Chapter 6
The Below
No matter how many times he walked into the world of the Dark Elves hundreds of feet below the surface, it never got easier. Water dripped somewhere off to his left. The air was particularly damp in this section of the compound, but that would change in sixteen steps.
One had counted his steps after his first visit, where he had run into walls because there were no lights. The Dark didn’t need them to see, unlike the rest of the elven races. Then again, Dark Elves didn’t fare well in sunlight.
Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen. He drew in a deep breath as the humidity of the tunnel gave way to drier air when he entered the next room.
One turned at a thirty-degree angle and walked forward another nine steps.
There, he came to a door and rapped his knuckles twice.
A high-pitched grating sound emanated from the opposite side as the metal bolt slid across the wooden door planks.
The only way he knew the door opened was the soft stirring of the air around his face. No one greeted him, nor did anyone appear. He strode into a small antechamber that led into one of the thousand corridors crisscrossing each level of the compound.
He counted twelve steps before he took a sharp left and entered a hallway. His hands fisted at his sides. He hated that the Dark refused to light the way. They watched to see when he would give in and use his magic to help him see. He hadn’t. And he wouldn’t. He did have his pride, after all.
The hall was long but straight. And silent as a tomb.
One knew from his time exploring that five corridors branched off, with ten doorways.
Some of those doors led to rooms, but a few led to stairways that were shortcuts to other areas of the compound.
Despite his many hours exploring, he had yet to see every inch of the building—and he wasn’t sure he ever would.
He had the Masters’ ears, and they trusted him to do their bidding, but that didn’t mean he had been granted full access.
At least, not yet.
He bit back a grin and finished counting to fifty-three, where he came to a stop and flexed his hands.
One wasn’t so quick to knock on this door.
It would be foolish for him to proceed too eagerly.
He took the time to clear his mind of all thoughts except for the reason he had been summoned.
Once he’d safeguarded his mind, he visualized a barrier around his body.
It wouldn’t stop him from being hurt if the Masters didn’t like what he had to say, but it would save his life.
He sat with both for several seconds, letting his armor settle into place. Then, he knocked.
A full minute passed before the door opened.
This time, a faint, red-orange light radiated from small flames flickering inside glass domes hanging on the stone walls, fifteen feet apart in the massive circular room.
He didn’t spare a glance at the Dark who stood at the door.
Instead, he focused on the spotlight illuminating the center of the room.
He didn’t need to count these steps, but he did anyway.
Nineteen from the door to the center. When he reached it, he stood still as stone, not even reaching up to scratch the itch on the side of his nose.
This room was one of the most dangerous in all of Shecrish.
Just because he worked for the Masters didn’t ensure he would leave a meeting with them alive.
One kept his gaze forward and waited for the Masters to speak.
They sat high above him, completely in shadow.
No one knew exactly how many Masters there were, but he had counted ten distinct voices in his previous visits to the room.
Some accents were easy to pinpoint, like the three Dark and two Wood Elves.
The Sun Elf had attempted—badly—to disguise her voice.
The two Star Elves didn’t bother to alter theirs. Neither did the two Moon Elves.
Those voices, their inflections, the word choices, and even the tempos were ingrained in his mind. He intended to learn their identities. And he was close to figuring out the Sun Elf. Very close, indeed.
“What is your update?” demanded a deep voice from his left.
This Dark Elf always spoke first, making it appear as if he led the group.
Perhaps he did, but One would never presume until he had confirmation.
One swung his head in the direction of the voice and lifted his gaze.
He couldn’t make out the silhouette of the figure.
The Masters used the shadows effortlessly, but no one could stay in the dark forever.
“It’s as you anticipated. Gita took matters into her own hands.” He had actually been the one to predict her action, but it wouldn’t do to point that out.
A snort came from his right. Then a female Moon Elf said, “I told you she would find a way. She’s an asset we should’ve used instead of locking away.”
There was no debate or argument between them.
At least, not verbally. One got the impression that much happened he couldn’t see.
He would find out someday, once he claimed his seat among the Masters.
But right now, he had to deal with Gita.
She had been in charge of the Shaldorn Stronghold, and for years, he, along with Two and Three, had been her right hands.
But then Ravi and Yasmin came along and disrupted everything.
Gita’s perfect run came to an end, and the Masters had tucked her away in Belanore until they could figure out what to do with her.
