by Boone Brux
Jade’s whispered words cloaked him in a dull white light. The protector in him wanted to stop her. From the dimness of her healing, he could tell she was exhausted, but the determined set of her jaw let him know that arguing would be pointless.
He closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall, opening himself up to the healing and trying to aid her. He’d been too weak after Icarus’s brutal treatment, but perhaps now he had regained enough strength to be of some help.
Like a gentle wave, Jade’s light ebbed and flowed, gradually burning its way through his body. Luc concentrated on her words, committing the chant to memory. The mantra took form in his mind, transforming into a living entity.
He began to speak. Without force, the healing light sparked inside his chest and spread up his neck. Cool tingles, like the bite of the yucamint plant, snapped along his jaw and across his tongue. Through slitted lids, he watched his whispered words flow from his lips and turn to vapor.
A thin mist formed around him and Jade, thickening with each line he spoke. Jade’s golden light brightened and connected with his faint blue glow. The intensity of the link would have buckled his knees if he’d been standing. His back arched away from the wall, his breath lodging in his throat. Thick mist spewed from him as the healing chant took control.
Golden light poured from Jade’s hands, illuminating the chamber and casting a yellow glow onto the figures hovering on the ceiling. Large, black eyes stared at them through the ever-solidifying mist.
Feeling returned to his feet and the ache at his shoulders and wrists dissipated with each word Jade spoke. Energy filled him and clarity returned to his mind. The need to exhale pushed against his chest. He raised his head and blew, releasing the last of the icy breath in his lungs and filled the chamber with fog.
The warmth inside him faded, but he could still feel Jade’s hand pressed against his leg. Mist swirled around them, obscuring his vision. What had happened?
“Jade?” His words sounded muffled. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.” She paused, her breathing labored. “How did you do that?”
He shook his head even though he knew she couldn’t see him. “It just…happened.”
A gentle push against his leg told him she was sitting up. “This would have come in handy before.”
Luc could think of a lot of times the ability to cause mist would have come in handy. Fleeing an angry husband, fleeing an angry tavern owner, fleeing the magistrate’s men when he had been a boy poaching deer. Perhaps it was better that he hadn’t had this ability before now.
“I wonder what other useful talents I have that I’m not utilizing.”
Jade’s chains rattled and then her hand pressed against his calf. “Can you bring your ankle closer to me?”
He shifted to lean against his left hip and bent his right knee, drawing his leg as close to her as the chain would allow. Her fingers slid down his calf to settle near the shackle around his ankle.
“What are you doing?”
“Putting my years on the street to good use.” Her fingers fumbled along the edges of the metal. “If this lock hasn’t been infused with magic, I might be able to pick it.”
His eyebrows raised in surprise. “You’re a woman of many talents.”
She gave a little snort. “You have no idea.”
He could just imagine. Perhaps when he was better he’d test her skill. As it were, he had neither the energy nor the stamina for witty banter. He let the onslaught of inappropriate remarks remain unspoken. Now was not the time.
“Damn.” Her curse hissed through the mist.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need both hands.”
The links of her chain clanked and she scooted away from him. Several minutes passed, which were punctuated with a plethora of colorful expressions, until the sound of iron hitting the ground echoed through the chamber. Luc leaned forward, hoping she’d just accomplished the impossible. Suddenly she was before him, a wide smile spreading across her face. She held up her arm and shook it.
“I never doubted you,” he whispered.
She scowled at the lie and moved down his leg to the shackle. After a few silent minutes, the band opened and dropped to the ground. With single-minded determination, Jade crawled to his right hand and freed his wrist. He pressed his back against the wall, surprised when she threw her right leg over him to straddle his lap. The intensity on her face made him want to kiss her. She was so stubborn even iron shackles couldn’t best her when she put her mind to it.
In an effort to get a better angle, Jade leaned into him, pressing her chest to his and rolling her hips forward. Surely he would burn in the Abyss for the thoughts racing through his mind. All blood and reasonable thought raced to his groin. His penis stiffened. He pressed his knees together and leaned slightly forward, trying to reposition her.
“Uh, Jade.”
She shoved against him. “Shhttt.”
Her command cut him off. He closed his eyes and relaxed against the wall. His father, cats giving birth, mistakenly walking in on his old nanny bathing herself. He tried to visualize anything unpleasant and shivered at the image of his nursemaid.
The last shackle fell away and Jade grinned down at him. He returned a strained smile and shifted again. Apparently, she was oblivious to the havoc she was causing him. After a few seconds, she climbed off and stood.
It took a minute for Luc to regain his composure, but the urgency of their situation extinguished all evidence of his condition. He rubbed his wrists while flexing his leg, eventually rolling to his hands and knees. Dizziness threw him off balance and he caught himself against the wall. Jade crouched and shored him up with her shoulder. He silently cursed his weakness. She’d already done so much and was in no state to carry the burden of their escape.
“I’m fine.” He stood and leaned against the wall, removing his weight from her. “Give me a minute.”
She blocked his path, her body tense, as if she was ready to catch him if he fell. Pride surged through him. He’d be damned if he would be the cause of them getting recaptured. He straightened away from the wall. The dizziness had abated and much of the pain had been extinguished by Jade’s healing.
