33. Luna
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
LUNA
The world spun around me as we materialized in a field.
Sofia had teleported us without any safeguards, the ones she’d taught Rose warning that not to use them courted immediate messy death. My stomach kept spinning and then, once again, I vomited.
When I stopped retching, I looked up in the direction Sofia gazed. The winged men, mere speck in the sky, vanished into the distance.
Sofia turned to me, her expression grave. "They're taking him to Moonshifter's tower."
I wiped the tears off my face, my jaw clenched with determination. "Then that's where we're going. We're getting him back."
"You don't understand." Sofia regarded me, her face expressionless. "You've lost any element of surprise you could have salvaged, even if he knew you were coming. He must know I’m here from the spell I just did. Moonshifter's tower isn't just a stronghold. It's a death trap. If you went in unprepared?—"
"I don't care," I said. "I'm not leaving him. I don't care how dangerous it is."
Sun's mercy, what was I getting myself into? I questioned as we made camp. But I couldn't abandon Benedetto. Sorcerer or not, I had to try. I needed some kind of plan.
What was a stick big enough to threaten a Sorcerer?
Another Sorcerer.
I turned to Sofia. "Soulrider. Will he help us deal with Moonshifter? We need help, especially because he's been warned somehow."
Sofia closed her eyes. "Soulrider's power could tip the scales, yes. But bargaining with him wasn't easy. He’s a hard but fair dealer. Think how much you’re willing to pay. If you tried to cheat him, the consequences would be severe."
Severe? Sofia wasn't one to exaggerate. If she said it was dangerous, it was more than just a precaution. It was a promise of the potential price I might pay.
But I couldn't back down now. Not with Benedetto’s life hanging in the balance. I took Sofia’s hand, squeezing it, letting all my feelings flood my face. "What do I need to know about bargaining with Soulrider?"
"You have a rare talent," Sofia said. "Soulrider will want that. Your magic is unique, something he can't easily find elsewhere. It would help him in some of the experiments he runs. Or he could want something different. I don’t speak for him, Luna."
I frowned, a spark of anger flaring in my chest. My magic wasn't a commodity to be bartered. But I bit my tongue, waiting for Sofia to finish.
"He'll be interested," she said, "but you need to be careful not to overpay. Don't offer your firstborn, or a favor to be named later. Nothing that isn't spelled out in precise terms."
I considered her words, my thoughts racing. "Does he bargain personally? Or does he send a representative?"
"He bargains in person," Sofia said. "The deals he makes are binding, so he prefers to oversee them himself. It's part of his code."
A code. The idea settled like a weight in my chest. Hard but fair. That was something I can work with. But it also meant I couldn't afford any mistakes. One wrong move, one poorly chosen word, and I could lose everything.
I leaned forward, possibilities running through my mind. "What's the relationship between Soulrider and Moonshifter? How do they feel about each other?"
Sofia laughed, a sharp and almost mocking bark. "They tolerate each other at best. Moonshifter annoys Soulrider, and they thwart each other's plans. They've crossed paths before in person, and it didn't end well."
"Good," I said, smiling slightly. "If there's tension between them, that might work in our favor. I can use that."
This could be the key. The realization pulsed through me like a heartbeat. If I could pit them against each other, it might give me the distraction I need to free Benedetto.
A strange sound filled the air, a faint, fluttering noise like the beating of wings. I looked up to see a creature swooping down toward me, its body glistening in the moonlight. It was a bat, but not an ordinary one, its skin resembling raw, shimmering blood.
"Summoning from the Void is forbidden," Sofia said coldly, watching as the bat landed on a nearby branch.
The bat opened its mouth, and a raspy message emerged. "Bring yourself to Moonshifter's tower by dawn, alone, or your husband dies. There will be no second warning. Send the failed apprentice far away, or your husband dies."
My lips curled into a cold smile. "Is that so? Tell your master I'm on my way."
The bat dribbled blood as if it were relieving itself, then flew away.
I turned to Sofia, willing her to understand. "Wait a bit before you go back. Tell Rose what I want and where I am, but not until I've had a chance to confront Moonshifter first."
Sofia raised an eyebrow, looking both amused and impressed. "You're playing a dangerous game. Remember, you can’t get anything for free in the world."
Yes, tell Soulrider I want to make a deal, to come see me. I know I’ll have to pay if he fights Moonshifter. And you said he was with Rose, so I don’t need to mention his name.
"Pip should go with you as a sign of good faith. Rose will want to see him again."
Pip’s long angry hiss made his opinion of that clear.
Sofia touched my cheek, her fingers warm against my skin. "I'll speak for you as well. I'll leave at sunrise. And I’ll take the horses with me, once I find where they ran."
