s to help generate energy,’ I say. ‘It will help whoever has to perform the ritual, give them an extra push.’
‘Well, the place reeks of magic. And it’s not even a pleasant smell. Except when Dante uses his, then it’s …’ He grins at the distaste on my face. ‘Why, hello there, Kit Blackhart. Are you about to call me out on being inappropriate when you’ve been making out with sweet baby dragon boy here?’
‘Aiden.’ But I’m laughing softly. ‘Shut up.’
‘Explain the layout ahead to me. Are there any guards posted?’ Thorn asks.
‘No guards now; the two I came across seemed very sleepy indeed. I helped them along nicely. But this tunnel basically opens out like this.’ Aiden crouches down and draws the chamber in the dust, showing that we’ll be coming through the main entrance centred at the back of the cavern. The passage turns into a clear walkway that leads straight down the middle of the amphitheatre, dividing the seating there in two, before it ends right before the large stage. ‘And here, the stage area looks different to the rest of the place. Not as well made. I suspect you had something to do with that.’
‘Yeah, we pulled the gateway stone down across the stage. It crashed and broke into pieces.’ I try not to look smug.
‘And then the ceiling collapsed, trapping Kit and she almost died.’ Thorn’s face is serious as he stares down at me. ‘Let’s not do that again.’
I roll my eyes at his dramatics but Aiden just grins. ‘Your near-death in-jokes are hilarious. So, if I told you that there’s a mirror up on that stage that’s maybe fifteen feet tall and I don’t know how many across. What would you say?’
‘That we need to hurry.’ Thorn takes a steadying breath and looks at both of us intently. ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen in there but, thank you – for coming with me, for standing by me and for believing in me. I am very fortunate to have friends like you.’
‘Uch, less drama, more slashing and fighting,’ Aiden says, and then he’s prodding Thorn but he looks really flattered at his words. ‘Come on, before they make my almost-boyfriend do terrible things.’
The amphitheatre isn’t as full as when I last saw it, but the magic in the air is thick and cloying. As we slip through the main doors, past the dozing guards that Aiden has so kindly put out of commission, we stay low in the shadows at the back as Thorn walks down the central aisle. I spot Dante straight away, tied to the plinth as Aiden described, and my heart aches for him.
No one notices Thorn. He has the hood of his cloak up and I find it hard to concentrate on his figure as it moves down the aisle. Glamour, I realize, and wish I had the same level of talent to use on myself. Those who do seem to break from their chanting must assume he’s one of the guards patrolling the amphitheatre and pay him no further attention.
He proceeds unmolested and it’s not until one of the sorcerers on the stage glances towards the moving figure that there’s any indication he’s been spotted and recognized. The sorcerer speaks to his companion – a lean figure in light armour who’s standing by the black plinth holding a book. Aelfric turns in surprise and stares at Thorn as he walks towards him.
‘Son.’ Aelfric’s voice is amplified through the phenomenal acoustics in the amphitheatre.
Thorn stops at the bottom of the stage and looks up at him. ‘Father.’
‘I’m surprised to see you here. Have you come to join us?’
‘I have come to stop you from making a mistake.’
‘I think you are a little late for that, boy.’ Aelfric waves nonchalantly off to one side. I stand on tiptoe, just within the tunnel’s shadows, and I spot movement there.
A figure stumbles onto the stage and it takes me a moment to recognize him.
‘Brixi,’ I breathe in shock and press my hand to my mouth. ‘He looks terrible.’
Two more people are shoved out onto the stage behind Brixi and they look vaguely familiar too, until I realize that they both resemble Brixi.
‘They must be what’s left of the Faceless clan,’ Aiden offers softly. ‘Let’s move closer.’
As we move in the shadows, my eyes stray back to Dante, tied to the same plinth that held Thorn just over a year ago. Like Thorn, they have him tied with heavy iron chains and he looks dreadful, his expression dazed. One of the sorcerers lifts a bowl to Dante’s face and, when he tries to pull his head back, the man grabs his jaw, forcing his mouth open. Dante seems to try to speak but the man just laughs and continues to angle the bowl towards his mouth. The liquid spills as Dante manages to jerk his face aside, the little he gets in his mouth, he spits out anyway.
The sorcerer gives a growl of frustration and brings his free hand down in a sharp striking movement. The metal binding Dante to the pillar tightens and he cries out in pain, straining against their hold.
