Chapter 39
Each Anomaly must believe, truly believe, Evella chose you, chose your gift for a reason. When they pit us against each other, which they will, it’ll be the only way we’ll survive the war.
— FOREWORD FOR MRS GLESNI GRACE’S ADVICE FOR MENTORS: THIRD EDITION
Somehow, I’d stilled my hammering heart as Glesni, the wolf and I exited the servants’ halls from a small door by the kitchens.
‘So most of the guards are still loyal to Matthias?’ I whispered.
Glesni held my elbow when I missed a loose stone, cursing as I stumbled. I smiled my thanks. Her mouth lay in a thin line, her dark eyes glinting in the weak candlelight from the almost empty kitchens.
‘Most of us are still loyal. We decided a rebellion against the arrogant bellend would be pointless with Matthias a prisoner. We’d risk his life. So Asher appeared to flee with the other guards who’ve refused to bow to that stepfather of yours. Took Skye with him.’
‘And they’ve been using the servants’ hallways to stay here?’
Glesni grunted, lying against the stone wall as a group of guards stood smoking cigarillos under the shelter of a tree.
They chatted, stamping their feet against the cold, laughing for an eternity, before throwing their stubs and striding off.
Glesni took my hand in hers, leading us towards the rear of the castle.
The gardens were wilder here, and a low mist hung around the ancient trees and tangled plants.
‘Is that ordinary mist?’
‘’Fraid so,’ Glesni replied, before whistling low. Her eyes lit up as another low whistle replied. ‘That’s them.’
We’d barely turned the corner before I was swept up into a huge embrace.
‘Thank the Gods.’ Asher placed a kiss to my cheek as Skye dragged me away and threw her arms around me. I hugged her back, fighting back tears.
‘Ifan told us you’d died.’
Her voice broke as I took her in. How she could be on the run and still look ready to go to a ball was beyond me. She’d tied her coffee-coloured locks into an intricate braid pinned to her head. A dark blue top was tucked into harem trousers. Pain flashed in her green eyes.
‘Fucker tried to… Tried to kill her and the wolf!’ Glesni cried.
They both stared at me, mouths open.
‘He… I’m so sorry.’ Skye grabbed my hands.
‘And you shared a womb with him.’ Asher clicked his tongue.
‘Where’s Matthias?’ I asked, eager find him, despite the odds against us.
‘Down in the dungeons,’ Asher said.
I raised my brow as he took Skye’s hand.
‘My soldiers are hiding in the sand dunes. They’re waiting for the word, and then we’ll head back to the castle, attack from within.’
‘But we need Matthias first,’ Skye cut in.
I nodded, my chest twisting at the thought of him in the dungeons, alone.
‘And the plan?’ I asked.
‘Yeah, about that.’ Glesni rolled her eyes, while Asher cleared his throat. ‘I’m more of a… spontaneous type of captain. We’ll go in… assess the situation and attack as we see fit.’
I glared at him. ‘That’s the plan? No actual plan?’
He held his hands up in mock surrender. ‘It’s the only one we’ve got. I know how we ran those dungeons, but Drufaera might be a different matter. Having a plan is actually the weaker option here.’
I gripped the bridge of my nose. ‘I see why you and Matthias work so well together. Perhaps we could start actually behaving like a king and a captain once all this is over?’
‘And we have two Anomalies and a wolf with us,’ Skye said, tugging Asher’s hand, leading him to a plain stone wall. She placed her hand against the pale grey stones, feeling around, murmuring to herself, when a low stone scraped forward.
‘Are you for real?’ Glesni hissed, staring wide-eyed at the small gap. ‘How do you expect me to get my arse through that?’
‘I could always get Pablo to bite it.’
The corner of her mouth twitched as a flame ignited in her hand. ‘It’s been a long time since anyone bit my ass. I might enjoy it and stay there.’
‘Glesni!’ Skye squealed.
‘Follow me,’ she said, grumbling as she crouched and shimmied through the gap, cursing loudly.
We crawled through seemingly endless narrow spaces. Glesni at the lead, following Asher’s instructions, as Skye called back any warnings about sharp stones or tight corners. Behind me, Pablo scrabbled, snapping at the moths drawn to Glesni’s flickers.
‘Finally,’ Asher groaned, standing and rolling his shoulders as we slipped into a small cupboard piled high with buckets and stinking mops. Glesni cursed as she used the wall to prop herself up, brushing off Skye’s attempts to help.
My heart pounded a rhythm as Asher brought his finger to his lips, pressing himself against the wall. Sweat beaded on my brow, chilling against the frigid air.
