by Bailey Dark
“How are you doing?” Altair asks, joining me on my sleeping mat.
I scoot over, making room for him to sit. We sit shoulder to shoulder and it feels like my skin is on fire. “I’m nervous,” I say.
He nods. “This certainly isn’t an afternoon reading in the gardens, is it?”
“God, I miss that,” I sigh.
“Me too.” Altair’s eyes study my face, taking in the blood-shot eyes and swollen eyelids. “You’ve been crying.”
“I haven’t found much time to cry lately.” I force a smile.
Altair’s hand strays to my knee and I bite my lip to keep myself from leaning into him. “I know you’ll miss Thal. You two grew very close—close enough to make me jealous.” He flashes a sad, guilty smile. “He isn’t in any pain though. He doesn’t even know what he’s missing.”
“That’s part of what makes it so hard,” I whisper. “He doesn’t even know that he’s forgotten me.”
“Oh, but I do.”
I turn to see Thal looming over us, his hand resting casually on his sword. He’s just a shadow against the night sky. “Thal,” Altair says. “You’re meant to be keeping watch.”
“Your voices carry,” he says simply. His eyes glimmer in the darkness as he stares at me. “I don’t remember you Verity Chastain, but I don’t want that to bring you any pain. My cousin trusts you, and so shall I.”
Thal turns away, returning to his post on the fringe of the clearing before I can ask him how he knows my last name. Altair squeezes my knee, caressing the inside of my thigh with his thumb. "See?" He brushes the hair away from my cheeks, letting his fingers trail down my neck. "It will be alright."
I give in and lean into his hard, muscular body. Erzur is looking the other way, keeping an eye out for dangers. For a single moment, it is just Altair and I. He brushes his lips over my ear, holding me close until the pain in my chest has eased somewhat. “I just want to go back to the beginning,” I whisper, breathing in his scent. He smells like pine and fresh snow.
“We have to keep moving forward.” His fingers play over my back in a soothing rhythm. “One foot in front of the other until we can go no further.”
“What if this is my limit?” Exhaustion weighs on me, mingled with feelings of guilt and shame. If I had simply left and stayed in the mortal realm when Altair gave me that chance—perhaps none of this would have happened. And Altair would be dead.
“Listen to me, Verity,” Altair murmurs. “Haven’t you survived worse than this? And yet you’re still here. Because you’re a fighter. For all your bookish tendencies and your lack of fighting skills, you are a warrior.”
My lips quirk into a tired smile at his light teasing. “And what about you? Where is your limit?”
“Past yours,” he says simply. I scoff, elbowing him in the ribs as he chuckles. “I only mean that I will never stop fighting unless I lose you, Verity.”
"Oh." Warmth blooms in my chest, but it melts into sorrow almost immediately. "Don't say that."
He kisses my temple once, twice. “Get some sleep, you’re exhausted.”
He’s right. The strain of the magic I performed these last two days has caught up with me. My eyelids are heavy as he eases me down onto the mat and then tucks a blanket around me. I’m surprised by his tenderness, but shocked that I never noticed it before Sadal abducted me from the palace. Back then, Altair was a brute; vicious and cruel and arrogant. I laugh softly to myself, letting my eyes slip closed. Back then, I was naïve and ignorant and foolish. But I was happy.
Now, I'm not sure I'll ever be happy again. The darkness seems intent on taking everything from me.
Chapter 7
Altair
Dawn oozes over the horizon, though there is no sun to see. Pink and purple light coats the clouds and soon the others are stirring. I stretch, hand on my sword, and watch Verity roll up onto her knees from sleep. Her hair is mussed, tangled in the braid she slept in. My heart wrenches painfully in my chest. Our lives have become nothing more than a tangled web of darkness, magic, and survival. I wish Verity had a different future.
"Anything interesting on the watch?" Thal asks, joining me as the others break camp.
“No, it was quiet,” I say, sheathing my sword. I don’t mention that it was so quiet I could hardly breathe for all the oppressive silence.
