Chapter Thirty-Four Arion #3
Vesper and Carmen bind Caspian’s wrists and ankles first, then gag his mouth. I help Zephyra to her feet, searching her for any injuries beyond that fresh bruise from Caspian’s stone grip. I spread my fingers across it. My magic rises through me on a tidal wave, eager to heal her, comfort her, but—
She grasps my chin. Hard. “No, Arion. Conserve your strength. It’s just a bruise.” Then, lower, she adds, “I’ll be okay.”
My jaw hardens, but I nod.
The cursed skull cackles with hideous glee. “Though you are distracted, you really ought to stop. Behind you, behind you, the chandelier is about to drop.”
With a growl, I whirl around—we all whirl around—to see that the skull is, unfortunately, correct.
The chandelier is lowering and lowering, shifting into the shape of another guard.
A child this time, his limbs twisted and his eyes bright amber.
The sorcerer has replaced them, replaced his fingertips and toes and teeth too, with pieces of the glowing stone.
We all stare at him in horror as the child smiles wide, and light pulsates through the room.
“Zephyra,” he coos, reaching toward her with those eerie, luminous fingers. “Zephyra, you’re home.”
I don’t allow Zephyra, nor anyone else, even a second to react.
Instead, I rush toward the boy, scoop him into my arms, and wrap my bicep around his throat.
Gently as possible, I apply pressure to the sensitive points along his neck and squeeze my muscles until he chokes.
Gags. And then faints. I set him on the floor beside Caspian.
Sure enough, the boy’s mouth falls open too, and he begins to wail the same alarm.
“Gag him first,” I order Vesper.
She glares at me but complies, binding him the same way before tying the two guards—servants—together.
One of Amaya’s soldiers vomits, and Gavriall presses a hand to his mouth. “This is bad,” he says, the words muffled and frantic.
“Not as bad as it could be,” Zephyra says, unable to tear her gaze from the boy. “This means the sorcerer isn’t here.”
“But he will be.” I glare at the surrounding members. “We need to move quickly and carefully. Split up now. Cover what ground you can before dawn. Look for anything that leads below and remember—we regroup at the ship.”
“And how are we reaching that ship?” Vesper spits. “We’re trapped, remember?”
“Then we’ll regroup here instead. Okay?” Zephyra weaves her hair into a quick braid over her shoulder. “Don’t lose sight of your partners.”
“Split up,” Amaya echoes, commanding her infantry alone. “Now.”
They do as she says, breaking off into clusters of four. Vesper yanks Gavriall to her side without a word. He blinks at her, surprised as the rest of us, until she says, “You’ve memorized the map. You’re with me.”
Amaya nods for Carmen and another soldier to join them before facing me. “I’ll go with you.”
“No,” I say quickly. Calmly.
The princess casts me a suspicious look. “Excuse me, Warlock Stone?”
“Zephyra and I will go alone. She knows the castle better than anyone, and I’m a warlock. We don’t need the deadweight.”
Her storm-gray eyes glint with the faint hue of yellow lightning. “Interesting choice of words, warlock.” Her gaze moves to Zephyra now. “If you plan on betraying us, my men and women will run you through with swords faster than you can blink.”
“We aren’t betraying you,” Zephyra hastens to say. “We’re trying to find Abysses. Arion and I have the strength and knowledge to go alone. If you’re so worried though”—she waves a hand at Gavriall and Vesper—“take them with you.”
Gavriall balks at that, but Amaya grins. “Fine. I’ll accompany the siren and historian. Carmen, you stay with us. Valentino, Nomina, Philippe, and Jaime—you stay here. We need soldiers guarding the entrance.”
They nod at once. Even Philippe, who threw up mere moments ago.
Amaya’s separate crews line up now, each facing different hallways and directions.
Zephyra takes my hand and pulls me forward to the left of the antechamber.
She doesn’t let go, her trembling fingers twining through mine.
I squeeze hers tight. I don’t let go either.
I’m here, I wish I could use my magic to say. I’m with you.
“The castle won’t give up its secret easily,” Zephyra says to everyone. “But I know Abysses is here.”
“I can feel it,” I say.
“As can I,” Amaya adds. Her face is pale, drawn, but her eyes glitter with anticipation.
“The greatest treasure is the hardest to find, so look where you’d least expect it.
” To Zephyra, she says, “We’ll attempt to respect your wishes and debilitate the guards rather than kill them, but if it comes down to the lives of my men or his, I’ll choose mine. ”
As will I.
If it’s between Zephyra’s life or theirs, I’ll choose hers. Every single time.
Facing the hallway beside ours, Vesper glances down at the boy’s hollow face. His jewel-bright eyes, still open wide at the ceiling. Her own eyes flicker at the sight. It almost looks like doubt—or regret. “A mercy, perhaps,” she says quietly.
The corridors shift once more in response. Something skitters in the walls.
When they settle again, each group picks a direction, and we all disappear into the dark.