Chapter Sixteen
Zev
Which doesn’t make sense.
As always, that seems to be the theme.
Wait a fucking second.
“Hang on, Sage,” I say out loud.
“What about her?” Reaper asks.
“Sage, as in the Center, the one from Blood Moon Academy. The kick-arse one,” I explain in a rambling way that I’m not sure makes a lot of sense.
“No fucking way,” Farren replies, getting it quicker than anyone else. “That’s crazy. I thought their academy went back to the Demon Realm?”
“It did,” Rival says. “That was the gossip around the school, and I was curious, so I verified it. It shouldn’t have been in the Fae Realm in the first place.”
“Wow. I hope we get to see them again and talk to them properly at some point,” Farren says. “I like Sage. She seems like my kind of person.”
“Hopefully we will. I have some questions for her,” Rival mutters.
Leaves rustle to my left, and I’m not the only one who hears the sound as everyone tenses slightly and becomes more alert. Their gazes study the darkness around us.
“Incoming,” Laikynn says from the shadows.
Ever since Laikynn was warned not to get between Farren and us, it seems that he took the threat seriously, because they are no longer surrounding us as we walk but instead following behind us.
They’ve all been so quiet, and they even steered clear when Sage and the others showed up.
Which is interesting.
I’m hoping that it's because we were never under any threat and they didn’t need to be involved, instead choosing to observe in case they were needed.
The rustling comes again, and this time we all stop moving so that we can hear better.
None of us has time to react at all. The moment that we stop moving, we find ourselves surrounded by pointed spears, hands sparking with magic, and growls from hidden shifters.
“Ah, shit,” Hades curses, as he watches them all closely, his magic close to the surface.
“We don’t want any trouble,” Farren says calmly, flashing them a smile.
“Careful, Farren. They’re the Others,” Rast warns.
It takes me a moment to realise that he’s used the bond lines to talk to us, and then shock hits me.
How the hell is he using the bond line to talk to us?
We haven’t been using it because most of what we’ve spoken about he needs to hear too.
Apparently, that consideration was unnecessary.
Storm shoots him a quick, raised eyebrow look, and Rast winces slightly.
Yeah, that’s going to be an interesting conversation.
If I really think about it though, knowing what I know after my vision, it makes sense. He’s one of us, whether he realises it or not. So of course, he would be able to communicate through the bond line that we have.
I did think that it wasn’t going to be an instant thing. That I was not aware of.
“Got it, they haven’t attacked us yet though. I want to try and get out of this peacefully,” Farren replies, and then adds. “You bet your arse we’re going to talk about how long you’ve been able to use the bond line for later.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Rast replies immediately, which makes me smile.
“You usually do,” one of them says. “You compound killers always kill first and ask questions never.”
I frown. According to Rast, that’s their reputation.
“We haven’t got our weapons drawn,” Farren points out simply.
She tilts her head almost as if she’s listening to something that only she can hear, and her eyes widen slightly in surprise before she asks, “We’re actually a little bit lost. Could you tell us which way the castle is, please? I promise we don’t want any trouble.”
“You do if you want to go there,” a woman frowns, her tail whipping back and forth.
Farren nods and smiles, “We know the trouble that awaits us there. We’re hoping that we can help.”
Her eyebrows hit her hairline, while the others surrounding us shift restlessly, she asks, “Help? How?”
Farren obviously somehow knows something that we don’t about these people, and because of that, the rest of us have taken a metaphorical step back and are allowing her to take the lead.
I have to admit though, I have absolutely no idea where she’s going with this, and why she’s sharing so much information. More than she shared with the compound guards who were supposed to help us.
The Others are supposed to be the threat.
I’m starting to question that. From the expressions on all of the Others’ faces, they’re also starting to question what we’ve been told about the Others.
“We’re going to release Ignatius and hopefully stop the realm from being consumed by the Abyss creatures,” Farren explains.
She’s simplified what we have to do, although we don’t really know what we have to do beyond saving those who are trapped under the castle.
“Oh my goddess, you’re them,” another one exclaims, and everyone looks at him curiously, as if he’s lost his mind as he moves forward excitedly. He grins and adds, “From the stories.”
“You can’t be serious, Fry,” another one replies, rolling his eyes. He smiles at him and adds, “Everything comes back to that story with you.”
Their easy banter tells me that they have been working together for a while. They could even be brothers. They have similar mannerisms, although Fry seems to be a lot bouncier than the other one.
Fry frowns and briefly stops bouncing before he starts again and says, “Seriously, Lock. Look how many there are. It’s the same number that matches the stories. Their descriptions even match.”
“You said that about the last group that we saw, and they looked at you like you were crazy,” Lock replies.
Fry scowls, “I said there were the same number, not that they had the same descriptions as well, and at least they weren’t the compound killers.”
Lock starts to open his mouth to reply when the woman who spoke first interrupts.
“Right, let’s say we’re going to entertain your theory for a moment,” the main one starts, clearly used to doing this with him.
With both of them actually, and I’m now convinced that they are, in fact, brothers. Only siblings can argue like that.
She continues, “The stories specifically state that they had a hellhound and one of the two-headed beasts that live here. Do you see either of them?”
