38. Reina

Chapter thirty-eight

Reina

W e run to the next two cells but they're both empty. Jasper's eyes are full of panic as he scratches an "X" on the wall leading to the chambers we've investigated.

"We're going to find them," I tell him.

He shakes his head. "A ship is approaching. We're running out of time."

"We have a god standing guard," I say.

"And only so many favors we can ask of him before he requests payment." Jasper runs a hand through his curly hair.

His skin is burned red, like mine, and winding lacerations run down each arm. We're not in great shape for a fight.

"Then let's split up and hurry. I'll take this passage," I say, pointing down the hall that leads away from the water.

His brow pinches and I can tell he likes that idea about as much as getting punched in the stomach. He clenches his jaw with a heavy huff and then nods. "Just look, then come back here. Three minutes."

I take off at a run, holding my torch high. Even though it hurts my sensitive skin, it's replenishing my magic. It's not much power, but it's something, maybe enough to heal soon. So many of those selkies looked on their deathbeds, and no wonder. They were swimming in their own filth, the sea outside not providing any current to refresh their water.

The thought has the fire in my chest burning again. I wish Vansen wasn't dead, because I'd kill him all over again, in the worst way possible.

I reach another intersection and start counting as I turn right. I pick up my pace, ignoring my body and its demands for rest. I can rest once they're all safe. Once Jasper's heart is whole again, his guilt abolished.

"Is anyone here!" I call out when I see the glint of a copper bar.

The door and the keys of the cages are no doubt rune-scribed. I saw the flicker of gold magic in the lock as I turned the key. Even in death the false king could hurt us if we're not careful.

I reach the only cell in this hall—though it does go on for another twenty feet—and hold my torch higher. The sight that meets my eyes is not one I thought I'd ever see again. The floor of the cell is moving, rippling like thick water.

And then I see the eyes. Molten-hot and full of hatred for me.

I drop my gaze, not looking the ekstienvas in the face, or what I think is the face. It was like looking into a noseless, mouthless mask of crystal formations. It glowed against the red fury in the creature's eyes, creating a beautiful rainbow of color.

"I'm here to free you," I say, knowing full well this being likely doesn't speak my language.

I hold up the keys in my other hand. "Freedom."

I start the process of going through the keys. On my fourth attempt, the eksteinvas approaches the bar. I freeze, not wanting to upset the creature and go the way I saw the man I'd shot, swallowed up into the ground.

It reaches forward. Its arm—if it could be called such a thing—ends in a single sharp crystal.

Gods, please don't let it stab me.

It pokes the key ring, then shifts through them. Finally, the crystal on its digit grows into a hook and it pulls one of the keys forward.

"This one?" I ask, slowly grabbing the key.

There's a rumble like grinding stone, but I won't look up. I couldn't read this creature's expressions even if I wanted to.

I stick the key in the lock and turn. A soft spark of gold discharges and the tumbler clicks.

"Reina!" Jasper's voice carries down the hall.

"Here," I call back, keeping my gaze off the creature in front of me.

"That's not looking ," he declares as he charges toward me.

The eksteinvas pushes on the door, and the gate squeaks open.

"Rei, back up, now! Come to me!" Jasper says in a panic.

The floor swells and shifts under my feet, throwing my balance. The eksteinvas moves through the door and places its stubby arm on the wall across from its cage. I take a few slow steps back, still keeping my gaze on the floor. Jasper's warm hand comes around my arm as he pulls me behind him.

"What's it doing?" Jasper asks, lifting his torch arm.

The crystal of its nubby arm melds into the wall, sinking into it.

"No idea," I whisper back.

A few quick seconds later, we're looking at another door, this one made of shimmering, clear crystal. The eksteinvas has reduced in mass significantly, and I have to wonder if it just pushed some of itself into the wall.

It grows the sharp little digit again and taps the wall. With a resounding tinkling, the crystal shatters. Pieces scatter over the floor, forcing Jasper and I to take another step back.

The eksteinvas moves aside, and another one emerges from the wall, then another, and another. He'd locked them in a prison of their own making.

The first one comes slithering forward on its tail of liquid rock. It reaches down and picks up two of the larger crystal chunks from the ground, then approaches us.

"Stay very still," Jasper utters.

The eksteinvas holds one of the crystals out to Jasper, and then another to me. They glow bright molten, like what I saw in the creature's face, and then the stones turn blood red. I open my hand and it drops the shard into my palm. My hand dips. It's heavier than I was expecting.

Jasper chokes on his words as he speaks in his native language.

The eksteinvas makes a rumbling reply, and slithers around us.

"What is it?" I whisper to Jasper as the other creatures go sliding past, making the floor wobble under our feet.

"I don't know," he replies. "But I don't think it'll hurt us."

The stone feels warm in my hand. I clutch it tightly, absorbing that heat into myself. Suddenly, the stone glows and a tingle trickles up my arm. It feels like raw power. It's intoxicating. I open my hand and look down at it. The magic within throbs in time with my heartbeat for a moment, then fades back to its deep red color.

"We'll figure it out later," I say, handing my stone to Jasper, who has pockets to spare. He tucks them both away and grabs the key ring from me.

I hold my torch high as we inspect the other hallway, but it's empty. There definitely was someone or something imprisoned here within the last month, but the cells are empty now. I have to hope that whatever they were, they escaped.

