Chapter 9 #2
“I take it that happened in the past?” Bodhrán asked, his expression a mix of amusement and disbelief.
“She does have a habit of getting a little too close to pointy deadly things,” Mathi said. “Did you at least find the harp?”
“I did. It’s tucked under the suit.”
“Good. Then I suggest we get out of here, just in case those ellul or whatever other magic protects that place decides it really needs the harp back.” Mathi hesitated, his gaze skimming down to my foot again. “You able to walk?”
I nodded. In truth, my feet—and the rest of me—were so damn cold I really wasn’t feeling much in the way of pain.
The coverall should have protected me to some extent from my plunge into the lake, but multiple teeth tearing into it, trying to get at my flesh, meant I was more than a little wet underneath it.
“No walking until I at least treat your foot,” Lugh growled, then swung off his pack and retrieved a small medical kit.
I patiently waited while he washed, cleaned, and bandaged my foot before inspecting the various other bite sites and treating the worst of them.
Once that was done, he and Mathi caught my elbows and helped me rise.
I tentatively put weight onto my foot; pain slithered up my limb, but it was manageable.
Whether I’d still think that by the time I got out of here was another matter entirely.
Lugh untied the rope, wound it up and stashed it back into his pack, then motioned Bodhrán to take the lead again, with me sandwiched between Mathi and Lugh.
We made it back to the bridge without incident, and while the field of ghostly fingers reappeared, their murmurings were filled with relief—which only made me wonder how many people had come seeking the pectoral in the past and failed.
If the ghosts knew, they weren’t saying.
Bodhrán and Mathi went up the steep incline first, then Lugh roped me on, and the two men hauled me up. Which was good, because weariness now pulsed through me, and I really doubted I would have had the strength to physically haul my ass anywhere right now. It was becoming an effort to even walk.
Thankfully, the journey to the surface didn’t really take all that long. As the door once again opened, triggered by who knew what, we stripped off our overalls and climbing harnesses and handed them back to Lugh. Once he’d stuffed them into the packs, we headed out.
Darby waited in the rain on the other side of the tunnel’s entrance, her coat drawn tightly around her body and face, and thick gloves on hands that held a takeout cup.
My stomach rumbled a reminder that I hadn’t had anything to eat that morning aside from cake, and that was probably half the reason why I felt so weary.
Darby straightened as I limped out, her relief turning to consternation. “What the hell have you done to yourself? And why are you the only one who is not only wet but injured?”
“I was the only one who got into the cavern. There were ellul with sharp teeth.”
“Of course there were, because why fucking not?” She shook her head and rose. “Let’s get you out of this rain so I can patch you up.”
I nodded and limped after her. Mathi and Lugh basically carried me up the embankment, but by the time we reached the car, I was shivering. A delayed reaction to what had happened more than the bitterness in the air, I suspected.
Mathi opened the Cruiser’s tailgate, and I sat down, then eased back on my butt so that my feet weren’t dangling close to the ground, making it easier for Darby to treat them.
“Here,” she said, handing me the coffee. “Drink the rest of that—it’ll help with the shakes until I can chase the chill from your skin. Lugh and Mathi can go grab us all a fresh cup.”
“And food. Hot food,” I said. “I am starving.”
“It is indeed a miracle you’re still functioning,” Darby commented. “It usually takes several bacon butties and a number of chocolate bars to get you through something that intense.”
She wasn’t talking about the expedition. She was talking about me, Cynwrig, and last night. I might not have said anything, but she’d obviously been picking up some telltale vibes.
“Bacon butties and plane kitchens are never a good combination,” Mathi said, his voice dry but bedevilment dancing in his eyes. “And if you had indeed spent less time in—”
“Never going to happen,” I cut in evenly. “I tried. Sadly, I am not that strong.”
“Oh, you are, as evidenced by the fact you’ve been resisting my magnificence for months now.”
I rolled my eyes, and Darby snorted.
“I once again have the strangest feeling I’m missing a vital part of the conversation here,” Lugh said, his gaze darting between the three of us. “And it’s getting very annoying.”
Darby patted his arm. “I’ll explain later. Right now, you need to get our girl food and tea, or she will be unbearably cranky on the way home.”
“That is a truth I cannot deny,” I said solemnly.