He grabbed her hand and took a step toward the passage doorway. Though not completely sure of the way out, he was confident between the two of them they could find the path back to the hot pool caverns and out of this nightmare.
The sharp edge of the table materialized out of the mist. He gripped the edge and followed it around until he stood where Icarus had stood while torturing him.
“What are you doing?” Jade tugged on his hand. “We need to leave.”
Pulsing energy thumped against him. Maybe it was part of being a Shield, but it was as if the weapons called to him. “Patience.”
He could almost hear her grinding her teeth in frustration, but this was too important to leave. Cold metal grazed his fingertips and he smiled. He dropped Jade’s hand, searching for the handle of the weapon. Smooth wood caressed his palm and he clutched at it, lifting what he could now see was an axe.
Wings of a dragon cradled the blade against the black, polished handle. Two deadly hooks that resembled the spikes on a dragon’s back curved from the opposite side. The blade arched like a talon and ended in a point. Every aspect of the weapon was created for killing. Low vibrations hummed through his hand, causing the beast inside him to stir, returning the weapon’s greeting. As he suspected. Another immortal weapon.
He shoved the handle into the waist of his pants, making sure to hook the point on the outside of the material, and continued to search the table. Again his hand brushed cold metal, his fingers coasting along the filigree hilt of his dagger. He snatched it up and shoved it in his boot, then froze.
The sound of footsteps crunched from somewhere beyond the room. With only one way out, whoever approached blocked their escape. He turned and moved along the wall, dragging Jade behind him. She didn’t resist. Never had he bee
n so grateful for her survival instincts—or her silence.
Perhaps they should have stayed and fought, but with neither of them being at peak strength and not knowing how many demons drew near, they were better off waiting for their chance to escape. Too many unknowns put a warrior at a distinct disadvantage.
His hand fumbled over the rough, icy stone, searching for what he hoped would be another passage or at the very least, a hiding place. As the footsteps drew closer, the beat of his heart quickened. The wall seemed to go on forever. He pushed forward as quietly as he could, trying not to alert the forthcoming demon of their existence.
One minute his hand pressed against solid rock and the next he was falling sideways into a passage. Relief washed through him. In order to slide into the narrow entrance, Luc had to turn sideways. Jade gripped his hand, stumbling over his heels behind him. Once inside, their vision cleared. The mist hung over the opening like a blanket, but it didn’t penetrate the passage. Luc followed the curve of the wall until he was certain they couldn’t be seen by anybody in the chamber.
He stopped and signaled for Jade to do the same. It was difficult to hear what was happening beyond the passage. The thick walls of their hiding place muffled much of the sound and light.
They waited, neither moving nor saying a word. The sound of their chains being picked up and most probably examined jangled. Jade looked at him, her eyes wide. The clatter of the shackles being dropped and a stifled curse was followed by the stomp of angry footsteps, which exited the chamber and faded down the corridor.
Luc looked at Jade and pressed a finger to his lips. He didn’t completely trust that the demon was gone. She nodded but released a breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly. He made a motion for her to follow him. Now that their escape had been discovered, their original exit was not an option.
He ventured deeper into the passage. The air grew even colder. Jade rubbed her arms and shivered, letting him know the drop in temperature wasn’t his imagination. The passage widened and a dull blue light glowed up ahead. It appeared that the conduit made a sharp right.
Luc stopped at the bend and pressed his back against the wall. The telltale bite of the Banes’ presence didn’t increase, but it was difficult to differentiate one demon from two or three. Zero was the only acceptable number of demons he wished to encounter.
There was no guarantee the path beyond the turn was an exit and from the feel of the air, they were probably traveling deeper into the Shadow World instead of out. He didn’t voice his concerns to Jade, but she was smart and more than likely had already formed her own opinion.
Luc poked his head around the corner, quickly surveyed what lay beyond, and ducked back in. He glanced at Jade and held up his hand for her to wait where she was.
She silently mouthed, “What is it?”
He shrugged and pointed to his eyes, and then toward the passage. She nodded in understanding. He was struck with the realization of how well they worked together, always on the same page with their approach to situations—despite their bantering.
With tiny steps, Luc crept along the wall and peered around the corner again. The chamber appeared empty. From where he stood there were no other passages or doorways. A waft of cold air, like stepping out into a winter day, hit him. He held up his hand, trying to feel where the breeze came from. Perhaps it was a way out. There was no discernible direction and no obvious vent.
Blue light glowed in measured patches along the rocky walls of the chamber. Though the ceiling was low, the room stretched for what looked like more than a hundred feet before fading into darkness. Only the areas of blue light, which shrank to small pinpricks of light in the distance, lit the chamber.
Luc scanned the low ceiling, searching for imps, but the room seemed devoid of all life. The rock walls glistened with a thin layer of ice and a fine white powder that looked like frost dusted the stone floor. Not looking, he reached behind him, searching for Jade’s hand. She clutched at him and laced her fingers with his. The eerie glow against the wall sent chills along Luc’s spine. Foreboding filled him. It wasn’t so much about the danger they were in, but the wrongness of this place.
