71. Oz

71

Oz

C rash can't hate me more than I hate myself.

Malkar is keeping him occupied while Ries and Lou hover over Kami.

But my girl isn't doing well. We all can tell.

Watching her legs and feet burn, hearing her scream, smelling her fired flesh, is a nightmare from which I'll never wake.

I could do little but try to fight through those fae to get to her, but I was too late.

Beyrthnel did something to her, something that hurt the very heart of our dryad.

She's not really here now. I don't know how I can tell, but I sense she's far away. Maybe near death.

I don't know. I feel so much self-loathing it's all I can do not to go back and avenge her, even though my death would only help Beyrthnel even more.

I have to focus on the now. To do what we can before this entire shit-show becomes everyone's reality. "We need a plan. "

"No shit." Crash sneers.

Though I know I deserve it, I'm tired of his attitude. "Look, fuckhead, you can be difficult about every fucking thing, or you can help."

"I—"

"He'll help," Malkar says, and I see his hand tighten on Crash's shoulder.

"Me too," Ries says, coming to stand by me. "Kami's breathing is getting better. But we need a plan. Now. Lou told me Bubba senses other spawn coming closer."

"Bubba?" Another player I don't know about?

"The kraken." Ries waves around us.

"Ah, right. Bubba." I still can't believe I'm inside a kraken and alive. Or that it's kind of homey in here. "We need to escape before they grab us. We need to kill Rilitar and Folas. And we need to stop the war god."

"Correct." Malkar nods.

"Great job summarizing," Crash adds with a super polite voice.

Malkar squeezes his shoulder harder.

Crash squirms. "What? I'm being helpful. I'm trying to boost this dope's ego."

Ries tries to bite back a smile.

"I see that, Ries," I growl but can't help grinning. "Crash, you're such an asshole. But at least you're consistent."

"Thanks." He snickers.

The mood in the room—stomach?—eases. "Look, I fucked up, trusted the wrong source. But they had us from the get-go. Let's be real. Now we have a fighting chance."

Everyone nods.

"I've been in Sacred Lakes longer than any of you. I know the forests in Lancer especially. I think we should hide out at Rilitar's." The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. "After we burn down his ‘palace.'"

The others grin.

"Oh, I like that," Malkar smiles, and his pupils contract into slits while his eyes glow that funky, bright blue.

"Yeah, but I can't do much to start it," Crash mutters.

"Not yet. But I guarantee that if we burn up his place and kill a lot of his people, he'll come running. Or at least, send his minions."

"Folas," Ries and Malkar say at the same time.

I nod. "Folas is his bitch boy. For sure he'll send the elf, maybe his son, if Enwiss is still alive after hosting Beyrthnel, and others. We whittle them down then kill Rilitar." I take a deep breath and let it out in a rush. "Then we move on the monarch, Algraas, and Daleyne."

"Your mother," Ries says.

I snap, "I know who she fucking is."

Ries holds up his hands in surrender. "Just checking, man. Easy."

"But first we need to get somewhere safe so we can stabilize Kami. That war god had her and screwed her up. She needs some trees and forest to feel safe." I pause. "There's a leshy deep in the forest behind Rilitar's place. It might help."

"A great forest spirit?" Ries's eyes widen. "Damn. No wonder no one fucks with Rilitar and lives. He's got one of those in his backyard?"

"I think it's more like the spirit lets Rilitar live there because Rilitar isn't stupid enough to mess with it. But his people have been killing in the woods, and the leshy isn't happy." Which is why I'd specifically made my escape through there, hoping to get its attention.

Ries turns to Lou. "Hey, Lou, how do we get out of here? We need to get to Lake Lancer, but we also need to get you and Bubba away too. And Bubba's a little too big to hide."

"He is at this size, but he's been shrinking since we picked up the rest of you. Can't you feel it?"

I gape. "Wait. Krakens can grow and shrink at will? How small do they get?"

"Yeah. That's what makes them such great hunters. He can get to a tenth of the size he is now."

Still huge, and this guy is considered young.

She smiles. She really is pretty. Not Kami-beautiful, but still. "When danger gets too close, they shrink and hide in the dark recesses of the ocean."

"But this is a lake," Crash says.

"I know that."

He flushes.

"Bubba needs to get smaller so we can access the underground passages connecting Lake Divine to Lake Lancer. All the lakes have passages connecting them deep underground. Didn't you know that?"

"No." Malkar tilts his head, studying her. "You're more nereid than godling, aren't you? Your power fluctuates."

She blushes. "I guess."

Ries glares. "Quit prying."

"Apologies." Malkar walks toward Kami and sits down next to her. He leans down to listen to her chest. "She's getting better, but I agree. An ancient forest would help in her healing."

"Too bad we don't take her to the Asrai, where the other dryads dwell," Crash says. "But I wouldn't trust them not to turn her in."

"I wouldn't either," I tell them. "They're nice enough, but the Asrai dryads do what they're told. They're a lot more peaceable than Kami is. "

Kami is, not Kami was.

We need to get her healed. Now. I don't like her so still, so small and vulnerable. I'd rather she was yelling at me or flirting or trying to get me to open up to her when I'd deliberately shut myself off.

I feel so damn guilty. I can't let our last interaction be of me being standoffish while she reveled in a group hug, hoping to bring us all together.

"Lou, if you can take us to the northeastern corner of Lake Divine, I'll take it from there." I stare each one of my companions in the eyes. "And this time I'm not trusting anyone but us and what I've learned from living here for the past few years. You with me?"

I wouldn't blame them if they weren't.

I add, "I mean, there's nothing keeping you here if you want to escape. Now's the time."

There's a pregnant pause as we all realize the truth.

We could leave. Right now. Take off and never come back to Sacred Lakes ever again.

Ries is the first to answer in a huff. "As if I'd let those assholes win. I'm going to shove my fist down Folas's throat, rip off his head, and watch the life leave his eyes."

"A worthy sentiment." Malkar nods. "I'll allow you to watch while I kill him."

"Yeah, right." Ries sneers.

"I'm gutting Rilitar," Crash blurts. "Oz, you can take his demon and your mom." He doesn't look at Kami, though I can see him watching her from the corner of his eye. "And someone has to guard the dryad."

"Something I plan on doing, better than I have been." I look at her, unable to help myself. She's too pale. She needs deep forest, rich earth.

A group of mates to protect and cherish her .

I stare around the room, wondering if my senses are telling me the truth of what we are, or what I hope we'll become.

I glance down at my hand, aware that the mark where I'd cut myself for our blood pact has yet to heal.

And suddenly realize what that means.