by Linsey Hall
Chernobog’s influence was out of control.
A small flash of light caught my eye, and I turned. Squinted.
A pair of flashing eyes watched us. Two pairs. Three.
“Guys…” I said.
“We see it.” Cass rose, standing on the seat, her gaze alert.
Caro joined her. Ali and Haris stayed seated, wisely. They needed to be closer to their prey, and standing would just put them in the way of the girls’ firepower. Cade joined me on the back platform and drew his sword.
I powered up my lightning, ready to strike from the sky.
When the first monster leapt out at us, surprise flared in my chest. Panic flared as my eyes landed on the scaly black beast that flew from the tree limbs above. Long fangs and claws shined white, dripping with a green venom that made my skin itch to look at it.
Caro flung her hand out, shooting a piercing spray of water at the beast. It plunged through the creature’s chest, and the monster exploded in a poof of black dust.
“They’re magic,” Cade said.
Cass nodded. “Probably the concentrated essence of Chernobog’s evil.”
Another flew from the right. Cass threw a fireball that lit up the night sky, and the monster exploded into dust.
Then they all came at once, flying from the trees like little bombs. Caro shot water, and Cass threw flame. I drew my sword, wanting to preserve my magic, charged for the beast that was nearly upon us, and stabbed it in the stomach.
The creature exploded into a poof of dust, the dark magic reeking. Cade followed suit, so fast with his sword that he made confetti of the beasts.
But they kept coming, faster and faster, until there was no way for us to fight them all. They landed on the car and lunged with their claws outstretched.
I kicked one away, but another sliced through my thigh with its razor-sharp claws. The poison burned.
“Take the wheel!” Ana cried.
Ali leaned over and grabbed the wheel, while Ana scrambled onto the front platform. She flung out her hands, and her glowing white shield burst forth.
The monsters bounced off like footballs, while the rest of us cleared the decks of the ones that had made it through the shield.
I was panting by the time they were gone, my wound burning like the devil.
“Are you all right?” Cade asked.
I winced and bent down, inspecting it. “Yeah. It’s shallow.”
“But the poison.”
“Stings, but it’s going away.” I called on my healing power, forcing the poison from my body. The green goo dripped from the wound, followed by fresh blood, then the gash knit back together.
“Your magic is seriously badass,” Caro said.
“Thanks.” And damned if I wasn’t grateful now. I’d never felt the need for super magic—I’d gotten by just fine in Death Valley using my sonic boom power—but when it came time to save someone I loved, I was damned glad to be a fighting and healing machine.
And since this skill could translate into a really satisfying career and the Protectorate, I had two reasons to appreciate it.
“Trade me back,” Ana said once we’d driven out of the monster’s territory.
She and Ali switched places, and she took the wheel, driving us out of the forest. Far in the distance, the ocean gleamed black. There was a long stretch of flat land to cross before we reached it. A small village sat in the middle, totally abandoned.
Ana drove slowly past, and we all peered at the buildings, searching for any signs of life.
There were none. It was quaint and very medieval-German looking, with thatched cottages and wood trim. Roses were dead on the vines and bushes withered. A beer stein sat abandoned on an outdoor table.
“It looks like Octoberfest caught an evil curse,” Cass said.
“No kidding.” Sadness welled in my chest. “But it was a nice place once.”
Cade gripped my shoulder, his touch comforting. “We’ll stop that bastard Chernobog. His power and magic once had a place in the world, but if this is what he chooses to do with it—to abuse it—he must be stopped.”
I reached up and touched his hand. “Thanks.”
As we drove, I scanned the terrain in front of us, my gaze finally catching on a pillar of stone that rose up from the sea. I pointed. “There!”
Ana turned the buggy toward the stone, and we bounced toward the sea. I leapt off as soon as she parked, hurrying toward the water.
The shore was a small stone cliff that fell five feet into the roiling black ocean. Right beneath the pillar, there was a hole in the water.
