53. In Which We Learn That Urgency is Treachery
Chapter 53
In Which We Learn That Urgency is Treachery
F ollowing the aroma of coffee, Ellie headed to the sitting room. The maids had already been hard at work, and she appreciated it. She figured one cup before getting ready for the training field wouldn’t hurt. A familiar voice greeted her from behind as she added creamer to her cup.
“Ellie,” Syren said softly.
Turning, Ellie beamed, blowing on the steam rising for her mug. “Syren! You’re up early. Sleep well?”
“Did you?”
Ellie leaned against the sideboard and crossed one bare leg over the other. She flushed, remembering what Evander said about wanting to take her on this very table. Maybe she’d let him.
“Oh, yeah.”
“So? You took my advice?” Syren stared.
“He fits me to a . . . G.” A slow, contented smile spread across her lips. “Like velvet steel,” she murmured into her coffee.
“Pardon?”
“Nothing”—she waved a hand—“something I read in a book.”
Syren’s expression flashed dark, her smile taking on a sinister curl before it was gone, and she was back to the seductive turn of her lips. Ellie dismissed it.
“I’m glad I found you,” she said, a little more excited than anyone should be at this hour of the morning. “I think I found something that might interest you.”
“Oh?” Ellie shrugged. “Well, I’ll take a look at it after a while. I’m training with Cam this morning, and he’s grumpy if I’m late.”
Setting the cup on the table, she pushed off, intent on her room. A running list of the things she needed to do before meeting Camulos had her distracted when she passed by her friend. Syren’s hand jutted out and grabbed her arm a little too tight.
“I’m sure Camulos can wait a few more minutes. I found something about you and Pandora’s book.” She pulled Ellie in the opposite direction of her chamber. Planting her feet, Ellie scowled, trying to work her arm free.
“Syren. I need to get a shower and get dressed.” She twisted her arm. “I can’t go anywhere right now. I need clothes and some—”
“I lied. It’s Liam!” Syren exclaimed, sounding frightened. She pulled on Ellie’s arm again.
“Liam? What’s wrong with Liam?”
“Yes, Liam,” she repeated with urgency. “He isn’t himself, and I don’t know what’s wrong. I’m worried. I tried finding Maximus, but I found you first.” She pulled on her, and this time she went.
The pair hurried along the hallways, threading through the house’s east wing. Paintings of Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera rushed by in their haste. They weaved down one corridor and then another into parts of the house she hadn’t explored yet. She did her best to mark statues and paintings in her mind. They’d be breadcrumbs leading her back to the part of the house she knew, back to Evander.
“What happened?” she asked as they rushed along.
Silence passed between them, but the worried expression that darkened her friend’s face had Ellie on edge. Pain radiated from the firm grip on her arm down to her elbow. Unsuccessful at twisting her arm free, she gave up and convinced herself that fear was the culprit that made Syren’s grip tight. They wound down a stone staircase at the end of a dark hallway.
“Where are we?”
Silence.
The staircase opened into another long corridor lined with torches. Wooden doors stood in a straight line; smaller than the oversized doors she had grown accustomed to.
“Where are we?” she repeated.
“The old infirmary. This way.”
A single torch illuminated the wood in a soft glow of orange light. It had a different appearance as if someone had recently painted it. Narrower than the other doors, the handle was odd enough to register as off. She was about to remark on the nonconformity of the hardware when her friend grasped the handle and shoved her inside.
Stumbling forward, Ellie reached her hands out to stop herself from falling. The door slammed shut behind them, plunging them into pitch blackness; sound reverberated off the walls, echoing eerily. Disoriented, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the sudden loss of light. She carefully tapped one foot before her, trying to get her bearings. Her hand grasped at the blackness, feeling for a table or bed, anything to help navigate the room.
“Liam? Syren?” she whispered into the void. Her rapid, uneven breathing sounded entirely too loud, panic creeping in as she stood awash in the Stygian darkness.
“Liam. Syren.”
She danced oddly, weaving her hands before her and gliding her feet along the stone floor. Fear curled its icy fingers around her spine as she desperately tried to connect with something. The silence pounded in her ears, vibrating her eardrum, blood racing through her veins. She attempted to remember what Camulos said about grounding herself, about focusing on a memory, but the sound of the door slamming kept repeating, echoing, making it hard to breathe. She could feel her powers tingling in her palms, the control she had been clutching at the last few days slipping through her fingers like mist.
“Liam!” Her voice shrill and uneven—more silence. The words bounced off the walls and floated far away, lost in the room’s hollowness.
“Syren?”
Silence swallowed her shaky whisper. Turning in a slow circle, her arms outstretched, she felt for her friend. Pebbles scraped against stone under her shoes as she rotated. The room smelled damp and musty, as if it hadn’t been opened in a long time. It was more than just the stale air; the suffocating blackness, the silence, the deafening click of the lock all collided and engulfed Ellie. The hair on her neck prickled, her breathing erratic as she choked on the panic that threatened to take over. She took a small step forward, wanting to find the door and return to the hall.
