Chapter 2 With My Life
Panic, unlike any he had ever known, clawed at Castien’s chest. Wren’s frail form went lax, and his Gift snuffed out.
He shifted her body so that she would be cradled in his arms, then craned his neck to study her face.
Her lashes rested against her cheekbones, rose-colored lips slightly parted as she exhaled soft, short breaths.
The emotions of those around her must have induced a bout of fainting.
All Castien wished to do was tend to her until she was all right once more.
Even if she hated him when she awoke, at least he would have the relief of knowing she was well enough to do so.
He raised his gaze to meet Finn’s bright blue eyes.
There was a wildness to Finn’s expression that indicated he was not as calm as he attempted to appear.
Castien felt the familiar weight of his position settle like an invisible crown upon his brow.
“There is a fire in the tunnels.” He did not waste time explaining. “I must put it out, and I’ll need at least one man to help me, preferably two. Has the cryptura been contained? Can we retrieve the people I need?”
Finn blinked as he processed the information. Thankfully, he came to terms with things quickly.
“It’s pure chaos, and they’re trying to keep all of the students in the building. The guards are stretched thin, though, since they’re hunting the cryptura. I can get you two men.” Finn glanced down at Wren. “What about her?”
Castien’s grip tightened on his storyteller. He did not wish to be parted from her, but he could not send his men into the tunnels blindly. All of this would be handled more quickly if he were with them.
“You will stay with her in the gallery. Get two men and meet me there. If she wakes up before I’m back, I want her to be with someone she knows.”
Finn nodded once. “As you wish.”
Finn grasped the door handle, and Castien stepped out of sight.
His cousin slipped back into the ballroom, leaving Castien and Wren alone in the dimly lit hall once more.
Wasting no time, Castien headed back to the gallery.
The entire time, he walked through equation after equation in order to calm himself and restore his Gift.
The golden letters flickered in and out of his vision in a nauseating fashion.
When he arrived at the gallery, he carried Wren to the section that housed his family’s portraits.
Castien thought gazing upon them would restore logic to his senses, but with Wren in his arms, such a task was insurmountable.
He sank to the ground and cradled her in his lap.
Her blonde locks cascaded over his arm like a waterfall.
Castien tried to wrap his jacket around her further as she felt cold to the touch, but it was difficult since he also did not want to release his hold on her.
His jaw clenched and his eyes stung as he stared down at her.
When he left her at House of Adira’s doors, he thought they had taken a step into something new.
That perhaps she was beginning to trust him, and in time, he could reveal to her pieces of the truth.
But then she found the tunnels. The betrayal in her eyes had felt like a sword in his abdomen.
Would she ever write to him again? His head hung at the question.
The loss of her words would be unbearable.
He had come to rely on them. They were his air and water.
Vital. Necessary for survival in this shadowy landscape.
Yet he would understand if she never spoke to him again after tonight.
He could only imagine what she thought of him being down there with Alysia.
“Why do you have to be so dreadfully curious?” he murmured as he brushed back a lock of her hair. “This would be much easier if you were content with ignorance.” He let out a soft, pained laugh. “And yet, I know I would not like you half as much if you were.”
The door to the gallery clicked open. Castien looked over his shoulder. Finn approached with Eindar and Percilean, both Obsidian Order members. Castien gave his cousin a sharp look.
“Why would you bring Percilean?”
Castien was in charge of ensuring the young man’s safety, so bringing him into a tunnel that was on fire with a possible serial killer lurking was not ideal.
“He is an engineer,” Finn said pointedly. “I thought perhaps his skills would be useful if the fire was widespread. He’s also someone we both trust.”
The points were fair. Perci’s Gift might aid in a faster dousing of the flames.
Castien sighed. “Very well.”
He set his sights on the two men. Eindar’s broad shoulders were tense, as was his expression.
The man was a Stonemouth-bred warrior through and through, always ready for battle.
Percilean, on the other hand, shifted from foot to foot in an antsy manner and appeared to be caving in on himself, given how much he was hunched over.
“There’s a well down there. We will find it first, then I will take us to the source of the fire. Hopefully, the fire has not spread far in the time since I left the tunnels,” Castien explained.
His companions nodded. Castien looked at Finn once more.
“Take off your coat,” he commanded next.
Finn obeyed without question. He seemed to sense Castien’s intentions, because he balled it up and set it on the ground near where Castien sat.
Castien carefully laid Wren down on the makeshift pillow, then slid her arms through his jacket.
She did not so much as stir. He forced himself to stand up. He met Finn’s gaze.
“With my life,” his cousin promised.
Castien nodded, then walked to the painting that hid the doorway without another word.
He could not afford to waste time. Too much had already been spent ensuring Wren’s safety.
His fingers were numb as he felt for the hidden latch.
It clicked, and inside he, Eindar, and Percilean crept.
The smell of smoke greeted them, but it was not billowing.
It was likely that the trapped air beneath the earth made the smoke spread more than would be true if it were aboveground.
“Do you know the cause of the fire?” Percilean asked in a low voice as they navigated the tunnels.
Castien knew every part of these tunnels. He had taken to memorizing the layout as soon as he was accepted into the Order. He was not worried about locating the water. No, his only concern was the transportation of that water. They needed to be fast. He picked up his speed.
“Alysia is dead,” Castien said without preamble. “Wren found her body and dropped her torch in shock.”
Silence blanketed the tunnels for a moment.
“Was Wren invited to be a part of the Order?” Eindar asked the first question.
Castien hesitated. His Gift had just begun painting the air ahead of him. The farther away he was from Wren, the easier it was to focus, though he felt as if he had left a piece of himself with her.
“No, she found the tunnels on her own,” Castien said after determining it was best to tell some of the truth. He knew Wren had likely used her brother’s journal to find the passageways, but he was not going to share that with anyone outside of Finn.
“Was Alysia’s body found in a room or hall?” Percilean asked. Castien knew the Gifted engineer had already begun his calculations.
“Hall,” Castien replied as they turned a corner.
Twenty paces ahead and another left, then they would be at the barrels.
“That’s good. That means her body is the only fuel source for the fire, aside from other torches.” Castien winced at Percilean’s blunt word choices. “That will slow things down. We should be able to put out the fire before it spreads beyond containment.”
“Alysia’s body was found down here,” Eindar repeated, then added, “The killer must be in the Order.”
Castien’s lips twisted in a grim expression.
“Or they followed one of our members to the passageways, yes,” Castien said.
It was quiet once more. They closed in on the well.
“It’s not possible that Lady Kal—”
Castien cut Eindar off with a sharp “No.” He grabbed a bucket off the floor and shoved it into Eindar’s arms. “She was not here to kill her brother, was she? Do not waste your breath on foolish theories. We have work to do.”
“Yes, High Inquisitor.” Eindar’s gruff reply was the last they spoke of the matter. The only words for the rest of the night were instructions.