We're both beaten and broken when we crawl our way through the rubble back to the surface. The blood red of the eclipse fades into orange, and then pink, lighting up the mist around us. The god-monster is waiting for us when we emerge, but his eyes are trained on something beyond my vision.

"The ship?" I ask.

His purple eye darts down and locks on me. "Yes. It has navigated the perimeter successfully and is approaching the dock."

Jasper sucks in a sharp breath. "When we were coming in, I heard one of the men say something about a ship following them which they seemed intent on avoiding." He turns to the Voice. "What color are the flags?"

"White and red," he reports.

"Wolfsheim," I whisper.

"Let's see who we're dealing with," Jasper says, throwing down his torch.

The god opens his webbed hand to us in invitation. I climb on, holding tight to the sharp nail of his smallest finger as Jasper crowds me protectively.

"Wait!" I cry up at the god. He looks down on me with what I can only assume is exasperation. "There was a book on the altar. It might have something in it."

The Voice rumbles and takes us back to the sacrifice room. I dangle off the giant's finger and drop to the ground with a squelch that turns my stomach. So many bodies.

No time to think about it.

I run to the altar and find the book well-singed and covered in black goop. I slam it shut and tuck it under my arm. Jasper hauls me back up into the waiting god's palm, and he thunders away. It doesn't take more than two strides for us to traverse the length of the massive palace and reach the pier leading to the sea.

Someone hangs off the side of the ship, their large hat indicating them as captain. "Ahoy there!" the feminine voice calls. "Please don't smash my very expensive boat to bits!"

I laugh giddily and wave.

"She's a friend!" I yell up at the god.

The Voice lowers us to the ground, and we step off onto the black stone. "I will go back for the wounded," he says as he draws away.

Jasper holds my hand tightly as we hurry toward the ship. My legs tremble at the thought of rest, threatening to give out, but I keep going.

"How did you find us?" I call out to the captain as her crew prepares to dock.

"It's not a tale to be shouted across a distance, but enjoyed with food and drink! Come aboard, friends!" She waves us on and that's when I notice a head pop out of the water beside her.

It's hairless, scaled in glittering light blue, and undeniably beautiful with large dark eyes. The face is slightly elongated, ending in a slitted nose. Its lips pull back in what feels like a smile, revealing fangs like Jasper sometimes gets.

" Meia !" Jasper cries, his voice breaking as he runs. My heart swells and aches, knowing he's finally found his mother.

He doesn't let go of my hand, dragging me along. I drop the book on the dock before leaping into the sea with him. Opal light shimmers through the water and Jasper holds me tighter against his side as his selkie tail emerges. It's pale and shimmers like his magic, so powerful and soft.

His mother surges forward, her upper body transforming before my eyes. It's as if she's turning inside out from her nose. The transformation ripples along her cheeks, and beneath the scales is tanned skin like Jasper's. She has short, black hair, pale blue eyes, and the biggest smile I've ever seen.

They crash together and I'm pinned to Jasper's side as his mother's arm comes around me, too. Water leaks from her dark pink lips and she takes a gurgling breath of air before speaking in their native language.

Jasper's body wracks in a sob as he speaks back in broken syllables. I embrace them both, feeling not like an invader in this private moment, but like part of the family. My heart has been yearning for this feeling for so long, and suddenly, so suddenly, it's filling me up.

She doesn't even know me, but I think she loves me.

The ship bumps against the stone dock with a crack. I glance up at the noise to see Alejandra's crew looping onto the anchor points, pulling them to a stop. But I also see Alejandra standing with an older Illyan woman at the bow.

The woman has thick black braids threaded with silver, wrangled back from her face by a colorfully patterned cloth. She wears a simple white dress festooned with a sash of more colorful patterns. They're looking down at us with fond smiles, speaking softly to one another. I have a feeling this woman has something to do with our very timely rescue.

Jasper and his mother finally break the hug. She cups his face lovingly, and then looks at me. She says something in Illyan, and Jasper replies in their native language before looking at me.

His eyes are red and his lashes wet with tears, but he smiles. "She says thank you for taking care of me."

I look at his mother. "Please tell her I'm so happy you're together now."

He translates and she beams even brighter, cupping my cheek with her other hand. She says something in their native language and I catch a very specific word I know. Ohksana.

I look at Jasper and his face droops a little before he replies. Whatever he says has his mother giving him a sharp stare that only mothers can give when they're disappointed. She huffs a sigh and tells him something else.

"What?" I ask.

He takes a deep breath. "She's upset I haven't mated you yet and finalized our bond."

"Bond?" I ask and his mother draws back, giving us more space.

Jasper looks up at me, his eyes pleading. "This isn't really the time to discuss it."

"Ohksano'amai," I say in a warning tone as my frustration rises. "You promised to tell me."

"Please, my love, when we're alone. I want to explain it in detail and give you time to ask your questions."

The Voice trudges across the palace, destroying everything his feet touch. He bends down and opens his mouth, spilling water and injured selkies beside the boat. Several other faces appear from below and embrace the injured.

Jasper is right. This reunion is not the time for me to needle him for answers. I've waited this long—what's a few more hours until we're washed and fed, alone together with plenty of time.

I push my face closer to his, keeping my expression firm. "You are quite possibly the king of procrastination."

He grins like a guilty rascal. "At least I'm your king."

"You are," I say, softening into his embrace.

He kisses me tenderly, all the cheeky scoundrel drained out of him. "Time to go home."