Chapter 8 #2
We paused only long enough to grab a few more items, including warm blankets, spare clothing, and rations, before slipping out a side door and deeper into the quiet corridors. The hallways were thick with shadow. Every door we passed was closed and silent as a crypt.
I kept Briar close, my hand hovering protectively just above her back, needing to know she was there and safe. The faint light from the vial Thalen carried lit our path in a low amber shimmer.
I counted our steps: six to the ornamental archway, and three more to the carved panel embedded in the stone.
I pressed my palm to the panel, fingers seeking the pressure-point switch hidden in the spiral pattern.
Click.
The seam opened with a muted pop, and a whisper of cool air rushed out to greet us, thick with the scents of healing herbs, lavender, cedarwood, and faint traces of lamp oil.
“Quickly,” I murmured, ushering Briar through first, then Thalen.
The narrow passageway curved slightly and then descended. Silence curled around us like a second skin. Most of the rooms we passed were shrouded in darkness, abandoned and untouched, except one.
A faint strip of light spilled from beneath the farthest door.
Someone was here.
I passed Thalen the vial, moved closer to the door, and pressed my hand against it to open it on silent hinges.
Every instinct in me screamed to fight. No one should be in here. No one but Morlo, my father, and me.
The small chamber held a bed, a table, a narrow cabinet, and a glowing oil lamp.
And in the bed lay a figure, tangled in rumpled blankets.
A Terran fae, broad-shouldered, shaggy-haired, and staring blankly at the ceiling with unblinking eyes. His fingers were curled tight in the fabric beneath him, as if he were bracing for pain. Bandages wrapped his torso, shoulders, and arms, leaving only one bear-claw tattoo exposed.
His gaze snapped to the door.
“Elias?” Briar whispered, pressing in beside me as I opened the door the rest of the way.
He struggled to sit up, eyes bleary but wide. “Briar?” Relief flooded his features, and he clapped one hand over his mouth, choking on a ragged sob.
She held a finger to her lips and darted to his side.
“Can you walk, Elias? Some of the Aurelines have attacked and taken over the palace. We’ve got to get you out of here before they find you and finish what they started.
” She explained the situation to him quickly, then asked, “Are you willing to come with us? We need to learn everything you know about your captors.”
“I’ll help you any way I can, and I’d rather risk walking than end up back in those monsters’ hands.” He shoved the blankets aside and eased out of the bed. His scarred, bruised legs wobbled, and he planted a hand on the wall to steady himself. He wore soft blue trousers and a loose tunic.
Briar slid in beside him. “Do you need help walking?”
“Maybe—maybe just a little,” he admitted, obvious affection and gratitude shining in his eyes.
A low growl rose in my throat as he slipped an arm around her shoulders. The urge to snap him in half seared through me, suddenly and irrationally. Of course he felt indebted to her. She was the only reason he was still alive. But that didn’t mean he had to touch her.
Thalen bumped my ribs on the uninjured side, shooting me a look edged in amusement. I scowled when I caught the teasing grin he didn’t bother to hide.
Bastard.
Yes, I knew I was being ridiculous. But I didn’t need him pointing it out.
With a wide, crooked smile, Thalen nudged past me and slid into position on the other side of Elias. “You help Vad, Chaos. I’ve got our new friend. Come along then, Badger Claw. Let’s get you somewhere safe.”
“They’re bear claws,” Elias said, wincing slightly as he transferred his weight to Thalen’s arm.
“Really? Fascinating. Never would have guessed,” Thalen deadpanned. “Now let’s stay quiet so we don’t draw any extra attention. I feel like we can all agree that one fight tonight was enough.” He looped an arm around Elias’s bony torso to better support him.
I reached for Briar, guiding her into the hall.
Then something rustled in the dark.
I stepped out fast, my wings flaring wide as I scanned the corridor.
Nothing.
No movement. No sound. The hall was closed off. Nothing could get in here. There was no way in or out besides the passage behind us. The attendants who brought food and medicine wore enchanted pendants that wiped their memories the moment they left. Morlo had overseen every detail.
Besides, that hadn’t sounded like fae footfalls or the brush of fabric.
It had sounded like claws.
Something was here.
Something wrong.
The air shifted, sharper now, like the storm before a strike. No magic hung in it, but danger clung to every breath.
Briar’s concern blended with mine. She linked, I feel it too. She stepped beside me, surveying the room. Do we check the rooms?
No, I linked back. There isn't time. Let’s get back to the others.
