by Alicia Rades
“And Sondra?” I asked, gazing toward her unconscious body. “What did they do to her?”
Fiona dropped her gaze. “They beat her so she couldn’t use her magic, then put some sort of spell on her to keep her unconscious. She’s been like that for days.”
I pressed a hand over my mouth as hot tears rose to my eyes.
Fiona looked at me sympathetically. “It’s not your fault, Rae.”
“How can you still be on her side!?” Teagan yelled at her.
“Ladies, ladies—” Ronark tried to cut in, but Fiona started speaking.
“Because I trust her,” she snapped back at Teagan.
“How can you?” Ryland asked, his nostrils flaring. “She was the one who created the vampires. She came here despite the rest of our objections. It’s her fault we’re in this mess!”
His accusation stung like a slap to the face.
“How can you say that?” I asked in a hurt tone. “I’m here to kill Valkas. I’m here to save everyone.”
“Because of the mess you made,” Ryland pointed out. “If you weren’t so damn powerful, the spells you cast in your past lives would’ve died with you.”
“I can’t control how powerful I am,” I retorted.
“You can,” Teagan replied. “That’s the whole point of magic.”
“Then why aren’t I so powerful in this life?” I challenged.
“Because you haven’t worked on it in this life,” Teagan said. “You’re too impulsive.”
“What’s wrong with being impulsive?” I snarled.
“Rachel,” Jenna said, as if begging me to calm down.
Ryland cut in. “Look around you!”
At that, Fiona cracked. She shot to her feet and turned on her brother. “We knew the risks going into this! We knew from the start that Rae’s sister was her priority. Killing Valkas to stop Matias makes sense!”
“But she didn’t kill him,” Ryland shot back.
“Blaming her for her past lives is bullshit, Ryland!” Fiona continued. “She can’t control that any more than you and I can control what we might’ve done in past lives. Who knows what shit we stirred up?”
“Fiona—” Teagan started, but she cut her off.
“Don’t try to defend him.”
Teagan gaped at her.
Fiona turned back to her brother. “The fact is, neither of you are mad at Rae. You’re just looking for someone to blame. You’re mad because we couldn’t fight off the Soulless when they came for us. Christ, what did you expect? They had us outnumbered five to one! You both need to grow a set of balls and admit that to yourselves instead of turning your anger around on your friends!”
The dungeons went silent for a moment. My skin heated and my heart raced as a plethora of emotions rose within me all at once. Words couldn’t describe how sorry I was for everything that happened to all the people I loved.
“I’m sorry, everyone,” I whispered.
“Sure you are,” Ryland grumbled.
Fiona, Jenna, and Andi all yelled at him at the same time that I couldn’t make out what they’d said. The dungeons went quiet again, and I retreated into a corner of my cell, watching in utter despair as my friends turned on me and Venn transformed into the one monster I despised.
20
Hours passed.
Every now and then, Fiona shot me a sad look. I was so glad to see her, but with Ryland and Teagan angry at me, I never got a chance to speak to her.
Jenna sat beside me in her cell and held my hand through the bars. I sat with my knees curled to my chest and my head dipped low. My mind raced with all the things that went wrong, all the things I should’ve done differently.
“If I never told Valkas about my family, he never would’ve found them,” I whispered to Jenna, so low that only she could hear me. “If I never came here, they wouldn’t have ever been put in danger. Venn never would’ve come after me and been changed. If I never created Valkas in the first place, vampires wouldn’t even exist. The whole world would be a different place, and none of you would be hurt.”
“That’s not true,” she whispered back, but I didn’t believe her.
I replayed so many situations through my mind, trying to think back to the one moment where it all went wrong. Should I have walked away from Venn the first night I met him? Should I have pushed harder to find Jenna sooner? I thought about how I’d come to this island, how I fought Jenna in the ring, when Venn showed up and how happy I was to see him, how much I loved him.
