Chapter 42
Casimir could not stop stewing over what Jareth had said. It was as if his brother kept a mental list of everyone’s triggers and knew the perfect time to bring them up.
He seemed to hope his current target would fall apart.
He’d done it to Casimir so many times over the years he’d lost count.
Though Casimir tried not to take the bait, it was difficult.
Jareth would knowingly say something terrible, Casimir would explode and then Jareth would divert everyone’s attention to Casimir’s reaction, pointing out how the ‘big brute’ couldn’t control his temper.
When in reality, Jareth was the one with a violent temper. He just tried to make everyone act first to deflect his own shortcomings. He was a coward, hiding his own insecurities behind insults and cruelty.
But for him to aim it at Ava while they were in the middle of the godsdamned desert? To make her relive those horrors she had experienced when she was doing so well? Casimir hated seeing her like that; could hardly bear it. Helpless and scared and panicking.
Imsel’s reaction and quick defense of Gisela had surprised Casimir. But even the quiet fae captain was fed up with Jareth’s heartlessness.
They all were.
“I see it,” Raine’s voice brought Casimir back to the present. “There. Just beyond that dune.”
Casimir shielded his eyes with his hand and squinted.
A cluster of mountainous bluffs sat in the distance, isolated in a sea of sand. And at the base of those rocks, was an opening. The cave.
Ava sucked in a breath from beside him. “We’re almost there,” she whispered. Casimir could hear the nerves in her voice. The fragility. Still drained from her earlier panic attack.
Perhaps they should tie up Jareth and leave him to be devoured.
“We are,” Casimir said. “Which means this will be over soon, I hope.”
It wasn’t long before they crossed the last dune and stood before their daunting task. The group was silent, scanning the rocks and entrance for any detail indicating danger.
“How deep do you suppose it goes?” Maeryn asked, stepping up next to Casimir.
He shook his head. “It’s impossible to tell. But it must go underground. These rocks aren’t large enough for a cave system.”
“Underground?” Ava asked. “Does that mean we might run across another one of those Jarǒuki’i?”
“Let’s hope not,” Raine said. “Though my scar is quite fashionable, I don’t need another.”
Casimir addressed the group. “We don’t know what could be awaiting us in the caves.
There might be traps, dangerous creatures, or numerous other hazards.
Watch where you step. Watch what you touch.
Have your weapons and magic ready at a moment’s notice.
And”—he let his eyes settle on Jareth—“watch each other’s backs.
We work as a team. Not alone. We leave the animals here. It’s not safe for them to come.”
For once I agree with you, Aro said.
“I’m honored.”
Casimir gave Aro a scratch behind his ears as he settled next to the entrance in the shade. Ava kissed the top of Aro’s head, and he let out a satisfied grumble. She knelt to kiss Luna, urging them to be safe. Sabriel barked, wagging her tail expectantly.
“You too?” she asked.
“She feels left out,” said Raine.
Ava kissed the top of Sabriel’s head and she yipped. “You all are ridiculous,” she chastised the animals.
But they’d always been that way. Adoring their princess. Since the first day they’d met her.
“Is everyone ready?” Casimir asked.
Murmurs of assent went through their party.
“I’ll lead.” He headed into the cavern, but several soldiers appeared next to him.
“Excuse me, general,” Zara interrupted. “Let us go first.” She was one of his best fighters. It wasn’t surprising she would volunteer. Her shoulder-length red curls blew in the wind, her arms crossed before her as she stared him down.
“As your leader, I should be in the front.”
“Please forgive our boldness,” said another, his hazel eyes determined. “But as our general, we can’t stand to lose you. We’re asking to go first.”
Casimir furrowed his brow, crossing his arms as he pondered over the statement. A hand landed on his shoulder, and he turned around, face to face with Raine.
Here it comes, he thought, awaiting Raine’s lecture.
Raine gave him a hard look. “They’re right. Let them go first. They want to. Stop being a stubborn ass and allow them to do this.”
He grunted.
“You can go in right after them,” Raine said, tilting his head.
“Fine.” Casimir faced them again. “You three may lead. But use caution.”
With a steadying breath, the party began their journey into the depths of the unknown, led by Zara and two other soldiers. Casimir followed, with Ava, Raine and Maeryn close by. Imsel and Gisela came next, then Jareth, and the last couple soldiers taking up the rear.
Twelve of them entered, but he was concerned not all twelve would leave intact.