Lugh rolled his eyes. “Fine. We go. Bodhrán, keep an eye out, just in case there’s a belated response from the gods to our theft.”
The dark elf nodded and moved to the front of the Cruiser, where the ground was higher.
Darby pressed her hands against my temples, closing her eyes as her magic surged through and around me. After a few minutes, she grunted, and I both saw and felt her relief.
“Most of the bites are fairly minor. Your foot and your overall tiredness are probably the worst of it.”
“Despite what you’re thinking, most of the weariness comes from calling lightning into the cavern.”
“I did wonder if those sudden cracks of lightning were you, but I still doubt they’re the entire reason for said weariness.” Amusement danced through her gaze. “So tell me, does the liminal space live up to its reputation?”
“I think it would depend on the man or woman you were with but... yes indeed.”
“Ha. Excellent. Though I would suggest next time you leave a little more time to sleep.”
“Not going to happen. Not until we prove that dream wrong.” My foot began to tingle as her healing heat ran down to it. “Have you had any luck tracking down drugs that can help extend brain survival?”
“Have you had any luck getting a tracker?” she countered.
I half smiled. “Haven’t exactly had the time.”
“Then do so, because if I can’t find something suitable, then finding you in time becomes even more urgent.”
“Fine. I will.”
She grumbled a soft, “You’d better,” then added in a more normal tone, “Now, climb out of those wet things before the men get back and you get a chill. I take it you did bring fresh clothes, given you were more than aware there was water involved in this hunt.”
I smiled and reached for my overnight bag. “I did indeed.”
“Good. What about the harp? Did you get it?”
“I did.” I unzipped my coat and tugged it out from under my sweater. “It’s plainer than what I expected.”
“What is?” she said with a frown. “Because I’m not seeing anything.”
“Really?” I frowned at the harp that was plain as day for me. “It’s right here. Look—”
I grabbed her hand and pressed it against the harp. Her fingers went straight through it.
“Well, fuck,” I said. “That’s inconvenient.”
“Not really,” she said. “If no one but a god or a godling can see it, then no one but a god or godling can steal it.”
Aasym had told me that humanity could not take what is little more than air, but I hadn’t realized it’d meant it literally. “It’s still damn annoying.”
“Well, I daresay that comes with the territory when dealing with the gods.”
That was a truth I could not deny. I placed the harp beside me, quickly stripped off my clothes, and then redressed.
When Lugh and Mathi had returned with coffee and toasties for us all, I repeated the process with the harp.
None of them could see or touch it. Lugh tossed me a small drawstring bag to put it in, and then, once Mathi had rung his pilot to tell him to ready the plane and file the flight details, we climbed into the Cruiser and headed back to the airport.
There was a slight delay in boarding, but we were in the air within the hour and back in Deva by midafternoon.
Mathi dropped me off at the lane, but I’d barely gotten through the back door when the Eye burned to life. Once again, there was a vision to be had.
I hurried down the corridor, greeting the bar staff as I passed them, and raced up the stairs.
Ingrid was talking to someone in the office, but I didn’t stop, hurrying on up to my floor, then over to the loft ladder.
I pressed the button to unfold it, paced as I waited for it to come down, and then clambered up.
I tossed my purse and the bag containing the harp onto the sofa, then ran down to the end of the room to retrieve the Codex.
Once I was comfortable, I placed the knives and the Eye onto the Codex and said, “Show me.”
Instantly, I was swept away.
You’ve done the inventory? came the all too familiar voice of the Ninkilim leader.
Indeed, I have, Carla replied. It is not good news.
I thought you had nothing of import stored there.
I forgot the scrolls were there.
What scrolls? It was flatly said, and yet his fury was almost smothering.
The ones the witch’s mother stole.
I guessed that answered the question as to whether the scrolls were the ones Mom had stolen, but how had they retrieved them from her?
Had they forced the location out of her before they’d brought a fucking tunnel down on top of her?
Or had some sort of magical tracker been placed on them?
The latter would certainly explain the puff of smoke I’d seen when I’d touched them with the knife.
Why in the gods’ names would you store them there? came the snapped reply.
With the witch’s spawn wandering about finding relics willy-nilly, it was as safe as anywhere else. She paused. Any progress on our thief? I doubt it’s a coincidence he is hitting all of my residences, be they old or new.