And now I’d lost him. I’d lost Teagan and Ryland, and I was about to lose Sondra, Jenna, and Fiona, too. Even Ronark and Andi would perish in my name. Valkas would make sure of that.
I pressed my face into my knees, making my voice muffled. “After all the time you spent on Gregor Island, I never wanted you to die here.”
Jenna rested her head on the bars between us. “Are you giving up?”
“What kind of a question is that?” I asked, raising my head. “There’s nothing more we can do.”
The only thing we could do was wait—wait for Valkas to torture my friends and family in front of me. It had to be the only reason they were still alive. Then wait for him to change me. Wait to rot down here for the rest of eternity…
“Maybe there is more,” Jenna suggested. “If we put our heads together.”
I shook my head as tears rolled down my cheeks. “It’s over, Jenna. We tried, and it didn’t work—again. We don’t get a third chance. We’re going to perish down here with Venn.”
“No,” Jenna insisted with tears in her eyes. “No, I won’t accept that.”
“Forget it. The Soulless have taken everything from us.”
“You’re wrong,” she countered. “I still have you. I didn’t get you back just to lose you again.” Tears fell from her eyes when she blinked, dripping down her face and into the fabric of her dress.
“It’s inevitable,” I argued. “The Soulless have proven time and time again that they’re stronger than we are.”
I just wanted to spend my last few moments holding her, knowing that the last days of my life were spent in her presence.
“You’ve been given an opportunity to make this right again, Rugrat.”
“How?” my voice cracked. It felt as if a hole had been carved out in my stomach and was only growing bigger each passing second.
“Every moment in your life has led you right here. Do you ever wonder if maybe that’s what Synchrony wanted for you?”
I shook my head. “I had my chance, and I failed.”
“But what if we got out of here?” she pressed. “Would you give it another shot?”
“There is no getting out of here,” I argued. “Sondra’s knocked out, my magic isn’t working, and these bars are too close together for any of us to fit through in shifted form. Besides, don’t you think Fiona, Ryland, and Teagan would’ve tried everything possible by now?”
Jenna lowered her voice, though we were already speaking in hushed whispers. “I have an idea.”
My eyes darted to Venn, who lay curled up on the floor of his cell. He’d barely moved since I’d been locked away. My gut twisted in agony.
What about what Valkas said? I questioned myself.
Do you want to kill me now?
If I killed Valkas, I killed Venn. But if I didn’t kill Valkas, the rest of my friends would perish. The decision was almost impossible to make. I loved Venn so much, but if what I’d heard about Synchrony was true, his soul was being destroyed right in front of me. What if I never lived another life with him? Was I willing to give him up, not just in this life, but every life to come?
I honestly didn’t know.
“Rachel, he’s a lost cause,” Jenna whispered lowly, but her words cut deep into my heart like a knife.
My chest compressed. “What if there’s another way to break the curse?”
Jenna shook her head. “I don’t think there is.”
“Jenna.” My voice cracked. “I don’t know if I
can do this. If Venn’s soul is damned because of me…”
“Rachel,” Jenna said softly. “I’m not saying you don’t care, because I know you do.”
“You’re damn right,” I said.
“All I’m saying is that when a hard decision comes along, you have to put aside your emotions.”
As much as I wanted to retaliate and tell her she was wrong, I couldn’t help but think that Jenna had a point.
“Well, that’s… a hard pill to swallow,” I said. That was the understatement of the year.
Jenna gazed down at our entwined hands. “I want the best for you, Rachel.”
A lump rose in my throat as I gazed at my sister’s teary eyes. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am for everything that happened to you. All I can say is that I’m glad that through it all, you found yourself.”
I reached through the bars and pulled Jenna into a hug. It was a little awkward and wasn’t the best hug we’d ever shared, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that my sister was here in my arms.
“Clearly, my big sister still has so much to teach me,” I said.
She pulled away and wiped at her eyes. “And you me. I just want to know one thing.”
