Chapter 40 #2
I didn’t know why I wanted to give him that bit of comfort, but perhaps that was what he needed to hear because he glanced at me and smiled.
We were quiet for a while, his words playing over in my head.
To love someone so much, you create a mark that transcends time.
Gabby would have eaten it up. What would it be to have that perfect person designed just for you?
I knew Gabby loved that stuff. She loved watching it and reading about it.
Gabby loved love, or maybe just the idea of it.
On the other hand, I had seen love up close and personal.
Kaden taught me it was just a dream made by children.
Everyone lied, cheated, or sold out their so-called loved ones for the right price.
It wasn’t real in my world, but maybe it was in Gabby’s.
She’d wanted a soul tie. She’d told me as much, and maybe that had been Rick for her.
He was just a mortal, yet he’d fought to the death to keep her safe when I couldn’t.
“You didn’t know all of this?”
Logan’s voice pulled me from my thoughts as we crawled over a slab of overturned stone. Water dripped from the ceiling, and the humidity continued to grow.
I shook my head, keeping my eyes forward and putting one foot in front of the other. “How would I know? They don’t exist for creatures of the night.” I kept my face expressionless, feeling the beads of sweat running down my back. “I will never have a mate.”
Even if by some miracle I did, it was probably Kaden. Another way for the universe to laugh at me and mock my miserable soul. He was just as cruel as I.
“Everyone does,” Logan said, “and they always find each other.”
I snorted, “I’m sure they do.”
“I am telling you the truth, Dianna. It doesn’t matter the distance or time. It’s inevitable, even if it takes a thousand years or more.”
“Please.” I rolled my eyes so hard I was afraid they’d get stuck. “Don’t tell me you think Samkiel’s my mate.”
Logan shrugged. “I don’t. We all know his amata died, but you two are something.”
“We’re not, trust me. You’re just as confused as him to think otherwise. Samkiel and I hated each other the moment we met. We only managed to get along because we made a blood deal while I held you hostage. Then we were forced to work together to keep my now-dead sister alive. Remember?”
Logan’s smirk grew a fraction. “Uh-huh.”
“Besides,” I went on, “I was just the first action he got after locking himself away for a thousand years, so of course, he is a little bit obsessed, but that doesn’t make it real.”
Logan stopped, and against my better judgment, I did, too.
“Logan, I swear if you charge after her again, I will knock you unconscious,” I groaned, turning toward him.
Logan just stared at me, his arms folded.
“What?” I sneered.
“Gods, you seem so physically strong, but you bury your emotions deep so you don’t have to feel anything for him, for anyone. Does it help? The lying to yourself part? Or does it make it worse?”
A fireball flew from my hand, hitting him in the shoulder. It bounced off his shirt and fell to the ground with a hiss. He laughed.
I glared, not seeing even a single mark.
His eyes caught mine as he brushed a hand down his shoulder. “Samkiel made us fireproof clothes after the incident at the Vanderkai’s mansion.”
A growl vibrated behind my fangs. “That’s fine. I can rip your throat out with my teeth.”
Logan squared his shoulders and placed his hands on his hips. “Oh, so it doesn’t help then.”
“Oh, you can’t be fucking serious, Logan. What future do you see for us, huh? Even before the killing? A good fuck here and there, maybe, but long-term? I’m not like you or them or even him.”
“Ah, so you have thought of a future with him?”
“That’s it.” Talons replaced nails as I growled.“I’m going to kill you.”
Logan held a hand out, stopping me as I advanced. “Just answer me this. It’s not like anyone’s gonna know, anyway. This is a suicide mission, remember ?”
I narrowed my eyes at him as he emphasized the last word.
“Just tell me if you’ve thought about it, even for a second.”
Light flared from beneath a door so deep in my mind I flinched. The door shook and rattled, screams echoing through my head. I clenched my hands so tight my claws drew blood.
“I didn’t, okay?” I snapped at him. “Just drop it.”
His lips twitched. “Okay.”
“And stop smiling like that. It’s fucking creepy.”
He laughed. “Okay.”
Turning back to the tunnel, we said nothing for a long moment. The only sound was our feet moving across the stone ground. Flames danced in my hands again, lighting the way. The silence didn’t last long, broken by the whirring of machines and grating of chains.
I held my hand up, stopping Logan. I extinguished the flame in my hand as we arrived at the mouth of the tunnel. Heavy footsteps came from above, and we moved in unison, pressing against the wall.