The entrance was low, causing Casimir, Raine and Imsel to duck due to their heights. Though Casimir was the tallest, Raine was only a couple inches shorter than him, Imsel another inch lower.
They walked through a short tunnel, Casimir and Jareth raising orbs of starlight to float over their heads. The rock was a reddish color, matching the rest of the desert, but as they plunged deeper, it changed.
Rusty stone faded as it gave way to dark rock, charcoal colored walls now surrounding them.
Keeping a watchful eye, Casimir couldn’t help but ruminate on the weight of this mission.
The reality of Ava having to face and trap an ancient god had truly begun to hit him the last several days.
Now they were here in this cave where Lomos was said to have been trapped for thousands of years…
and he could hardly wrap his mind around it.
At last the tunnel opened into an enormous chamber. A chamber that seemed to lead…nowhere.
Lit braziers sat along the edges of the room, the orange flames dancing and casting eerie shadows along the dark walls. Smaller braziers dangled from chains above them, their bright fires adding more disconcerting shadows throughout the space.
He halted the group once they were freed from the passageway, scanning the room for any kind of trap.
“I do not see signs of any crystals…and I do not see anywhere else to go,” Maeryn said.
“Nor do I,” he said. “Did we miss something behind us?”
“I don’t think so,” said Raine. “What we need is probably deeper in the caves. There must be a hidden passage in here somewhere.”
They remained where they were, looking for any indication of where they should go. In the center of the room, the floor had a strange sheen. Like it was wet, except the water was odd-looking, a rainbow of swirls floating on top.
One of his men pointed across the chamber. “There. It looks like there’s some type of lock or puzzle. Carvings in the wall.”
The man strode toward the puzzle. A click echoed in the chamber.
The soldier froze, looking at his feet. The stone he’d stepped on had lowered into the ground, like some sort of button.
The hair on the back of Casimir’s neck stood on end as he prepared to lunge and pull him from whatever trap he might have set off, but a wall of rock burst from the ground, blocking the rest of the group from the center of the room.
“Get down!” Imsel shouted.
Casimir curled over Ava on instinct, shielding her. There was a snap of a chain, a crash and an explosion. They were assaulted with heat, but fortunately protected by the stone wall. Someone shouted, several others screamed.
Within seconds, the heat faded, and the group took a collective breath as they stood. Imsel raised their hands, lowering the barrier they’d created.
That was them? Casimir wondered. He’d thought the wall was a part of the trap.
View no longer obstructed, Casimir took in the chamber. The center was still on fire, but the flames were slowly burning out. And the soldier who’d been standing there?
Completely disintegrated.
“Oh gods…” Zara whispered.
The shiny substance on the floor had been an accelerant of some type. And when his man stepped on a trigger, a brazier had released from the ceiling, igniting the floor and burning everything in the vicinity.
Casimir lowered his head and murmured a brief prayer for the loss of life, the others following suit.
Gisela raised her hand. “Shall I put it out?”
Ava lunged and grabbed her arm. “No!”
“What is it?” Casimir asked.
“It’s like a grease fire in the kitchen. Never put water or ice on it. It’ll explode again.”
“She’s correct,” Imsel added. “It is some type of oil. If you try to douse it with your ice, it will make it worse.”
“So, what do we do?”
“Wait for it to burn itself out,” Ava said. “It won't take long.”
They waited another ten minutes for the fire to cease, the substance on the floor now completely gone. Along with the first member of their party. Eleven left, and they’d been in here less than half an hour.
“Now what?” asked Raine.
Casimir gestured to the far wall. “I’m assuming that’s the key to the next chamber or tunnel. We must reach that side of the room and figure it out.”
“We could walk along the wall and avoid the center,” suggested Jareth.
“No.” Maeryn pointed to the floor along the wall. “Look.”
There were several odd-looking stones, likely more buttons, and all along the wall were holes.
“I want to try something,” Ava said.
“What?” Casimir’s heart leaped in his throat. “If it involves putting yourself in danger—”
“It doesn’t. I’ll stand right here.”
“Alright. Show us.”
Ava grew a vine from her hand and snaked it across the floor along the wall. Reaching one of the strange stones, she used the vine to press down. Metal spears shot out from every single hole at the click of the button. After a few seconds, they retreated into the wall.
“One stone triggers the whole room,” Raine said.
“Then we shouldn’t go around the edge. Because if one person missteps, we will be impaled,” Casimir said.
“I think it’s safe to cross the center,” Ava said.