Nine
Liam
The weighty atmosphere sat atop Dusthaven like a heavy blanket, trapping the heat and sucking out all the energy. Saxon had warned me the temperature was worse within the city limits, but understanding his words and experiencing it were two very different things.
I was chafed anywhere and everywhere the sweat-soaked fabric rubbed with my movements. It was a small price to pay, more of an annoyance than anything.
How did anyone survive in this inferno? I knew more than just fire fae called this place home, but staying here for any length of time would have been torture for a frost nymph.
I was antsy, having spent the early evening hours planning and securing our exit strategy. Every minute we were here was a minute too long.
Not knowing where Raina was being held prevented us from acting sooner. All we knew was she would be at the auction house sometime after her arrival. I only hoped she hadn't already been auctioned off.
If we didn't find her tonight, our plan was to interrogate anyone involved in the auctions until we knew who'd bought her. Though, Saxon and I had made good time and my gut said she was still here.
We crept through the dark streets, our tread quieted by the soft grime underfoot. Soon, we reached the front of the auction house.
It took up an entire city block, surrounded by iron fencing. I imagined the iron was supposed to be a deterrent but anyone desperate to leave would take the burns to climb out anyway.
The gates, however, were made of some other alloy, and creaked as they opened. Pausing, we waited to be greeted or stopped, either by an employee or a spell.
Nothing happened. No one came.
Apparently, security wasn't important in such a lawless place. You entered at your own risk.
“Do not go berserker in there. I don’t want to have to plug you with my sword if you start killing indiscriminately,” Saxon threatened.
“Your warning isn’t needed. I know better than you what happens when I do.”
“Fair enough.”
We crossed the small courtyard, lit by flickering torches, and strode uninhibited to the door. Only then were we met by someone on staff.
A uniformed male, with sunken eyes and colorless skin, opened the door at our approach. He bowed and motioned for us to enter. Not once did he speak or make eye contact.
Inside, the scene was worse than I had imagined. Fae lanterns illuminated a disorderly scene, beings pushing and shoving towards the stage.
A stringy-haired auctioneer, dressed in the same bright red tunic and pants as the doorman, sat on a raised platform. His large paunch rested on his lap, greed and excitement evident in his sapphire eyes.
On the stage, and to the side of it, terrified victims huddled together, their sobs and pleas falling on deaf ears.
My heart clenched, disgust coursing through my veins like poison. Saxon's expression mirrored my own, his normally calm demeanor replaced by one of barely contained rage.
"Over there," he whispered, pointing towards a small group in the center of the room.
My breath caught in my throat as I spotted Raina, her pale hair a beacon amidst the chaos. She stood unrestrained, flanked by two fae and another male who definitely wielded magic but wasn't fae.
"Why isn't she trying to escape?" I murmured.
Slight discolorations mottled the side of her face and neck, and trailed down her arms. There was surely more damage hidden under her clothing.
I could feel the familiar weight of my sword at my side, itching to be drawn and put to use.
"Look at the mage," Saxon said, drawing my attention back to the group.
I watched as the sweaty man with purplish coloring wiped his brow, only to see Raina mirror the movement. It was then that I realized she was under some sort of spell, forced into compliance by the mage's will.
Saxon and I exchanged a disturbed glance.
"Ready?" Saxon asked, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of the crowd.
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest as I gripped the hilt of my sword. We were about to make our move when a brutish employee of the auction house spotted us, his bloodshot eyes narrowing as he took in our weapons.
"Oi! No weapons allowed in 'ere!" he barked.
"We’re here for someone and we are not leaving without her," I replied steadily, not hinting at my secondary plan to wipe this city out of existence in the near future.
His meaty fingers wrapped around a large ax secured to his back.
I shook my head in warning. "Stand down, and you won't get hurt."
"Is that a threat?" he sneered, hefting the ax menacingly. "I don't take kindly to threats."
