11. Jagger Silvershade

Chapter 11

Jagger Silvershade

As we walked through the doors of the room Bexley had disappeared into, the stone around our feet lit up into flames, revealing a towering ward and absolutely no Bexley in sight. Pulling on our connection, I immediately realized what had happened.

"She went through the ward," Gage guessed.

"I won't be able to bring those down," Rebecca admitted, standing on the other side of the door we'd just blasted open again. Not because the ward and lock had reappeared—the orb Bexley used had taken care of that— but because there had been some other type of magical trap in place. One that made the doors slam shut and impossible to open from the inside, my gaze running over the lack of handles in the interior.

As a precaution, Thomas, Fletcher, and Rachel were standing outside on watch with Rebecca nearby, just in case. It was my hope that if we did get trapped in here, they'd be able to figure out how to open the doors once more with the aid of her somewhat depleted magic. Hoping that we didn't have to utilize that option, I recognized we needed to figure out where the hell Bexley had gone and why she'd chosen to go through the ward in the first place.

"So we need to bring them down, then. Everyone back up," I called out. I placed my sphere down at the base of the warded wall and retreated along with Gage and Breaker, allowing my power to dance between my fingertips. Above us, the unending ceiling seemed to grow cloudy as lightning flashed, creating a pseudo-storm within the chamber.

A phantom wind picked up, and once I felt like I'd amassed enough power—something that took quite a bit longer than usual—I threw my hand up and blasted it toward the sphere. I probably should've given a warning, but the big clap of thunder right at the moment of collision served as announcement enough.

The resulting explosion was powerful enough that it sent me flying back into the stone wall of the doors, my head slamming against the hard surface. Blood dripped into my eye from a cut made by a piece of debris that had shot up from the floor. My head pounded and my vision was literally tinged red, but those were only minor annoyances compared to the realization that it had all been for nothing .

The sphere had created the smallest crack in the ward, but it wasn't growing.

"Again."

"Wait!" Before I could finish my directive, Bexley appeared on the other side of the ward. "That won't work. One won't work. You need at least two at the same time."

Thank the fates I had eyes on her once more, although her image seemed muted and fuzzy. I couldn't see exactly how she was doing, and that didn't sit right with me.

She turned as if someone said something behind her before looking back at us, her eyes filled with a thrum of excitement I could feel through our bond. She must have found her parents—that was the only explanation.

"We only have two left. If this doesn't work, we have no more options," Gage said. "I know Moloch told us to use them from fifty feet away, but we won't be able to in here. We ignored his advice just now, and now Jagger is bleeding. He also mentioned not using more than one, and I don't want to risk losing both of our orbs as well as possibly hurting you in the process."

"I promise you we will be fine behind here," she insisted, the ‘we' catching my attention and confirming my suspicions. "Just focus on doing both of them at the same time—I'm guessing it'll take all three of you. I have no magic behind this ward or else I'd try to help."

"It should work," Rebecca said, agreeing with Bex's plan. "You boys may just need to combine your powers, similar to how you would in battle." How was she even aware we could do that? Then again, our fathers had been the ones to teach us that, so it wasn't terribly surprising that she would be aware of it.

"I can call it," I said. We were connected enough that I'd be able to feel when we had enough power.

Breaker brought his and Gage's spheres up to the wall as Bexley backed away, out of sight. Then the three of us spaced ourselves out so that when we did use our magic, we could aim it at the precise point on the ward where the two spheres lay on the ground. Thunder rumbled overhead, and I hesitated when I considered the amount of power we were about to use. What if it broke through the barrier and hit our mate? No. If that had been possible, her parents would have done it long ago.

This plan would work—it had to work.

"Go!" I roared once the three of us had amassed enough power.

All at once, we released our magic to trigger the spheres and destroy the ward. I'd thought I'd seen the extent of the sphere's explosive power, but what happened next felt like we hadn't doubled its effect, but rather quadrupled it.

