Chapter 35
Yasmin couldn’t take her good eye off Ravi. He was there. She couldn’t believe it. He was covered in his enemies’ blood, and given the cuts in his clothing, some of his, as well. She caught glimpses of a female Dark fighting with him, but Yaz couldn’t stop watching him.
Even when he was outnumbered, Ravi didn’t panic.
He moved with a proficiency that spoke of years of training.
He struck as quickly as a viper and with the fierceness of a bird of prey.
She thought he might get beaten a few times, but he managed to get out of it.
She wished she could join the fight, but it was enough that she got to see him one last time.
Yasmin spotted Two before Ravi did. She tried to shout a warning, but she couldn’t manage more than a whisper. Then Ravi spotted him. She listened to the exchange between him and the Dark. Then, the female was beside her.
“Help him,” Yasmin urged, her words a hoarse croak.
The female glanced over her shoulder before straightening and going to stand beside Ravi. Yasmin’s vision wavered. She fought to cling to consciousness, but it became harder with every breath.
A crash yanked her back from the brink of oblivion.
Beside her were chunks of wood from one of Gita’s machines.
Yasmin swung her gaze to Ravi, but he was gone.
The sounds of battle raged around her, but she couldn’t see where anyone was.
Something smashed behind her. The Dark female flew over her and landed on her back before rolling to her feet, gray magic forming like interlocking bracelets around her hands.
Yasmin heard Ravi bellow. There was a moment of silence before something slammed into the floor. Then Ravi and the Dark were on either side of her.
“Hi,” he said as he smiled down at her.
A lock of his golden hair had fallen into his face. Yasmin wished she could smooth it back. She tried to smile.
“Don’t talk,” he said as he glanced at the door. “Arya is going to get us out.”
Yasmin swallowed. She had to tell him about the device. “Gi…”
“Gita?” Arya offered.
Yasmin tried to nod. “Gave…de-device…”
“Gita gave the device to someone?” Ravi asked.
Yasmin looked into his copper eyes and nodded again.
“Do you know where? Did the stones tell you?”
“Back,” she croaked.
He frowned. “Back entrance? Is it on the main level?”
“Aye.” She slid her gaze to the door. “Go.”
He rushed to the doorway and looked out as Yasmin met Arya’s gaze.
The Dark’s brow furrowed deeply. “You’re dying. We need to go now.”
“His…mission.”
“He chose you,” she argued.
Yasmin pleaded with her expression since words were too hard.
“He has to know,” Arya whispered.
Yasmin managed to shake her head.
“There’s a chance I can track them,” Ravi said.
Arya’s shoulders dropped as she held Yasmin’s gaze. “Go. I’ll get Yasmin away and come back for you.”
“Thank you,” Yasmin mouthed. She closed her eyes and succumbed to the darkness.
Knowing Yaz would make it out of Shaldorn to the healers kept Ravi going. He was tired and hurt, but there would be time enough to rest later.
He didn’t get far down the hallway before guards confronted him. He plowed into them with his sword swinging, his purpose renewed.
Dain stalked the passages of the city within the mountain.
Navara was far older than Rannora or Belanore.
The Mountain Elves were stingy with who they allowed into the hallowed halls.
He was shocked that he was one of them. He doubted he would have been, had the current objective not been so important.
He was troubled that Arya hadn’t returned with Ravi or Yasmin.
Dain knew the pair had gotten to Shaldorn, but there were any number of reasons why the trio hadn’t made it out yet.
He was tempted to enter the fortress himself to find them.
If anything happened to them, he might have to share with his superiors that he had been working with the DIA. And he knew how that would turn out.
They didn’t believe the goings-on at Shaldorn were important enough to risk an agent.
So, he had done the very thing he wasn’t supposed to do.
He had gone to the elves on the surface.
Durga had been interested in his intel as well as his plan.
She had brought her best agents onto the team to ensure things went smoothly.
Dain would’ve gone himself, but his superiors were watching him too closely. Instead, Ravi had taken the position.
