by Olivia Ash
“I understand,” Sophia said, resting a reassuring hand on Torra’s shoulder. Though she had problems of her own, Sophia didn’t want to leave the people helping her high and dry. That was just not in her blood or soul. “I will do whatever I can to help you free them.”
Torra’s eyes widened with hope and she smiled. That glow Sophia swore she saw earlier returned, and her eyes quickly darted to the balcony just before she dashed inside the corridor.
Sophia took a moment longer to study the back end of the castle before turning away and joining Torra.
“Come,” she said. “I’ll show you the way out of the mountain.
Torra quickly ran into another corridor that Sophia hadn’t noticed before.
“What are all of these tunnels for?” Sophia asked.
“Besides discomfort,” Edric added.
Sophia ignored the comment. It was uncomfortable for all of them. The space was cramped, for sure. And she figured Edric’s size would make the space even smaller.
“Supplies,” Torra said. “Before the Blood Queen, we would trade with all the surrounding kingdoms. “But the queen closed all those she could find. Collapsing all known entrances that didn’t lead directly from her castle. However, these ones remained.”
“Do they not lead out from here?” Ezekiel asked.
“They only view the castle. Watch.” Torra led them down a steep decline where the smell of stagnant water and stale air whistled through an opening just ahead of them. She pointed to Sophia and she carefully stepped around the girl to take a glimpse at the opening that was wide enough to give them all a chance to study the cliffside behind the castle. They were about fifty feet up. They didn’t have the supplies to climb or rappel down, not to mention there was nothing around for them to leverage their weight with.
But from where they stood, Sophia saw a cave of sorts that presumably led into the castle itself. But it was barred closed and flooded with water.
“Sewers?” Andreas asked.
“Yes,” Torra said. “That is the only way to the exit.” She pointed toward a bend in the ravine. “There is your way out. But you can’t get there from here. You must go through the castle.”
Right. Of course, that would be the thing standing in the way. At least Sophia promised to take care of Naomi. She could do that, find out any information about the heirs, and get her men out of the castle all in one trip.
“Any information we should know of that would help us fight Naomi?” Sophia said, pulling from the view of the sewers and facing Torra again.
“She only fears the Blood Queen.”
“And where is she exactly? We’ve heard her mentioned, just not her whereabouts,” Edric said.
Torra held herself. She hesitated to speak. Almost like she wasn’t sure how much to say or was fearful of saying too much. Sophia wasn’t sure what the case was. As far as she could tell, there was nowhere to hide, but that didn’t mean the Blood Queen or Lady Naomi didn’t have eyes and ears everywhere.
Finally, Torra took in a shuddering breath and said, “She’s scouting for troops to take over the surface. That’s why there are so many slaves. Mining ore and rock for weapons. Or learning to fight so they could go to war.”
Sophia held the girl. Something told her that even if she were to take out this Naomi and free the slaves, her fight wouldn’t end there. It wouldn’t stop unless she handled the Blood Queen.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sophia
The crackling fire popped, sending a spark of ember into the air. The fat dripping from the rabbit Edric caught earlier sizzled into the flames which caused another ember to pop out. Sophia watched the sequence with bliss. The heat of the fire also kissed her skin. Andreas put on a pot of potatoes borrowed from the village. They were all too eager to help. It wounded her heart to know that such cruelty existed within the mountain. The people forced into slavery and worse. Luckily, their fate didn’t stop them from helping them out.
Andreas took a seat next to Sophia and poked her in her side. She jumped a bit then narrowed her eyes on Andreas who looked at her with a goofy grin. She giggled and shook her head and shoved him. He played up the act by falling all the way over with a groan. Laughter bubbled out of her, and he joined in with a chuckle of his own.
When their peals of laughter were over, he held her gaze. He was healthy, well, and a light shone in his eyes that wasn’t the glow of fire. It was something so much deeper and that made her heart skip a beat and warmth pool between her thighs.
“Get a room,” Ezekiel said, trying to force as much disgust into his words as he could, though it didn’t work because his smile gave his true demeanor away. He sat on the other side of Sophia, on a toppled over log, writing his notes down.
She was relieved at how much healthier he appeared. The amulet had given him enough health and reversed the effects of the mountain magic. She tried to hide her frown as the elder arbors’ words echoed the warning of the amulets not lasting forever. Still, even with the time restriction, she was grateful for the time she could spend with her men, not running or fighting or chasing clues to the heirs.
“Jealous?” Andreas asked, stretching out his legs, crossing them at the ankles and leaning most of his weight on his elbows. All cocky and proud of himself.
Ezekiel sighed as he shook his head and slipped his book back into his satchel and faced Andreas head on. “You wish.”
“Both of you can just shove it,” Edric said as he brought a handful of mushrooms and green sprouts of onion to go with the rabbit. “I’m her favorite.” He tossed the mushrooms and onion into the pot with the potatoes then faced everyone.