“What’s that?”
She took a breath. “Where’s the Ravenite you told me about?”
I gaped at her. Was she implying I’d lost everything the Ravenite stood for? Had I?
“What happened to all the fight in you?” Jenna asked.
I shrugged. “I guess that’s another thing the Soulless took from me.”
“No,” she insisted. “They can’t take that from you unless you let them. I know, because I used to think the same thing. But you can reclaim it, Rach.”
“Jenna, you gave me this pep talk days ago, and look how great that turned out. This time, our odds are even worse.”
“So you admit we still have odds?” she asked.
I stared at her blankly. I didn’t know how to answer. Was I starting to actually believe what she was saying?
“We’re going to get out of here, but you have to accept that it may not be on your timeline. One way or another, we’ll make it off this island. Together.”
“You really think so?” I asked.
Jenna held her pinky finger out to me. “I pinky swear.”
I looked down at her finger, unsure if I truly believed her. But the fact was, Jenna had a point. If she felt—in the wake of everything—that there was still a chance, who was I to tell her she was wrong? The least I could do was stand beside her until the moment my soul left my body.
I twisted my finger around hers. “Pinky swear.”
“Let’s get started,” she said before hopping to her feet and raising her voice. “Okay, guys. It’s time to put our heads together.”
Ryland groaned, but Fiona, Ronark, and Andi all perked up.
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m not ready to die down here,” Jenna said. “We still have work to do.”
Fiona stood. “Whatever it is, I’m in.”
“Me, too,” Andi said.
Jenna turned to Ryland and Teagan. They exchanged a wary glance.
I pushed myself to my feet and stood at the front of my cell. “I know how hard it must be to trust me after everything I’ve put you through. I haven’t always acted out of everyone’s best interests, but I want to make things right. I’ve always had a rule about death. If I ever end up facing it, I will fight until my last breath. And while my views on death might’ve changed since meeting you, the principle remains. You don’t have to forgive me, but I do ask that we can put our differences aside—at least for tonight—and finish this mission.”
“I’m with you,” Ronark said.
I turned back to Teagan and Ryland. Teagan dropped her gaze to him, where he still sat on the floor with his arms crossed.
Ryland shot me a skeptical expression. “We’ve spent a week down here going over every scenario to get through these bars. What’s your plan?”
“We need everyone’s help,” I said. “Ronark, what’s our best bet?”
“We go after Rogers,” he replied. All eyes turned toward him. “Think about it. Who’s the one person Valkas trusts?”
“Um… Valkas,” Andi stated like it was obvious.
Ronark sighed. “Besides himself. The only reasonable explanation I can think of for why we didn’t find the dagger on him is because Rogers had it. He’s the only person Valkas would entrust with it. It’s not like Rogers can use it against him, and the guy would do anything to protect it.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. Valkas didn’t seem like he'd trust anyone.
“Valkas suspected you might come after him,” Ronark pointed out. “But he wouldn’t have expected you to go after Rogers.”
“True,” I agreed. “And even if I did, he wouldn’t expect me to have a chance against him. Something on this island has been blocking my magic.”
“It has to be Rogers,” Ronark theorized. “He’s cloaked the island from outsiders. I’m sure he can do something to limit another witch’s magic, too.”
Fiona and Teagan shared a wide-eyed glance.
“What?” Jenna asked. “What is it?”
“That would explain why Sondra had trouble with her magic when we got here,” Fiona said. “But it only weakened her.”
“Me, too,” I said, thinking about the few times I’d gotten fire to rise from my palm.
“That’s why they beat her to unconsciousness and put the spell over her,” Teagan told us. “So she couldn’t use her magic to get us out.”
I pressed my lips together, thinking. “If Rogers can block witch magic, why not block shifter magic, too?”
“It probably affects the way we taste,” Andi theorized.
