Chapter 60
As I walk off the gangway in Meriva, I notice the streets of the Commons are exactly the same as any other night. A few people walk by themselves along the cobblestone roads, merchants are closing shop, and the familiar scent of the salty canal stings my nose as I pass it.
The cold gets to me, so I dig through my rucksack for a long-sleeve sweater. It hardly helps, but I figure I should embrace the chill because it makes me feel something. It reminds me that I’m still here, still capable of rectifying things.
Someone falls into step beside me, matching my pace.
I look to my left at Thane, who nods at me before disappearing completely with an enhanced whispershade. It’s best if no one in the kingdom sees him. I don’t want Seferin to have any kind of warning or heads-up about Thane being around.
I slow my pace as I near a familiar alley and walk through it. It’s darker here, with stacked multi-level homes overlooking the street. It isn’t exactly in the Scraps, but it’s close.
At the end of the alley is an open door with soft wafts of pink smoke billowing out and licking the ground. I step into the sorceress’s apothecary and spot a woman behind the counter wearing a gray scarf on her head. A beady-eyed white owl is perched on her shoulder, watching me as the woman does.
“Welcome back,” the sorceress greets in a raspy voice.
I give her a nod of recognition.
I’ve been here several times with Analla, most times for healing elixirs, medicines, and the sort.
Her shop is filled with all sorts of crystals and trinkets.
Animal and beast furs line one of the walls, and above are floating pink orbs.
The scent of sulfur is barely masked by a strong floral fragrance.
Behind her is a shelf with several vials filled with liquids of various colors.
Approaching the counter, I dig into my satchel and request one of the vials. She raises a curious eyebrow at me before turning to retrieve one containing dark-purple liquid.
“Big plans, yes?” she asks, sliding the glass vial across the counter.
I place the coins in her hands. “Yes.” I scoop up the small bottle and study the swirling concoction inside.
She picks up the coins and slips them into a pouch tied at her waist.
“Thank you.”
“Use it wisely, little mortal,” she calls as I twist around to leave. I glance over my shoulder to catch her smirking while stroking a finger along her owl’s chest.
Thane brushes past me as I leave the sorceress’s shop. Our eyes meet as I tuck the vial in my satchel. I wait for him to gather all the supplies he needs, and then we’re on our way toward the Scraps.
My nose is numb by the time we reach the downtrodden area of the kingdom.
Several people linger, but hardly any of them bother looking my way.
Fortunately, no skrellins appear, either.
I’d once been so afraid to walk through here, but nothing can scare me more than The Shallows.
Nothing but losing my sister to this dreaded curse, anyway.
A line of trees and bushes marks the end of the Scraps, and I push through them, stepping over thick roots and stumbling into cobwebs.
When I finally stop in the forest, out of plain view, Thane loses the whispershade, and I hand him the vial.
He gets straight to work, lowering to one knee and placing that, along with the other objects he acquired, on the ground.
With his hand hovering above the vial, he murmurs a chant twice until the elixir glows in the dark.
He picks up the vial and hands it back to me. “It’ll wear off within half an hour once it’s activated, so don’t use it until we’ve made it to the keep.”
I nod, clutching the vial.
We take the familiar hour-long hike, and by this point my eyelids are growing heavy and my body is riddled with exhaustion, but I refuse to stop until I see The Shadow Nest.
As I approach, I hear rapid string music playing and people chatting. The area is alive, just as it is every night. I can’t help thinking how only a corrupt sorcerer like Seferin would make a home on a piece of land that was once called Hollow Acre.
Legends say a dark sorcerer performed a ritual here centuries ago in an attempt to become a god.
The ritual backfired and ripped a hole between the Crystal and Shadow Realms, killing everyone who lived on the land.
A warning was etched into a pillar of stone a short distance away from The Shadow Nest: whosoever claims this land shall fall within a fortnight.
Since then, no kingdom has dared claim the land, because they believe whoever does will be cursed to fall next. Not even the savage leaders of Ruvain are foolish enough to try it.
But Seferin…well, it doesn’t surprise me that he, a power-hungry man who thinks he can defy the odds, has planted his roots here.
A lot of bad shit happens on this land—unspeakable things, according to my sister. People are often found hanging from tree branches when she’s on for the night. No one ever knows how those people wind up there, as none of them are visitors of The Shadow Nest.
Just random dead bodies.
Seeing this building again while standing on land that hums with darkness makes me think about Thane and his brother, Koa. I bet this was where Seferin took them on those late nights, and even the night when he helped them escape the Crystal Palace after stealing the Sunderstone from the vault.
My chest tightens as I think about Thane, who has gone ahead of me with his whispershade. Orvena, please let this work.
Two masked guards on patrol marching along a paved bridge connected to the building catch my periphery. They have no weapons because as sorcerers, their hands are the weapons.
I see a flash of gold light near them, and after several pained grunts, Thane appears where the guards were. He raises a thumb, confirming he’s taken them out and that this side of the grounds is clear.
Good. Now to get inside.
I dash across the field and press my back against the building.
I try the kitchen door again, but it’s locked.
“Damn it,” I mutter.
I circle the building a bit more and come across a small window a few feet above ground level that I’m certain leads to the dungeons—or at least will get me close to them.
I throw back an elbow to break the glass, then pause as I look around to make sure no one heard. Thane must still be keeping the area clear. When I don’t see anyone, I kick the rest of the glass out with my foot and slip inside.
I hurry toward Analla’s cell, and my heart drops when I see her. She lies on her side, barely breathing. Her hair is mostly gray now, her skin dry, and her lips split.