“Whoa,” Ana breathed.
“Creepy,” Caro added.
I had to agree. The hole was ten feet across, with water pouring down on all sides. I couldn’t see down, even with Heimdall’s vision.
I looked up at everyone. “I don’t mind if you stay here.”
“As if.” Ali grinned, then jumped into the hole.
My stomach pitched as I watched him disappear into the darkness. But there was no time to dawdle. I pressed a quick kiss to Cade’s cheek and leapt into the hole behind Ali.
The wind tore at my hair as I plummeted through the darkness, the water rushing by on both sides.
Five seconds later, I landed on the ground with a crash, somehow staying on my feet. Ali stood in the darkness of this new realm, a sickly smile on his face. He was trying to be cocky, but the magic here was so dark—so evil—that it was impossible to wear a normal smile.
I joined him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and squeezing. “You’re a good friend.”
He hugged me. “Back at ya’.”
We separated and turned to inspect our surroundings more closely, our friends flying out of the portal behind us.
The world was dark here, the pale moon illuminating the snow that whipped on the wind. Despite the white flakes that flecked through the air, the ground was barren black rock. Snowflakes drifted across it, but never settled. In the distance, a mountain rose up, topped by a shining black castle.
Ali whistled. “That’s some fortress he’s got.”
“No kidding.” Chernobog was darkness on steroids.
I turned to my friends. “I’ll try to keep us invisible. We’ll make our way to the castle as quickly as possible, find a way to break in, then Cass—could you lead us straight to Rowan? We have to get this antidote to her so we can get her away from them.”
Cass saluted. “Aye aye.”
“We won’t be able to see each other like this, so if you get into trouble, shout. Otherwise, I’ll try to keep up a running commentary so you can follow my voice.”
“What will you talk about?” Ana asked.
“Not a clue.”
“How about a story?” Haris asked. “Like a book on tape.”
“I wish I were that clever.” I called upon Loki’s magic, shielding us with invisibility, then I took off at a jog. “Well, guys, I’ve got no idea what to talk about, so I’ll sing us a song.”
I sang a ditty that I remembered from my childhood about a baby beluga whale, using Heimdall’s hearing to count the footfalls of my friends. Fortunately, I could hear everyone well, and it was easy to make sure my friends were with me. Unfortunately, “Baby Beluga” was only about thirty seconds long. So I launched into a repeat. And another repeat after that.
Someone chuckled—Cade, I thought—and I couldn’t blame him. Singing a nursery rhyme as we tried to storm an evil god’s castle was high on my list of the ridiculous.
We were halfway across the dark field, the castle looming ever higher, when the first shadowy figure flew toward us. It wore tattered robes and had no face—just blackness within the hood.
Fear chilled my skin as I drew my sword and lunged for the thing.
My steel sliced through the middle of the wraith, but the creature didn’t stop. Just flew right into me, merging with my body.
I gasped as sickness filled me, a queasiness that nearly sent me to my knees. Chills followed, then
fever.
“Sickness wraiths.” Cade’s voice was rough with pain.
I lost my grip on the invisibility, and everyone appeared around me. More wraiths flew at our group, racing around us. Through us. They didn’t stay with us long, but just their touch wracked us with illness. Queasiness, chills.
I shuddered.
Caro shot her deadly streams of water while Cass threw flames, but the wraiths were impenetrable. Even Ali and Haris couldn’t possess them. My steel did nothing, nor did Cade’s.
Ana tried her shield, but they blew right through it.
Our running stumbled to a stop, and we nearly went to our knees. Every one of us was white as a sheet, skin clammy.
We were failing, and we couldn’t fight these wraiths.
12
Ana screwed up her face, rage seeming to overtake her. Her frustration radiated out in waves.
I felt it, too.
So close! We were so close to Rowan.
Yet so freaking far.
And none of my magic worked against these beasts. And no new powers were arriving.
Helplessness welled in me, tears pricking my eyes as my insides coiled.
