Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

" W here are you?" I murmured to myself, gazing out the window of the Library of Frost where a glimpse of the ragged island and the rough sea lay, thinking of Harlon.

"I am right here."

I whirled around at the male voice. "Fucking hell, Galomp," I exhaled, finding him shimmying his way between two closely-packed bookshelves.

He and I had formed something of an alliance. We didn't spend a whole lot of time together, but he was one of the few Fae in Never Keep who treated me like an equal, and I returned the favour in kind. I'd noticed he was a loner like me, hovering on the outskirts of society. I'd caught sight of him attempting conversation with a few groups of Fae only to see them turn from him, sniggering and whispering, leaving him on his own. His smiles never faltered though, and I wondered if he even noticed the rejection.

"What a nice day," he said with a smile, dropping into the chair opposite me. "I do like your clothes. They are very interesting. I like interesting things."

I glanced down at my newly made pale blue jersey which hugged my skin, the fleece inside it keeping me warm in the Keep at last. It had supple metal plates of ghoststeel stitched onto the shoulders and elbows, the natural white colour of them glimmering in the light. My trousers were snug and black with rainbows and schools of fish stitched into the pockets, plus a perfectly blended fold covered the dagger at my hip.

I was pretty sure no one had ever made such a nice comment about my clothes besides Harlon, and it brought a proud smile to my lips. "Thank you, Galomp. Really. That means a lot."

"Oh! I have a message for you from your brother. He speaks very loudly. I do not like his loud voice." Galomp tugged up his left sleeve and horror carved a hole in my chest as he showed me his inner forearm. "He wrote the message there with his blade so I would not forget. It is a little sore but the blood has stopped now. So that is good."

Two words stood out starkly on his skin, etched there just for me.

Courtyard. Now.

"Tan eskindo pishalé," I snarled, rising from my seat. That fucking asshole. "I'll make him pay for this," I swore to Galomp, but when had I ever been able to make Ransom pay for anything? He was twice my size, building muscle every day and his magical ability was turning out to be as great as our father's.

Why had Scorpio blessed him with his prowess? Why had Cancer given him the sharpness of her claws? He didn't deserve it. He was vile. And I was so done being pushed around by him.

"You are angry," Galomp said, rising too. "Did I do something bad?"

"No, it's Ransom. He shouldn't have hurt you. Did you even try and fight him off?"

He was an Icekian Polar Bear shifter for the stars' sake. He could probably eat Ransom's head if he tried.

Galomp frowned, considering that. "He said he did not have a quill."

"That's not a reason to allow him to hurt you." I stepped closer to him, feeling something for Galomp that I felt for very few Fae. He didn't deserve to be abused like this.

"Oh… yes, you are right, Miss Everest. It was not nice."

"No, it wasn't." I grabbed my pack, tossing the book on concealment spells I'd been reading into it before shouldering it and heading through the high stacks of bookshelves. I was on a murderous warpath. Ransom could not get away with this.

We were up on the highest level of the Library of Frost, a collection of spiralling stairways and ladders offering access to the various floors, balconies and hideaways that rose up through the chamber.

The railings and bookshelves glinted with frost, everything from the furniture to the fixings as white as snow, the lampshades made of clear ice with swirling blue patterns cast within them. Despite the theme, the library wasn't cold and the books were unaffected by the ice. There was an ancient hum of magic in here, cast by Reapers' hands many hundreds of years ago.

I led the way out of the library, moving down the stone passages at a fierce pace while Galomp hurried after me. When I made it to the triangular courtyard in the middle of the Vault, I stepped out from the stone shelter that ringed the expansive yard, my feet slowing to a halt as my gaze fell on my father. He wore his finest dark blue armour and Raincarvers were grouped around him working to catch his attention, but he only had eyes for Ransom opposite him, his hand resting firmly on my half-brother's shoulder.

I hesitated then raised my chin, walking forward to greet him, wondering if he might see how I had gained some muscle, how I was no longer too-thin and perhaps looked more like a warrior than before. Galomp stayed at my back, shadowing my footfalls as I went.

Father's brown eyes didn't slide to me until I was practically on his toes, my pulse erratic as I kept my gaze steadily on him.

