To Darkness Bound Box Set

by Zandria West

  ‘He’s right,’ I say, though my stomach feels like it’s tilting uncomfortably when I look over the edge and at the little boat down there. It looks too small and too vulnerable. ‘We’re meant to be here. I can feel it, can’t you? It’s like the magic of the binding is responding to this place. It’ll be alright, my mother wouldn’t have sent us this way if it wasn’t safe.’

  ‘For you, maybe,’ Alex mutter darkly.

  ‘Like I said, it’s a test,’ Irena smiles. ‘Pass it and I’ll see you on the other side. I’ll be turning the lights off on my way out, so you might want to fix up some more of your little glowing balls now, Warlock.’

  27

  LANA

  ‘Lana, you first again I think,’ Gabriel says.

  I take a breath to steady myself, then catch a hold of the handrails and climb down the few rungs, stepping awkwardly into the boat, which begins to rock wildly under my weight.

  ‘Steady,’ I murmur, like it’s a living being that I might calm with my voice, and to my surprise it seems to obey. I settle myself onto a hard, wooden bench. ‘Alright, I think we’re ready,’ I call up, and watch as Gabriel makes his way down to join me, followed by Alex and Reuben, then finally Grayson, who moves much more gracefully than his size and bulk would suggest. I look back for Irena. but she’s already long gone. I guess we’ll meet her at the other end. After everything that we’ve been through, I can’t even contemplate that we might not pass this final test.

  Sure, we’re in a pitch-black thousand-year-old water-filled tunnel that’s probably haunted buried beneath tonnes of stone and we’re getting into a tiny boat to be carried over god-knows how many sharp rocks and steep drops without even a pair of oars to prevent our likely eventual death by drowning. But really, I’m sure it’s all going to be fine. In fact, I know it is. My mother is waiting for me. Despite the frisson of fear that I’m catching from the others, I’m not even all that scared really.

  My men clamber in and sit with varying degrees of discomfort. Gabriel and Grayson seem basically fine with being on board a boat. Alex looks paler than usual, if that were possible. Reuben just glares angrily at the water, like he finds it deeply offensive.

  ‘Alright, are we ready?’ I say, smiling in an attempt to brighten the mood. A moment later, before anybody has the chance to respond there’s a flicker and then the lights turn off. The whole tunnel descends into a darkness so complete I can’t tell if my eyes are open or closed.

  ‘Gabe, that spell you did before would be great, if you could do it again now?’

  I hear him murmuring a few words and feel the subtle movement of air around me that often precedes his magic, but nothing happens. If anything, the darkness feels even deeper.

  ‘Um,’ I say, my heart beginning to beat faster. I can’t even make the others out, that’s how dark it is. For a moment I have this horrible fear that I’m actually alone, and I’m going to be trapped in the darkness forever, that it’s all some huge trick by my enemies and I’ll never be let out.

  ‘I’m not sure why the spell doesn’t work, Lana,’ Gabriel says evenly. I exhale from relief at the sound of his voice close by. ‘It’s like there’s something blocking my magic.’

  ‘Okay, well, I’m going to loosen the rope and get this boat moving. Sooner we’re out of this tunnel the better, I reckon.’

  ‘Fucking yes please,’ Alex murmurs low, his words echoing weirdly off the stone around us.

  I hear a strange sucking noise and then a wet plop.

  ‘What was that?’ I say, the hairs on the back of my neck prickling with fear.

  ‘Let’s go,’ Alex says, ‘Come on Lana, the rope.’

  I reach over and fumble with the knot. It’s difficult trying to manage it when I can’t see a thing. The rope is wet and my hands are cold, almost numb. I can’t tell what I’m doing. Damn I wish I could see something. Anything. If the tiniest glow of light was visible, I would pretty much cry for happiness right now.

  A moment later, my wish is granted. Across from me in the boat, a strange pale light begins to grow. It’s bright enough in the pitch black that I can easily see how to untie the rope. As the knot holding it loosens and releases, the boat pulls free and we start to move. I look up. I assumed that it was Gabriel’s magic finally working, but as I look, I realise I was wrong.

  It’s nothing to do with Gabriel. It’s Grayson. He’s… glowing.