Even he seemed to have been renewed with more energy than he knew what to do with. She smiled at him and watched the banter between the men as they argued over who was Sophia’s favorite. She thought about interrupting and telling them none of them were her favorite, that she loved and adored each of them all the same, but the interaction between them proved entertaining. She wanted to hear their reasonings behind why they felt that each of them was her favored choice.
Andreas snorted. “What makes you think you could possibly be her favorite?”
“Because, I am.” Edric held his nose in the air and was quite confident by the sound of his voice.
Sophia laughed under breath.
“Actually,” Ezekiel said, “I’m her favorite. She chose me for the first date, remember?”
The other two men bickered about the unfair deal and how it should have been them that went first.
Sophia sniffed and shook her head. The male macho scent thickened the air, and she figured she would have to say something before the men tore at each other’s throats.
“All of you are my favorites,” she said standing up and stretching. “Can we cool our heels now?”
The men gaped at her, blinked a few times, then continued with their playful argument, changing the topic to who was better at the academy. Now that, Sophia couldn’t weigh in on. That would just be something they would have to work out on their own.
Once they had finally agreed that because each of them worked for different aspects of the academy, and for Nighthelm itself, they each were best at what they could do—Ezekiel was the best sorcerer. Andreas was the best wraith fighter. And Edric was the best soldier—the dinner was done, and they sat around the fire to eat.
The peacefulness from earlier settled around them again, and Sophia could hear the wildlife in the trees making a symphony of soothing noises. This place was so beautiful and terrifying at the same time. She didn’t think it was as bad as the stories portrayed, but the whole slavery thing did reveal some ugly aspects of mountain life. All the more reason to right this wrong and restore what should’ve been the true beauty of this place.
She took a bite of her rabbit, and juices flowed down her chin. The flavor was herbal and tangy, with the right amount of spice. The potatoes came out crispy and tasted earthy but not overpowering, and the mushrooms added a nice touch alo
ng with the onions.
Andreas cleared his plate in no time and pulled out a bottle from within his pack. “I was saving this for when we got out of here, but I figured this was a great time to.”
“Where did you get that from?” Edric asked.
“You didn’t steal it from those poor people, did you?” Ezekiel asked, a hint of humor in his voice.
Andreas feigned and undignified expression and said, “I’ll have you know they gave it to me as a gift for all of us.”
Sophia glared at him. “You should have told them no. We already took advantage of their hospitality and they didn’t even have to do that.”
Andreas shrugged and said, “True, but they refused to let me tell them no. Besides, a night like this could use a little bit of abandon.”
Sophia narrowed her eyes on him. She wasn’t mad. Quite the opposite. Though she did feel guilty for taking a bottle of their wine from their stores, after being sheltered and fed. She just wanted to make Andreas sweat a little. Out of fun, of course.
“Come on, Sophia. Let’s end this night on a high note,” Andreas said.
She crossed her arms and frowned, though she couldn’t hold it any longer. She burst out in laughter. The men relaxed, the tension easing from their shoulders. Andreas smiled and pulled the cork from the top of the bottle. He took a long pull of the drink then handed it over to Sophia, who did the same and passed it on to Ezekiel, who then passed the bottle to Edric.
The flavor remained on her tongue, which was surprising to her. It was floral, sweet, and rich with a tone of spice she couldn’t quite place. Mint possibly, but there was an herby hint to it that paired well with the meal. Her belly warmed with the liquid.
Grindel would have thrown a fit at her for relaxing with such an important mission hanging over her head. She could almost hear the chiding lecture now. She sighed. If only he were here with her. Joining her and her men, with the enjoyment of one evening where they didn’t have to be forced to be on high alert. Only relaxing and enjoying one another’s company.
She bit back the tears that nipped at her eyes and tried to swallow the lump that suddenly appeared in her throat.
The fact of the matter was, Grindel would’ve been there if it hadn’t been for the Nameless Master. One way or another, she would put a stop to whoever they were and make sure no one else had to lose a loved one because of their actions.
Andreas placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Her eyes met his and the smile that he wore. It was gentle. Almost like he knew she was bothered by the thoughts that had just run through her mind. He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.
She sighed, rejoining the peace of the night for the time that they had. Afterall, it wasn’t guaranteed that they would be able to share in such moments again for quite some time.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sophia
Before the rising sun, Sophia and her men set off to scout the castle again. They stuck to the trees, remaining hidden in the shadows as much as possible. The woods were too quiet for Sophia’s peace of mind. Something in the air felt off, and she couldn’t quite place what that was.
She looked to Edric. His face was a stern mask of focus. Though, a slight crease rested between his eyebrows and a frown pulled on the corners of his lips. He must have felt the same thing too.
Taking in Andreas, his hands were clenched at his sides and his focus was set on the shadows around them. Even Ezekiel seemed concerned.
Sophia opened her mouth right as an arrow whizzed by her, missing her by mere inches. She pulled on her sword and held it out toward the direction from where the arrow came. But instead of a fight ensuing, a deep, feminine voice called out. “That’s far enough.”
“Who are you?” Sophia demanded.