She had then become his problem as she fought against the confines of her rooms and her need to exact revenge.
“What did she do, exactly?” a male Wood Elf asked.
One inwardly bristled at being the one to deliver the news, especially since he had been tasked to keep Gita under control.
In order to do that, he would’ve had to stay by her side every minute of every day, and that was impossible with his many other duties.
As well as his extracurricular activities.
That didn’t absolve him of failing to restrict her, however.
He swallowed and forced his body to relax before he answered. “She learned one of the humans she employed was taken. Gita then manipulated the other female to go after a Mountain Elf.”
There was a beat of silence, shock rocking through those in the room. He understood since he had been just as staggered when he found out.
“You’re telling us this human is going into the Dangerous Peaks in search of the Mountain Elves?”
Awareness tingled through One at the sound of the new voice.
The female had the unmistakable accent of a Sea Elf.
He had wondered how long it would take the Masters to get one of them on board.
Not all the Masters spoke, so it could be that she had been there from day one and he just hadn’t known.
Still, it was a new voice to add to the other ten.
He turned around to look in the female’s direction, fruitlessly peering into the shadows for a glimpse of her. “I am, indeed.”
“Why?” the Sea Elf demanded.
One needed to choose his next words carefully.
He wove many lies and was several people.
Keeping it all straight was a matter of life and death.
He knew Manu had helped Ravi and Yasmin, but he didn’t know how Gita had learned of it—a mistake he would have to spend the next few days correcting.
“Gita believes Mountain Elves helped the others take down Shaldorn.”
The truth. At least part of it. He hoped it would be enough.
“Then the human has doomed himself. Even if he survives the weather, he’ll never get into any of their domains.”
“She,” One corrected. “And she actually survived and was found by the Mountain Elves.”
The Dark leader’s voice boomed through the chamber, “Explain!”
Words had always come easily to One. He knew what to say to someone to get exactly what he wanted. Sometimes, it was information. Other times, it was action. Occasionally, it was simply a reaction.
He had a plan for everyone. He’d long been tempted to end Gita’s life, but it hadn’t been time yet.
He had made a rare mistake in assuming she would adhere to the Masters’ plan.
Gita had gone behind his back, but he wouldn’t allow the Masters to know that.
Sure, some might think her resourceful, but many would believe him inept.
What One had to do was find out who had told Gita about Manu.
“We all know that while humans can kill us, they are too timid to try. Gita never expected the human to be able to kill any of the Mountain Elves, but she knows that some help those stranded in the Peaks. So, she’ll get close and learn what she can,” One explained after he faced the male.
Once more, the female Moon Elf preened. “Look what Gita can do, even confined. We should release her and allow her to take care of our problems.”
The Masters had big problems in the way of three substantial hits, one on top of the other.
First, Shaldorn was shut down. Then, Arya deceived them into believing she would join their ranks, and, once freed, escaped with Jai, taking a Sea Elf prisoner with them.
The latest strike had been when an undercover agent liberated several prisoners from the very compound he stood in.
The Masters had moved freely about in the shadows for decades as they built their empire.
And the more they grew, the more fear spread about them.
Few knew their name as the Masters, but that was changing.
Anyone who went against them was dealt with swiftly and violently.
Those responsible for the current incidents had yet to be caught. And that wasn’t good for the Masters.
“Our decision regarding Gita stands for now. Let’s see what happens with the Mountain Elves before we revisit what to do with her,” the Dark stated. “Because, lest anyone forget, she is the reason we lost Shaldorn.”
Not to mention a hefty sum of profits.
“Return immediately with any updates,” the male ordered One.
He bowed his head at the command and walked out of the spotlight, moving back into the shadows to begin his long walk out of the compound where he’d eventually make his way Above. He usually took the opportunity to wander when called to the Masters, but he headed topside immediately this time.
Gita’s bold scheme went against his plans. He could have been more persuasive with Inej when he spoke with her, but something had held him back. In the end, he’d decided to let things play out. The human was clever and capable. Would it be enough for her to get close to Manu? He wasn’t so sure.
He could send an anonymous warning to the Mountain Elves. It might stop Gita’s plot, but it wouldn’t help his. Inej and Manu were no longer his concern. He could adjust to whatever happened in the mountains. The real issue now was Gita.
One should’ve taken care of her weeks ago. Too much interest was focused on her now for him to remove her. But the moment he got the chance…