  ‘Wow,’ I breathe, mouth open, unable to disguise my wonder.

  He’s an angel and I guess this is his halo, but it’s not just a little circle around his head like you see in old paintings or the stained-glass windows of churches. The brilliant light emanates from his whole body and fills the space around him. It’s incredibly beautiful, and weirdly sexy. He’s so hard and so cold, but the light is soft, warm and gentle. The glow seems to take away his hard edges. I can’t make out his scars anymore. He looks younger. And as well as bringing light, the halo carries a reassurance that softens my nerves and relieves my fatigue.

  ‘Neat trick,’ Alex says. ‘How come you never did that before when we needed it?’

  Grayson winces slightly. ‘I couldn’t in the demon realm. It works here, though.’

  ‘Just don’t stop,’ I say quickly. ‘Please. I don’t mind the boat, but the darkness is… ugh.’

  Grayson meets my gaze and nods, as though he understands completely.

  I turn to see the wall gliding past us. Smooth grey stone is broken only by the same symbol we saw earlier, which looks like it’s been carved into the rock. The tunnel curves around gently to the right and the boat follows the curve. This is easy. We’ll sit and let the water carry us to our destination. I don’t know what we were all getting so panicky about.

  I hear another weird splash and I just make out, at the farthest reach of the illumination provided by Grayson’s halo, something moving in the water…

  ‘Um, what’s that?’ I say.

  ‘That will be the Guardian,’ Gabriel says quietly.

  ‘The what?’

  ‘We’ve entered the sacred complex now, and unusually it seems that it is still in use. Passageways such as this traditionally were always guarded by supernatural creatures that would demand payment or cast judgement on those who sought to enter. They are ancient and hidden and some, I believe, managed to escape the magic of the Barrier, and dwell still in this world.’

  As I watch, I think I see something long and snake-like, covered in thick round suckers like an octopus tentacle, emerging from the water and then sinking back below it again.

  ‘What do we do?’ I ask, my mouth suddenly drying up and a matching sweat breaking out on the palms of my hands.

  ‘We wait. There is nothing more we can do. It might be that the creature merely wishes to accompany us to the exit.’

  ‘Or maybe he’s feeling peckish and we’re a tasty snack,’ Alex says. ‘Jesus, Gabe. Why are things never easy?’

  As quickly as the boat speeds through the tunnel, the thing – Guardian, whatever – follows.

  I catch glimpses of it. A sucker-covered tentacle. The yellow glow of an enormous eye. And, more than just glimpses, I sense it. An intense intelligence is turned to consider us, and it seems to be able to access the bond, to use it to contact our thoughts and emotions. It gives me the weirdest creeping sensation to feel it there…

  I look to the wall and see that the images have changed. The rows of carved symbols are gone and replaced by a vision of horror. Dark red and deep brown, the colour of blood. I can see them by Grayson’s light, there are figures with wide open mouths. They look like they’re screaming in some terrible pain. The faces are contorted and strange, but the mood is clear. Horror, agony, death.

  And then I see that what I thought were just random squiggles around the pictures are actually tentacles, reaching and grasping.

  Fucking excellent.

  A moment later, I hear a bump on the bottom of the boat and I jump.

  ‘Gabriel, did you hear that?’

&
nbsp; There’s another bump followed by a scraping sound and the boat begins to tilt.

  ‘Hell no,’ Alex swears, gripping the sides tighter. ‘Last time I went for a swim I just about got eaten alive. I’m not doing that shit again in a hurry…’

  Gabriel raises his hand and murmurs some words then waits expectantly, but all that happens is the boat rocks sharply from another bump. The water swishes and whirls, and right next to us I see a giant creature, with more tentacles than I can even count. The next bump is harder still.

  ‘Gabe, a little help please?’ Alex says, his knuckles white he’s holding on so hard.

  ‘I can’t,’ Gabriel speaks through gritted teeth, his eyes dark and shadowed. ‘There’s nothing I can do. It’s as though some power is blocking me…’

  A moment later, there’s a crash and the boat tips far enough that a little rush of icy water gushes in, soaking our feet.

  ‘Enjoying this now, miss Boats-Aren’t-So-Bad?’ Alex eyes me angrily like this is all my fault somehow.

