Pursuit of Shadows (The Keeper Chronicles Book 2)

by JA Andrews

  “Against the wall,” Alaric hissed, holding his hand toward the fire. The flames flickered along an invisible boundary that angled out from the corner, pushing the fire back from where they huddled.

  The heat reached them, though. A wave of scalding heat washed over Will, and he ducked away from it.

  The flames stopped and the group stood frozen. The hallway was silent, but Will could still feel the crushing hunger of the dragon. The drive to kill.

  Alaric shook out his hand, wincing. “There’s nothing to draw vitalle from in here,” he whispered. “I won’t be able to make another shield.”

  “Is there any other way out?” Will asked Hal.

  “Just back to where we came from. Or down into some storage cellars.”

  “The dragon isn’t going to stop if Killien’s commanded it to root out intruders,” Douglon pointed out. “I think we need to consider retreating.”

  “We can’t leave.” Will shoved against Anguine’s emotions, but he couldn’t push them out. They pressed down, smothering him. “Ilsa’s here. And the slaves. We can’t leave.”

  Hal’s expression clearly agreed with Douglon.

  Will cast out. The huge head of the dragon was pressing into the end of the tunnel.

  “We need a new plan, Will,” Alaric said. “We’re not getting past a dragon. And Douglon’s right. As long as Killien controls him, I don’t think he’s going to stop.

  Evangeline stepped up next to them. “Maybe we can get him out from Killien’s control.” She bit her lip and looked at Alaric. “It’s going to be alright.”

  Then she stepped around the corner into view of the dragon.

  Alaric made a strangled noise and grabbed for her but she moved out of his reach. She held her hands away from herself, palms spread to show she held no weapon.

  “Hello, Anguine.” Her voice was small and thin in the tunnel.

  Will felt a spark of interest flare to life in Anguine and heard the dragon draw in a breath.

  “My name is Evangeline,” she said, “and even though you and I have never met, I…know you.”

  Curiosity from the dragon bloomed in Will’s chest. The hunger receded slightly and the flames didn’t come.

  Alaric stepped into the tunnel behind her, but Douglon grabbed his arm to hold him back. “Give her a chance,” the dwarf said quietly.

  “It’s alright,” Will whispered to Alaric. “Anguine is just curious about her.”

  “It is not alright,” Alaric hissed back.

  Will leaned forward to see around the corner, but Hal grabbed him and pulled him back away from the door. “You stay back. It may still want to kill you.”

  Will nodded and moved until he could barely see around the corner. The dragon’s head filled the end of the narrow tunnel, its yellow, reptilian eyes fixed on Evangeline.

  Anguine slid his head forward into the corridor, his jaw inches above the ground until his snout was within reach of her arm. She stood woodenly, but didn’t back away. Alaric strained against Douglon’s grip, his face white. The dragon’s nostrils flared and he breathed in. From deep in his chest came a low rumble.

  The elf. The words rolled through Will’s mind like a wave crashing over the surf. Everyone in the group flinched.

  “Yes.” Evangeline let out a relieved breath. “Ayda, the elf.”

  You smell of her.

  “I…I do?”

  Alaric still leaned toward his wife, but his eyes tightened in curiosity. Anguine drew in a breath again and Evangeline was pulled a half step forward down the tunnel, her hair whipping out in front of her face.

  Your life, your…being. It smells like her.

  “Well, that makes sense.” Evangeline nodded shakily. “You see, Ayda was a friend of my husband. And she…” The tunnel fell silent for a moment. “She sacrificed her own life to save mine. Now I know things that she knew. And I recognize you.”

  The dragon considered Evangeline with emotionless eyes.

  What would you and your companions lurking down the hall ask of me, Evangeline Elf Scent?

  “We would like—um…Elf Scent?”

  It is fitting.

  “Yes, but…”

  Anguine stared at her, unmoving. He let out a long, slow breath and Evangeline’s hair fluttered backwards.

  She stepped back. “We would like to get out of the tunnel and cross the cavern behind you.”

  That is not something I’m willing to allow.

  “I think you might.”

