49. That’s illegal
49
That’s illegal
Kaine
T here was no sign of Talon as we approached the tower. Nidori even used her root system thing to scan the ground, but she said she couldn’t feel him. Perhaps he had done it; he had reached the tower ahead of Cassandra and freed the relic.
My hope in that outcome died as we saw the base of the tower. Direwolves guarded the entrance. Cassandra’s favorite toys.
I scanned the ground. There were scorch marks on the floor and walls, and in the middle of the courtyard was a familiar silver sword. I swallowed as I saw drag marks in blood that led right to the door.
She’d taken him inside. Shit.
We’d guessed wrong. Of course, it was Talon she wanted. His victory would guarantee my loss.
The wolves settled, eyes fixed on our every move as they sat before the entrance. I tried to approach, but they growled, hackles raised. I stopped. We couldn’t take them; there were too many, and Nidori was exhausted.
This was it.
I’d lost .
“Talon!” called Nidori, eyes wide. She tried to take a shaky step towards the door.
“Rest,” I said. “We can’t do anything until you’ve got a bit of strength back.”
We couldn’t really do anything at all, but I wasn’t going to tell Nidori that.
Nidori sat down, arms wrapped around her legs, tears in her eyes.
Soon, Cassandra would use Talon to summon Lydes and complete his task.
Cirae’s protection would vanish.
I stood, resting my hand on one of my daggers.
“What’s the plan?” she asked me, eyes wide.
I wanted to laugh. The logical plan for me right now was to slit my own throat.
Quick. Clean. Peaceful.
“Fuck,” I spat, kicking a crumbling wall beside me. It shattered with a satisfying crack, sending a spray of debris twenty feet.
Why wasn’t I long dead by now?
The thought of Cassandra winning, of returning to my former shackles, was enough to fill every nerve I had with terror.
Nidori and Talon would be freed with my death. They’d be all right. They wouldn’t join me in my enslavement.
I sank to my knees, raising my dagger to my neck. I squeezed my eyes shut, but just held it there, hand shaking.
A soft hand closed around my fist, pushing it down. “Kaine?” Nidori’s gentle voice was laced with fear.
I leaned forward, a sob coming from my chest. “I can’t go back, Nidori. I can’t be enslaved again.” I said, burying my face in her thick curls .
She took the dagger and wrapped her arms around me. “I’ll die before I let her take you,” she said fiercely. “It’s not fair. We still have a chance, Kaine.”
“You overestimate our abilities to take on those wolves,” I said, looking at her with a sad smile.
“You remain,” a voice said from my side. I jumped and swore. Cirae was there, looking at us with their large, sad, creepy eyes.
“We’ve lost,” I said bitterly.
“As things are now, perhaps.”
“I’m not really in the mood for vague, cryptic bullshit,” I snapped, and Nidori giggled nervously.
Cirae blinked their freaky blink at me. We were wasting time. I could only have seconds left before I was enslaved again. Perhaps I could convince Nidori to kill me.
“You remain,” they repeated. “Many would have guessed you would flee, one way or another. But you haven’t. Something holds you back.”
“So?” I replied. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does. To me.” They turned to look at the tower. “Many plans have been laid for this day. I have sacrificed much, waited too long to get here. I do not wish to lose.”
“I’m with you there,” said Nidori.
“Kaine. And Nidori. You are my last chance.” A smile touched their face, and they cocked their head at me. “Perhaps a desperate chance. But I’m hoping the fact you are still here shows me it is not unfounded.”
“It’s too late. We can’t get past the wolves,” I said.
“Perhaps not,” they said, “without a little…assistance.”
They waved their hand, and the direwolves crumbled to dust. Just like that .
Nidori stared at them with wide eyes. “That’s illegal.”
Gods didn't interfere in a contest of champions; not historically. I tensed, waiting for something to happen, perhaps a god-umpire to stomp out from the ruined buildings and blow a whistle.
“What is forbidden for a God? Only what they deem to be detrimental” they said. Cryptic jackass.
Still, I took a cautious step forward, hope lifting in my chest. I took Nidori’s hand, starting towards the tower. We didn’t have much time.
“Kaine,” said Cirae, holding up a hand.
I paused, glaring at them. What now?
“If Lydes appears, he will be in a temporary form. Destroying that form will expel him. Ensure you do this before trying to summon me. I will not come if he is there.”
Ugh. That sounded awful.