My blood boiled at his defiance, but I knew I couldn't afford to waste time arguing. Our cover had been blown, and every second we spent engaged with this oaf was another second Raina was in danger.
"Have it your way," I replied, charging forward, sword slicing through the air.
The brute let out a surprised grunt as I clashed with him, steel biting into flesh. I kept one eye on Raina's location, making sure she was still safe, while also maintaining awareness of Saxon and Fermac, who was shielding his presence.
I didn’t worry much about the warhound. He had talents beyond mine and his masters.
"Damn it, Liam," Saxon muttered as he swiftly moved to flank the brute, his sword at the ready.
"Fermac, get to her now!" Saxon shouted as he darted into the fray.
The crowd was turning on us, but his agile movements allowed him to dodge incoming blows with ease. He struck with deadly precision, his blade finding its mark in a heartbeat.
Fae in the uniform of the auction house poured into the room, armed and yelling at patrons to exit. Three made their way to me quickly and I found myself outnumbered.
In between blows, I caught sight of the massive warhound, making his way across the room, headed straight for the mage controlling Raina. His champagne eyes glittered with fury, turning red as he tore into anyone who dared to block his path.
"Keep them off me, Liam!" Saxon yelled, drawing my attention back to our own fight.
I nodded, focusing on fending off another wave of attackers. I could hear Fermac's growls resonate through the cacophony and I was infinitely thankful he was with us.
"Almost there," Saxon encouraged, his voice strained.
I risked a glance at Raina, her violet eyes wide with confusion as she watched the chaos unfold around her.
"Raina, hold on!" I shouted, hoping she could hear me above the din of battle.
Her gaze locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, I saw a flicker of shock in her eyes.
"Come on, Saxon! We need to get her out of here," I said, my voice laced with urgency.
"Right behind you!"
"Damn it!" I cursed as a sudden, sharp pain erupted in my chest.
Glancing down, I saw a small dagger buried just below my collarbone. It wasn't deep, but it was enough to make me stumble for a moment.
An ax-baring brute charged me from the side, his eyes wild with battle lust. Had he been more skilled, I might have thought him part berserker.
I ripped the dagger from my flesh and hurled it at him with all the force I could muster. The weapon found its mark, embedding itself in his throat. He crumpled to the ground, clutching at the hilt.
Just then, a lean, thin-lipped male reached for another blade, preparing to throw it straight at me. Before he could release it, Raina snatched it from his grasp.
In one fluid motion, she plunged the blade into his throat, curling her lip and shouting obscenities at him. She stabbed him again and again until he lay there, unmoving in a pool of blood.
"Fucking bitch!" the bigger burgundy-haired fae roared, his voice hoarse with rage.
Before I could react, he swung at Raina, striking her so hard her feet left the ground as she flew backwards.
"NO!" The word tore itself from my throat as I felt my heart seize in terror.
Saxon's eyes widened as he saw the state she was in, and he redoubled his efforts to keep our enemies at bay.
The world seemed to pause for a moment as I stared down the giant fae who'd struck Raina, wondering what other horrors he'd inflicted upon her.
I couldn’t let my mind go there. The berserker was already itching to come out to play.
The air around me crackled with tension, and I knew that there was only one thing left to do.
"You will never touch her again," I snarled through clenched teeth.
With a swift movement, I lunged forward, driving my sword into his chest and straight through his heart. He gasped, his eyes widening in shock and pain, but I felt no remorse.
"Raina," I whispered urgently, scooping her listless body into my arms.
Her small frame felt fragile and weak, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt that I probably could have done more to prevent this ordeal.
Fermac, sensing our urgency, howled loudly, calling Saxon's attention to us.
"Let's go!" Saxon barked, his eyes blazing with resolve as he took the lead, clearing a path for us out of the auction house and into the alley where we'd secured two horses prior to our arrival.
"Hand her over, Liam," the demigod ordered once we reached our mounts, holding out his arms to take Raina from me.