  The dragon growled and Alaric flinched. Will felt a spark of irritation wriggle through Anguine’s emotions.

  “I mean,” Evangeline said quickly, “I don’t think it’s you who doesn’t want us to cross. I—we think that you’re being controlled.”

  The growl from Anguine’s throat was louder this time and Alaric took a step forward. Douglon’s face was stony hard as he held the man back.

  “Did you know there’s a stone on your back? Right between your wings? It’s blue.”

  Anguine’s eyes slid shut and the dragon was perfectly still for a long breath.

  I had…forgotten that was there. His voice held a low, roiling anger. The Torch.

  “Yes, the Torch. We think he’s using it to control you. Just like he sent you before to kill someone.”

  The Keeper. The words were hard as granite. Will felt a spike of hatred. I want to kill the Keeper.

  “Well, the Torch wants you to kill the Keeper. I think if you took the stone off, you might not care either way about the man.” She took a tentative step forward. “If you don’t mind, um, with your permission, I mean, I could climb up on your back and take it off for you.”

  Anguine considered her for a long time. You know the Keeper.

  Evangeline stiffened. “I do. And it would be good for him if we took the stone off of you. But it would be good for you, too. You’ll know which thoughts are yours, and which are…not.”

  The dragon’s anger and suspicion swirled in Will’s chest.

  I will not be controlled. Take it off.

  Anguine stretched his clawed foot toward Evangeline and she flinched back. Alaric let out a pained gasp. When the dragon didn’t move again, she put one hand out slowly to touch it. The claws pressed into the floor with knife-sharp points. The tops of his scaled foot sat at Evangeline’s waist. She climbed up onto it, then scrambled on her hands and knees onto his back. She kept her head low so she didn’t hit the ceiling.

  “It’s right here,” she said, peering down at Anguine’s back. “It’s been tied in place with leather straps around three scales.” She leaned forward and tugged at something Will couldn’t see. “These knots are tight.”

  She yanked on something and Anguine hissed and snapped his huge jaw at her.

  “Sorry,” she said, holding her hands up. “I think that loosened it, though.”

  Anguine’s head drew back slightly. With a little more fidgeting, she lifted something into the air with a glint of blue. Anguine closed his eyes and shook his head as though he were shaking off water.

  That is…

  A deep growl vibrated the floor under Will’s feet.

  That is better. His words flowed smoothly into Will’s mind. You are right, I care nothing for the Keeper.

  Evangeline slid down off Anguine’s side and climbed down off his foot. She slung the gem over her shoulder by the long strips of leather and stood uncertainly in front of the huge creature.

  My mind clears. Thank you, Evangeline Elf Scent. He breathed in and his scales rippled waves of red light along his side. I owe you a debt. What would you ask of me?

  “Well, aside from a different title than Elf Scent, we would still like to pass. We have business across that big cavern.”

  Anguine turned his reptilian head toward the others. Will felt a mild curiosity form in his chest. You may pass.

  Evangeline nodded, then motioned to the others to come. Alaric let out a long breath. Slowly the group stepped into the tunnel and moved toward the drago
n. Anguine’s emotions were infinitely calmer now, a cross between boredom and vague curiosity. They were only a few steps away when he felt a flicker of recognition from the dragon.

  I have met the black-robed one before.

  “Yes, that is my husband,” Evangeline said. “He was a friend of Ayda’s. He was there the night you met her.”

  Will felt a low wave of anger. I remember.

  There was a sudden spike of hatred and Will grabbed for Alaric’s arm to pull him back. But Anguine continued to stare at them with an indecipherable gaze.

  Will was still watching the dragon when Evangeline shifted, blocking his view. Her face twisted into a snarl and she lunged for Will, wrapping her hands around his neck and crushing his throat.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Alaric grabbed at Evangeline’s arms, hissing words in her ear and pulling at her fingers as they dug into Will’s neck.

  Will’s mouth stretched open, trying to draw in air. His chest burned. He shoved at Evangeline, but she leaned close to him, her face murderous, her breath hot on his face.