“We’re almost to the portal, we’ll make it by nightfall,” Sadal calls from across the clearing.
I wave a hand at him to silence him. Voices carry in these woods. Thal and I walk a step behind Sadal as he leads us out of the clearing. We hike uphill for a time until the light from the missing sun is truly bearing down on us. I glance over my shoulder towards Verity. She pants, scrunching her face up in concentration as she climbs. A smile pulls at my lips. She works hard to keep up with the rest of us. Despite her Fae heritage, her full abilities aren’t unlocked yet—I’m not sure if they ever will be. But before Thal lost his memory, he told me she once moved as quickly as he can while fighting a demon. The thought gave me hope. It still does.
Slowly, the climb grows steeper, and the trees thin out. I hoist myself up over a small ledge, slinging a leg over the stone easily. When I lift my eyes away from the ground, I inhale sharply. Without even noticing, we've ascended to the peak of a mountain. To the right, I see a valley in the distance, just past a smaller mountain range. The valley is lush and green, covered in trees. The mountains are craggy, sharp slopes of stone and gravel dotted with shrubbery. To the left, The hills go on, forever it seems.
“It’s a sight, isn’t it?” Sadal says. He stands, hands on his hips, oozing pride. As if he built this place.
"It's too bad you couldn't keep it from the Shades," I smirk. "How must it feel to be the master of all this and be weaker than your subjects? Who's the true master?"
Sadal’s lips twist into a scowl at my words but I turn away before he has a chance to retort. Erzur sweeps a stray lock of her spiraled hair from her face. “Where is this portal?”
“At the bottom of the mountain, at the entrance to a pass,” Sadal says.
Erzur sighs dramatically. “We climbed all the way up here just to climb back down?” She cracks her knuckles.
“Going around puts us directly in Shade territory,” Sadal snaps. “You Fae—show some damn gratitude.”
“When you get us where we need to go, you’ll get the gratitude you so crave.” Thal grins.
Verity peers over the edge, her eyes trailing over the sharp decline. “We’re going down that?”
“Through it.” Sadal grins. I furrow my brows at him, waiting for him to elaborate, but he simply smiles. “Follow me.”
Sadal slips down the slope, scattering loose rocks and dirt down the mountainside. He skids for a few feet before dropping onto a flattened plateau. Thal and I exchange a glance, one brow raised. He eases down the slope, leaping onto the platform just as Sadal steps out of the way. I go last, making sure the others are down safely. By this time, much of the soil and gravel have been forced away, leaving sheer, sharp rock for me to slide over. It snags against my leather armor and I feel the stones pressure against my muscles. I wince. Some of that might bruise.
Sadal waits until I’ve dusted my armor off before he steps smoothly to the side, revealing a gaping hole in the mountainside. “There are a series of tunnels leading to the bottom of the mountain. This is how we’ll descend.”
I stare into the darkness as a cold wind sweeps out of the bowels of the mountain. “What’s in the tunnels?” I ask warily.
“They were mines.” Sadal shrugs. “I had some of my little creatures dig the tunnels and mine the obsidian within, but the tunnels dried up ages ago.”
“We should take the safest route,” Verity says quietly. I hear her heart beating quickly and I know she’s frightened of the mines.
"These are safe and quick." Sadal glances over his shoulder to the entrance of the mine. "They've been empty for years."
“And your little creatures?” I ask, pie
rcing him with a glare. “It’s empty of them as well?”
Sadal purses his lips. “No, but they prefer the bowels of the mountain. If we stay on the outlying tunnels, we’ll be fine. They won’t obey me anymore, so I have just as much reason to be stealthy as you.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “One wrong move, Sadal.”
“I know.” He waves a hand. “And you’ll gut me. As if I’m not looking forward to it.”
We stare into the abyss, listening to the wind howling through the tunnels, blasting cold air into our faces. Taking a deep breath, I shoulder into the darkness, sword gripped in hand. I hear the other following me. Verity's footsteps scuff over the floor, while the Fae pace silently. The tunnel walls are roughly carved stone, barely high enough for me to walk without stooping. The tunnel curves imperceptibly, so slowly and gradually that I don't notice until the daylight at the entrance winks away. I stop, suddenly in complete darkness. Slowly, my Fae eyes adjust to the dark, and I press on.