"Father," I said, dipping my head in respect.

His hand slid from Ransom's shoulder and I felt my brother looking at me, but I refused to give anyone my attention but the commander. He had to see what I was now. I'd claimed my place here. I'd passed the trials and been deemed worthy of Never Keep. I was more than he'd ever thought I was, and he was about to acknowledge it.

"Ransom tells me you can cast with both hands," Father said, and was I just imagining it, or was there a hint of warmth to his voice?

"Yes," I lied quickly, trying out a smile.

He did not smile back.

"I see. Well I will have you know, I spoke with the Reapers upon my arrival."

Cold. Oh so cold were my bones. He knew. He fucking knew and he was dangling the truth over my head in front of Ransom and so many of the Raincarvers.

"Perhaps we can talk in private?" I asked in desperation, stepping even closer and giving my father an imploring look. Please don't tell them.

But it was then that I realised that Ransom was smiling. My eyes slid to him and icy fingers gripped my heart as if he was reaching into my chest and promising to destroy me. Father had already told him.

"Everest Arcadia is a one-handed caster, her left hand is a dud, scarred and useless," Ransom boomed so everyone in the courtyard could hear.

Mutters broke out through the crowd, and I heard Alina gasp dramatically, punctuating the sound of my soul fracturing ever deeper.

"She is a great caster," Galomp spoke behind me and I wished he hadn't because my father's unwelcoming eyes moved onto him.

"And who are you?" Father drawled.

"People call me Galomp," he said merrily, holding a hand past me in offering for my father to shake it. "It is nice to meet Miss Everest's dad. How do you do?"

I groaned internally. He did not just ask Commander Rake of the Aquin Legion ‘how do you do?'.

Father's eyes moved back to me, a hardness to them that was an impenetrable barrier between us. "Keeping the company of halfwits, are you?"

"He's not a-" I started, bristling at him talking about Galomp that way but he cut over me.

"And lying to your fellow conscripts too. Pitiful behaviour. I hear the Reapers have asked you to sleep in the bowels of the Keep, even they could see that you were not worthy of a room here. Though why they allowed you to stay at all is beyond me."

"I proved myself worthy of my place," I insisted, my cheeks heating from the stares that were driving into me from all sides.

"Did you now?" Father growled, then he pushed Ransom towards me. "Let's see how your elemental training has served you then. My boy will offer you a fair fight."

Ransom grinned hungrily, stalking closer to me as the crowd backed up to give us room.

"I shall take your pack and look after it well." Galomp pulled it from my shoulders and backed away, giving me a thumbs up, his confidence in me completely unfounded.

Ransom raised his hands, ice coating his palms as I readied to defend myself. Despite all the eyes on me, the ones I felt the most were Father's. This was my chance to prove to him what I could do, but with a beast like Ransom as my opponent, I doubted my chances against him. Still, I'd give it all I had.

Ransom blasted shards of ice at me and I leapt aside, melting any that came close to hitting me and sending a shot of water back at him. He diverted it, taking hold of my own cast and sending it splashing to the floor beside him while he stalked forward to try and get hold of me.

I ran, avoiding the swipe of his large arms and darting behind him, casting water beneath his feet and freezing it in an instant. He slipped once, then melted it, charging for me and reaching for my hair.

I leapt backwards, avoiding his outstretched hands once more, but he cast a whip of water, latching it around my throat and yanking on it hard. It cinched tight and he dragged me toward him by it, using so much force that I crashed to my knees beneath him.

I grabbed hold of his thighs as he choked away my air supply and I sent ice blasting along them, slamming into his balls.

He roared in pain, his fist connecting with my face in the next second and sending me plummeting to the hard stone ground. The tether of water around my throat tightened as he leapt on top of me, grabbing my head and cracking it against the ground, dazing me as I thrashed beneath him. His face was red with rage, my attack clearly having embarrassed him and he was not going to stop until he got his revenge for it. But he didn't have the wrath in him that lived in me.

