28. Chapter Twenty Eight Rhowyn
Chapter Twenty Eight: Rhowyn
Holy shit! This dungeon was huge! How had I not noticed this my first time coming down here? Thinking back, I realized it might have had something to do with the large and imposing guards that had dragged me down here, blocking my view of the area. Either that or the sentient castle had changed the layout.
“Split up?” I asked, knowing we couldn't stand here gawking. The reason for the size didn't matter right now.
“Callum and Baer, Lennox and I, and Rhowyn and Brannoc. We'll each take a section. Call out if you find him,” Arryn rattled off the instructions quickly. “Loki, glamor the area from out there, try to buy us some time.”
Everyone sprinted off as soon as he'd made the assignments, moving slower than before due to the dungeon blocking off our access to the magics we depended on. As Brannoc and I turned down a row of cells, I pointed to the far side. “You look on that side, and I'll look on this one.”
We continued to sprint, pausing to look through the iron bars at the occupants of each cell. Each cell I passed had someone inside it, the state of the people inside them growing worse and worse as we neared the end. Not finding Master Jude in the first row, we quickly turned down the next one, fae finally noticing our presence and calls for help now sounding out. The smell of burning flesh reached my nostrils from them pressing themselves against the iron, trying desperately to reach us.
My heart broke, but I didn't dare let any of them out. I had no idea if they were innocent or not. I knew some were imprisoned for simply speaking out, but I couldn't live with myself if I let out someone who was really dangerous. Someone who could hurt other innocents. It wasn't worth the risk, so I did my best to block out their cries as my heart continued to break at their desperation.
Row after row, we searched, the cells becoming more and more empty as we traversed the paths as quickly as we could. I slowed at one cell, noticing the bundle of clothes in the shape of a man, not moving. In the next cell, I recognized the walls I had familiarized myself with over several days. This must be the man I had spoken with during my time here. “Hey!” I hissed out, but he barely moved.
Brannoc's hand landed on my wrist. “We don't have time to help him. We need to keep moving and find Master Jude.”
A loud crash sounded out from the direction we had come from, the sound of armor clanking against stone. The guards were here. I felt a tug on the bond in my chest followed by elation. “They found Master Jude.”
“Good, let's go,” Brannoc said, grabbing my hand again.
“No. I can't leave him here,” I said, planting my feet and jerking my hand free of his to stare at the man again.
“Who is he?” Brannoc asked, puzzled by my need to free this man.
“I don't know, exactly. But he kept me company while I was down here,” I explained, turning back to try to open the cell.
“Shit, I need the key.” I tugged on the iron bars, desperate to open the cell, a faint burning sensation in my hands discouraged my attempts and resulted in failure.
With my mind whirling, I pulled on the bond with Arryn. He'd had the key last. I could sense the others heading back our direction, and I prayed they'd reach us in time.
The clanging grew louder as I tried to convey to Arryn what I needed. An answering surge flared down the line, telling me he was on his way. His relief was clear, and I knew they'd been able to get my grandfather free.
I waited, pulling on the bars despite knowing I couldn't get them open. I needed to do something; the waiting was unbearable otherwise.
Finally, Arryn rounded the corner to the row we were on, the others following behind him. Callum carried Master Jude like a bride, his age clearly hindering him from being able to keep pace with the others.
Arryn reached me, panting, a question in his gaze. “I need to get him out,” I explained.
He handed me the key, but asked, “Who is he?”
“I don't know,” I snapped, my hands shaking with adrenaline. I inserted the key into the lock, turning it as Arryn's hand came down on mine, stopping me. “We should leave him. We don't know if he's dangerous.”
I shook my head. “I can't,” I pleaded with him to understand. I didn't know why I needed to, but something pressed on me, keeping me from being able to walk away from him.
Understanding, Arryn nodded. “Let me.”
He took the key from me and swung the cell door open, rushing in. I followed closely on his heels, the others panting outside the room, waiting impatiently for us to wrap this up. Falling to my knees beside the man, I shook him. He groaned but didn't stir . Shit. I started singing the words to one of the songs from before, finally getting a reaction from him.
His filthy hands went to cover his ears. “Please, stop that racket,” he begged me.
“Only if you come with us,” I told him, starting the song up again.