  Black spots flashed at the edges of his vision and crept inward. Dimly, Sora’s face appeared behind Evangeline with her knife raised behind Evangeline’s shoulder. She sliced down and yanked the stone off Evangeline’s shoulder, tossing it away.

  Evangeline blinked and shoved herself back, her face filling with horror.

  Will gulped in a breath of air, the coldness rushing into his lungs. He fell forward to his knees and Sora grabbed his shoulders, keeping him from toppling over. His vision cleared and he coughed, the air stinging in his throat.

  Evangeline stared down at her trembling hands, backing away slowly. “What happened? Will…I’m so sorry. I don’t know…”

  “You were touching the stone.” Sora motioned to the blue stone she’d tossed into the corner of the tunnel. “The one Killien used to convince a dragon to hunt Will.”

  “I hated you,” Evangeline said, kneeling in front of Will, her face stricken. “I’m so sorry. I don’t…I’m so sorry.”

  Alaric crossed the tunnel and pulled a cloth out of his pack. Carefully, keeping the fabric between his hand and the stone, he tucked the gem into the bag and tied it shut. “Doesn’t seem like something that should be left lying around.”

  Will dropped his head forward, trying to slow his breathing.

  “Are you alright?” Sora asked quietly.

  He nodded, and she helped him stand.

  Evangeline stepped back, her hand trembling and covering her mouth.

  “It’s not your fault.” Will’s words came out as a half-whisper. “Killien’s really angry at me. That stone was strong enough to influence a dragon. Of course it would influence you, too.”

  “We should move,” Hal whispered, pointing to the gap between Anguine’s head and the tunnel wall.

  Will nodded and Sora, after giving him a critical look, let go of his arm.

  Alaric hesitated in front of the dragon. Anguine watched the Keeper, still calm.

  “That stone.” Alaric pointed to the one hanging on one of the spikes near Anguine’s shoulder. “The one Killien used to pull the life out of that man, may I see it?”

  I have no loyalty to that Torch, Anguine said, anger lacing the last word. Do you intend to kill the Torch with it?

  “No.” Alaric’s hand went to his own necklace. “No. I’m strongly against killing people in such a manner. I want to see how much of the man has been captured, and whether there is a way to…heal the man it came from.”

  The dragon stared at Alaric for a long moment. You are welcome to take the stone, but the Roven man smelled dead. He tilted his head slightly and fixed a thin-slitted eye on Alaric. Unless you can return people from the dead?

  “No.” Alaric paused, considering the dragon. “Can you?”

  No.

  Alaric walked carefully between Anguine’s neck and the wall of the hallway, sliding the amber stone off the long, crimson spike. He held it in his hand and closed his eyes. A flicker of darkness crossed over his face before he opened them again. “This was crudely done. There is too little vitalle here to do anything.”

  Anguine lifted his head and sniffed the air. Disgust rippled through him. The caves fill with filth, and a battle bleeds below. Give me the sky. The dragon’s hunger returned, this time for the freedom of flight and the scent of blood.

  He snaked his head around, twisting his long neck like a scarlet snake back out of the tunnel. With a dry slither, he disappeared into the main cavern.

  Will cast out and felt the blazing vitalle of the dragon launch out of the cave and dive down toward the fighting with a swell of exultation that faded as the dragon fell away.

  Sora suddenly tensed and spun looking back down the tunnel just as the scent of rotten meat slid into the tunnel. Footsteps slapped along the tunnel floor and a frost goblin scrambled around the corner.

  Patlon stepped forward and crushed the creature’s skull with a swing of his axe. Will cast out exactly when Alaric did and the echoes came back of three more goblins, rushing closer.

  Douglon and Patlon took up positions next to each other, axes ready.

  “About time we found something to fight smaller than a dragon,” Patlon muttered.

  “Did they follow us?” Douglon asked.

  The wave of Alaric casting out ran down the tunnel again. “No. They’re coming from somewhere down below.”

  “Storage cellars,” Hal said. “They must have dug into them.”

