Chapter 56
Istumbled on slick rock as I landed at an awkward angle. The star gate spit me out over a rocky base that crawled up into a mountainside. I tried standing, only to slip and fall, bending my wrists at an odd angle.
“Stars,” I hissed.
One of my palms had an open gash from catching onto one of the crumbling stones wrong. Where in the stars was I? I cast about trying to make sense of my environment.
There were clouds everywhere, thick and billowy, obstructing my view.
I took a step and slipped again. I grit my teeth, squeezed my thighs, and forced myself to take a few steps.
Each one was wobbly and uncertain. As I crept across the rocks, I saw in the distance a breach between the clouds.
And through the clouds, I spotted the Goldstone Bridge.
“What in the—”
The sound of shuffling caught my attention. I whipped my head around and saw the last remnants of a set of wings slipping around the corner of the mountain base. Careful not to slip, I began prowling after the angel. I couldn’t tell which rank they were since they’d been moving so quickly.
I shuffled across the rock, still slipping over my feet no matter how hard I tried to keep my balance. I wasn’t crossing the bridge any longer, but I didn’t doubt for a second I’d find myself without my feathers if I tried flying out here.
I made it to where I’d spotted the angel and rounded the corner.
In the distance, embedded in the rock was a gate made of gold, barring entry into an entrance carved into the side of the mountain.
The gate was ajar as I saw the silhouette of the angel again.
I watched them slip inside. The angel held two swords, one in each hand.
And on his arm was the branded thorn of the Marked.
But even from here, I could tell I didn’t know who the angel was.
They weren’t one of Quazar’s Talons. I hadn’t seen them in Xadari Legion either.
I made my way across the rock, shifting the weight of the satchel on my back.
The tomes were heavy. I got a good grip on the satchel, using a pair of wings to hold it up as I made my way to the gate the angel had slipped through.
When I reached the golden entry, a putrid odor smacked me in the face. I stumbled back, losing my balance. It was sharp and gross, a mixture of stench, urine, and old blood filtering into the air.
I pulled the neckline of my gown over my nose, took in a final breath of fresh air, and pushed through the gate. The moment I was inside, I found myself on white stairs made of ancient rock. A long, winding staircase leading down sprawled out the further I stepped in.
Each slab of stone that made up the stairs were carved out of obsidian. I’d never seen anything like it. Especially when Temple Efysis, which was perched above ground, was nothing but ivory marble and gilded floors and doors.
I took a step and slipped. I caught myself in time, balancing a hand against the rocky wall.
Nearly puking, I wrenched my hand away. The wall was sticky and prickly.
I pulled my hand back and found it coated in new blood, some gold, some raven black, with a few metallic shards poking out of my palm.
Adjusting my gown, I gingerly began taking step after step.
There were no ethèrlamps here. Only torches with a crimson glow that gave the stuffy corridor a chilling feeling.
I looked down, finding almost every stone had some measure of blood or something other carved into it.
After a while, I began to see trails of torn feathers, broken talons, and angelic bones.
Rotting stars.
Somehow I’d found myself in the dungeons.
I’d heard stories of dissenters being sent here. Kept here. Dissenters and criminals. Which meant the Scourgers were also down here. That also meant Quazar had been down here each time he was in the custody of the Scourgers.
I swallowed hard, noticing the increasing darkness the further I descended. I wouldn’t lie to myself. I was terrified. I didn’t know what I was doing down here.
Was this part of the trial? Was I supposed to find something down here? We were told to look for traitors. Had we all somehow been directed here to search for who it was that plotted against the temple?
My foot caught on loose rock and I went stumbling.
I rolled down several steps before I was able to stick out my wings to brace my fall and keep me from rolling further.
I propped onto my wings, surveying the area.
I’d ended up in a cavernous chamber of interconnected stones and staircases, all leading to different directions.
“Now where in the stars did he go?” I whispered to myself.
Even though I kept my voice low, my words traveled, bounding off the walls. I bit my bottom lip, jumping into nearby shadows to tuck myself and hide in case anyone surfaced to look for the source of the sound.
I stayed in the shadows for some time, scared I’d drawn unwanted attention to myself. When no angels surfaced, I shook my shoulders. I was about to leave the shadows when—
“That can only be done with the power from the Star of the Age. Without it, every effort would be rendered useless. I don’t understand why we don’t double our efforts to find the Nebulari.”
“Hunting the Nebulari would be a waste of time. Best to wait and see what Anathelle thinks. I hate her presence in the Order, but have to admit, she’s never wrong.
She swears the power we need is under our nose.
Then we can take it and use it against Zemshaza.
We won’t need to uphold the treaty with the Fallen High King any longer. ”
Ice froze over in my gut.
Treaty with the whom?
My hearts were racing as I craned my neck to hear the two passing Farasees better.
“Oh please, we’ll always have to keep a truce with Zemshaza. At least he’s backed off with sending more Fallen...”
The Farasee’s words cut off as they calmly walked up the stairs to another level.
Not wanting to get caught, I decided to take a chance and start taking more steps down.
I shuffled across the stony floor, crossing to the other side of the dungeon.
Then I began descending the steps into the bowels of the temple that felt too keenly like walking down into the Hèls.