Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
What should have taken three minutes, tops, took three days.
Three long, unbearable days passed before they were able to translate the chamber.
Hours where Marcus stood next to the pod, anxiously awaiting the time to wake the woman.
Every King on Zora had come into the chamber to try their hand at decrypting the language.
The mates had also ventured in, with strict orders not to speak and to write everything down instead.
Marcus couldn’t even be upset at that. The woman could obviously hear them, and they knew nothing about her or her origins.
For the safety of all, they kept their talking to a minimum.
The longer it took to decode the chamber, the more worried and uneasy everyone became—Marcus included.
Not even Lotti, a Star Person and the most powerful being there, had known the language.
No matter how Marcus looked at it, he couldn’t deny that something strange was happening within the chamber.
Finally, they were able to decipher the walls, but only by chance because Brandr had memorized some of the symbols and then returned to his room.
Once there, his magic easily translated them.
After that, each King took a section to memorize and repeated the procedure until they’d interpreted the entire chamber.
But if they’d thought it would give them answers, they were wrong.
There was no story of who the woman was or how she’d come to be there.
There were no instructions on how to revive her.
There wasn’t even any mention of who the people were who had put her in the pod or who had constructed Iron Hall.
The only thing it said was that destruction was imminent and that the culprits would be brought to justice. Over and over again, in twenty-two different languages. There were no clues about what the destruction might be or when it might happen. Nor was there any mention of the culprits.
Once they realized the chamber was interrupting their powers, they each tried magic, only to have it fail. Even their mental link failed. There was no denying then that something within the room was causing the interference. They needed to find it soon.
Marcus lifted his gaze from the woman to look at the wall opposite him. Only he and Ryder remained now. While Ryder continued to study the stasis pod, Marcus stood guard.
“You’re going to have to talk about it eventually.”
Marcus jerked his head toward Ryder, who was squatting down at the head of the pod. It was the first time one of them had spoken aloud in days. There had to be a reason for Ryder to openly defy Con’s order.
He briefly met Marcus’s gaze before returning his attention to the pod. “What’s wrong? I figured you’d be happy to talk so she could hear.”
“Maybe she can, but she’s no’ spoken since we found this place.”
A grunt was Ryder’s reply.
Marcus turned his head away and sighed. “What do you want me to say?”
“Nothing, if you doona want to. I’m merely pointing out that there are unanswered questions. And we’re all waiting for you to answer them. I doona mind waiting, and we both know Con is a patient bastard.” Ryder stood. “My concern is whether you’ve already answered the questions for yourself.”
It wouldn’t do any good to play dumb. The problem was that Marcus hadn’t looked too deeply into why he couldn’t bring himself to leave the chamber. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer—if there even was one.
Ryder turned to lean a hip against the console and crossed his arms over his chest. “You might want to do that soon.”
Marcus faced him then. “Do you think I’m no longer myself?”
“When was the last time you looked at the plans?” Ryder asked.
The question took Marcus by surprise. He frowned as he realized he hadn’t thought about the city’s structure in days.
“Precisely. We know something in this chamber is affecting…things,” Ryder stated as he glanced at the pod. “You’re the only one who hasna left once. Nor are you acting like yourself.”
“I’m still me.”
Ryder dropped his chin to his chest for a heartbeat. “If you’re acting out of character, then even you have to admit that something is wrong. Usually, we can no’ get you away from the plans. Now, you’re obsessed with this chamber and her.”
“You make it sound as if that’s a problem.”
“Maybe it’s no’. Or maybe it is.” Ryder shrugged and dropped his arms as he straightened. “I’m no’ telling you it’s wrong, brother. I’m merely pointing out what you may no’ be able to see.”
Marcus considered his friend’s words as he swung his gaze to the woman.
There hadn’t been so much as an eye twitch over the days he had stood by her side.
“Perhaps what I’m doing is wrong. You were correct in calling it an obsession.
Ever since the first time I heard the voice, I’ve been drawn to her.
It’s as if something grabbed hold of my soul and dragged me here.
Once I saw her, once I stood beside her, I knew I had to protect her. ”
“You think one of us will harm her?” Ryder asked, shock widening his eyes.
Is that why Marcus couldn’t leave her side? He gave Ryder a small shake of his head. “Nay. But I’ll be here, just in case.”
“What if we decide not to wake her?”
Marcus looked at him. He could lie, but there was no point. It was better if everyone knew exactly where he stood. “She will be revived.”
Ryder sighed and twisted his lips. “I had a feeling you would say that.”
“Will you stop me?”
“Even if I did try, you’d ultimately find a way to release her.”
Marcus lowered his eyes to the floor as he battled the urge to wake her with the knowledge that she might bring about some catastrophe. “You could tell the others. I could be confined.”
“They already know. Besides, what good would it do to confine you?”
Marcus issued a dry laugh as he met Ryder’s gaze. “What? Are you taking my side in this?”
“There are no sides, brother,” Ryder said patiently.
“Whatever is in this chamber is affecting you. It could be the air in here, or the technology. Hell, it might even be her. The best thing we can do for you is help you through it. If we were still on Earth, there might be different choices, but we’re on Zora.
