37. Esther #2
I walk out into the pelting rain, suddenly not finding the same amount of joy I had for it earlier. I walk through the linings of tents and toward the trees, following the remains of his magic.
When I walk through to the edge of the trees, I squint, looking toward a cave that my invisible chains rattle against, unable to encroach any further. Two warriors stand guard.
Outside of the raincloud directly over camp, the full moon shines brightly. However, it doesn’t dissuade the ominous feeling of what they’re guarding inside that cave and where Regent vanished to.
“I thought you were avoiding me?” I say, noticing Blaze perched on a tree behind me. I only ever know he’s there when he wants to be seen.
“I’m following you.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“You might trust him, but I do not. Do you not think I don’t see the way you look at each other?
Whatever this thing is that you need to get out of your system, so be it.
But when the time comes, and he betrays you—because he will—I won’t hesitate to slit his throat to protect you.
And you can hate me for it, but that has only ever been my purpose.
To protect you. So yes, I will follow you. ”
I don’t look over my shoulder, annoyed by the truth of his words.
I know I’m being a fool, but I certainly don’t have to be reprimanded by him because I’m called to follow something so visceral.
Not following Regent or understanding how our magic interacts with one another is no longer an option, no matter how much I try to fight it.
“I know I can’t put this into words for you right now, but even if you don’t trust him, I need you to trust me.”
“I do trust you, but I’m also allowed to be scared for you when you put yourself in danger’s way.”
You are dangerous. Regent’s voice echoes in my mind.
I walk out of the trees and into the open, with Grimace latched onto my leather coat as he sniffs the air.
The warriors guarding the entrance of the cave immediately step forward, blades angled as I apologetically send a wave of magic pulsing through them.
The song of a siren can be twisted into many things and commands.
Their influence is almost hypnotic, and although I feel guilty for using it on allies, I want to get to the bottom of this matter.
Especially if Regent has abandoned me, or worse, betrayed me.
I need to uncover whatever he’s hiding in this cave.
The two men drop to the ground, falling into a deep sleep.
My teeth now chatter from the cold, the frostbitten air cooling over my wet clothes, far more evident when away from the open flames and celebration with the Tahil clan.
My invisible chains slide along the edges of the erected barrier.
I can peer into the entrance of the cave, and to the naked eye, others would most likely miss it as the barrier acts as a deterrent.
But I’m certain that I can forcefully slip over the threshold, where others will be kept out.
It’s not earth magic, which I suspect because Regent is inside.
I can sense him, beyond this barrier that faintly reminds me of Imogine.
It bothers me that he trusts her with something he clearly does not trust me with. That for whatever reason he’s asked her to place a protective barrier around him. He clearly trusts her more with his safety than me. Yet, here I am.
I raise my hand to the barrier, calling upon my water magic to slither along the edges of the entrance, just enough to create an opening so I can slip through. Imogine is powerful, yes. But she is not me.
My water ripples at the edges of the invisible barrier, and I squeeze through, dropping my magic to let it close behind me.
Regent’s behavior has been bizarre all day, and his magic is only faint now, which rattles an uneasiness in my chest.
A howling wind washes through the dark cave entrance, and I look over my shoulder one more time, apologetic to the warriors I put to sleep so I could selfishly intrude.
Grimace jumps off my coat and scuttles along the ground. He then stops and pukes up a stick, four times his length, then a bottle of red liquid.
“I suppose that will do,” I say, patting him on the head and dropping a small dose of the potion onto the end of the stick that goes up in flames. I put the cork back into the bottle and feed it back to Grimace.
My fingers skirt over the ragged stone, an ominous feeling with every step I take. He’ll be pissed that I followed him. Fuck, even Imogine will be pissed that I was able to break through her barrier.
Although secrets should be kept, I need to know whatever this thing is that’s coming between Regent and me, and I am certain it has to do with the secret buried inside this cave.
The light of the full moon spilling in at the entrance of the cave dims as I walk farther in, following the small tugs of his magic, as if they’re silently whispering the way.
The cave is hollow, deep within the earth, and the farther I walk, the denser the cold air becomes.
My feet catch on the uneven stone, the echo of the wind howling at our backs.
Grimace crawls up my leg, coming to hang off my leather coat, looking forward. My eyes narrow, and I rub them just to make sure I’m not seeing things when a faint blue illuminates against the rocky edges of an opening ahead on the left.
I hold the flame close, rounding the corner, a cold shudder running through me when a water drop echoes through the entire cave.
Against the rocky wall, small trails of water silently cascade, the cave weeping into a small pool that surrounds the carved-out room.
Another bead of water drops from the ceiling, echoing.
It’s not the water that radiates blue. My mouth opens when I spot the beast at the center, its head resting on two front paws as it sleeps on a moss-made bed.
Its fur is white as snow, the beast the size of two mares with three tails like vines stiffly lying on the ground.
The blue hue comes from the vine-like patterns marking its fur.
It looks feline, with thick golden eyelashes that flicker as it groans in its sleep as if in pain.
Whiskers and thick eyebrows frame the beautiful beasts face that can only be described as ethereal.
Its pointed ears pull back as if even in slumber it knows it’s no longer alone.
Its thick golden claws dig into the earth, its pristine white canines slightly jutting out over its bottom lips.
A beast as beautiful as it is dangerous.
The markings that cover its body are familiar, even with the blue ethereal glow, and I know where I’ve seen them before.
Regent.
Instinct tells me to run. Curiosity tells me I’ve never seen anything so divine.
Large coppery eyes fly open, startling me as I take a step back and trip to fall, immediately cursing the sharp rocky ground.
The beast stands, its weight shifting, panicked as if ready to pounce as it looks for an escape.
I raise my hand, realizing that although the trickle of Regent’s magic is familiar, this is still an untamed beast. No, not a beast, I realize with my stomach sinking low.
A demigod.
I slowly stand again, holding out my hand, acutely aware that I’m blocking its only exit.
Its lips pull back, baring its fangs, the vine-like tails sliding behind it like snake heads that glow a bright blue.
“Regent?” I carefully say.
It roars, the boom blasting me with more force than I expect as it shoves my boots back, the gravel shifting beneath my feet.
“Regent is not like anyone else, and you’d best remember that. He is… important to us,” Imogine’s voice echoes.
“I can teach you earth magic, but I warn you, Denva, I’m not what you think I am,” Regent’s voice carries.
Sudden realization hits me. It wasn’t just a temple of sanctuary he took us to.
There was a reason why his mare took us to the foot of the mountains when he was impaired by Blaze’s poison.
And furthermore, why he led us through Cadalla, the temple of Kahali.
Because that shrine had once been his home.
“This is Cadalla, a place of prayer and sanctuary,” Regent explains as he tugs his mare forward, toward the bridge that crosses over the mountain to what looks like a private floating island.
“What god was worshipped here?” I ask as we approach the broken bridge. Bits of it have crumbled, and a few planks are charred, as if someone tried to burn the bridge down. But despite simple wear and tear from age, it seems preserved.
Regent’s eyes remain fixed, and I can sense the uneasiness as we approach. “Kahali, the harvest god.”