Farren raises her hand slightly, “Erm, Laikynn, Poca, could you come here for a moment, please?”
Both Poca and Laikynn slink their way out from the surrounding darkness, stepping through the ring of people that surround us and making them scatter so that they’re all in front of us instead.
“I told you!” Fry exclaims excitedly. “They’re the ones from the stories.
” He looks at us, with a huge smile on his face, and then, without any prompting whatsoever, starts to explain.
“In our tribes, a story has been passed down for generations, ever since the prisoners escaped Peanasachadh and the realm was made into a prison by the ancients and the Abyss creatures started to consume it. It was said that a group of supernaturals, the same number as you, with a native . . .” he looks at Rast curiously, and then continues, “that must be you, although I am surprised at the choice.”
“Fry,” Lock warns.
“Right, sorry,” Fry replies immediately, “Anyway, they said that this group would be travelling with a hellhound and one of our two-headed beasts. The Elders said that they would show up and need guidance, and they would be the beginning of the salvation for the realm. It’s become a legend because it’s been so long, and everyone gave up and lost hope. ”
“Damn, I did not expect that,” Khaos mutters. “That’s insane.”
The group of Others all move agitatedly, although none of them are pointing their weapons at us anymore, so I suppose that’s a good thing.
Their gazes keep switching to Poca and Laikynn, and sensing their unease, the two of them melt back into the darkness surrounding us, disappearing through the trees.
“Okay, I was not expecting this when we did our patrols today, but I think it would be foolish to say that this is a coincidence,” the main one says.
“So I guess we help you, that’s what the legend says.
You should know that this is the first part of the legend.
There is more to it that you will discover as you continue your journey. ”
Lock nods, “We may not have believed that salvation was possible, but we paid attention to what we were supposed to do if it did.”
I want to sigh that we’re not getting the information that we need again, but not only would that not achieve anything, but I also understand why we’re not being given all of the information that we need.
Prophecies work like visions do, and sharing too much now could alter the outcome in a way that you really don’t want it to.
“Thank you,” Farren replies with understanding. Then adds with a smile, “If it helps, I think that it’s pretty fucking crazy that there’s a legend about us that’s that old, and I’m slightly freaking out too.”
The woman smiles, “Actually, it does help. What was it that you needed help with again?”
Fry bounces on his toes, “The castle they needed directions to the castle.”
I smirk, he’s got as much energy as Loki. Under different circumstances, I’d wager that they would get on pretty damn well.
“Ah yes,” she replies, shooting Fry a look that makes him settle down and pull an apologetic expression in response.
“So you actually want to head back the way that you were coming from. It’s about eight hours in that direction.
It’s actually relatively straightforward.
When you get back through the trees and onto the road, carry on walking it until the road turns from compacted dirt to cobbles.
You want to walk for another thirty minutes, and then you need to take a left off the main road.
It will lead you through the trees. It’s extremely overgrown and will most likely not resemble much of a path anymore.
You should be able to feel the magic of the wards that are still up around the castle, at least that’s what the legend says, and that should guide you through the trees to the gates. ”
There are two things that stand out to me from what she’s saying.
One, she said eight hours in the opposite direction.
That means that my visions are correct. It also means that the compound team sent us in the wrong direction.
Two, she’s describing the pathway entrance that Farren and I already found, which should make it easier to figure out where we’re supposed to be going.
We’ve already been there.
At least it sounds like the road and the path that we walked in order to get to the castle in Farren’s dream.
“We were told to head in this direction to get to the castle,” Rast says, his eyes slightly narrowed.
“You were told wrong.” She replies bluntly/. “You’re headed toward Peanasachadh.”
There’s no doubting the truth ringing in her voice.
We all share a look.
“They lied to us,” Khaos sends down the bond lines.
“Why would they be willing to mess with the saving of this realm?” Rast sends. “If it dies, it doesn’t benefit anyone except for the Abyss creatures.”
“Does it benefit them?” Kill asks. “This has to be the longest time that they’ve roamed relatively free. Maybe they like it here, maybe they don’t want to go back?”
“Maybe, or maybe they’re desperate to go back, most creatures have families. The Abyss creatures are probably no different,” Hades replies, although he’s frowning.
“Thank you. We were given bad information, clearly,” Farren says to the Others.
She raises her eyebrow, “You were given dangerous information. The Abyss creatures patrol Peanasachadh. We aren’t entirely sure why, because they can’t get in, and nothing else can get out.”
“I was never told that,” Rast says, although he doesn’t sound like he’s accusing her of lying, more like he’s confused.
“You’re from one of the compounds, right?” Fry asks.
Rast nods, “Yes.”
“Then that’s why you were never told. They keep a lot of the truth from you guys,” Fry replies in a very matter-of-fact kind of way.
My eyebrows hit my hairline. He’s basically just confirmed what Rast said he suspected.
“What do you mean?” Rast asks, interest in his gaze.
“Abyss creature!” Someone in the trees to our left shouts.
Within moments, we can hear it crashing through the woods and getting closer by the second. It’s not worried about being heard. It knows that it's at the top of the food chain, and I would be willing to bet that it likes it when its prey runs.
“There’s no time to run,” the woman from the Others says. She looks at us worriedly, “We can hold it off long enough for you to escape.”