We no longer have to hide who and what we are. ”
Might be different choices? Marcus inwardly snorted. There would definitely be. Con would’ve imprisoned him the instant there was even a hint that Marcus might reveal that he was a dragon to the humans.
“How exactly do you propose to help me through this?” Marcus was genuinely curious, mainly because he had no idea how to acknowledge what was happening to him.
“First, by letting you know we’re aware that something is going on. Secondly, by being here for you.”
Marcus nodded once. “And when I release her?”
“Who says you’re doing it?”
Marcus narrowed his eyes as anger twisted his gut. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that we’ve come to a consensus.”
“We?”
Ryder grunted. “Aye. We didna ask you, because we knew what your thoughts were.”
“And what was this consensus?”
“We want answers, and there’s a verra good chance she can give them to us.”
For a full minute, Marcus didn’t move. “Are you saying we’re going to wake her?”
In answer, Ryder reached over and pressed a button on the pod.
Marcus forgot all about him as a hissing sound filled the room and the cover slid away.
Suddenly, there was nothing between him and her any longer.
He could reach out and touch her if he wished.
Even knowing that, he didn’t lift his hand.
Instead, he watched her, anxiously waiting for the flutter of her lashes as her eyes opened. But she remained asleep.
Ryder moved to the opposite side and pressed his finger to her neck to feel for a pulse. Marcus could see her chest rising and falling, so he knew she was alive.
“She’s cool to the touch,” Ryder murmured, more to himself than to Marcus.
Only when Ryder moved as if to lift her did Marcus propel into action. His emotions took control before he even realized words were out of his mouth. “Doona touch her!”
Ryder stilled before raising his gaze. “I’m merely lifting her.”
“I’ll do it.”
They stared at each other for a long moment before Ryder finally dipped his chin and stepped back.
Marcus swallowed and looked down at her, moving from the top of her head and traveling down.
He paused at her face, his gaze lingering on her lips for a heartbeat too long before drifting lower to her clothes.
The dark crimson fabric looked as light as air.
It had an unadorned wrapped bodice that fell to a red skirt with hints of black in the folds.
There was a wide, black belt around her waist, and black boots covered her feet.
“Should we move her before she wakes?” Marcus asked.
Ryder shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. I think it’s better if we get out of this chamber. Besides, if something’s wrong, Con will be there to heal her.”
Right. Con could heal her. It made perfect sense to take her from the pod.
They could warm her with blankets and have food waiting for when she finally woke.
Why then couldn’t Marcus seem to do that?
He had wanted to wake her, but now that it was done, he stood frozen—a soft warning running through him.
“What is it?” Ryder asked.
Marcus shook his head. “I’m no’ sure.”
“Do you want me to carry her?”
He shot his friend a dark look.
Ryder immediately lifted his hands and took a step back. “Understood.”
Marcus hesitated for a moment more before sliding an arm under her knees and the other under her shoulders. He started to lift her when Ryder shouted for him to freeze. Marcus stilled as he looked over to see Ryder rushing toward them.
“Doona move her,” Ryder murmured hastily as he dropped to one knee and moved the long strands of her black hair out of the way. A moment later, Ryder let out a string of curses.
“What is it?” Marcus demanded.
Ryder’s lips flattened before he raised his gaze. “Something’s protruding from the base of her neck.”
“What do you mean by protruding?”
“I mean, they put something into her skull. I need to remove it before we can take her anywhere.”
Marcus gently released her and straightened. “What do I need to do?”
“Turn her toward you so I can get a better look at what it is and how best to proceed.”
With Ryder directing him, Marcus rolled the woman toward him until she was on her side.
He held her with one hand and grasped her impossibly long hair with the other.
Then he waited as Ryder worked. Marcus leaned over just as Ryder pulled a long needle out of the base of her skull.
It was attached to a cord that flowed into the pod, but they had no way of knowing what it did.
After a careful look to make sure there was nothing else attached to her, Marcus once more slid his arms under her.
This time, he took her with him when he stood.
Her head rested against his shoulder as he walked out of the chamber and down the hallway to the atrium.
Ryder remained with him, though neither of them spoke.
When they reached one of the main corridors, Cullen and Tamlyn were there, directing them to a room they had readied for her.
The fact that it was in a secluded area didn’t go unnoticed by Marcus.
He strode into the room and laid her on the mattress.
Tamlyn removed her boots before setting them next to the bed.
Marcus moved to the wall as Tamlyn pulled the covers over her and left.
“I can stay if you want to get some rest,” Cullen said.
Marcus shook his head and leaned back against the wall. “I’m fine.”
“Leave him,” Ryder said to Cullen.
A moment later, they were both gone.
Marcus released a long sigh. He’d gotten what he wanted.
Now, all he had to do was wait for her to wake and get answers.
It seemed simple enough, though things rarely were.
He thought again about his hesitation before touching her.
What had that been about? It warred against everything he had done in the days leading up to it.
Was Ryder right? Was something in the chamber affecting everyone? And if it was, would he start to feel more like himself now that he was out?
He crossed his arms over his chest and got comfortable. He would likely be here for some time.