  ‘Hey, I specified boats that float. Keen on boats that float. Leaky, tippy boats, I definitely do not like.’ My voice comes out in a kind of squeak.

  We all grip the side as another solid blow rocks us.

  ‘Steady,’ I murmur, just like I did when I got in. It’s little more than an instinct and I don’t really expect anything to happen but in fact, the boat suddenly becomes still and steady beneath us. I gasp.

  ‘It seems that you have some power here,’ Gabriel says, his brow furrowed with deep thought. ‘Perhaps you should speak with the Guardian.’

  ‘Speak with it? Me?’

  I look down into the inky water below and just make out the massive, strange, terrifying shape of the creature that has been tailing us.

  ‘Can it even understand? What do I say?’ I frown.

  ‘Anything. Tell it who you are. Tell it what we’re doing here.’

  ‘Okay, I’ll try.’ I turn around so I’m facing the water, feeling horribly vulnerable – a single sudden shift and I’d topple straight into the depths and be at the creature’s mercy.

  ‘Guardian, my name is Lana Schofield,’ I say. ‘I’ve come to find my mother, Graciela. She’s a witch and I haven’t seen her since I was just a baby. She’s waiting for me in the temple.’ I swallow as what I’ve said hits me. I’m so close to meeting my mother. I haven’t seen her since I was only a few days old. This is the final test, Irena said.

  There’s a sudden roaring sound as a thick stream of bubbles rises through the water. I have no idea if this is a good thing or a bad thing or just a sign that the creature really enjoyed its last meal.

  ‘Keep going,’ Gabriel encourages me. ‘It’s responding to you, that’s a good sign.’

  Lana

  I gasp from shock. The word sounds in my mind not my ears, but it is so clear and so strange, a voice like none I’ve ever heard before. The others look at me like I’m going crazy and maybe I am because it becomes quickly apparent that nobody else can hear the voice except for me.

  ‘I have an important duty to fulfil, and many people will die if I don’t fulfil it,’ I say. ‘Please let us pass.’

  You. I have been waiting for you. You may enter. The others, I do not know.

  ‘They’re helping me,’ I say quickly. ‘I need them.’

  Hmmm the sound of it thinking is a deep, low rumble.

  An offering is required it says finally. You all may pass, but not without an offering.

  ‘An offering? What kind of an offering?’ I say frantically. This is exactly what I was worried about. Terrifying, god-like creatures expecting random offerings.

  A life it says. That is the only way to pass through. Offer a life for your passage.

  My eyes widen. I turn to Gabriel.

  ‘It says we have to offer a life for our passage. What do we do?’

  ‘Keep talking. Maybe you can convince it…’

  ‘I don’t like this,’ Reuben growls.

  ‘Of course not. Neither do I,’ Gabriel snaps.

  Grayson shifts closer to me in the boat and takes my hand. That sense of reassurance washes through me again, settling my breathing and calming my thoughts.

  ‘Gabriel’s right. Keep speaking with it. You’re the only one of us who can hear its voice. The creature is listening to you. Maybe you can strike a bargain of some kind?’

  ‘Sure. Right.’ I close my eyes and clear my throat. ‘So, um, Guardian, is there something else that we can offer other than a life?’

  The roiling mass shifts in the water beneath us.

  ‘I mean, we want to show the proper devotion, but we have an important task ahead of us and each of us has a part to play. What else could we give you that would be fitting?’

  It must be a life. You offer willingly or I take what I will… There’s a huge crash as one of the tentacles rises from the water and smashes down onto the side of the boat, making the small vessel shudder and the water surge around us. I’m soaked and it’s icy. Grayson grabs my hand.

  I look around frantically. There’s no way out. We can’t go back, and we can’t get past this creature. Either we offer a sacrifice or we’re all going to die here in the dark.

  ‘I’ll do it,’ Reuben says, rising with unsteady balance. ‘You were almost killed because of what my Pack did to you, Lana. It’s my duty…’

  It takes me a second to realise what he means. ‘No!’ I grab his arm. ‘Fucking sit down, Reuben. Nobody’s offering themselves as a sacrifice. There must be another way.’