As we hurried silently down the halls, hugging the wall to make our way back, not one person crossed our path.
Not a servant.
Not a guard.
No one.
The silence crept under my skin like a sickness. The palace was massive, but it wasn’t big enough that everyone could have disappeared.
We’d reached the last cross corridor before the secret door when a sudden string of bloodcurdling screams pierced the air, echoing in every direction.
I froze, listening to the noise and determining its location. “Sounds like it’s coming from the halls that lead to the barracks.”
“Could it be from the battle in the Ceremonial Hall?” Thalen’s voice wavered.
“It doesn’t sound like a battle.” Briar’s nostrils flared as she scented the air and then frowned.
She was right. There was no clash of weapons, no shouts, and no commands. Just fear and pain...and then it ended. As if someone had just snapped a neck or crushed a windpipe.
Elias shuddered.
We wasted no more time.
Down we went into the passage, my head scraping the low ceiling more than once.
Every six or so steps, I cast a look behind us.
The walls felt like they were closing in on us, as if the stone itself expected violence.
Briar’s hand twitched in mine, her pulse quickening.
Her unease filtered through our bond, confirming she felt the discomfort too.
Halfway down the first spiral, she stopped.
I halted, every sense on edge. Thalen and Elias paused behind us.
“What is that?” Thalen whispered. His grip stayed firm around Elias’ waist. A faint golden glow pulsed from the vial in his other hand.
“What did you see?” I asked, voice low.
Briar shook her head, jaw clenched. “I thought I saw—” Her brow pinched. “Never mind.”
But it wasn’t nothing.
Fear spiked through our bond, sharp and fast, like glass buried in my ribs.
I scanned the darkness and, for a split second, I caught it. Red eyes watching from the curve of the stairwell. Gone before I could track them. A shadow beast?
I inhaled deeply, checking the air for blood, for rot, for anything familiar.
Nothing.
Just cold, humid air and the steady echo of my own pulse in my ears. “Come on. Let’s move.”
We needed to get back to the others, now.
The narrow passage spat us out into the onyx cellar. This was the worst of the corridors. Every footstep echoed off the arched ceiling, and the only light came from what we carried. I didn’t need to press a hand to the cold stone wall, but I did it anyway. My nerves remained on alert.
I motioned for everyone to halt, then pointed to the thin tripwire and the cup of ball bearings balanced on the lintel.
“Don’t break the wire.” I stepped over it and held out my hand to Briar. She didn’t need it, but I offered it anyway. My blood thrummed as her fingers curled into mine. Her long, wild copper curls bounced as she hopped over the wire.
Thalen and Elias followed.
A few more seconds, and the door was locked behind us. We were safe…for now.
We made it back to the gathering room within minutes.
Silus was sitting against a wall, Elara’s head resting on his thigh, his arm curled protectively around her. Myantha and Rhielle were sorting bags, and Veralt was checking supplies. Vyraetos was crushing something bitter in a mortar, grinding it one-handed with a pestle clenched in the other.
Thalira looked half asleep, her posture drooping as Quen held a lamp over her to warm her hands.
“Praise Fate!” Vyraetos breathed, grabbing the leather bag from me and taking it to Elara. Silus straightened and cradled her head, and her long lashes stirred. Her breaths came slow but steady.
When Quen spotted us, her face lit up, and Thalira gasped. Hope and fear flashed through her dark eyes as she reached for Quen. Her skin had gone waxy, and beads of sweat clung to her forehead. The bolt lodged in her shoulder hadn’t budged. “You found it?” she rasped.
Briar beamed. “We got it. You’re going to be all right.” She crossed over to them.
Thalira reached out with her healed hand and pulled Briar down into a tight hug. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’d have done the same for me.” Briar hugged her back. Through our bond, relief surged so hard that emotion pricked within me.
Briar had adopted these women’s fates like they were her own. And now that I felt her loyalty to them, I finally understood. Words had never been enough.
“I told you, you aren’t going to die.” Briar sighed.
“No dying.” Thalira agreed with a weak laugh. “Except for Kaylen, Calla Lily, and whoever caused all this.” She grimaced.
Briar helped her sit up and tucked the blanket around her. “Are you still in pain?” She placed her hands on Thalira’s shoulders, taking care not to touch the bolt embedded in her flesh.
“I can manage. It’ll get better now.” Each of Thalira’s breaths came shorter than the last.
I gestured for Briar to return to the mat.
Even to someone with no medical knowledge, it was obvious Thalira’s life wasn’t safe yet.