“I can’t see,” I hear Verity whisper fearfully.
“Mortals,” Erzur sighs.
“Hold on to me.” Thal’s voice echoes towards me and I hear the soft whisper of flesh over flesh as Verity takes his hand.
Jealousy blooms in my chest, but I press it down, intent on focusing on something other than myself. It means nothing. I should be grateful he's keeping an eye out for her. I press forward again, peering around corners before moving on. The tunnel splits apart into two paths. I lean into one, sniffing, and recoil as the stench of rotting meat assails my nose.
“Shit,” I hiss, covering my face with a sleeve.
“You’re not far off,” Erzur says, sniffing. She curls her lip in disgust.
I turn to Sadal. “Which way?”
He looks between the two tunnels before finally pointing to the one on the left; the one that doesn’t stink like rot and death. “I think it’s this way.”
“You think?” I snap.
“It’s been hundreds of years since I was last here,” Sadal whispers defensively. “So, yes, I think.”
“Damn you,” I mutter, ducking into the new tunnel.
The air in this tunnel smells dank and old. I follow Sadal's quiet directions as we wander through the mines. From time to time, we pass discarded pickaxes or wagons still filled with obsidian—now covered in a layer of dust. Bones litter the ground in some of the tunnels, and I make out teeth marks on them. A shiver of warning trails up and down my spine in tunnels like that. The feasters can't be far off.
Suddenly, I hear chittering echo towards us and I freeze. In the middle of choosing between three routes, we’re trapped dead center. I spin slowly, trying to make out where the noise is coming from, but in these tunnels, the sound comes from everywhere. Our fear is palpable, dangerous, and will only draw attention to us. I take a deep breath, leaning into each tunnel to get a better gauge on the chittering.
“It’s coming from behind us,” Verity whispers, pressing into my side.
I glance over my shoulder, listening to the tunnel we just came from. Scratches against stone join the strange noise. It’s coming closer. “Go, go,” I hiss, urging the group in the tunnel to the left. It smells fresher.
“Are you sure?” Erzur asks, hesitating.
Sadal shrugs. “I’m not sure of anything.”
More voices join the first, and I know the creature is not alone. We duck into the tunnels and I linger in the back, facing the way we came. Three creatures burst out of that tunnel, sniffing and licking the air. Their backs are curved and bent, spines almost piercing through their papery skin. They open their mouths, revealing stubby, razor-sharp teeth. I hold my breath, inching backward as the rest of my group disappears around the corner. These things are following us, searching for us. They chitter, communicating until one of them crawls forward on all fours. It hovers at the entrance to this tunnel, tongue flicking out from its lipless mouth. Whatever it is, it appears to be blind. Another creature barks, snapping its teeth with a deadly sound. Slowly, they slink into another tunnel, disappearing from view.
Still not daring to breathe, I turn and run as noiselessly as possible to meet my group. They’re waiting around the corner, swords raised. Sadal leans forward, his chains clinking softly. “What did you think of my little pets? I designed them myself. It took thousands of years of breeding.”
“Quiet,” I snap. “They’re looking for us. We need to move quickly. Sadal, are we almost out?”
“Oh, yes, it shouldn’t be long now.” Sadal nods. His shoulders sag. “What I wouldn’t give to see one of my sweet, little miners again.”
“I don’t like this,” Verity murmurs, wrapping her arms around herself. She glances around, eyes wide and pupils dilated in the dark. “Something is wrong.”
Erzur slips past her, running a hand along Verity’s arm as if to frighten her. “Are you a seer? Or just a coward?”
“I prefer realist,” Verity says stubbornly.
“Let’s keep moving,” I say, interrupting before the two can bicker anymore.