Holding onto threads of calm, she felt a familiar pull of her powers before Camulos, before the meadow. Her newly formed control was slipping. She was locked in here . Trapped . Trapped in a room with no way to escape. Desperation to return to Evander, to the light clawed at her. He didn’t know where she was. He couldn’t save her. No one was coming. She was alone. Alone in the dark and trapped. Just like before. Locked away. Hot tears slipped down her cheeks, running down her chin, her mouth dry. Her heartbeat in her ears, her ragged breath were the only sound in the room. Taking another timid step towards what she hoped was the door, the heel of her shoe slipped on something slick. It skidded, causing her to flail her arms wildly as she stopped herself from falling.
A spark of bright orange flashed before her, and she watched, clinging to the beacon of hope as it floated, a tiny flame of fire suspended magically, surrounded by ink. It drifted towards something, and then, in a burst of fire and smoke, a torch roared to life, ablaze with bright colors of reds, oranges, and coppers. The flames shot towards the ceiling in one gulf and died down, giving off smoke that curled into the room. Into the small circle of light made by the flame stepped her friend.
“I told you I’d deliver,” Syren said.
The once soft, friendly eyes blazed as the torch cast her features in a sinister light. The distant look on Syren’s face sent a shiver racing down her spine. Ellie opened her mouth but realized too late that her friend was addressing someone behind her.
“I never doubted you, little bird.”
The voice ran over her like icy water, and her pounding heart stopped.
“Hello, Ellie, we finally meet.”
There could be only one person to whom that dark voice belonged.
“Valerius?” she choked.
“I delivered my end of the deal; now it’s your turn,” Syren said, sounding bored.
“Deal?”
She turned to face him and, about halfway around, thought better of having her back to her betrayer. In the dim light, she noticed uneven stone like the entrance to a cave. She was no longer in the house. Her mind raced, not knowing where she was or if she was still on Olympus. She tried to recall what Camulos said the one time she had successfully opened a tiny, weak portal. It closed within seconds, and he had instructed how to keep it open. What did he say? Frantically, she tried to come up with a plan. She couldn’t open one without Cam’s help, and she knew she couldn’t control where she landed if she did. She could try, but what if she opened one to somewhere more dangerous than this? Terror rushed through her veins like icy fingers. She could run, but the cavern and the slick stone were unfamiliar. Glancing around, she looked for the door, but only more stone greeted her. With all the ways those in this realm could move between places and spaces, she could be anywhere.
Fucked. She was royally fucked .
“Ah, ah. Can we be sure she met all the requirements ?” Valerius chided.
“Oh, I’m very sure. Look at her. Or, better yet, smell her.”
Ellie trembled.
“Then I’ll be taking the Serathena with me, Callassa. Be a good little bird and hand her over.”
“That wasn’t what we discussed.” Syren grabbed her as she snarled, and she flinched in pain. The two had been arguing while she had been trying to escape. Her head was swimming.
Callassa? Who’s Callassa?
Stepping into the light, he was tall like the other men, but not quite Evander’s height, maybe Liam—she wasn’t sure. He looked like an emo version of every villain she had read about, dressed in black leather pants, biker boots, and a dark, flowing robe. His hair was so black it looked blue as he cocked his head, the planes of his face too sharp, half in shadow. Leathery, black wings—bat in appearance—folded behind him; the scales shimmered iridescent in the torchlight. If ever there was a creature of hell, it had to be Valerius.
“The deal was the Serathena unharmed for the orb. Your mate for your freedom.”
Crossing his arms over his broad chest, he looked deadly, foreboding, every bit the devil she had been warned he was. His hand disappeared into his robe and retrieved a glass orb. Swirls of green and blue glowed in the orange firelight. Syren’s eyes lit up, and she reached for the orb like a small child reaching for a cookie.
“No, no, little bird.” He snatched it back and wagged a finger at her. “The Serathena. I’d rather not forcibly take her from you; she’s awfully delicate. But I will.”
He lowered his chin, and the low flame cast eerie shadows across his cold features. His eyes were bright blue, glowing like blue flames. Turning his attention to Ellie, he raised an eyebrow at her.
“Don’t worry, darling , I’ll take excellent care of you.”
She froze, anchoring to the stone floor.
“I’m not about to be made a fool, Valerius. I need proof that it is indeed a Kalypso Orb you hold. I’m no longer a fledgling.” Syren held up one wrist; her bracelet glinted in the light. “These damn things better come off.”
Malice etched his face, sharpening the lines as his flaming eyes sparked. “Why would I lie, little bird? We have a mutually agreed upon arrangement. I get what I want, you get what you want, and the warriors”—he flicked his gaze to Ellie—“the poor warriors. Athena is killing them. Right now. As we speak, I suspect.”