“Can you do what you did before? Where they can’t see us?”
I shook my head. “Maybe for myself, but it took too much power with you. I’m still learning and need all the extra I can muster to kill Kaden.”
Logan nodded and peeked around the corner.
He kept pace with me, both of us hugging the wall.
We continued on the winding path beneath the building until the noises and footsteps drew closer.
A square wooden door was carved into the ceiling above us, and I noticed several others down the path.
There were no steps or stairs, which told me exactly where we were.
Sewer. I swallowed my disgust and tried not to think about it.
“That’s our way in.” I pointed up, and Logan grimaced.
“Is that what I think it is?”
I nodded. “Listen, you and I have both disemboweled creatures. This is nothing.”
Logan didn’t look convinced.
“Okay, I’ll go first. Just give me a boost.”
“Absolutely not.” Logan jumped, taking the cover of the hole with him.
“Rashearim men!” I cursed, clenching my fists. “Always the fucking heroes.”
Logan’s head appeared in the hole he had made. “All clear.”
He lowered his hand to help me, but I swatted it out of the way and jumped. He scrambled back out of my way. I landed in a crouch and stood. Logan leaped to his feet, brushing gods knew what from his pants, and looked around.
We were in the middle of a dimly lit stone room. Even with the heat of this realm, this room felt cold and desolate, but I didn’t have long to think about it. Something grabbed me painfully by my ponytail, yanking me off my feet.
“Trespasser!” a voice roared behind me.
“Dianna!” Logan yelled.
My body hit the stone wall, and pain took my breath away. I heard Logan groan as he crashed through the wall next to me.
I gasped, trying to catch my breath. A giant creature stomped toward me.
Its arms, chest, and legs looked hewn from stone with a face made of the same.
Hollow pits took the place of its mouth and eyes.
It roared at me, and I jumped to my feet, summoning the forsaken blade.
It threw its fist at me, but I ducked and brought my sword up.
The creature’s arm fell to the ground with a thud.
It roared its fury and charged. I sidestepped, extending my blade as it ran past. The ground shook as it dropped to its knees.
There was a moment of silence, and then its head rolled to the side and fell to the floor.
The hole in the wall shook as Logan jumped into the room, his tattoos glowing vibrant blue.
“Dianna, you have to—” He stopped, his blade half raised, and watched as the decapitated creature turned into a heap of dirt and rocks. “Oh, you got it.”
I frowned at Logan. “What are you doing?”
“I was going to help, but you didn’t need my help.”
I shrugged. “Golem, right? Go for the head.”
His brows almost connected as he placed his hand on his hip. “How did you know that? They are ancient. Way before your time.”
“I read about them in a book.”
I didn’t tell him which book or that it was when Samkiel and I first broke into the council library. There was no way I would have wasted that opportunity. I’d researched every monster I could find when we weren’t sneaking looks at each other.
Logan and I strode to the door. I called the sword back to my ring and peered around the corner. The hallway was empty and sweltering hot. I motioned to Logan to follow me but to stay low.
We could hear the machines but no footsteps rushing our way. I thought someone would have heard the fight, but it seemed I was wrong. The hall curved to the left. We rounded the corner and stopped, straightening to our full height.
The hall led to a balcony. Beyond the steel railing, orange and red sparks shot upward. We weren’t in a mansion, a castle, or a home, not by a long shot. No, we were in a factory.
Overhead, massive metal wheels turned, grinding against each other, and pipes of all sizes covered the walls.
Logan and I leaned over the balcony railing.
Below, several large, worn oval cauldrons bubbled with something that looked like lava, but it glowed orange and gold.
Tiny winged creatures tapped and nipped at each other, communicating in a language I didn’t recognize as they manipulated the pots.
They seemed too small for the task, but they tipped and moved the pots around as if they weighed nothing.
The tiny creatures dumped the molten liquid, and it rushed down a narrow passageway to fill giant molds.
The small beasts pulled a lever, and a heavy metal plate slammed down.
When it lifted, a ghoulish creature lifted a black blade, shimmering with a sickly blueish tint with a serrated tip.
Weapons. That was why Kaden needed the iron.
“It’s only one ingredient.” Santiago’s voice rang in my head.
“He’s making weapons,” Logan whispered, shaking me from my thoughts. “Enough for an army.”
My breath hitched as I watched the conveyor belts carry sword after sword out of sight.