I leaned into her touch, drawing strength from her presence. "Thank you. I don't know what I would do without you."
She smiled, a glint of mischief in her expression. "Probably get yourself killed, or worse."
I laughed. "And you're doing a fantastic job so far."
Sofia grinned, then grew serious. "Luna, be careful. Moonshifter is cunning and ruthless. Don't underestimate him."
I held her stare, resolve hardening within me. "I won't."
The wind chilled me to the bone as I trudged up the rocky path, leaving Sofia behind. Moonshifter's tower loomed ahead, a tall narrow black spire piercing the night sky. Twisted bones of the mountain cast shadows in the eerie moonlight. My hair whipped across my face, stinging my cheeks, even though I’d wrapped myself tight in the cloak.
He wanted me to come alone. The scheming void-eater thought he had me trapped. But I had a hole card, one last desperate gambit. I just needed to buy enough time for Sofia to bring Soulrider. Absent gods willing, we might still have a chance.
As I approached the tower entrance, a pack of grotesque guards emerged from the shadows — half-human, half-beast abominations with snarling jaws and claws. One seized my arm in its vise-like grip, puncturing my skin.
"Let go," I snapped, trying to wrench myself free. "I'm here to see Moonshifter. He's expecting me."
The creature shoved me forward with a growl. "We know who you are. You don't give the orders here."
I lifted my chin and glared back at it defiantly, even as my heart pounded. There was no turning back now. I could only pray Sofia came through in time.
The guards dragged me into a vast chamber, dimly lit by guttering torches. Shadows danced on the walls like specters. At the far end, a tall silhouette stood. Moonshifter himself.
He moved with a predator's fluid grace as he approached, his intense black gaze boring into mine. In the flickering light, I could see he was skinny and wiry beneath his billowing crimson robes. A fringe of long brown hair, streaked with grey, framed his balding head. Elaborate runes embroidered his hem and cuffs in a darker shade of red.
"Ah, the brave little wife," Moonshifter said, his voice a mocking purr. "I wasn't sure you'd come. But I suppose love makes fools of us all."
I lifted my chin, meeting his eyes with defiance even as my insides quaked. "Where is Benedetto? I came for him, not for your games."
A hollow, mirthless laugh echoed through the chamber. "You think you're in a position to make demands? How amusing."
He circled me slowly, eyes tracking over every inch of my body. It was repellant and in no way sexual. It was like the stare of a creature considering whether you were worth the effort of eating.
"He's safe—for now. But his fate depends entirely on your behavior."
My fists clenched at my sides. The Sorcerer was toying with me, trying to intimidate me into submission. To be honest, near him in his place of power, I was intimidated. Just not willing to give up.
Schooling my expression, I forced my voice to remain level. "What do you want, Moonshifter? Why did you take him?"
His thin lips curled in a cruel smile, revealing the points of his teeth. "So many questions. Patience, dear Luna. All will be revealed in due time."
He snapped his spindly fingers, and the guards grabbed my arms again, their claws pricking my flesh through the fabric. I struggled against them futilely as Moonshifter turned his back.
"Take her to the cells. Perhaps a night spent contemplating her predicament will help her with that stiff neck." His dark eyes glittered with malice and something else, something hungry and unsettling.
As they hauled me away, I struggled to regain my balance. Pain exploded across my cheek as a heavy blow struck me, snapping my head to the side. I tasted blood, the coppery tang filling my mouth. Rough hands seized me again, dragging me down a dank, narrow passageway.
I thrashed against my captors, my boots scrabbling uselessly against the damp stone floor. Their grip only tightened, claws piercing my skin. I cried out, more in frustration than pain.
Abruptly, they hurled me forward. I stumbled, falling hard on my hands and knees. The impact jarred through me, my palms stinging from the grit on the floor. Behind me, a heavy door composed of silver bars set perhaps an inch apart clanged shut with a sense of finality that made my stomach drop.
Forcing myself up, I took in my new surroundings. A small, filthy cell, bare but for a thin pallet of straw. High in the wall, a tiny, barred window let in a single shaft of weak, watery moonlight. The air was thick with the stench of mold, urine, and despair.
I slumped against the wall, burying my face in my hands. Hot tears pricked at my lids, but I blinked them back savagely. Crying wouldn't help Benedetto. I had to be strong, to have faith in Sofia and our plan.
Though appearing broken wouldn’t hurt.
Clasping my trembling fingers together, I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath.
In the oppressive gloom of the cell, with walls so close I could stretch out my hands and touch either side, it was hard to hold onto hope. All I could do was wait, and hope, and count the hours. I would endure this. I had to.