The thought of this going wrong… of failing Matthias overwhelmed me. I closed my eyes, steadied my trembling muscles. My husband needed us. Evella had blessed us with a single chance to sway our fortune. One cough, one misplaced step, and we’d be lighting the execution pyre ourselves.
Asher’s braids were tied in a low knot at the nape of his neck. He drew a dagger from his bandolier, the glint of bronze Vyrium sparkling briefly in the gloom. His muscles strained as he peered around the corner, raising two fingers over his shoulder.
‘That means there’s two guards,’ Glesni whispered.
I bit my cheek, glaring at her, noting the wry grin on her thin lips. Damned old woman. Was this really the time to be a nuisance?
Asher readied himself, springing like a viper and dragging a guard back, slicing his throat before he’d time to register he’d been taken. Skye turned away as the guard’s thrashing lessened, and Asher slid his limp form to the floor.
My hands flew to my chest as though I could stifle the awakening strands of violet. Skye rubbed my arm as Glesni tipped her head, eyes narrowed.
Asher raised his fist and we stilled. After the space of a few moments, he flicked his hand and disappeared round the corner into the corridor beyond. I steadied my breath as Skye gripped me and we followed.
The stench of filth down there was cloying. I wished I had something other than my thin dress to hold over my nose and block the smell. Skye gagged, her boots splashing in a stagnant puddle.
The darkness of the corridor coated us in shadows. Skye’s breath hitched violently. I tugged on the sleeve of her top, grounding her. As we crept along, a glimmer of light emerged in the distance.
Asher halted, and I crashed into his broad back.
‘It’s too quiet,’ he whispered. ‘I don’t like it.’
Cocking my head, I listened. Water dripped an unsteady rhythm from a myriad of leaks, rats scratched the damp cobbles, searching for scraps, but where were the guards? The hairs on my nape prickled. Asher was right.
What choice did we have, though? Matthias was at the end of the corridor. I nodded, and Asher dipped his chin, before sliding along the wall.
An arched stone doorway sat before us. If anyone was there, my thundering heart would announce our presence.
Asher held his hand up, warning us to halt, shuffling on silent feet to the entrance.
With his dagger raised, he craned his neck around the side, obviously scoping out the room, when he released a guttural groan.
Skye shrieked as Asher slammed onto the floor.
‘Shit.’ I raced forward, hovering over the two writhing figures.
I needed to stop the guard, but which one was which?
A figure was kicked high in the air. Swearing, I dodged as Pablo leapt onto their backs, tearing and snarling.
Something sharp glinted at their side, and Skye threw herself down, grabbing their necks and driving a dagger in with a grunt.
As Asher pushed himself up, Skye hovered, checking him over, concern written across her face.
I gazed around the dungeon. ‘Gods,’ I said, staring wide-eyed at the half circular chamber. I covered my nose against the stench of effluence and rot. A single lamp flickered erratically over a small table, illuminating ten maybe twelve heavy wooden doors.
‘That husband of yours is behind one of those.’
A tremor ran through me at Glesni’s words. I scratched the fucking itch refusing to leave me be.
‘Pab, find him.’ My voice shuddered as the wolf ran from door to door, sniffing great snorts, before stopping by the fourth door, scratching. He turned his head, his amber eyes telling me all I needed to know.
‘Matthias?’ Asher was at the door, rattling it, before placing his head next to it. ‘I can’t hear anything.’
Ice spooled through me.
‘Keys,’ I said, heading to the tiny table, laying my hands over the surface to find them. ‘We need the keys.’
Skye bent down to the now limp body on the floor and tapped his clothes gingerly, while Asher continued slamming his shoulder into the door.
‘Anything? Ladies?’
‘No,’ I hissed, feeling the damp walls in case I’d missed anything. ‘And you won’t have a shoulder left if you carry on like that.’
My mouth dried as my trembling fingertips willed the keys into existence. The silence from his cell screamed through my mind. What had he endured at the hands of Romero?
‘We need to get him out, somehow,’ Asher hissed back.
‘Did you know,’ Glesni said, hobbling towards the door and pushing Asher aside, ‘that there have been only two instances of Deviants having a third gift?’
‘What?’ Asher asked as a ball of frustration welled in my chest.
‘This is no time for a fucking history lesson, woman.’
I spun around as the mentor placed one hand on the tiny bars and the other on the handle of the door. She chuckled.
‘Oh, I agree.’ She spread her feet wide, grunted, and pulled the door away from the wall, tossing it aside and clapping her hands together. ‘But I happen to be one.’
For a split moment, I stared, open-mouthed at the tiny woman who’d wrenched a heavy oak door from its frame, throwing it as though it were a feather.
‘How… how long have you been able to do that?’ Asher said in a voice higher than usual.