“That is not important,” the voice said. “What is important is the bounty on your head, Sophia.”
So, they knew her name. That made things more interesting.
“What bounty?” she asked, trying to act like she didn’t know that there would be one after the stunt she pulled during the trial. She never had the intention of showing her face in Nighthelm until she had the heirs with her, however. To her, the bounty was a frivolous thing.
Edric muttered, “Winston, that prick.”
Sophia cast a sideway glance toward him but kept her head forward. She didn’t know these people from a pebble on the ground. She wasn’t about to let her attention slip or show that she was distracted by any means.
“No. Not Winston. The Nameless Master.” The voice chuckled and the bushes just ahead and to the left of them rustled.
Sophia tried to narrow her eyes on the location, but whoever it was that hid within the trees did so with great skill.
“You’re rather forthcoming with this information,” Edric said. “What exactly does this bounty entail?”
“For you?” the voice responded. “Nothing. You’re as good as dead here, regardless. But for Sophia, it means death. Which really doesn’t make a difference if you know the details of our bounty, now does it? None of you are going to live long enough to tell the tale.”
Andreas growled. “Sounds rather high and mighty of fools who hide from sight.”
“We’re not hiding,” the woman said, sounding a bit irritated. “You have but to open your eyes to see us.”
This was getting them nowhere fast. Sophia had better things to do than sit around and wait for these people, whoever they were, to show themselves and attempt to fight her. They were wasting time with all the talk. She needed action, and the magic that burned just below the surface of her skin pulsed with the need to be released.
Sophia said, “Well, if you want that bounty so badly, I suggest you come and get it.”
The chuckle that came from the voice encircled them, echoing louder in her head. “With pleasure.”
A cat-like humanoid creature leapt from the bushes and went to lash out at Sophia. She swung her blade, forcing the cat creature to lunge back from the deadly slice, then ending in a crouch, tail wagging behind her angrily. She narrowed her eyes on her, and Sophia could only stand there and stare.
The cat creature uttered a growl from her throat and five more of her kind emerged from the trees.
Ezekiel started to mutter under his breath, Andreas shifted into his wraith form, and Edric took a sword (another “gift” from the battle with the thugs) and aimed for the one closest to him.
Sophia’s magic sparked along her skin as she held her sword out at the leader of the group. She had never seen a creature like this before, and that also meant she didn’t know how to fight them. But damn it all, she would fight with every breath she had.
“What’s the matter? Never seen a lynx before?”
Sophia didn’t answer. She kept her sword aimed at the creature, ready to kill it to keep herself from dying, especially at the behest of the Nameless Master.
The creature lunged, and Sophia ducked and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp claws outstretched toward her. She was sure that not only would it hurt to be flayed by those talons, but they’d leave a nasty scar if she survived. Growls and grunts came from behind her, signaling to her that her men were fighting off the other cat creatures.
She risked a glance behind her to make sure her men were okay. A sigh of relief filtered through her lips as she saw they were holding their own. A weight knocked into her, crushing her to the ground as a sharp stabbing pain punctured her skin. The creature had taken advantage of her distraction and pounced on her.
A purring sound came from her, and she lifted up enough to allow Sophia to breath without the scent of dirt, fur, and the musky scent that cats carried.
“Farewell. Say hello to the gods.” The creature lifted a paw into the air and started to bring it down, claws fully extended. Sophia bucked, sending the cat tumbling forward, over her head and to the ground. She quickly twisted and straddled the creature with her sword at the cat creature’s neck. The lynx held s
till, freezing in place.
“Why did the Nameless Master send you after me?” Sophia demanded.
The creature narrowed her eyes on Sophia. She didn’t seem inclined to answer, so Sophia let the blade slide just a little along the folds of skin. The lynx made a sound and muttered a word Sophia didn’t recognize.
“What?” she asked, angling her ear toward the creature.
“It’s a word my people use for mercy,” she said, poison coating her words. She seemed loathe to have to ask it of Sophia.
“Speak then,” Sophia demanded.
“What the purpose is, I know not. But my freedom was enough to carry out the job.”
A pinch formed in Sophia’s brow. “What do you mean freedom?”
“Freedom. Free to do as I will without the hindrance of a master. Surely you have been educated in more than just the fighting arts.”
“How did the Nameless Master find you?” Sophia asked.
“Does it matter?” the creature asked, sounding pained.
Sophia thought about it for a moment. Ultimately, no, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that the Nameless Master knew where she was and sent someone to kill her. A group of assassins, nevertheless. The lynx just wanted freedom, which made Sophia think she was a slave like so many of the people she had come across and had their lives stripped of comfort and the choice to exist on their own terms.
With a sigh, she removed the sword and climbed off the cat-like creature and held her hand out to her. The creature stared at Sophia’s hand for a moment then took it, standing up with a nod.
The lynx turned to walk away, then swiveled with her claws out and a roar rushing out of her wide jaws. Sophia instantly plunged the sword into the creature’s torso. The roar was cut off as the light from her eyes dimmed and she slumped to the ground in a heap.