36. Thirty-Six

Thirty-Six

The lowering moon cast an eerie glow over the desolate outskirts of Mornos. We approached the towering city wall, the length of it sprawling for miles over the rotting land.

Anxious tension snapped into place as we waited for Andrues and Taft to finish setting the distraction. Perched on a jagged rock just outside the walls perimeter, I scanned the wasteland in front of me. My heart beat rapidly in my chest as I forced myself to swallow the acid that was inching up my throat.

“Breathe,” Landers whispered into the back of my neck. My hair stood up against his warm breath. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath under the handkerchief that covered the lower half of my face.

Ardan squeezed my hand in silent reassurance.

“Hyacinth,” Landers said, his voice low. I turned to face him, his eyes desperate as they stared back at me. “If we do not make it out of this, I want you to know—”

An explosion sounded from the south side of the wall and I snapped my head in that direction, flinching and ducking from the sound as the ground shook beneath us and rocks began tumbling down the mountain.

Yelling began to fill the air as men spilled out of the fortress walls, running toward the fire that was now roaring and spreading in every direction. Andrues and Taft materialized by our side, their eyes wild with reckless abandon.

“We have to move. Now,” Andrues hissed as he grabbed my arm and tethered Taft and me into the walls of Mornos.

Ardan and Landers appeared by our side seconds later. Landers motioned with his head for us to follow as we retrieved our weapons. Shadows flowed from my body, wrapping us in darkness as we crept through the back streets of the city. With each step my heart thudded louder and louder in my chest.

We were so close to her.

So close to getting her back—to having her in my arms again.

Landers held up his hand stopping us where we stood. I sucked in a breath, ducking out of sight as two drunken men stumbled out of the tavern that stood between us. Gravel slipped from under my boots as I crouched lower behind the building.

“Oy,” one of the men called to the other. “Did you hear that?”

Both of their heads turned in our direction, and our eyes met.

I slapped a hand over my mouth.

“Do you see that mate?” He took a step closer. “The shadows are moving.” Another step.

Fear coursed through my body.

This was it.

We weren’t going to make it to her.

“C’mon, bruv.” His friend placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him backward. “You’re off your trolley, mate.” He chuckled as his friend took one last look in our direction.

“Right. I am a bit pissed.” He hurried back to his friends side as we watched them scurry across the street into another tavern.

A whimper escaped my throat as I dragged in a deep breath.

“We need to keep moving,” Andrues’s voice cut through the silence. I nodded, throwing my hood over my head and willing my shadows to stay in place.

We weaved and darted through the maze of narrow alleyways, our movements swift—silent—as we approached the heart of the city where the ground sank deep into the earth’s layers—where the pit pulsed.

The dim light of dawn struggled to penetrate the thick blanket of smog hanging over the dilapidated rooftops. A constant reminder that every second counted as they rapidly passed.

With each calculated step, we carefully avoided any glimmer of light or sound that could give away our position. Our efforts were constantly thwarted by figures emerging from hidden doorways and disappearing into their own dark corners or Taverns.

Every precious moment lost in these desperate maneuvers brought us closer to failure—to being caught.

Sweat trickled down my brow, the air thick with the stench of fear and decay, as if the very fabric of the world was rotting around us. My heart pounded in my chest, echoing in my ears like the drumbeat of a war march.

“This is it,” Landers said in a low voice.

We stopped at the edge of a wide cavity. Smoke billowed out of it, the smell of charred flesh making me choke back a gag.

“These stairs will lead us directly into the pit where Ata is being held.” Landers pulled his hood over his head. “If you believe in the Gods, pray now. Their protection ends here.”

I swallowed hard as I followed Landers into the gaping maw of the earth. With each step we took downward, the air grew denser. The echoes of our footsteps were swallowed by the void we were walking into. I pushed my shadows around each of us, praying they would shield us from any watching eyes.

Six levels down and still no glimpse of the bottom.

The rough, hewn stairs were slick under our boots, the only sound was our ragged breaths as we stepped deeper into the foundation of Ammord. The darkness was oppressive, a tangible force pushing against us as we descended further into the abyss.