Electricity jumped between us and the ward, holding us in place as the wall behind us broke apart from the force of the explosion. The ceiling began to shake, and heavy pieces plunged to the ground. The doors fell with a heavy thunk, the ward shattering with the ear-piercing sound of nails on a chalkboard.

It had worked—it had fucking worked!

My magic retracted, and I stumbled slightly before catching myself and surging forward to find Bexley. Her back was against a cave wall, and her face and skin were covered in dirt, her clothes torn and burned.

I didn't bother holding back. Picking Bexley up in my arms, I tucked her against me and began to feed her magic, worried how low hers seemed to be. She was so drained, yet she was sharing what little she had with two others.

Two others who weren't my brothers.

Behind her, from inside the cave, movement had a rumble breaking from my throat.

"It's okay," Bexley said. "It's my parents."

I couldn't do anything but stare at my mate and blink stupidly. Of course finding her parents had been the goal of this entire trip to begin with, but a big part of me had been prepared for disappointment. For the possibility that they would either be dead or…well, altered in a way that meant they would never recover. That they had been subjected to so much trauma that the world outside of this prison, including Bexley, would be completely unrecognizable.

"Shit." Breaker darted forward to help as Mrs. Blackforge appeared, her frail arms wrapped around her husband who was somehow in even worse condition. Fuck. They had to be underweight by at least fifty pounds, and they clearly hadn't seen the sun for years, their skin so pale it was almost translucent. This was so fucked up.

If I hadn't hated Linan before, I definitely did now. Mr. and Mrs. Blackforge had always been pillars of the community, revered leaders of the land, so to see them like this…

I tightened my arms around Bexley, needing to know she was safe. That Clanguard hadn't been successful in imprisoning her as well.

"Let us help," Breaker said as he ducked under Mr. Blackforge's arm to shoulder his weight, Gage offering Mrs. Blackforge an elbow to step over the debris.

"Thank you," Mr. Blackforge said. "All of you."

"Absolutely," I said sincerely. "Let's get out of here so we can properly celebrate escaping. I worry our explosion will have drawn some attention."

"He absolutely heard that," Gage agreed. "How fast are the two of you able to travel? Would it help if we carried both of you?"

"No." Mrs. Blackforge straightened and held her husband's gaze, some type of communication passing between them. "We've lasted this long, and I want to walk out of here on my own. I won't leave frail and broken."

"Of course," Bexley said. I set her down on her feet, seeing she wanted to join her mom.

"Tell me, how did he bring you down here?"

"Freight elevator," Breaker answered. I cursed the fact that we hadn't been conscious for our arrival. While I felt like I had a decent grasp on the area around us now, I worried we'd be at a disadvantage once we got aboveground.

Earlier, when I'd been hit with bolts of electricity from the taser, I'd truly thought I'd died. I'd been mid-shift, needing to reach my mate, to protect her. Watching her convulse on the ground was agony, a living nightmare, and I couldn't have stopped my dragon if I'd wanted to. But when the bolt caught me in my half-shifted state, momentarily freezing me there, I felt as though I'd been split in half.

The magic had rebounded and turned me back human, but I'd lost consciousness immediately after, unable to handle what the shock had done to my system. And when I finally woke up and Bexley wasn't right next to me, I'd only been able to assume the worst. That he had taken her—imprisoned her.

I'd been right, too—he'd imprisoned all of us.

"We have a clear path right now," Fletcher said, urging us forward. Bexley's parents tensed, not having noticed the Clanguard brothers until now.

"They've turned on him," I assured them. "Allies. I promise."

Bexley nodded in confirmation, and they both relaxed. They'd been gearing up for a fight, even if they wouldn't have been able to help much, if at all. It shouldn't have surprised me; I'd always known them to be fearless.

"Rebecca?!" Mrs. Blackforge's voice broke as she strode past us, a new vigor to her step as she met Rebecca in the middle of the hall, the two of them embracing. Bexley let out a happy sound at the interaction, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. I wanted to talk to her about how she felt because I couldn't imagine that anything about this was emotionally easy, let alone the physical distress and injury she was suffering—an element that was affecting me as well.

