Chapter 45
“It feels wrong in here,” Ava said. “Can anyone else sense that?”
“Yes.” Casimir replaced the soldier who’d been helping Ava.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, wishing he could carry her everywhere, but she’d been right earlier. It wouldn’t have been safe if his arms were occupied.
“Raine, can you use your magic to check for traps?” he asked.
Raine conjured a vine in his hand. Casimir sighed with relief that their magic worked in this room. It would have to since they likely needed it to unlock the door.
The vine was joined by several others, the soldiers helping. Ava raised her hand to assist, but Casimir stopped her. “Save your energy. You must portal us out of here, remember? You can’t be too drained.”
“Well, let me at least do this…” Ava grew a thick forest green vine in her hand, flowers growing along its length.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
It split into two, molding and intertwining until it formed a set of crutches. “Now your hands can be free if your help is needed,” she said.
Casimir blinked, releasing her so she could tuck them under her arms. “Brilliant.”
“No traps,” Raine announced. “Nothing we can sense. I think the door is the only puzzle in here.”
But no one moved, all of them too nervous to believe him.
Imsel stepped up beside Casimir. “We must do this and get it over with.”
They crossed the room and stopped before the door. No traps or hazards were set off and the tension in the air eased. The rest followed, stopping behind the stone fae captain.
“There are five small needles,” Imsel said. “One protruding from each symbol. I assume we must place our hand on our respective symbol and feed it our blood and magic.”
“I’m a hybrid,” Gisela said. “Does that matter?”
Imsel shrugged. “We’re about to find out.”
“Who is representing Monterre and Caelestia?” Maeryn asked.
Ava opened her mouth to volunteer, but Casimir squeezed her hip. “Save your magic.”
Raine stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”
Maeryn looked between Jareth and Casimir, her eyes settling on the former. “Jareth,” she barked. “It’s time for you to contribute.”
Grumbling, he joined them.
The five fae moved as one, approaching the circular door. The symbols were etched into the stone, forming a circle where channels led from each emblem, spiraling until they joined in a central divot carved into the rock.
“On three,” Imsel said. When they reached three, each fae pressed their hand on their respective kingdom’s image.
A couple of them gasped. Raine cursed under his breath. Imsel was stoic. Jareth looked furious, as if he’d rather be anywhere else than standing in between Raine and Gisela.
“Feed it your magic,” Maeryn urged.
Several of them closed their eyes, concentrating. It wasn’t long before Maeryn was panting, a bead of sweat dripping down her brow. Raine had a pained look on his face. Gisela swayed, Imsel subtly catching her with their unoccupied hand, placing it at her back in encouragement.
“This is very unpleasant,” Raine said through gritted teeth.
After a couple of minutes, each channel filled with magic, moving toward the empty indentation in the center. A green vine, bright orange and yellow lava, white starlight, sparkling ice, and minuscule stones.
Jareth let out a pained groan.
The magic writhed as it moved through the conduits, merging into the circle. The moment the magics touched each other, there was a flash of bright light and everyone at the door collapsed.
“Are you all okay?” Casimir stepped forward.
Raine shivered, gasping as he tried to catch his breath.
Maeryn was on all fours, her tunic drenched in sweat. “It took almost everything,” she croaked.
A rumble echoed in the cavern, followed by scraping. The door rolled to the side, revealing a chamber. Everyone got to their feet, the weaker ones leaning on the others for support, and walked forward.
The room was dark, its smooth walls and ceiling the same stone as the rest of the larger chamber. But it was imbued with thousands of the crystalline swirls, their bright glow illuminating an iron box in the center of the space.
A tomb.
The lid on the ground had dozens of symbols carved into it; symbols Casimir couldn’t read as they appeared to be in some ancient language. The insides of the casket had deep gouges…as if its prisoner had fought and scratched, desperate to escape. Casimir shivered at the thought.
“So, this was where he was locked away?” Ava whispered from beside him.
“For centuries…” someone said.
“No wonder he’s so angry,” Raine murmured.
A faint hissing came from behind them, above them, below them. It was everywhere, growing louder by the moment. Casimir’s hand moved to his sword as he scanned the room. A dense fog poured in through hidden cracks in the rock.
“Someone, retrieve a crystal,” he said. “We need to leave. Now.”
A soldier used his dagger to chip away at a crystal on the wall, barely avoiding the hazard. The ominous mist brushed the top of his hand and he shouted, pulling back. “It burned me!”
“Hurry,” Casimir urged the soldier. “Everyone else, back in the other chamber.”
Another soldier joined the first, moving to a different crystal as they tried to avoid the poisonous haze, using their weapons to pry it loose.
Casmir left the room, joining the rest of the team. But the larger chamber was filling with the burning cloud as well. And it was closing in fast. “It’s time to make the portal, love,” he said, trying to remain calm.
“Alright,” she replied, setting down the crutches and kneeling.
Ava removed her dagger and cut her palm, dipping her fingers into the blood. She drew three symbols on the ground, pressed her palm down, and closed her eyes.
“Hurry, princess!” someone shouted, the mist closing in.
“Keep quiet,” Casimir ordered. “Let her focus.”
“Got it!” the soldier in the tomb yelled, joining them as he held the crystal in his palm.
He handed it over and Casimir shoved it in his pocket, ignoring the strange thrumming coursing through him at its touch against his palm. The mist continued to close in, frantic voices urging Ava to hurry.
A portal formed before them, Ava still on her knees pouring her magic into it. A swirling abyss of black and blue. The mist was almost upon them and Casimir jerked his hand away as the tips of his fingers were burned.
“Time to go,” she said.
Casimir pulled her up, wrapped his arm around her, and stepped through.