Levels later our boots finally hit solid ground and we stepped off the stairs onto the floor of the black heart of Mornos.

Landers motioned for us to spread out as the groans and screams from prisoners echoed in the chamber.

A chill shot up my spine.

“Well, well, well. Look what we have here.” A figure materialized from shadows, clad in grey leathers that gleamed dully in the dim light of the pit.

Recognition struck like a thunderbolt.

This was the same man from the academy.

“Thought you could fool me, did you? Thought a little fire and brimstone would tear me away from our biggest asset?” the man taunted. His voice dripped with malice, each word a venomous barb aimed at provoking us.

It was working.

“We do not want to fight you. Give us Ata, and we will be gone.” Taft’s voice echoed through the pit, mingling with the man’s chuckle as he winked at Taft.

My skin crawled as I watched the man. Three eerie notes of a whistle left his mouth and the sound of metal clanking and scraping against each other filled the room as a large hole opened only yards from us.

Chains from the platform above us screeched as they pulled upward, dragging Ata’s limp body from the hole.

My vision blurred as I looked at her mangled body. Rage flared inside of me as I took a step forward. My grip tightened on the daggers in my hands.

“Free her,” Ardan growled, lunging forward. Andrues caught Ardan’s arm before he could reach the man and Landers’s eyes flickered to the floors above us.

“This was a trap. You wanted us to find her, didn’t you, Dukovich?” Landers stated. His voice was calm—too calm. He knew this man.

Dukovich’s face twisted into a smirk as his eyes met Landers’s. With another whistle, soldiers began stepping from the shadows.

A gasp left my lips as I looked up to see level after level of arrows pointed down at us.

“Yes,” Dukovich hissed, “this will not end well for you.” His eyes fell back onto me, and I steeled myself not to shrink away. “Unless—”

Landers and Taft took an instinctive step in front of me, shielding me from his direct path.

“Unless what?” Ardan spat.

I could hear the rage in his voice quickly being overcome by panic the longer he looked at Ata’s beaten, bloody body swaying in the chains.

“How about a trade? Your precious Ataliia, for her.” Dukovich lifted a single finger at me and the blood froze in my veins.

“We do not deal in devil bargains.” The words left Landers mouth quickly—knives being flung to their target.

“Oh? Is that so?” Dukovich said as a wicked smile crept across his face, showing bloodstained teeth.

“Some might call you the devil, no?” Landers’s spine stiffened as Dukovich took another step forward. “But you have many names, don’t you? King of The Shadow Isle . . .”

I froze in horror at his words. My eyes focusing on Landers’s back.

He wasn’t some diplomat—some errand boy.

He was a king.

My blood heated at the revelation as Dukovich kept speaking.

“. . . Son of Nethkar. Oh, and my personal favorite, Lord of Death.” Landers stood with a fae stillness I had not seen in him before as the words left Dukovich’s mouth. Taft grasped my forearm at the last of the names and pulled me behind him.

“Do your companions know who you truly are? Or will they meet the same fate as so many of the others you have called friends ?” He dragged the word out, letting it slither off his tongue as his eyes turned back to me.

I wouldn’t let him get to me.

I would not let this man into my head; not when we were so close.

She was right there. Right fucking there .

I took a deep breath and rolled my shoulders back as I stepped out from behind Taft. “Why? What use am I to you?” I took a few more steps forward, dodging Taft’s hand as he reached out to pull me back.

Dukovich’s grin widened. “Ahh. There is the warrior I expected. We meet again, Shadow Plier.” He bowed at me in mockery.

“I asked you a question,” I snarled, lifting my chin.

“Oh aren’t you vivacious? I do like a woman with a little spirit.”

I spat at his feet as I let out a low growl.

He chuckled quietly before continuing, “You wore an artifact around your neck during our last skirmish, I want it.”

The necklace that lay between my breasts grew heavy at the mention of it. Why would that be important to anyone? It was just an old family heirloom.

“And, your magic. Unfortunately, we cannot take that and keep you intact.”

I took another step forward.

“Stay, and she may leave,” Dukovich stated, clasping his hands behind his back.

“If you release her from those chains right now, I will consider your deal,” I said, swallowing hard.