He rolled over, the small movement exhausting him further. Opening his eyes, he took me in before noticing Arryn behind me, then the others. “I'm not worth it. Get out of here.”
He tried to push me away, but I resisted, his effort no more effective than a kitten trying to push a boulder. Sadness at his state threatened to swamp me, quickly followed by anger at his treatment. “Nope. I'm not going anywhere without you.”
“Guys, we need to hurry. The guards are getting closer,” Baer called to us. Not waiting for the man's consent, Arryn bent to pick the man up, lifting him as if he weighed nothing.
As we exited the cell, the guards rounded the corner, slowing but not stopping their approach toward us. Turning, we all began running in the opposite direction. We needed to get outside of the dungeon if we were going to make it out of this. Brannoc's magic wouldn't be able to carry us all if we remained in this room.
Sprinting, we zigzagged down the rows, trying to confuse the guards. A handful keeping pace with us. Looking over my shoulder, I realized they were gaining ground, slowly closing the distance.
I saw the door at the end of a long row of cells as we rounded the last corner. Putting a burst of energy into my step, I pushed myself as fast as I could go, the others staying close to me even though I knew they could move faster. I shouldn't have come. I should have let them leave me. If I hadn't insisted on coming, they could have been out of here by now. I'd tell them to leave me now, but I knew it was pointless. None of them would. Even if it meant all of us were captured.
The door grew closer, but several guards exploded from another row, blocking our exit. Brannoc pushed forward without hesitation, barreling into the guards, slashing out with a blade that he snagged from my waist, and caused them to scatter.
Baer and Lennox joined him as I started to flag behind. I was running out of energy, drained by the dungeon and my lack of conditioning since being in this realm. I watched as all three of them fought the guards, which outnumbered them. Arryn reached the doorway first, setting the man down and joining the fight. Callum and I ran just behind him. His burden also slowing him down.
“Leave me, child,” my grandfather pleaded with us.
“No. We can't leave you here,” I argued through my ragged breathing.
Callum and I cleared the doorway, our magic rushing back to us and bolstering us. I watched as my men dispatched the guards, but more were closing the gap that we'd had on them.
“Hurry,” I pleaded with them. I moved just out of the doorway, letting the others pass me. All of us moving to touch each other. “Wait, Arryn,” I cried out as I noticed the man that he hadn't picked up.
“Fuck,” he said, moving just as Brannoc started to whisk us away. A hand latched onto my shirt, pulling me away at the last second, leaving Arryn and I behind with the man I had insisted on rescuing as well.
It was all my fault. I was so stupid, too brash. And now, Arryn and I would be imprisoned or worse.
Arryn struck out, not hesitating as he sliced his blade downward and severed the hand that was holding me back. The guard screamed as more tried to close in on us, pushing us back into the corner that the man had been set down in.
I felt the shadows inside me move in response to my terror, my foot touching the man on the floor as my hand rested on Arryn's back where he swung his sword, keeping the guards away from us. It was just a matter of time before the guards would prevail, tiring Arryn out. Even with his renewed access to his magic, we were sitting ducks.
I closed my eyes, wishing we were with Brannoc and the others, that we'd gotten away, that we'd been successful. What I wouldn't give to be wrapped up in their arms right now, safe and sound.
My stomach dropped in the familiar sensation of Brannoc's magic. Snapping my eyes open, expecting to see Brannoc there to save us, I realized that it wasn't him at all. It was me and the shadows that had become a part of me. Somehow, I'd turned us all into the smoke form like Brannoc did so well. Focusing on the sensation of how it had felt to move through the air like he did, I pushed my intent into the shadows, zipping us away.
I moved much slower than Brannoc, unaccustomed to this magic as understanding of how much strength he had hit me. I could feel my energy failing, draining away into the shadows and the effort it took to keep us in this form. Refusing to fail, I pushed as hard as I could, picturing Brannoc's home in my mind, closing my eyes as I struggled. My breaths hitched in and out as I pulled energy from my consorts to keep me going.
I could feel the familiar sensation of passing out, stars littering my vision even though my eyes were squeezed tight. Even with their strength, this magic was draining me too fast. I couldn't go on much longer, but I could feel we were close.
My feet hit the ground just as the shadows crumbled around us, leaving us to stumble to the floor. I crashed forward, barely catching myself from hitting my face against the stone beneath me before passing out. Again.