Chapter 34
Max
Rushing into the small camp, Fee and Reid skid to a stop in front of us. “Find anything?”
“Nothing.” Fee shakes her head. “We came back when we heard the yells.”
Reid rolls his eyes. “The Humans went into the hollow without us, didn’t they?”
“They did,” Kaden answers, turning toward me. Heat still sizzles in those bright eyes, but he frowns. “Stay close to me. If the Hadeon is anything like the rumors, you and I are its biggest targets.”
Because we’re the only ones with magic. The Hadeon will be sent to judge us to see if we’re worthy to pass.
I don’t want to be charred to ashes, so I nod.
“We’re following them?” Reid asks, eyes bouncing from his brother to the cave. “Into the dark, scary cave?”
Fee slaps his shoulder as Kaden grips his sword. “We’ll use them as bait. If they can distract the Hadeon long enough, we should get through.”
Kaden gestures for his sister to take the rear. She narrows her eyes, displeased. I can’t say I’m thrilled with this plan either.
I don’t want to use Humans as bait nor go into an enclosed space where a fire-breathing dog can kill me.
Seeing my indecision, Kaden grabs the dagger from my belt, holding it out to me hilt first. “They would do the same to you,” he reminds me. “They have no conscious. Take your dagger and keep it ready. The Hadeon attacks swiftly. You won’t have time to pull it in a fight.”
Jerking my chin to the cave, he follows my eyes, shifting my weight. He’s right. “Lead the way, heir.”
Spinning on his heel, the heir enters the entrance, keeping a tight grip on my opposite hand. Once inside, we’re swallowed by the dark and I shuffle along, eyesight poor.
Kaden doesn’t release my hand, and I inhale, the scent of fear and death making my mouth water.
Muffled screams lead us further in. There aren’t any torches or specks of light, so I trust the Fae to pull me along and pray I don’t fall to my death.
As the hollow goes up an incline, my knees jostle and I stumble into Kaden’s back as he halts. Glancing up, I gasp, seeing tiny green glowing orb-bugs on the cavern ceiling. Next to me, Fee looks up, eyes wide with wonder.
Reid whistles. “Neat trick.”
Then I trip, over a burnt severed arm. Gagging, I place a hand to my mouth. That could be us.
Not now.
“Some of the lords,” Kaden deadpans, kicking it away. Looking around, I notice charred remains littering the cave. My stomach twists at the smell but the heir barely blinks.
Is this normal for him?
He’s the heir to a war-torn lands, with a terrible king. Of course seeing dead bodies, burnt pieces of humans is normal for him.
We follow the lights through a tight hall into another large dome space made of compact dirt and large columns of stone.
Glancing to Kaden, I see the green lights highlight the copper in his eyes, casting his black locks into an emerald sheen. His eyes dart around, face brutal and intense as he waits for a threat to jump out at us.
How exhausting it must be to always anticipate danger.
The tight hallway spits us on into another opening, bowl shaped, with one long rock bridge connecting the two sides to a bright opening. Inhaling, my anxiety relaxes, the sulfur scent dissipating, seeing the end finally upon us.
But where is the Hadeon?
In the middle, I spy the lords shouting at something over the edge. Their clothes are singed, ripped and their numbers considerably less.
Kaden pushes through with his siblings at my back, his nails cutting into my hand. “You idiots. You couldn’t listen to reason? What’s going on?”
“It’s the Hadeon!” one lord shouts, glaring at me. My magic rises, all their hearts pulling on my control. “He’s hanging onto the cliff, trying to climb up. We’ve found some rocks and are trying to knock it down.”
Ripping from the heir, I lean over the thin bridge, seeing the massive beast cling to the rust-colored walls.
He’s huge. Not nearly as big as the Skrull, but larger than a simple dog, his three massive heads are glaring up, sharp yellow wiser than I would think of a beast.
He sees me, stills and then releases a pitiful cry that shatters my heart. It’s as if he’s asking for my help.
His chest ignites with an orange glow and his mouths open in an unnatural angle as it blows. The fire reaches me, singing my knuckles and I yelped ripping back. My fear beats into my chest, but I don’t let it drown me.
I need to help him. Something, deeper, is compelling me to help.
The lords throw more rocks and I stand, shoving them away. “Stop!” I watch the Hadeon slide down and they jeer. “He’s injured, he can’t hurt you.”
“You think that little fall will stop it?” Another lord sneers, pushing me away. My fingers twitch, tinging red as my magic hisses at these horrible men.
Kaden intercedes, blocking their hands. “Touch her again,” he dares, eyes black. Fury paints his face into a twisted mask, more demon than Fae.
The lord stills, pointing to the beast clawing up the cliff. “That beast can jump across clearings bigger than this. We need to make sure he stays down so we can pass.”
“He’s already subdued,” I argue. “If you run now, he won’t be able to catch you before you get to the village.”
“She’s right,” Kaden agrees. “It’ll be quicker if you flee than try to harm it. If you succeed, you’re safe. But if you just hurt it? Well, there’s no limit to a grudge a Hadeon holds.”
The lord’s chubby face pales, jowls quivering as he glances into the hole. “You think we have time?”
“Just barely.” Reid smiles, his fangs poking from his top lip. He winks. “You should hurry.”
“And you?”
Kaden smirks, though it’s not kind. “We’ll catch up.”
Ignoring the Humans, I look back to the Hadeon, mind spinning. How do I help such a large creature?
Leaning over me, Kaden sneers. “I should have thrown them over the edge.”
“Probably,” I agree, meaning every word. They’re terrible. “Do you have rope?”
Kaden sighs, looking from me to the hole. “What are you planning, kitten?”
“I’m going to save him.”
A frayed rope lays by the entrance and I grab it, a plot unfolding in my mind.
“This is a thing with you, isn’t it?” he asks rhetorically. “Saving creatures who others would harm?”
“Spoken like someone she saved,” Reid mutters, earning a harsh look from his sibling. I ignore their easy banter, wrapping the rope around a larger rock, using a few smaller ones to weigh it down.
Taking one of my daggers, I stab it into the rope for more tension.
“She’s really saving it,” Fee comments, hovering over her brother’s shoulder. “And we’re going to let her?”
“Get ready,” Kaden says, standing. Handing them the rope, I throw the end down toward the Hadeon.
“What if he tries to turn you into ash?” the heir asks, looking back down with black eyes. His shadows wind around his arms and hands, holding the rope like another pair. “You can’t come back from that.”
“Call it Gods’ Will.” I shrug. Calling to the beast, I say, “Grab on!”
The Hadeon looks at it, then me, puzzled.
The same look Kaden gave me when I showed him compassion and gave him my blood. This is the look of a creature not used to kindness.
My heart breaks for them both again.
“Take it!”
There’s a pause, before the beast surges forward, claws scrapping against the rock wall. Pebbles drop into an endless pit, sounds lost to the height and his jaws clamp on. The rope tugs, his weight yanking us down.
Using his magic, Kaden pulls with us as the Hadeon claws to the ledge, lunging over to stable ground.
“Move,” Kaden whispers into my ear, picking me up from the ground. His arm locks around my middle, us backing away from the beast slowly.
“Should we check on him?” I glance back and Reid snorts.
“And be eaten? No. He’s a big guy, he’ll be fine.”
Together we hurry to the exit, Humans already gone as we keep one eye on the beast. His golden eyes stay on me as we leave, never interfering.
We are worthy.