  Though I have absolutely no idea what it is. I look around. All the guys are watching me with expectant looks on their faces like I’m about to come up with a brilliant solution, and it’s fucking terrifying. Except for Alex. He can read my mind, so he knows just how little clue I’ve got of how to get us out of this mess.

  ‘Er, Guardian,’ I say. ‘What if you let us through and we come back with a sacrifice? We… er… didn’t realise how majestic you were and have nothing that is fitting. What do you like? We can bring you something… anything…’

  Silence. The creature doesn’t speak, doesn’t move. We all sit frozen still, waiting. Maybe that’s it? Maybe it will let us go on the expectation that we’ll bring a sacrifice back for it afterwards?

  I make silent eye contact with Gabriel, who holds a finger up to his lips as though to indicate I must wait and keep quiet.

  A second later there’s a tremendous rush of water and a splintering crash and the boat literally disintegrates beneath us. I just manage to gasp a lungful of air before I’m submerged. Everything is darkness and chaos. A surge of panic rushes through the bond. The feeling is magnified because it’s coming from all four of the guys as they struggle to find the surface. Huge, powerful tentacles thrash around us. One strikes my leg with the force of a baseball bat and I feel a sudden, sharp agony as the bones shatter.

  I desperately try to swim, despite the pain, but I can’t get back up to the surface. I’m fully dressed, and my backpack is still slung over my shoulders from where I was carrying it as we walked through the tunnel. The weight of everything I’m wearing is making it impossible for me to do anything but sink deeper. Beside me, I feel my protectors struggling, fighting to keep the creature away from me. Somehow, despite the chaos and the darkness and the fact that we’re under the fucking water I can feel that they’ve formed a kind of a ring around me. I don’t have the energy to be grateful, though. I’m too close to unconsciousness. So close…

  A moment later I feel Alex beside me, grasping me with strong hands.

  You have to take your pack off

  His thoughts are clear in my mind, cutting through the panic I feel.

  He grasps the straps and tries to pull them over my shoulders, but it feels impossible underwater without light, with all the chaos and terror of what’s going on around us. I struggle to free my arms, mentally taking account of what’s in my bag. I’ll lose it all but what does it matter? If I don’t take a breath soon, I’ll die an
d the Guardian will have its sacrifice.

  Then I realise – the Dad-Jar. It’s in there. I’ve carried it all this way, in the hope of finding a beautiful, peaceful, calm place to leave it. On a mountain with a view of the sea, surrounded by trees and sunlight. Once my pack comes off it will be gone.

  I hesitate. Then it’s like I actually hear my father’s voice: Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. Dark creepy tunnels occupied by terrifying creatures out of ancient legend are some of my favourite places, you know that sweetheart.

  My arm comes free and the pack drops away. I’m instantly lighter, and begin to rise, Alex by my side. We break the surface of the water. We’re still trapped, besieged and probably doomed, but as I take a deep, delicious lungful of air I feel a shiver of hope move through me.

  An eerie quiet takes hold of the tunnel.

  What is this? The Guardian’s voice sounds in my head.

  ‘I… I don’t know what you mean?’ I’m starting to shiver now. The water is so damn cold, and I’m exhausted and in pain. My body is desperate for rest. Soon my muscles will begin to cramp and I won’t be able to keep myself afloat anymore.

  There’s a gentle swishing and then a single tentacle emerges from the water, holding something small and shining.

  The urn. The urn that my father’s ashes are kept in.

  I gape.

  ‘That is our offering,’ Gabriel says quickly from where he has surfaced just across from me. He doesn’t meet my eyes. ‘I hope it is satisfactory.’

  I want to scream. I can’t let this creature have my father. Losing him in the river is one thing, then at least I could hope that eventually he’d be washed out of the tunnel and maybe even one day end up in the ocean. But this? To hand him over to a fucking monster?

  Hmmmmm, the creature intones, as if considering it. Then a moment later, Yes, you have done well. You may pass.

  Before I can do or say anything, the creature, still holding the urn containing my father’s ashes, has slipped beneath the water and out of sight. Everything is calm and quiet.

  I sob.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Gabriel says quietly. ‘I know it is not what you wanted for your father’s remains.’