I sent a surge of water rushing up at my back, using the power of it to flip us over so I was straddling him, throwing a fist of my own right into his nose. A satisfying crack brought a dark smile to my lips, but I was rewarded with two more lashes of water wrapping around my arms and yanking them behind my back. My head was getting fuzzy where I still couldn't draw breath, my vision blurring as Ransom cast more water tethers around my arms and made them lift me above him, my feet leaving the ground and kicking uselessly.

The crowd were chanting out Ransom's name, baying for my blood and Father's cool eyes remained set on me, his lips lifting just a little, like he was revelling in my suffering.

I didn't know why he scorned me so, but it hurt. It fucking hurt and I needed to prove him wrong. I wasn't a runt. I wasn't useless as a warrior. I was meant to be here.

I pushed my will into the water that was coursing around my throat and arms, working to take hold of it. Ransom snarled between his teeth as his own will butted up against mine. Without my focus on pretending to cast with my left hand, my attacks were stronger, more precise and I revelled in the bittersweet truth of that. Maybe I shouldn't have wasted so much time pretending for the sake of my pride.

Ransom might have had physical strength over me, but he didn't have the resilience I possessed. His power over the water cracked and I shoved mine into its place, taking hold of his magic and releasing myself from his tethers. I sent them flying back at him in great whips as I hit the ground, stumbling but managing to stay upright. Ransom was thrown back from the strikes, nearly falling, but not quite.

He came at me like a charging bull, ice tearing up from the flagstones around me in a ring and trapping me inside it. I rose up on a pillar of water, racing for the gap of sky above, but I didn't have this style of casting perfected and my magic faltered, sending me crashing to my knees as the water collapsed beneath me.

Ransom's cage of ice closed above my head and I threw my fist at it, trying to break through, but all it did was start to grow thicker. The space around me thinned, the walls of ice closing in and starting to crush me in its grip.

I worked to get hold of Ransom's power once more, but he was ready for me this time, pouring more and more of his magic into the cast until I was packed tight into the space, my ribs bruising as the pressure mounted. The ice closed in around my head and panic rose as I realised he wasn't going to stop.

The ice was as clear as glass, but the crowd's faces were distorted by it, making them look like grimacing demons, their heckling becoming a dull echo that resounded through the ice and vibrated against my skin.

I pressed my right hand to the frozen cage, working to melt it, focusing on the strength I needed to do so, but Father stepped closer to the cage, his deep tenor reverberating through the ice as he spoke. "The runt yields."

"I don't!" I screamed. "I don't yield!"

"Then you will be crushed in there," Father said in a low voice just for me.

I felt him adding magic to the cage, the pressure amplifying, crushing me like a rabbit in a giant's fist.

"Stop," I rasped, unable to make more noise than that as my father toyed with my death, letting it be known how easily he could finish me.

"I yield," I gave in, but the pressure only increased. "Please…Father."

The ice turned abruptly to water and I fell to my hands and knees, gasping in a lungful of air, staring up at the man who had sired me, wondering how close he had come to killing me.

Ransom cried out in pain and Father wheeled towards him. The little blue lizard I had followed into the passages beneath the Keep was on Ransom's shoulder, biting into his neck. My half-brother grabbed it in his fist, throwing the creature to the ground and bringing up his foot, ready to stamp on its head.

"No!" I lunged forward, catching the lizard in a whip of water and retracting it fast, my own hand closing around the animal.

"It bit me," Ransom spat, striding towards me. "It dies for that."

I flexed my fingers, thinking fast and casting the best illusion I could create of the lizard and making it appear to leap from my hand and race across the courtyard. It was little more than a blur of blue scales, but it did the job because Ransom took chase with a battle cry and I shoved the real lizard quickly into my pocket.

Father turned his back on me and I sensed that was my cue to get the fuck out of here, turning and walking up to Galomp. He handed me my pack and I shouldered it as we headed inside, my pulse still wild and my defeat weighing heavily down on me while water dripped from my hair.

I didn't know where I was going, too furious to notice the mindless pounding of my feet turning down corridors left and right. "Father added his magic, how is that fair? I could have gotten out. The fight wasn't over. And then – fuck – I wasn't even – how could he? I'm his daughter too, but he acts like Ransom is the only Fae he ever sired. I can be more – he doesn't let me be more. He won't even try to see more. I'm more, Galomp. I'm more ."

