Chapter 31
CHAPTER
Rays of light found their way into my room.
My eyelids were heavy, it took a lot of effort to even peek through.
The room was quiet, empty. I lifted my head slowly, searching the space around me. A part of me was sure that Malakai would’ve broken in during the night, if only to taunt me or invade my privacy as he always seemed to enjoy.
I stretched, feeling rested and relaxed, and began changing into my leathers again. Today was my last trial. My peace was broken when a knock sounded at my door.
“I’m awake,” I shot out, but the knocking didn’t stop. The harness above my shirt clicked together, before I made my way towards the door and swung it open. “What?”
“Morning to you too,” Nate snorted at my edged tone.
“Sorry.”
“Look, I can’t find Lionel or Eve, and the Lieutenant doesn’t answer his door, so I don’t know if he ignores me?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” I snickered teasingly at him.
“Oh you think this is funny?” Nate furrowed his brows. “Well, the rest of us aren’t safe here, we’re the ungifted.”
My smile evaporated. “Stop it. You’re safe, Michlael won’t lay a hand on any of you.”
“Well,” Nate nodded slowly. “That’s one good thing, but where have the others gone, then?”
“Sure they haven’t gone to breakfast without us? Or maybe gone for a stroll outside to explore more?” I stepped out and closed the door tightly behind me, forcing Nate to back away.
“Why would they?” Nate asked, worry lingering in his voice, before he lowered it. “They hate mages.”
“Go wake the others, I’ll check Mal—… I mean the Lieutenant,” I pressed my lips together, ignoring Nate’s raised brow as I passed him.
I stopped outside the room he had exited yesterday, took a deep breath for some reason, as I knocked.
Nothing.
Well, what had I expected? That he’d swing the door open simply because my knock sounded different than Nate’s?
“Malakai?” I tried, but kept my voice low.
Still nothing.
My hand landed on the handle, and to my surprise the door was unlocked. Slowly it slid open.
“Excuse me for intruding,” I muttered, trying to make it feel less awkward to barge into his room.
But to my surprise, the room was empty, the bed had been made, perhaps never even touched?
Next to the small nightstand was his bag, but something on the table caught my eyes. I stepped closer and reached my hand out.
A wooden carved cat.
The same that I had seen in the marketplace in Newhelm, right before the demons had swarmed the place.
Why had he bought it? Or had he stolen it?
Was this the very same one that he had dared me to take from him?
“Did you find him?” Nate peeked in through the doorway. I quickly snuck the wooden piece into my pocket.
“Nope.”
We went down along with Mey and Ashley hoping to see the others there, but to our disappointment, it was empty here as well.
Inrelle was in the kitchen preparing breakfast, setting plates neatly on a long table.
“Have you seen the others from our group?” I asked, trying to not scare her, considering I almost snuck up on her. She turned and looked at me, and then at the ones behind me. “Two went out earlier this morning, they didn’t want breakfast.”
My brows furrowed as I looked back at Ashley. “Do you know anything?”
“Well, Eve’s a bitch, but that’s nothing new,” she shrugged. “She was bitter, like always, last night.”
What was happening? They left? Together no less?
I felt dizzy, confused. Lionel had walked away before, when he saw what I really was… would he do it again? I thought he was slowly beginning to come around; he had followed us here, and then we talked yesterday and he apologized…
A shiver went down my spine as I realised, I didn’t know what was going on inside of his head anymore. It was a foreign feeling, not knowing what he thought, what he would do.
Maybe this was his way of telling me that he had made his choice, that he was going back to the life we had before, before my magic had destroyed us. Back to a time I wasn’t a monster in his eyes… and he was taking Eve with him, instead of me.
“Are you okay?” Mey placed a hand on my shoulder, and at the touch my hands engulfed in flames, making her jolt back.
“Sorry,” I murmured, my hands balled into fists. “Let’s go find Malakai.”
“Are you sure?” Mey pressed on, regaining her composure quickly.
“Lionel never wanted to be here in the first place,” I said, spinning around as I aimed for the door.
“Excuse me, just going to grab five of those for the trip, thank you!” I heard Ashley say behind me, before she jogged after me, offering me a piece of bread. “Never go on a mission on an empty stomach!”
I snorted, as I snatched one from her hand. “Five?”
“Well, I’m a grower,” Ashley winked at me.
“Wait up!” Nate and Mey echoed as they followed.
I pushed the door open, only to come to an abrupt halt, standing face to face with Michlael. For a brief moment he looked shocked, before his face eased up and smiled.
“Ah, I was about to come get you,” he smiled.
“Why?” I asked, caught off guard.
“For your last trial, of course,” he tilted his head.
“We’re missing a few people at the moment,” Ashley blurted out.
“I know,” Michlael shrugged, looking awfully bored as he straightened himself. “Two wanted to leave, so we let them. Your squad leader’s got another important task to carry out for us, he won’t be joining you.”