A cloud of mist blew from between his lips and thinned. They stepped into the chamber, drawing near the first glowing patch. Jade’s other hand slid over the top of the one she already clutched. He glanced at her and gave a little squeeze of reassurance. At first Luc thought it was a window, but as they drew closer he could see that the area was not glass, but a thick layer of ice. Blue light emanated from within.
The beast inside him suddenly roared to life, sending fire down his arms and into his hands. Jade gasped and jerked her hands away. Taken completely off guard, Luc stopped and fought to control the dragon.
He clenched his fists, inhaled deeply, and commanded the beast to settle. Now was not the time to transform. Control slipped back to him, but the animal didn’t blindly obey. It was more of a case of acquiescing to Luc’s request, but the beast paced, ready to defend. Where had it been when he was being tortured by Icarus? Once he felt he had regained the majority of control, he turned to Jade and nodded. “I’m all right.”
She inhaled and returned his nod. “What is this place?”
Their words sounded dense and flat, as if the walls absorbed all sound. Another blast of cold air ruffled his hair and sent shivers skittering down his spine.
“I don’t know, but it triggered my dragon, so it can’t possibly be good.” He turned back to the blue light. “Ice.” He touched it. The clear sheet burned his fingers and his own fire flared again. He snatched his hand back, examining the white blisters rising on his fingertips. “Don’t touch it.”
Jade grabbed his hand, whispered a few words, and blew on his fingers. Instantly, the pain was gone, but the white patches remained.
He smiled. “You’re very handy to have around.”
She shrugged. “Told you I had many talents.”
“Indeed.”
He lowered his hand and surveyed the ice. It looked like a window, tall and oval shaped. He stepped in front to peer straight in. “Holy Sainted Mother.”
“What is it?” Jade wedged her body in front of his and gasped. “Oh my gods.”
There before them, frozen in ice, was a man. His eyes were closed and his hands folded over his chest, as if presented for burial. From the color and style of his dress, he was most definitely one of the missing Bringers from Illuma Grand. Luc stepped around Jade, trying to get a better view. “I know him.”
“Who is he?” Jade stood on her tiptoes and pushed against his side.
He gave way. “Marcus Tobin, Lady Tobin’s grandson.”
Jade gasped. “And Beatrice’s fiancé.”
He scowled and turned toward the corridor of blue lights. Nausea rolled through him. Like wading through mud, he struggled to the next window of ice, knowing what he would see, but still praying the oval would be empty.
A young woman with long red hair stood in the same position. Again, her clothing indicated she was also from Illuma Grand. “I think the mystery of what happened to the Bringers has been solved.”
Jade stopped beside him but said nothing as she stared at the young woman who was probably no older than she was. Her gaze searched the length of the room, the reality of what each window held taking hold of her. She turned and walked to the opposite wall. “Another one.” She moved to the next window, leaving small boot prints in the frost. “And another.”
Her steps quickened and she began to jog from one icy window to the next, saying nothing, only stopping long enough to peer in and then move on. Luc followed. Some of the Bringers he recognized. Most he didn’t.
“Luc!”
He spun and ran toward her. She was pressed as close to the window as she could get without touching it. Her hands hovered in front, shaking. He slid to a stop and stared, the blood draining from his face.
Jade looked at him. “Is it?”
“No.” He said the word, but for a fraction of a seco
nd, he wasn’t sure he was correct. The woman encased in ice looked so much like Ravyn it took his breath away. “No, it’s not her.”
“Are you certain?”
“Positive.” He understood Jade’s confusion. The resemblance was striking. He inhaled and blew warm air on the ice, then quickly rubbed with his sleeve. Ice crystals floated from the surface, giving them a clearer view. “She’s older. See the streak of gray at her temples.”
“She looks so much like Ravyn. Who do you think she is?”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think it was her mother.” He shook his head. “But she’s dead.”
“What if she isn’t? What if…” Jade pivoted and ran to the next window, zigzagging her way down the line.
Luc took another look at the woman, committing her face to memory, and followed Jade. Before he could reach her, she slid to a stop and cried out, her knees buckling beneath her. He raced to where she knelt and froze.
A woman he thought long dead stood in peaceful repose, as fresh as the last time he’d seen her. “Esmeralda.”
“Get her out.” Jade’s voice cracked, cutting through his shock. She stood, the look on her face so full of rage she looked unbalanced. “Get her out!”
She slammed her fist against the ice. The sizzle of burning skin hissed but she didn’t seem to notice the pain. Luc grabbed her arm before she could touch the window again and pulled her away.
“We’ve got to get her out.” She barreled forward, intent on attacking the ice again. Luc wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her off the ground. She kicked and fought to get free. “Let me go.”
“Not until you calm down.” She clawed at his arm, but he held fast. “Jade, you’re not going to get her out by beating on the ice and injuring yourself.” He gave her a hard shake. “Do you hear me?”
Rational thinking seemed to slowly return and she ceased her struggle. “Yes.”
He set her on her feet and released her, turning his attention back to the woman in ice. If Esmeralda was here, who was the demon who had raised Jade? It didn’t make sense. Each secret they uncovered seemed to only end in more mysteries.