Galomp rested a hand on my arm. "I think you are more."

I looked up at him, my heart slowing a little at his warm smile. "Really?"

"Oh boy, I really do. Yes, I do." He gently drew the water magic from my soaked clothes and hair, carrying it away and depositing it into a stone fountain set into the wall.

"Thanks, Galomp," I breathed, unsure why he was so kind to me.

I reached into my pocket, taking out the lizard who chirruped happily, its little tongue whipping out to lick my left hand, reminding me of what everyone now knew about me. I had no doubt that Ransom would make sure the rest of the Fae in this place knew it too and the warmth in my chest fizzled out again.

"I'm so fucked," I whispered, looking at my scarred palm as the lizard went scrambling up my arm to perch on my shoulder. "Once everyone knows this about me, they'll think I'm useless."

"They think you are useless already," Galomp pointed out tactlessly and I pouted.

"Well, more useless."

"Yes, more useless. Oh bother, what will we do to make you seem less useless?" he said thoughtfully, really seeming to try and help me. "I cannot think of one thing."

"We?" I questioned, ignoring the last semi-insulting comment and quirking a brow at him.

"You, me and the small crocodile. Oh boy, I once saw a real crocodile, it was very big. I did not go swimming in that lake again. I did not want to be chomped."

I broke a laugh, looking to the lizard on my shoulder who seemed quite happy to stay there. "Crocodile, huh? I think he's more of a tiny dragon than a croc."

"Oh yes, I can see that now. He has wings. Dragons are not around anymore though. My uncle said they are all gone."

"Yeah…" I lifted a hand to scratch the lizard's chin. "What shall we call him?"

"He is blue so we could call him Blue."

"Simple enough," I said, looking to the lizard. "Do you like that name?"

The lizard chirruped, cocking his head as his big eyes stared into mine.

"Blue it is." I smiled.

Galomp patted his head with one finger. "Blue means you, small dragon. I do hope you remember that. Yes, oh boy. I think he likes it."

I slowed as I realised we'd arrived in the stairwell that led down to my quarters. I'd not brought anyone there before, the shame of it a bit too much to admit. Not that I'd had anyone to invite until now. But instead of asking Galomp to come and hang out, I found myself stepping away, withdrawing, my walls sliding up. He probably didn't want to come anyway. And I was better off keeping my guard high in this place.

"See you," I said vaguely, then turned and headed off into the dark, cold stairway that spiralled down into the unwelcoming depths of Never Keep.

"I see you too," Galomp called after me and I headed deeper into the stairway, leaving him behind, but his voice chased me anyway. "Now I do not see you."

Blue watched me work all evening, sitting close to the fire while I started on my newest blade. The forge was ready and I thrived in heating the metal until it was a beautiful sunburnt yellow, then shaping it on my new anvil, hammering it until both sides were even, the end tapering to a sharp point.

Then it was back in the fire before cooling again, repeating this process until the blade was ready for sanding. It was hard work, but it was one of my favourite parts, the rhythmic movement of the sandpaper against the metal smoothing out all the imperfections in the blade. It was so satisfying to be a part of. My magic rose in my skin and my heart beat to a melodic rhythm, my body never as calm as it was when doing this.

I soon had the makings of something beautiful, and I couldn't get Mavus's words out of mind while I worked, of how all the elements were at play here as I crafted the metal. I had always felt at home with fire despite it being the exact opposite of my element, but perhaps there was a balance in that. And now I was Awakened, I could coat my fingers in ice, keeping my skin from burning while being able to work the metal with even more precision.

Blue seemed fascinated by the process, moving closer to watch the movements of my hands before returning to snack on the pile of beans in a spicy sauce I'd brought him from the refectory. I had no damn idea what creatures like him ate, but he seemed pleased with the meal.

I pulled the blade from the fire once more and thrust it into the metal bucket I'd borrowed – okay stolen – from the servant's latrine. But it had just been sitting there with no use in mind and I'd needed it. It was full of winterseed oil, and a hiss sounded as the blazing metal met with it, quenching it and making the blade strong. My use of such oil was a method taught to me by my mama and was not the usual type used in forging. But her blades spoke for themselves in how effective it was.