“Cin!” Taft yelled as he rushed behind me.

Shadows exploded from my back, pushing him away as he fought against them.

I stood my ground.

“Hyacinth, think about this.” Landers spoke in a low, steady voice and I turned my head to face him. “I cannot let you do this. I cannot leave you here with him. He will kill you.”

“‘Your freedom of choice is yours to keep—always,’” I repeated his words back to him as his jaw and fists clenched. “You made me a promise, Landers.”

Landers’s eyes grew dark as he stared at me for a long moment then nodded. But I could see something crack in them—emotion spilling out as he looked at me, like he wanted to beg me not to do this. Beg me not make a deal we both knew would kill me. I turned my head back to Dukovich.

“If you bring her to us and clear out your men so my friends can retreat without any harm done to them, I will go with you. Without a fight.”

They were after me. I wouldn’t let my family pay the price of my magic.

Ardan looked at me in horror before his eyes flashed back to Dukovich. “Take me. Take me instead.” Ardan dropped his sword to the ground and took a step forward.

“I have no use for you,” Dukovich hissed without looking away from me. His eyes danced over the length of my body before landing on my chest. “Give me the artifact now, and we have a deal.”

“Lower her to the ground, then I will give it to you.”

Dukovich chuckled, shaking his head as he waved his hand in silent command. The chains began moving and I stifled a whimper as I watched Ata’s body inch closer and closer to the ground.

“We could use a leader like you,” he said, licking his lips as he beamed at me.

“I would sooner rot in the ground beneath you before I turned against innocent people,” I spat at him.

Dukovich flared his nostrils at my words as the sound of Ata’s body colliding with the ground echoed around us. “The artifact. Now.” He held out his hand.

I lifted my hands to my throat, slowly reaching beneath my jacket and pulling it over my head. I set it on the ground between us, and gestured my head toward Ata as I slid it toward him with my boot.

Ardan ran.

The clank of manacles hitting the ground was the only thing I could hear in the taut silence of the room. Ardan scooped her into his arms gingerly and walked carefully back to us.

Andrues rushed to her, immediately putting his fingers to her throat and ear to her chest.

“Is she alive?” I asked, keeping my eyes locked on Dukovich.

“She is holding on. We need to heal her. Fast,” Andrues answered, pulling a salve from his jacket pocket and slathering it under her tongue.

“Your men . . . recall them and let my friends leave.”

He slid the necklace into his pocket before nodding and whistled the same haunting tune. His men receded back into the darkness as I turned to face Ardan.

“Get her out of here,” I commanded, swallowing back tears.

“We can’t leave you here,” Taft growled.

I released a breath as I turned to Taft, looking into the eyes of the man that had brought me so much pain. “You will, if it is the last thing you ever do for me. You will give me this.” I turned to Andrues and gave him a soft smile. “You promised me you would take care of her, I will hold you to that. Do you understand me?”

Andrues bowed. “I will not fail you.”

“And you.” I turned back to Ardan, intertwining my hand between his and Ata’s. “A house by a stream, with a dog and a porch where she can sit in the mornings and watch the sunrise. Build her that house and love her enough for the both of us. Love her every day for me, Ardan.”

“Cin—” Tears began to stream down Ardan’s face and I reached up to brush them away.

“Please don’t forget me.” Tears began to flow from my own eyes as he pressed his forehead against mine.

“Not even the Gods could tear the memory of you from my soul,” Ardan said, placing a soft kiss on my forehead as I stepped away.

With a deep breath, I turned to Landers. “Promise me you will protect them.”

“I will.” His beautiful emerald eyes met mine.

“Promise me,” I commanded.

“I promise, Hyacinth.” His fingers dipped into the curls falling around my face, then he slid his palm over my jaw. Landers’s thumb caressed my bottom lip as he pulled my chin up toward him. “The realms do not deserve you.”

My breath caught in my chest as I strangled the sob that was clawing at my throat. I let my gaze linger on Landers for only a moment longer, then sucked in a sharp breath.

I turned back to Dukovich, crossing my hands behind my back and held my chin up high.

“Go,” I said, my voice unwavering.

And with the familiar breeze of tethering kissing the back of my neck, they were gone.