Come on, Norse gods!
I needed them, and they were leaving me hanging.
Suddenly, light glowed from Ana, pale but fierce. I could barely see it, and no one else seemed to notice. My vision from Heimdall made it possible?
The light stretched out from her, hitting the wraiths. They hissed and shrank back. The light glowed, bringing with it a magic that repelled them.
The sickness faded from my muscles and bones. My stomach settled.
“What’s happening?” Caro asked.
I stared at Ana, awed but unwilling to say anything. This was her deal. And some weird white magic was driving the wraiths away. No one else could see it, but it was definitely working.
Within moments, the wraiths were twenty yards off, rushing away. Ana’s light was dim enough that I could barely see it—but it was there. And the energy felt good. Calm and pure.
“Let’s go,” Ana said, her expression shaken.
I couldn’t blame her. New magic could be scary.
Strong once again, we took off at a run. We were in too much of a hurry for anyone to wonder out loud about our good luck. I called upon Loki’s power, turning us invisible again, and resumed my impromptu performance of “Baby Beluga.”
After a while, Ana’s light faded, but we’d left the wraiths behind already. We’d need to figure out what the heck that was.
“Big mountain,” Cass gasped out.
“No kidding,” Caro said.
The mountain loomed tall and dark as we neared, an imposing structure that rose thousands of feet in the air. It stank of sulfur and death, and cold air wafted down from above. I shivered and huddled into my jacket as we began to climb. Jagged black rock and chips of ice shifted underfoot, so scrambling up was difficult. Every dozen yards or so, I’d skid on a large patch of ice and lose my footing.
As I slammed into the ground for the third time, Ana went down next to me. Pain flared in my knees, and the cold bit into my hands. She couldn’t be doing any better, but we both rose silently and kept going.
I’d take all the bruises in the world if it meant saving Rowan.
Behind us, my friends were silent. Only Cade managed to stay on his feet the whole time, though Cass came in second for keeping her footing. All her time raiding ancient tombs for treasure had trained her well.
By the time we neared the base of the castle, the cold had sunk into my bones. The black icy walls shot straight up into the air, three hundred feet tall if they were an inch.
I reached out to touch the side of the castle. Slick black ice froze my fingertips. The wall gleamed darkly, and I squinted at it.
Cass joined me, using her fire magic to create a ball of flame in the palm of her hand. It reflected in the slick ice of the wall, shining partially through to reveal ice that was many feet thick.
I squinted, but I couldn’t see the other side. “Solid ice.”
“Impossible to climb,” Cade said. “Even with ice picks, it’s still too slick. And guards would eventually see us. It’d take ages to get over.”
I frowned. Too bad I wasn’t strong enough to fly anyone over. Cass could only shift into a winged beast if she was around a mage who had that talent. Her Mirror Mage powers were limited in that way.
“I can burn through the wall,” Cass said. “Just melt the ice away.”
“Wouldn’t that take ages?” Caro asked.
Cass grinned. “Not the way I do it.”
I glanced at Ana and Cade, who both nodded. This was our best bet. Right now, no one was looking over the castle wall. But eventually, a guard might show. If Cass could get us into the ice wall, we’d be hidden while she completed the tunnel.
“Let’s do it,” I said. “Thank you.”
Cass nodded and rubbed her hands together. “Step back, guys. Might be a bit touchy at first.”
I did as she asked, slipping on the ice underfoot. Cade grabbed my arm before I could bite the dust. Or the ice. “Thanks.”
Cass held out her hands, and flame burst forth, plowing into the side of the castle. It was silent, but brilliantly bright.
I swallowed hard, praying that no guards were looking over the edge. Fates, I hoped Rowan was in here.
Fortunately, the force of her flame dug about six feet into the ice wall in minutes. She entered the tunnel, and we followed. The guards might see the glow, but the ice was so thick and black, and the night so deep and dark, that hopefully they wouldn’t notice.
“Just a little while longer,” Cass muttered.