That was enough for tonight. I had something else I needed to do. Something that I'd been planning for a while now. Since I'd found my way underneath the Keep and had made no progress in accessing that door again in the Poseidon Spa, I had taken to visiting the beaches that were accessible beyond Never Keep.

Apart from the Obsidian Cove, there were narrow, rocky, deadly as shit tracks that led to other beaches, and upon visiting one just west of the Vault of Frost, I'd seen something I wanted to investigate. A cave. Barely visible from the shore, further down the coast like a gaping mouth swallowing the tide. That underground river I'd discovered had to lead to the sea, and the boat there had proved it. So tonight, stupid, reckless and life-threatening as the idea was, I had decided to head to that cove and swim into that unholy motherfucker of a cave to see if it led where I hoped it did. Because if I could get back there, perhaps I could find Harlon and he could assure me he was safe from the terrible things I had seen. Or maybe he knew more about what I'd witnessed. Maybe he'd tell me I didn't need to worry. Maybe it would all just be okay if I could speak to him.

I thought back on the day we'd parted, his burning, hungry mouth against mine, and the words he'd spoken that I'd long ago hoped he would. That kiss had possibly shattered everything we had been in the past, and I was excited and terrified about what that meant. But I couldn't give myself to those hopes until I knew he was safe and well.

"I need to go somewhere," I told Blue, though why I was talking to a lizard, I didn't know. Maybe it was because I hadn't spoken in several hours and his company was the first I'd had down here since I'd arrived. "It's pretty dangerous. I might die actually, so you'd better stay here."

I stripped out of my clothes, changing into the fitted bathing suit I'd made from the waterproof material I'd taken from Wandershire. It had long arms and sleeves, the black suit like a second skin and the fabric soaked in blaze oil to offer me warmth out in the frigid ocean. I'd stitched Typhon curling up the back of it in silver thread along with curling patterns of water across it.

I was well on the way to making other new clothes, but this had taken up most of my time. The fabric I'd gotten from Wandershire was already cut into patterns ready to be sewn for my latest outfits. Maybe tomorrow I'd have time to finish one of the garments.

I pulled on the darkest clothes I owned over it and laced my boots onto my feet, finding Blue crawling out from under the tunic I'd tossed his way, flying up to land on my shoulder.

"You shouldn't come," I warned. "I have to swim tonight, I don't know if you can."

I took him from my shoulder, placing him on the furs on the floor that made up my bed.

"I'll be back later. Or not if, you know, the death thing happens. But I'll leave the door open a crack so you can get out."

I headed off, making my way up the endless stairs and through the Vault of Frost until I reached a window that looked over the barren, snow-covered land that separated this Vault from the Vault of Embers. I pushed the window open, climbing out and a little blue lizard flew past my head.

"Blue," I cursed, but he flew on, his tail lighting up in a red glow as I raced to catch him. "Put that out, someone could spot us."

The glow stuttered out and I frowned, wondering if he had actually understood or if it was just a coincidence. I took the lead, Blue coming to land on my shoulder and staying firmly there despite my protests, but I guessed he could fly away if he got in any trouble in the water. I picked my way across the jagged black rocks that were laden with snow, careful not to slip and cut myself on them.

It was an arduous journey but I managed to make it to the far cliff where the small animal track wound down towards the black beach below. The wind dragged at me, the sea spray blowing off the waves to pepper my cheeks. Storm clouds were heavy in the air, no sign of the stars or the moon tonight to guide my way. But since my Order had Emerged, my eyesight was keen in the dark, and as I willed my eyes to change fully, they shifted into that of my Leopard Order.

I finally made it down to the beach, kicking my shoes off and peeling my clothes from my body so I was left in my bathing suit. Blue waited on a rock, watching me closely before taking to the air when I started for the dark waves.

I had grown up with warnings of riptides and strong currents drilled into me, but with my water element humming in my veins, I didn't have to fear those now. I could turn the water to my will, or at least, I hoped I could, because the ocean didn't feel all that welcoming as I waded into the freezing sea. When I was deep enough, I dove under, swimming beneath the turbulent waves and surfacing beyond them into calmer waters. Blue flew above, his tail igniting once more.