As the rest of us approached the two women, Mr. Blackforge gave a weak smile. "Good to see you, Rebecca."

"You as well, Jericho. Your signature kept fading; I feared the worst."

"Can't get rid of me that easily." He chuckled. "I still have to beat you in chess."

"Never."

Mrs. Blackforge rolled her eyes. Bexley's gaze darted back and forth with interest, a smile playing on her lips.

"I hate to interrupt," Thomas interjected, "but we need to get moving."

"It isn't only us here," Mrs. Blackforge said, her expression solemn. "I can tell there are others—their power's been accumulating over the years. I fear Linan has been imprisoning more people, and the strongest signature is one that is several floors up from here."

"We have to help them," Bexley said immediately. "It wouldn't surprise me if he's holding others captive. I'm already convinced that many of his soldiers aren't fighting willingly."

"We don't have time to help them," Fletcher said, causing my face to twist into a look of distaste. I understood that he was worried about us getting out of here, but I very much stood on the same page as my mate.

Rachel stared at him in confusion as Bexley frowned, shaking her head. "We need to say something at least—even if it's just a promise to return. I will not leave without giving them some hope."

And I wasn't going to try to talk her out of trying to save women from this hell hole.

"Fine." Fletcher was stressed—we could all hear it in his voice—but he managed to keep it together as Mrs. Blackforge led us to a corridor near the elevators. Gage and Breaker began to explain to Bexley's parents how we'd gotten here, Rebecca chiming in about her part. As we stood in front of the elevator, my hand hesitating over the button to call it, I looked around, trying to seek out another method of escape.

"What's wrong?" Thomas asked.

"Linan will be waiting for us to use the elevator. If there's another way to get out of here, we should try to find it."

"The elevator wasn't here when we arrived," Mrs. Blackforge noted. "They may have sealed it up by now, but we took a staircase down here."

Almost immediately, Gage was jogging over to a darkened corner of the hall. When he reemerged, his face was marred with concern. "There are stairs, but they are steep and go up farther than I can see."

"Jagger is right, Linan will be waiting for us," Mr. Blackforge got out roughly. "We should take the stairs."

No one argued. He was the one in the worst shape of all of us, so if he thought the stairs were the better choice, we weren't in any position to disagree.

We began to climb the stone staircase which winded up and up, our voices echoing in the narrow space. I felt claustrophobic but didn't say a word as we began our ascent, the smooth windowless and doorless walls seeming to repeat themselves again and again. How long had we been walking up the stairs at this point?

Finally, the anxiety-inducing monotony was broken. A red door sat to the side of the staircase, and Breaker didn't hesitate to open it. I gently led Bexley through ahead of me, wanting to keep her close in case we encountered any danger.

If we did, I would get her out of here before she could blink, especially now that we had a clear path upwards. Down below I still couldn't hear anything, so we had a bit of time—Clanguard apparently hadn't yet caught on that something was going on down here.

Still, I didn't want to test our luck for too long.

Mr. and Mrs. Blackforge, along with Gage and Rebecca, stayed outside the door so we didn't get locked in, but the rest of us continued inside. There were no wards covering these cells, and they were all empty…except one. At the far end was a gold- gilded cell that was dark inside, the slightest movement the only thing that made me think that someone was in there.

"Mom?" Thomas's voice was etched with pain as I watched a woman approach the bars from the shadows. I could see the resemblance. This was the woman that I'd met as a child, the one that Linan always treated like shit. Fletcher and Rachel moved past us as Bexley and I stayed rooted to the spot with Breaker.

"Didn't you say…" Rachel began.

"That we haven't been allowed to see her for years? Yes." Fletcher said, clenching his teeth in an obvious effort to rein in his emotions.

The woman flinched but kept an otherwise neutral expression. "How long have you been here? When did he lock you up?"

"Years," she answered in a murmur. "This isn't my first cage."