Ronark nodded. “That, or they don’t find it necessary. Rogers is only barely a high witch. His powers look impressive, but he has trouble maintaining them. He has the strength but not the endurance. He has to renew the spell cloaking the island every day, I know that much. A more powerful witch should be able to break down his spells.”
“How do you know?” Andi asked.
Ronar smirked. “I’ve been around a long time, sweet cheeks.”
“I thought only the witch who created a spell could break it,” I said.
Ronark shrugged. “Depends on how powerful you are. Like I said, Rogers’ magic is a little… touchy. His spells wouldn’t last long after his death if he weren’t around to maintain them.”
“How would one break his spells?” I asked. “I mean, if I wanted to lift the spell that’s keeping me from using my magic?”
Ronark breathed a heavy sigh. “Do you want the fast and easy solution or the slow and tough one?”
“Fast and easy,” I answered automatically.
“You’d have to kill him.”
Of course. I wasn’t at all surprised.
“Okay,” I said with a deep breath. “We’ll get to Rogers, get the dagger, and then kill Valkas. Any objections?”
Teagan was the first to respond. “Ryland and I are in, but how are we getting out of here?”
“Is anyone good at picking locks?” Jenna asked.
Andi raised her hand. “I can.”
“Perfect.” Jenna turned to me with a smile. “Rach, your corset. It can get us out of here.”
I glanced down at my dress in realization. Valkas could mock me all he wanted, but it was our ticket out of here. I reached for the bottom of my corset and tore the fabric, then grabbed on to the wire boning and pulled it out. I handed the wire to Jenna, who passed it along to Ronark and then to Andi.
“Once we’re all out, I’m going to stay here,” Teagan announced.
“No, babe,” Ryland disagreed immediately.
“I’m human,” Teagan pointed out. “I don’t have the strength that the rest of you have, and I don’t have my knives on me. There are hundreds of vampires up there. I would rather stay and make sure that no one comes down here and harms Sondra.”
A weight settled in my gut when I glanced to Sondra. I could see her chest rising and falling; otherwise, she hadn’t moved since I’d arrived. I didn’t want anything to happen to her, either.
“I think Teagan has a point,” I said. “Sondra can’t come with us. If someone comes down here to see we’re gone, they might hurt her even more.”
“I’m with you, Teagan,” Ryland said.
“But we need you,” Fiona objected. “You’re the biggest, strongest shifter here.”
Ryland smirked. “Thanks for the vote, sis, but I’m not leaving Teagan and Sondra alone. In fact, I have a better idea. We’ll head for the boathouse we saw when we came in. We’ll get a boat ready in case all hell breaks loose.”
Ronark checked an imaginary watch on his wrist. “By my estimate, the Awakening Ball is still going on. Security at the boathouse should be pretty thin.”
“That’s fine,” I said to Ryland. “We don’t want to be seen, so we should start with a small group anyway.”
“Well, I’m going with Rae,” Fiona insisted.
“Me, too,” Jenna chimed in.
“I’m not breaking us out of here just to stay down here,” Andi said as the lock on her cell disengaged. She quickly rushed out of the door and started on Ronark’s lock.
“If anyone’s going after the vampires, it’s me,” Ronark stated.
“Yeah, we need you,” I replied. “You know this place better than any of us.”
“Where will we find Rogers?” Jenna asked Ronark as Andi started fiddling with the lock on her cell.
Ronark stepped out of his open cell. “Rogers is part of Valkas’s security team, so he should be monitoring the perimeter of the ballroom. We should have no problem getting to him.”
Andi finished with the lock on my door and turned to Fiona’s cell. I rushed out of my cell and stood outside Venn's. Seeing him lying on the floor, shivering in pain, sent another wave of emotions to rise within me. I placed my hand over my face and steadied myself against the wall. My breath wavered, and a hot tear streaked my cheek.
“What are we going to do about Venn?” I asked in a shaky tone.
Andi finished the lock on Fiona's cell and started on the next one.