"There." I pointed at the cave and he flew in that direction, lighting my way forward. His glowing tail wasn't too bright so it was probably better to use it over a Faelight, in case anyone thought to look at this particular patch of sea from their bedroom window.

My arms carved through the water and even though it was as cold as all hell, it felt natural for me to be here – especially after so many elemental practise sessions spent out here.

I was growing used to wielding the turbulent ocean and my element helped me cleave the waves apart now, while pushing me along faster than I would normally be able to move. Soon, we came upon the cave and I gazed up at the giant stalagmites that hung from its roof like serrated teeth, hoping they were well fixed in place.

The cave was so dark that even my keener eyes couldn't pick out much in the gloom that stretched away into the abyss. The sound of my movements through the water echoed off the high black walls and I kept my gaze focused on Blue's gleaming tail, glad of his company in this stars-forsaken place.

His little light was a beacon that led me deeper and deeper into the mouth of the beast, the sound of the waves lost behind us. My ears filled with the steady drip, drip, drip of water falling from the ceiling above into the winding river I was swimming along. Despite the blaze oil in my bathing suit, the cold was getting its claws into me, driving into my very soul and making my limbs feel heavy in the water, but still, I kept moving, thinking of Harlon and nothing else. I needed to use more oil. The quantities hadn't been right, and I made a mental note to rectify it – if I didn't freeze my ass to death in here.

The roof slanted lower and lower above my head until the water dropped away beneath it, leaving not a breath of air above. Blue flew up into a crack in the wall, squeezing his way into it and disappearing out of sight. A bright chirrup echoed out from somewhere beyond the rocky wall. It sounded like he was in open space so, drawing in a deep breath, I swam beneath the waves, casting a Faelight ahead of me to light the way on.

The passage was as black as death and as narrow as a snake's asshole, but I made my way along it easily enough, used to exploring the coral reefs off the shores of Castelorain. Harlon and I had sought out hidden sea caves and hidden air pockets in long-sunken ships, so this was no real challenge for me.

It wasn't too long before my head broke the surface again and I found myself in an expansive cave once more with Blue hovering above me. I extinguished my Faelight, relying on his light again just in case my magic caught someone's attention up ahead.

I swam on and on, winding eternally down the river and just when my hopes were fading of finding that hidden dock, a low, pounding beat of a drum started in the tunnels ahead. I stilled in the water, listening as my heart rate picked up and Blue slowed to a hover, glancing back at me with a questioning chirrup.

"Toward the drums of doom we go," I whispered, swimming on and Blue flew lower beside me.

The drumming grew to a booming crescendo and chants joined the sound as I rounded a corner into a dead end. A high wall rose up far, far above me towards the cave roof and the faint glimmer of firelight called from a gap in the rocks. A doorway to something unknown.

Blue went flying up there, speeding away from me and promptly disappearing into the tunnel. I swore as I was plunged into near-darkness, nothing but that faint firelight way up above visible to me in the pressing gloom.

"Domerna sil oceania," I spoke the Cascalian words Harlon and I often echoed at each other when out in the waves together. Tame the ocean.

I coiled water around my legs, driving myself upwards, but the water elementals who had perfected this always used two hands to achieve the complex magic. I made it five feet before the water fell apart beneath me and I went plunging into the icy river with a splash that could definitely have drawn attention.

I kicked hard, resurfacing and finding Blue tearing back towards me from above. He landed on my head, nipping at my hair and I got the sense he was warning me because the sound of footfalls carried from the faraway tunnel.

I dove beneath the water, holding my breath and swimming as fast as possible back the way I'd come. I didn't surface again until I was sure I was out of sight and Blue chirruped, guiding me on as he flew ahead back through the tunnels.

Disappointment settled over me. I hadn't found my way to that underground dock. But I had discovered something. A different path to Harlon perhaps. But without me harnessing the ability to guide myself up there with water, how was I ever going to make it that high? It could take me weeks, even months to be adept enough to manage it.

The answer came to me, dangling there in offering, though I would have been a damn fool to choose that fate. So call me a damn fool I guess, because I was going to ask for help from the only other Fae in Never Keep who dared to suspect the Reapers as I did. The Sky Witch.