‘That guy is mine,’ Aiden mutters. ‘I’m going to enjoy feeding him his own entrails.’
Aelfric’s talking more softly now and I strain to hear him clearly – although going by Thorn’s rigid back, it’s nothing pleasant.
‘… you can do.’ I make out as we shift ever closer along the wall, and Aelfric continues, ‘The goddess is under my power, boy. As is my brother’s whelp.’ Aelfric tilts his head a little as he considers Dante’s writhing figure. ‘Just like his father, not quite aware of when he’s beaten.’
‘You will live to regret this,’ Thorn says. The fact that the whole amphitheatre has fallen silent, watching father and son with burning intensity, does not pass me by. ‘There is an army outside who will stop you in your tracks. You’ve worked for so much throughout your long reign. But instead, you’ll be remembered as the man who killed his brother, imprisoned his nephew and tore down the Veil between the worlds in an act of hubris.’
‘You have certainly taught my son to be eloquent, Lady Firesky.’ Aelfric gestures to one of the robed figures. I realize now that she was the one who pushed the three Faceless onto the stage. ‘I’m not sure if I should thank you for that.’
Odalis barely spares Thorn a look; instead she sighs and stares at Aelfric. ‘My lord, the time draws near. We should start the ritual proper.’
Aelfric nods graciously. ‘Very well. Bring the goddess.’
Brixi falls to his knees on the stage at the moment four Sidhe warriors bring out the sleeping goddess. Dante spots her too and struggles harder against his bindings, straining towards the unconscious figure with all his might.
Thorn leaps onto the stage and now has one of his long curved fighting knives in his hand. ‘No,’ he shouts, pointing it at the Sidhe warriors. ‘No, you do not do this.’
‘It is already done, boy. She is dying anyway. It’s a mercy.’ Aelfric comes to stand by his side and peers down at the sleeping giant.
I don’t miss Aelfric’s nod to the sorcerers, but before I can scream a warning, they raise a wall of solid blue flame from the edge of the stage. It rises up, levelling off at a good twenty feet in the air at least. It seems to strain towards the open sky above the amphitheatre.
The drums and chanting start up once more and become an audible buzz that makes me itch beneath my skin.
‘We have to get to Dante,’ Aiden says, slowly straightening up. Everyone is far too focused on other things to pay us any attention now. ‘How do we do that? I don’t think we’ll get through those flames by ourselves.’
‘No, but there is another way onto that stage,’ I say, and I grin, because this I can do. ‘Unless they’ve completely remod
elled it, the tunnel to the left of the stage opens into a little antechamber. There’s another passage from there that leads onto the stage.’
‘Let’s do this.’
I throw caution to the winds and run between the cavern wall and the assembled seats. An armoured guard appears from nowhere and aims a blow to my head. Before I can react, other than ducking, Aiden grabs the guy’s head, twists it sharply to the side and lets him fall. The guard drops and we keep running.
Then we’re past and move down the small passage into the room beyond. This is where Thorn, Kieran and I were held captive and it’s not changed much – except for its new occupants: two large Fae standing guard over the unconscious bodies of several children. We last saw them connected to the goddess, fuelling her as she lay in her own deep sleep. I wonder briefly how she’s managing without them. The guards seem as surprised to see us as we are to see them. But I react first, going to strike the guy nearest to me with my sword. He parries and we engage. I have no focus left for Aiden, but I hear him let out a snarl and then there’s ripping noises. My opponent is good, really good – but he’s probably used to fighting honourable fights with little to no underhandedness. When I switch sword hands he frowns but adjusts his response. He doesn’t see me flick my iron baton from my forearm. He feels it, though. I whip it across his face once, and as he staggers back I follow up the blow with another. He drops his sword and grabs for his face with a howl of pain.
Aiden’s there to slam the guard’s head into the table. We watch the guy bounce once and then lie still. I remind myself that there’s more at stake here than a Fae’s possibly broken nose.
Without needing to communicate, we tie up both soldiers with their own belts and I waste no time quickly gagging them with strips torn from their shirts. Then I lean over the sleeping forms of the children. They’re laid out on the wooden tables Istvan once used for his experiments, and it is so creepy staring down at their sleeping faces. But apart from looking too thin, they all seem fine.
A burst of noise comes from the amphitheatre and we sprint towards the stage. I round the corner and skid to a halt, because in the very short space of time we’ve been sorting out the guards, things have escalated dramatically in here.