Her flame was cutting quickly through the wall, but it was a thick wall. Particularly at the base.
Melted water began to flow around our boots, and I directed it toward the side walls using Njord’s power, keeping our feet dry. In temps like this, we’d get frostbite if we had wet feet.
The tunnel began to warm from the flame, and the ice water above dripped coldly onto our head.
When the flame finally burst through to the other side of the castle, we rushed out, damp and chilly.
I could see nothing within the dark space, but it felt cavernous. Something about the air and the slight echo, perhaps. It was the size of a football arena, or even larger.
“I can’t see anything,” Ana whispered.
“I’m trying to use my flame,” Cass said. “But it’s shedding no light.”
I could feel the warmth of it though. “You’re making flame right now, right?”
“I am. So no one step in front of me.” The warmth died. “Actually, I should just kill it. Duh.”
“Something about this place is absorbing all light,” Cade murmured.
“Yep, my cell phone isn’t glowing at all,” Caro said.
“Neither is my lightstone ring,” Cass said.
I blinked, squinting into the dark as tension plucked at my nerve endings. A shiver ran down my spine.
“Chernobog is the god of darkness,” I said. “He’s damn good at it.”
“But what does the darkness hide?” Anxiety echoed in Ana’s voice.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” I stepped forward, moving my feet gingerly.
“Watch for cliffs,” Caro said. “Shuffle your feet so you feel what’s coming.”
“I’ll be careful.” Something grabbed my foot, and I nearly shrieked.
Next to me, Ana hissed. “Something has my foot.”
Shit.
Acid pounded through my veins as the grip on my foot tightened.
“It’s got me, too.” Caro’s voice shook.
I jerked my foot away from the grip. It broke, a brittle snapping sound echoing in the darkness. I squinted, trying to see into nothing.
A crash sounded behind me, then a yelp.
“Help!” Caro whispered frantically, her voice rife with fear. “It’s got me on my knees. Dragging me down. So tight.”
I could hear so well I could almost imagine what was happening.
A grunting noise sounded. More brittle snapping.
“I got her,” Ali said.
“My leg!” Caro said. More breaking noises. Caro had kicked, like I had. “They’ll squeeze you to death!”
“Shit!” Cass’s voice sounded.
A thump.
She’d been dragged to the floor.
I squinted around frantically, trying to see to help. Something shattered, and Cade grunted. “I got her.”
“They’re bones,” Ana hissed. “I feel them.”
“And they’re trying to drag us down,” Cass said. “Devour us.”
“We have to run,” Caro said. “Can’t get caught by them.”
“But drop-offs—”
A fierce grip clutched my calf and pulled me down, strong hands pulling at my thighs. They gripped me so hard that pain flared, biting into muscle and bone. I went to my knees on the ground, catching myself with my hands.
My palm closed over a skeletal hand just as another one reached up to grab my face.
I hissed in terror, trying to jerk away. But they were so strong!
It dragged me to the ground till I lay flat on my stomach, the arms wrapping around me, trying to crush me into the floor. I couldn’t feel any bones beneath me, just the skeletal arms that reached out of the floor and clutched me to them, trying to crush me into the flagstone below.
Panic flared as the grip tightened unbearably. My bones threatened to snap.
I pushed and thrashed, trying to break free, a cry wringing from my throat. But at this angle and this grip, I couldn’t move.
Strong, warm hands grabbed my waist and yanked me up, snapping the bones that bound me.
“I gotcha,” Cade said.
“Thanks!”
Behind me, Cade fell to his knees, nearly pulling me down with him. The skeletal arms had grabbed him! He released me, and I turned, tugging at his arms to help him break the magical grasp of the skeletons.
“Go!” he rasped.
“I’m not leaving you.” But it was damned hard to break their grasp.
Someone joined me—Ali or Haris, I thought—and yanked hard. We jerked Cade up. As soon as the first skeleton lost its grip, Cade surged away from the others, breaking their grip.