Dain turned a corner in hopes of locating Manu. The Mountain Elf governed Navara, keeping its occupants safe from the growing threat of Shaldorn. But Manu had yet to return. Manu waited outside the fortress, watching the comings and goings in case Ravi couldn’t get the device.
Dain entered the grand house, nodding to workers.
Manu had given Dain a place to stay in his home while he waited.
He hated not knowing what was happening.
What if the lengths they were going to weren’t enough?
What if the device made it across the border and into Idrias?
He had notified Savita as soon as he got the information about the device.
She had promised to contact her sister and Kendrick about it.
Savita had missed their last meeting. She was busy investigating the Conclave to see which of them had tried to kill Kendrick and Esha, which was as dangerous as what Ravi and Yasmin were undertaking.
Dain did his best to help Savita, but it hadn’t been easy.
When information about the device had reached him, he had to shift his entire focus to it.
“Dain!”
He spun around in the hallway. He spotted Arya leaning against a wall, heaving, and raced to her. With one look, he knew she had been in the thick of battle. “Where are Ravi and Yasmin?”
“I had to get her out. Ravi stayed behind to track the device,” Arya explained.
“What happened to Yasmin?”
Arya hesitated. “She’s dying. She’s with the healer, but…”
Dain nodded, not needing to hear more. “I’m going in after Ravi.”
“Not without me.”
He eyed her. She was fatigued and bruised, but he knew she wouldn’t be left behind. Besides, he could use the help. “Let’s go.”
Staff scurried away at the sight of Ravi. He leaned against the wall and wished the stones would tell him the quickest way to the back exit. But he couldn’t hear them, and he didn’t have Yaz to translate. Which meant he was on his own. How had he ever thought that was what he preferred?
He heard more guards approaching. His magic was all but depleted, and he had no idea when he might see the sun again.
He needed help. But he knew just the place.
Ravi straightened from the wall and ran to the stairs, stepping over the dead.
He reached the staircase and slid down the banister to the second floor.
His landing wasn’t perfect, but he stayed on his feet.
He rushed into the market area to see only two guards watching over the staff.
Ravi caught sight of the children. They were drenched and shaking as they held on to each other.
The bastards had left them to face the storm while everyone else went for safety.
Ravi locked his gaze on the guards and started toward them.
They peeled back their lips in excitement at the sight of him.
One rushed him, his arm up and his blade poised.
Ravi saw the move coming and easily ducked the downward swing.
As he passed the guard, Ravi used his sword to slice the guard’s stomach.
Ravi straightened and faced the second one as the first hit the floor with a thud.
The guard slowly withdrew his sword. Ravi saw that it was one the Asavori Rangers carried.
The elf twisted his wrist to send the blade twirling around him.
Ravi brought his weapon up, their blades clanging together.
They each used their other hand to get leverage, but neither was able to gain the advantage.
Ravi stepped back and swung his blade down, using the guard’s momentum. He shoved the elf to the side before he spun and sank the blade into the guard’s back. A strangled cry gurgled from his opponent before he collapsed.
Ravi abandoned his weapon and turned to find the staff staring at him with a mixture of wariness and fear. Then his gaze slid to the children. He wiped the blood from his hands on his pants as he made his way to them. They squished tighter together as he approached.
He slowed his steps and lifted his hands as he smiled. When he reached them, he went down on one knee. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
The way they clutched each other broke his heart. No child should have to endure such a life. It didn’t matter if they were human or elf. He kept his expression easy as he found the lock on the chain that bound them.
“It’s been a strange night, aye?” he said pleasantly as he called to his magic to unlock the latch. It took a moment for it to respond and break the padlock. “I bet you’d like to get dry. Maybe find some food,” he said as he tossed aside the lock and began removing the chains.
The children didn’t respond. Their wide, terrified eyes confirmed that their trauma went deep.
Even when the bonds were removed, they didn’t budge.
He glanced at the staff. He wasn’t sure he could trust them, but he also couldn’t send the children out into the mountains on their own.
But they couldn’t remain either. Arya would’ve come in handy at that moment.