I hesitated, feeling an irrational need to keep her close, but Fermac nipped at my thigh, forcing me to relent.
I handed Raina's limp form to Saxon, and quickly mounted my horse. As soon as I was secure in the saddle, he handed her back to me, clearly understanding my reluctance to let her go.
I situated Raina on the saddle in front of me, loosely securing a rope to keep her torso tied to mine. My arms wrapped protectively around her and I reached for the reins.
"Let's get the hell out of here," Saxon said with a grim smile, and we spurred our horses into motion.
We sped away from the auction house, keeping to the outer streets with less foot traffic, with Fermac leading the way. Shouts and thundering hooves filled the air as we raced through the city.
"Keep up, Liam!" Saxon called out.
I glanced over, a wry smile spreading across his face despite the dire circumstances. He was a picture of lethal grace, expertly firing arrows from horseback, hitting where he aimed.
"Showoff!" I shouted back, smirking, holding the jostling body at my front with one arm while the other held the reins.
Raina was still unconscious, her breaths shallow against my chest. The coppery tang of blood stung my nostrils, but I kept my eyes ahead. If I saw the extent of her injuries ... no, it was best to focus ahead.
"Almost out," Saxon yelled, signaling the approaching city limits.
The relief was short. We still had a long way to go, and there was no telling how far they'd be willing to chase us.
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the barren landscape. We'd been riding since last night, all through the day, pushing ourselves and our steeds to the limit.
We continued riding hard, our horses' hooves pounding against the earth in a desperate rhythm. I could hear the shouts of our pursuers, growing closer and louder as the sky turned to twilight.
"Damn it," Saxon muttered under his breath, glancing back at the approaching enemies. "They just don't know when to quit, do they?"
"Apparently not."
Raina's body was still limp, her head resting on my shoulder. The scent of her blood still filled my nostrils, a constant reminder of the horrors she'd been subjected to.
As darkness enveloped us, Raina finally stirred in my arms. She gasped in pain, trying to move, and I instinctively tightened my hold on her.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, cursing myself for causing her more discomfort. "I promise, we'll get you to Sage as soon as we cross the border."
Raina clung to me, her fingers weakly digging into my arm.
"Thank you," she breathed, her voice barely audible.
"Stay with me, Raina," I urged. "Try to stay awake."
If our pursuers reached us before we got to the border, she'd need to be alert enough to handle the horse while Saxon and I fought.
"Damn it, they're closing in!" Saxon shouted.
I could feel the strain in every muscle of my body as we pushed forward, the border tantalizingly close but still too far away for comfort. Each hoofbeat felt like an eternity, and I couldn't shake the feeling that we might not make it out of this alive.
But just as I was beginning to lose hope, I spotted it, a faint flare of light in the distance, marking the magicked edge of Antara's territory.
"Almost there," I told her. "Just a little further."
The wind screamed in my ears as we charged toward the border. I glanced over at Saxon, his face a mask of determination. Beside him, Fermac ran effortlessly, his massive form easily keeping pace with the horses.
"Are you ready?" Saxon yelled, his voice barely audible over the cacophony.
"Yes!" I shouted, wrapping both arms around Raina and pulling back on the reins.
"Now!" Saxon commanded, and without hesitation, we activated our portal magic.
Space bent, yanking us through the shadowy space. We emerged on the other side, in Thornewood's courtyard, gasping for breath.
"Damn, that was close," I said, finally allowing myself to relax just a little.
Saxon nodded, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of pursuit or anything amiss. "Don't let your guard down. I don't trust this is over."
I knew he was right, but all I could focus on was the fragile figure in my arms, her once-vibrant energy now reduced to a mere flicker.
"I'm taking her to Sage," I told him.
"Go on, I'll see to the horses. They're about to fall over."
Tired, but full of enough energy to get us to the infirmary, I spirited Raina straight into Sage's domain, where I found difficulty letting go of her.
Some habits were hard to break.