“Analla,” I whisper.
She doesn’t move.
My heart starts to beat faster. “Analla,” I try again, eyes burning with the urge to cry.
A faint moan slips out of her as she rustles a bit.
I let go a sigh of relief. She isn’t dead yet. Thank the goddess.
She stirs sluggishly, and when her tired eyes catch me, they widen with surprise.
“Zaira.” Her voice is coarse, faint.
I grab the bars, watching as she uses all her strength to sit up. She crawls toward me with great effort. When she collapses, I gasp, but she’s up again. When she finally makes it to the bars, I reach for her hand. She’s ice-cold.
“What are you doing here?” she asks in a dry whisper.
“I came to save you,” I say, a sorrowful laugh bubbling out of me.
She doesn’t smile. I don’t think she has the energy to.
She’s so thin now, her face hollow, dark circles surrounding her eyes.
Purplish bruises the shape of fingerprints encircle her neck.
I cringe at the sight of them, hating the thought that she may have been abused and tortured down here.
Fortunately, her eyes still have a bit of warmth. The same beautiful brown.
I glance at the liphanet crystal in the corner, the one containing the wretched curse Seferin placed on her. I stare at it for so long, my bottom lip begins to quiver.
“I tried to get a prosperity stone, but they were long gone.” My voice breaks as I look down at our hands.
Hers lies limp in mine. Tears start to fall as I feel the weight of her hand in mine while remembering everything that happened at the temple.
“I thought it would work out. I was a hopeful fool.”
“Hey. No.” She swallows hard. “Don’t you cry.
” She whimpers a bit as she reaches through the bars with both hands to clasp my face.
“I should’ve just quit my job like you said, right?
” She laughs, but it’s dry, humorless. Her lips tremble as she drops her hands, losing strength.
“It isn’t your job to save me. It’s just my time to go. ”
“I can’t lose you, too.” I cling to her arm. “I’ll have no one.”
“That won’t matter when you have a bright spirit like yours. Many people will flock to you.” She gives me a weak smile. “You’re the kindest, smartest little sister ever. Even during the times when you’re a pain in my ass.”
I hiccup a laugh, pressing my forehead to the bars as she does. We’re quiet a moment, minus my sniffling.
When the plan settles back in like an anchor, I swipe my tears away. “Like I said, I can’t lose you. I promised I’d get you out of this, and I never break a promise.”
Her brows knit together as I stand and back away.
“What are you talking about?” she rasps. “There’s nothing you can do anymore, Z. This is it.”
“No.” I look at one end of the dungeon. I think I can find the red door again and sneak inside that way. I dig in my satchel and take out the vial Thane worked his magic on. Removing the cork, I chug the liquid inside. It’s disgusting and thick as it goes down.
When I look at Analla, she’s confused for a split second. “What did you just take?” she asks. Then her eyes widen with terror. “No. What did you just do?” she croaks.
“I have a plan to get you out, but not enough time to explain. You’ll just have to trust me.”
“What plan?” she counters, eyes glistening. “Please don’t do anything rash! I need you, too!”
“Just trust me,” I insist.
“Zaira, listen to me, please,” she begs, using the last bit of strength she has to reach through the bars for my pant leg. I refuse to hear her.
Pulling away, I run to the end of the dungeon as she rasps my name again. I find the stairs, and my pulse skitters as I take them up by twos. I move quickly because if I don’t, the fear will kick in and I’ll lose faith in myself.
I’m doing this.
We’re doing this.
I grab the handle to the red door and push it open. It groans on the hinges, and I brace myself as I enter the hallway. Sultry music snakes through the air, but this area is clear. After my heart settles, I sneak through the hallway and make my way toward the music.
The atmosphere grows heavy, and a strange sensation wraps around me as I proceed. It’s almost like someone is controlling the energy in the room, pushing me further away from consciousness. I squeeze my eyes shut and open them again, clinging to focus.
The first room I pass is dim, flickering with weak candlelight, and clouded with smoke. Nightmaidens wearing black or red silk masks dance over half-naked men lying flat on richly colored rugs. Their movements graze the men, setting off their arousal. It’s slow, deliberate—seductive.
All of them seem to be in a trance…or under a spell.
I saunter past the next room, where two naked acrobats dangle from the ceiling while a cluster of people sitting on the floor snort kopa. Their eyes are dilated, and ridiculous smiles spread across their faces as they look at one another.
I notice a spiral staircase ahead and scurry up. On the landing, two guards stand before tall double doors at the end of the corridor, and when they notice me, they grimace and solidify their stance.
“You’re not supposed to be up here,” one of them bellows. “Get back where you belong.”
“I need to speak to Seferin,” I demand. “I have something he wants.”
The guards glance at each other and scoff. “Fuck off, mortal.”
I snatch the dagger Thane gave me and point it at them. “Tell him I need to see him. Now!” My voice is steady and firm, but my hands are shaking.
The guard on the right sneers.
The one on the left raises a stern brow. “I suggest you leave, or we’ll slit your pretty little throat right here, right now.”
I should be frightened by that threat, but after enduring The Shallows, it’s going to take a lot more than a couple of sorcerer guards to scare me. “I’m not going anywhere until I speak to him. I know he’s in there, and I’m sure he’ll want to hear what I have to say.”
As my words echo against the stone walls, one of the doors behind the guards clanks and peels open.
A man steps out. I know exactly who he is as soon as our eyes meet.
Black suit. Red tie. Warm ivory skin. Sleek black hair. Dark, beady eyes.
Seferin.