  “This is our way out?” Alaric asked, pointing back the way they’d come. At Hal’s nod, he turned to Will “We’ll figure out where they’re coming from and try to block it. You go find Ilsa.”

  Another goblin reached the corner and Douglon dispatched it quickly. Will cast out again. A troubling tumult of vitalle echoed through the rocks below them.

  “Alaric,” he warned.

  “I feel them. Hurry.” Alaric’s gaze searched around the tunnel. “It’d be nice if there was something to draw energy from.”

  Evangeline opened several of the doors near them. “How about fires? There are things in these storage rooms that would burn.”

  “Fires would be perfect.”

  “Let’s go,” Hal said. Will and Sora followed him, leaving Alaric and Evangeline to their ovens, and the dwarves swinging at the next trickle of frost goblins.

  They hurried down the tunnel the way the dragon had gone and peered out into the sunlight of the main cavern. Far in the back, muted voices could be heard echoing from the smaller cave the Torches were in, but no one was visible. Hal motioned for them to hurry, and they followed him across. In a few steps the main opening gaped next to them, overlooking the Sweep. Cries and clashes and screams came over the ledge. Below, along the edge of the lake, hordes of frost goblins poured out of warrens, streaming into the camps of Roven.

  Will hesitated for a moment. Greyish-green bodies of the frost goblins piled up, but Roven bodies lay on the ground as well. The goblins seemed disoriented as they ran out into the bright sunlight, and the Roven took advantage of their confusion, shooting and hacking into the swarm. The stonesteeps from the Sunn Clan stood near two of the warrens, shooting arcs of energy into the midst of the goblins. Wisps of black smoke rose from dark smudges on the ground.

  A new warren opened as Will watched, and a stream of frost goblins spilled out, plowing into a band of warriors. A quick fear for Rass’s safety surfaced, but he pushed it away. She could take care of herself.

  Sora nudged his back and he started walking again. Sunlight fell warm on his arm and face. Hal hurried them across the cavern toward the hallway Lukas had disappeared down. The passage was wide and smooth, roomy enough for the three of them to walk side by side. It dimmed as they walked farther from the main cavern. They came to a turn to the left and Hal raised his hands for them to wait. He stepped around the corner and Will strained to hear anything in the silence.

  In a moment, Hal came back, his face troubled.


  “This is as far as I’ll be able to take you.” Hal held up his hand to quiet Sora’s objection. “Three of the clans have left guards at their rooms. I can lead them away so you can reach Killien’s rooms. The Morrow’s quarters are the last ones. Get Ilsa and get out of here.” He turned to Will. “After everything we just saw, after everything Killien has done I need to go to the enclave. I don’t know if he’ll listen to me right now, but at a time like this, my place is next to him.”

  Will nodded. “Thank you for everything. And I hope you can convince Killien to…”

  Hal ran his hand through his hair. “Return to sanity? So do I.”

  “Will you tell him we’re here?” Sora asked.

  Hal shook his head. “But I won’t lie to him either. He’ll probably figure it out on his own. You won’t have much time.”

  Will held out his hand, and Hal grasped it around the wrist in the Roven style.

  “Around this corner there’s an alcove you two can hide in. I’ll have to bring the guards back past here, this is the only way out.”

  The alcove was a natural recess in the rock only a few steps deep, but it turned to the left, and Will backed himself into the darkest part until the rough stone wall dug into his back. Sora came in and pressed her back up against him, facing out of the alcove, a knife in her hand.

  Hal disappeared. The tunnel was dim, so it was almost black in the alcove. Will could just see the outline of Sora’s head. She shifted her shoulders and the light glinted off her knife. Her head was right in front of him and the earthy, woody scent of her leathers filled the space.

  “You smell good,” he whispered and she twisted around and he could just make out her incredulous look. “You always have. I thought it that very first night when you snuck into my room. You were terrifying, but you smelled good.”

  The edge of a smile crept into her face. “This isn’t exactly the time, Will.” The dim light caught on a strand of copper in her braid as she turned away from him.

  He leaned close to her ear. “If this isn’t the time, do you think there will be one? Maybe later?”