As if his thoughts had conjured her, she stepped out of a darkened corner. Another shadow appeared to the left and parted to reveal Dain. Ravi couldn’t remember ever being so happy to see him.
“About time,” Ravi said as he straightened.
Dain’s yellow gaze flicked to the kids. “You’ve made a mess here.”
Ravi ignored him and looked at Arya. “Can you get the children to safety?”
“Of course,” she replied and walked to them with a smile. “Come, my darlings. We’re going to be free of this terrible place.”
To Ravi’s surprise, Arya was able to coax the children to her.
Her shadows enveloped her and the first two as she got them to safety.
Ravi strode to the weapons booth and grabbed a Ranger blade from the display on the wall.
He also took two daggers. He shoved one into the side of his boot, and the other went into the waist of his pants.
Then he went from table to table, grabbing anything and everything he could find as Arya returned and removed more of the kids.
Dain glared at the market, his lip curled in disgust. But he also grabbed items.
“The device is headed toward the back exit,” Ravi said as he passed the Dark.
Dain fell into step with him. “What are we waiting for then?”
They raced out of the hall to the stairs, where they found five guards waiting.
Ravi and Dain exchanged a look, but neither slowed.
A vine of magic shot toward Ravi’s head.
He slid to the ground, the momentum propelling him across the smooth tile.
He lopped off the elf’s hand as he passed, then popped back onto his feet behind the guard.
The elf’s screams of pain were silenced when Ravi shoved his blade into the guard.
Magic sizzled along the back of Ravi’s leg as he turned.
His muscles went lax, and his knee gave out as pain flooded him.
Ravi spotted a Sun Elf striding toward him as he fell.
With his leg seizing and stabs of pain running up and down his limb, Ravi released the last bit of his magic against the elf bearing down on him.
Yellow coiled outward from Ravi’s palm and wrapped around the guard’s head, ripping it from his body.
“Impressive,” Dain said as he helped Ravi to his feet. “You good?”
The pain was diminishing, but it would be some time before his leg was right again. Ravi glanced at the three guards the Dark had taken down. He nodded, and they were off again. Ravi didn’t move as fast as before and had a limp, but he still managed to keep up with Dain.
The guards dogged their every step, making him and Dain stop repeatedly to fight their way through. Dain was lethal. Ravi might not like him, but he was glad the Dark was on his side. Even Ravi could admit that they made a great team.
Ravi blew out a breath when they finally reached the main floor. He scanned the area that had once been filled with guests. Shaldorn was as silent as a tomb. Did that mean the guests were gone? Or dead?
“How much magic do you have left?” Dain asked as they jogged down a long corridor.
Ravi shook his head. “Very little, if any.”
They turned a corner and were met by seven guards, along with One and Three. He and Dain came to a halt.
“Who are the two in front?” Dain asked.
Ravi eyed the Star Elf on his left and the Wood Elf on his right. “The rest of the Trinity who runs Shaldorn. They go by One and Three, though I don’t know which is which. I killed Two earlier.”
Dain looked at him. “Then let’s take care of these. You good?”
“I’m still on my feet.”
The Dark grinned before facing the group. He raised his voice and said, “You have one chance to step aside, or we kill you where you stand.”
The Star Elf laughed. “Not going to happen.”
The Wood Elf motioned with his hand, and the guards attacked.
Ravi’s sword was in his right hand, a dagger in his left. He held his position, saving his energy as the guards rushed them. Gray magic lashed out like lightning from Dain to zap into four of the guards’ hearts, ending their lives instantly.
The other three didn’t slow. Ravi dodged one shot of magic, but he wasn’t quick enough for a second as it pelted his shoulder and spun him.
The dagger fell from his hand and skittered across the floor when he landed on his side.
Ravi quickly got to one knee, grabbing the second dagger from his boot as he did.
He brought up the blade in time to block a blow from a guard’s weapon.
Ravi surged to his feet and used his sword to slice the guard’s stomach open. He glanced over to find Dain pulling his sword from an opponent’s mouth. All seven guards lay dead around them.
Then, One and Three attacked.