The oxygen dissipated from the room; she couldn’t breathe. She gasped, but nothing filled her lungs. Her eyes were wide, her mouth agape, shaking as the realization of Syren’s treachery became clear. His dead, flaming eyes flicked back to her kidnapper.
“So, I tell you, this is the Kalypso Orb. I kept my end; now, the question remains: did you keep yours? You told Athena?”
She nodded beside Ellie.
“And she has committed the lustful deed?”
Another nod.
“ Good girl. ”
Bile rose, but she swallowed it down. That phrase, the one that last night sent shivers through her, sounded wretched coming from Valerius. She struggled not to vomit. He held the glass orb again, and Syren snatched it from his hands. She cradled it softly, pulling it towards her chest, her face lit from underneath by a glow. Ellie watched, entranced, as the light inside the glass danced, bouncing around, hitting the sides.
“Syren, please,” she heard herself say. “We’re friends.”
Her cold eyes snapped. “Syren. Gods, that was the best part.” She cackled as she held the orb. “Stupid human. You don’t know what this has cost me, what I’ve had to do to release myself from my cage. Listening to your pointless drivel for weeks. Having to pretend to care about your pathetic life. But you are no longer my concern. Here.” She shoved Ellie towards Valerius, whose long fingers curled around her bicep.
Pain coursed through her at the harsh words the woman she called friend uttered. The betrayal, the full extent, was just now dawning on her. Even on the ship, Syren had been scheming, gaining Ellie’s trust. Defeat slowly crawled across her, shredding the last of her calm. Syren had given Ellie to the enemy and betrayed the warriors to Athena, all for an orb in her hands.
Athena.
Evander.
Athena would kill him for disobeying her, for going against his vow. The outcome he had been trying to avoid had come true. She had led him to his death. He had loved her knowing the risks, and now she couldn’t save him. She was helpless. A strangled sob tore through her, and she covered her mouth with a shaking hand.
“Evander,” she whispered into her palm.
Syren brought the orb to her face again and whispered something to the glass. The inside swirled, roaring to life in a blue-and-gray, chaotic dance. A tiny tornado formed, colors swirling fast and funneling towards the center. Flashes of lightning shot out and snaked down the sides of the glass. Sparks broke free, winding themselves up Syren’s arms, glowing bright white. Ellie felt her magic surge, pulling her, calling her. It was darker, like shadows slithering to life from the corners of the room. The glow brightened, almost blinding, until it flashed to black. Valerius grabbed her and pulled as the icy-black magic engulfed Syren.
“Run,” he yanked her towards the dark.
Grabbing the torch from its holder, he took off, pulling her. The robe billowed behind him, hitting her shins as she tried to run. The cave narrowed and Valerius shoved her in front, pushing hard.
“Run, damn it.”
Confused and frightened, Ellie braved the darkness, compelled by the eerie power of the orb that sent icy fingers like shivers of death through her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Syren standing in the middle of curling shadows as the orb shot lightning in all directions. Spiraling colors of black and gray, purple and green encircled her. The sparks struck the stone walls, running down the side as the magic from within groaned and whined, letting loose a chilling screech. Winds swirled, whipping her hair and funneling down towards them as they ran. Ellie heard the gasp of breath before an unearthly scream burst forth out of Syren’s body. She watched in horror as the woman she knew changed into a black-winged creature. Her wings barely fit into the cavern, and the sounds of claws scratching the stone echoed down the chamber. Syren snapped her head in their direction, and Ellie stopped running, frozen as if the stare was enough to root her in place. Valerius shoved her, pushing on her shoulders and cussing.
“Run. Move. Now. We have to go now.”
He grabbed her arm, dragging her further into the cave. Silence pierced the darkness, and then Syren screamed. The high-pitched, forlorn crescendo of anger let loose by the pissed-off creature rushed down the tunnel, knocking them to the ground.
The stone bit into her knees as she collided with it. To protect herself from the ear-splitting cry, she covered her ears. Valerius was on the floor beside her, his hands over his ears. Reaching out, he jerked her back, covering her with a wing that lessened the attack of the scream. They had to get out of the stone tunnel and fast. Deathly silence followed as the creature stared after them, her claws scraping the stone floor. Ellie knew they had seconds before she would let loose again, and she didn’t know how much more she could take, sure her eardrums would burst if they stayed. Shoving Valerius’ wing out of the way, she concentrated, breathing as calmly as possible. Closing her eyes, she twisted her hand in the air in a circular motion. The wind picked up, her magic surged, building in her. Funneling all her power, she tried to remember what Camulos had said about portals. Her magic whined and roared, circulating as it did, beginning to form a tiny circle. Valerius growled and snatched her arm.
“No, you don’t.” He flicked his wrist and flung them both into the Shadow Realm.