"We have to get you out," Thomas said, frantically searching in the dark. "We have to find a key?—"

"No. There are floors full of other women here. For years, he's been using the mates and children of his soldiers as leverage to ensure they would do his bidding. I can't leave, not until I know they're safe. More so, if he finds I've escaped…trust me, they'll be the ones to suffer for it." Her gaze moved past us as Mrs. Blackforge approached. "Ashley, I am so incredibly sorry for what he did?—"

"Do not apologize, Carol," Mrs. Blackforge insisted. "His sins are his own. We can help you get out though."

"I vowed I would not leave these packlands until they are released. You should go. Regain your strength and come back for us. Please."

I didn't fully agree with her analysis, but I could tell that she probably wouldn't change her mind. We were nearly ready to leave when a rustling that sounded from behind her had all of us peering into the darkness.

"Mommy?"

Horror filled the Clanguard brothers' faces as a little girl, maybe five, who looked just like them, moved toward their mom. Her eyes were an odd, milky texture, and it made me wonder if she'd ever been outside—somehow I thought not. Linan didn't seem the type to do something so ‘generous.'

"Who—who is that?" Fletcher demanded.

Their mother's face was drawn as she explained. "Your sister. She was born right after I disappeared. Or whatever story your father told everyone. He was embarrassed to have a girl—said it made him weak."

"But I'm not weak," the little girl said proudly. Bexley moved out of my arms and to Rachel's side, the two of them crouching down to look at the girl. She was small enough to fit through the bars, meaning that she chose her imprisonment so she could stay with her mom. She probably didn't even know there was another choice.

I'd already known it, but the sight of the little girl drove the point home—Linan was a vile individual, a creature who didn't deserve to be called a ‘person.' When such a creature hurt others, it was despicable. But when it hurt the vulnerable, like children, the worst—and final—punishment was called for. One I'd be thrilled to administer.

"What a piece of shit," Breaker murmured.

"We had no idea. We thought…"

"Your dad's a bastard," Carol said, "but we can talk about that later. You need to leave now. They're going to search each floor for you if you've escaped from downstairs—I'm assuming that explosion was you? I'm surprised the place didn't collapse."

Bexley snapped her head up, panicked at the thought. I fought the urge to go and comfort her, opting instead to send soothing waves down our bond so that I didn't interrupt the conversation she and Rachel were having with the girl. This place wasn't going to collapse anytime soon; it's why it was perfect for holding so many.

"No," Fletcher said, unyielding. "We're not leaving without you."

"I said go," she hissed. When neither Thomas nor Fletcher budged, Carol chose a different tactic, turning to Rachel. "You're their mate? The one Linan told me about?"

Rachel hesitated. "He mentioned me?"

"Yes. He hates you—which made me like you a lot more."

The statement made Mrs. Blackforge laugh as Bexley nodded in agreement.

"Yes. I'm Rachel."

"I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, but I need to ask something of you," Carol said earnestly. "Take Olivia with you. Keep her safe. I don't want him to use her against me when the war starts."

Shit.

"Of course," Rachel said, not even hesitating.

"Don't underestimate Linan," Carol said, addressing all of us now. "Take care of my baby girl."

"Mommy, I don't want to leave," the little girl cried.

"No, no," Rachel soothed. "It will be fun, I promise."

"Go with Rachel and Bex, Olivia. They'll take care of you and keep you safe until I can join you. I'll be right behind you, okay? I love you." Pressing a kiss to Olivia's forehead, Carol gently pushed her through the bars to Rachel, who scooped her up and strode straight out the door without a backwards glance. Bex, Breaker, and I left Fletcher and Thomas to say their parting words, continuing our journey up the stairs. It was a hell of a long way up, and it felt like an eternity before we reached the metal door at the top.

Bexley pushed through it, the sunlight blinding after having spent so many hours in the dark. Bex's parents and Olivia shielded their eyes, and we paused to give them time to acclimate. They still couldn't open their eyes and needed assistance to move, but we'd made it. We'd broken free and released her parents.

Bexley squeezed my hand and I strode forward, more determined than ever to get out of here. We would come back, and we would free every single person here—no one would remain under Clanguard's thumb. The bastard's reign was over, and when we were done there wouldn't be a single piece left of him.