“What?” I almost barked at him.
“He wouldn’t leave us like that, right?” Mey asked, looking at Nate for input.
“Us? Yes. Her? No way,” Ashley pointed at me while breadcrumbs fell out of her mouth as she spoke.
“There is no need to panic,” Michlael smiled reassuringly. “I am a man of my word, I won’t hurt you simply because you’re not Aetherions… And once Ethalyn passes the final trial, you can all come and go as you please around here.”
“Let them go look for the others while I take on my trial. And if they wish to, you will allow them to return,” I demanded, grabbing his attention.
At first, he looked stern, his eyes empty save for a hint of loathing. But then his lips curved and the eyes softened slightly. “Deal.”
“You want us to look for Lionel and Eve?” Mey asked, as if to confirm.
I nodded slightly. “Just… make sure they’re okay at least. If they don’t want to come back… let’s not force them.”
“Ah, compassion; a great quality to have,” Michlael drawled, his patience wearing thin.
“We’ll go grab our bags, then,” Nate said, patting my shoulder. “Go kick that trial’s ass.”
I gave him a wide, grim smile and I could tell he almost shivered at the sight of it.
“Shall we?” Michlael waved his hand, telling me to go first. My hand rested close to my hip and the holster with my daggers, as I began walking, trying to emit the confident feeling I was lacking at the moment.
While we walked, we spoke about my powers, his interest in fire in particular, and he showed me the rest of the village.
Everything was already chaotic, what with Malakai running off on solo-missions and Lionel and Eve disappearing without a word…
Michlael and I walked alone, although I noticed that there were guards around surveilling the area.
But none of them were actively walking with us.
Michlael seemed relaxed, his hands on his back, looking around as if we were out on a casual stroll.
“Where are we heading?” I asked, mostly because I had no idea where we were going.
“To the main building.”
It was odd, the path we walked made it feel like we took several detours. Maybe he wanted to show off his village, make me feel like I belonged here. But his voice had a sharp tone all of a sudden.
When we closed in on the building, the guards opened the double doors for us, no words needed. I set my eyes on the doors at the other end of the hallway as we walked inside.
Suddenly, a hand gripped me and brought me to a stop. “Here,” Michlael said calmly, pointing to a door on the left. His grip loosened, its only purpose was to guide me to the correct doorway.
I nodded as I reached for the handle and opened the door. A cold breeze, drastically different compared to the more temperate air in the hallway, washed over me. Dark, damp cobblestone walls gave off a very different vibe, not belonging here at all.
It was a staircase, and with close to no lighting, my view was cut off completely.
“Ladies first,” Michlael said, his voice flat.
“What’s down there?” I asked, unease building up inside of me.
“Don’t worry,” he chuckled low. “I’ll be right behind you.”
That wasn’t an answer.
But there was no turning back; I had to continue in order to gain their trust. If I stopped now, everything up to this point would have been in vain.
The staircase spiraled down, descending into the ground. The air grew moist, a mixture between a wet cave and rain in a thick forest. But then the smell reached me, the sharp scent of iron. Could it be?
Blood.
As we reached the bottom of the stairs, the smell grew heavier.
“On your right there are torches along the walls… why don’t you light them up?” Michlael suggested.
I concentrated and flames licked at my fingers, stretching up to my knuckles. It made some difference, but barely.
“I see, perhaps you don’t know how to extend your fires outside of your own body yet,” Michlael said, his voice laced with disappointment.
It felt like everything I did was criticized. I had rejected my magic for twenty-eight years, it must’ve made me look small in their eyes when I couldn’t do simple things. I was far behind every mage here, even the children were more proficient than I was.
Shadows danced along the walls as we passed, the corridor was maybe seven feet wide at best. Something clanged at the far end and I stopped.
“What was that?”
“Your trial,” he said.
I took a sharp breath and continued, my flames climbing up to my elbows, spreading more light.
A cell at the end of the corridor came into view, but—
I wasn’t able to see inside yet, so I kept moving forward until I stood by the bars.
My eyes went wide.
A figure, on its knees, chains stretched taut around its wrists. Blood covering its upper body, something making a sizzling sound… like something burning accompanied by panting breaths.
The figure’s head turned to look at me and the air in my lungs disappeared as I locked my eyes with scarlet ones.
Malakai.
My flames erupted, enveloping my entire body, as light burst into the small space. There were three small holes, like bullet wounds, one in his shoulder, one in his lower abdomen and the final by his ribs.
The burning sound… They had forced quartz into his body, but he still fought against it? The wounds seemed unable to heal, he looked pale, as if he had bled for a long time. He coughed slightly and blood trickled down from his mouth.
“You did this to him?” I asked, my voice sharp.
“No—” Michlael began but I cut him short.
“Then who,” I snapped louder. “Who did this to him?”