The hairs on the back of my neck are raised and I feel tingling along my spine. Verity is right, something here is wrong. Horribly, dangerously wrong. We get through two more tunnels and the air begins to warm just as I realize the danger. Sadal throws his chains against the stone wall, and the sound bounces through the tunnels like an alarm. I spin, brows raised and mouth gaping as he hammers away at the wall. He cackles gleefully, lips split into a wide grin.
“I want to see my pets,” he sings.
Thal tackles him, driving him to the rough ground. They wrestle, grunting as Thal tries to get an advantage over the wiry Dark God. "Shut up," Thal hisses, clamping a hand over Sadal's mouth. He hisses and pulls his hand away, the palm coated in blood.
Sadal laughs, blood staining his teeth. “Come, my little miners!”
“What is that?” Erzur is at my side, her eyes wide and focused on a tunnel branching off into the bowels of the mountain.
Thal and Sadal quiet, hardly breathing, as we strain to listen. And then I hear it. The sound of many feet scraping over the stone floors, claws grating. Chittering echoes towards us, hundreds of voices. Thal is on his feet, dragging a squirming Sadal with him. We back away, hearts pounding.
“Go,” I whisper. I whirl on everyone, eyes wide. “Run.”
We sprint towards the light at the end of the tunnel, towards the warm air filtering towards us. I hear the first creature launch itself from the tunnel, slamming into the wall opposite. It recovers quickly, scrabbling to get a grip on the stone floor. More pour out of the gaping hole, and the creatures pile on top of one another in their efforts to chase us. They hiss and bark, clicking their strange teeth together as they run. There's too many to fight, we have no choice but to run to the other portal and hope the creatures won't follow us.
“Hello, little beasties!” Sadal crows from the front. “I missed you!”
The creatures are gaining. I can feel their hot breath on the back of my neck. Suddenly, I hear a sharp cry of pain and fear. I glance back, sweat glistening on my brow. Erzur is on her knees, her elbows gashed and bloody where she fell. I skid to a halt and time slows. If Erzur fell here, I would have no obligation to her. I could have everything I want; her sun soldiers, Alnembra, and Verity. I run my tongue over my lips and meet Erzur’s dark eyes. She lifts a hand, reaching for me.
Suddenly, I see a flash of red streak past me. Verity sprints towards Erzur, moving as swiftly as a Fae. She reaches for the ebony-skinned woman, but the creatures fall on them both. Her scream wrenches me to my senses. My blood runs cold with fear as Verity and Erzur disappear beneath the horde of monsters. They trample the two women, trying to close in on me.
“Verity!” I roar, starting towards her.
A hand wraps around my bicep, tugging me backward. "We have to go," Thal grinds out, dragging me away from the woman I love.
“Let go, she needs help,” I snarl, twisting in his grip.
Thal pulls harder,
tearing me away from the oncoming horde and towards the light. “You can’t help them now,” he grunts. “Come on!”
My lips part in a silent cry of pain and fear as I catch a glimpse of Verity’s red cloak through the mass of creatures. I pivot and follow Thal out of the cave. My chest is aching, blood frozen and roaring. I left her. We burst into the sunlight and the creatures hiss, shrinking back into the darkness. They turn, disappearing back into the tunnel as if the two women are prize enough. I bend at the waist, hands on my knees, and stare at a tuft of grass. I left her.
Chapter 8
Verity
I bite my tongue to hold back my screams as the strange creatures hoist me onto their shoulders. The bones of their spines dig into my body, and I force myself to look away from their leathery, almost translucent skin. They chitter back and forth, snapping their teeth together for emphasis. My mind is reeling as the creatures crawl deeper into the tunnels. The light from the exit disappears, leaving me in complete darkness. I widen my eyes, straining to see, but can only make out shapes and shadows in the darkness.
“You fool,” Erzur hisses from beside me. A different set of creatures carries her. “Why did you come back for me? You’re the entire reason we came to this gods-forsaken realm in the first place. And you could have had Altair all to yourself. Stupid girl.”
I open my mouth to retort when one of the creatures growls. I hear a loud, smacking sound and Erzur hisses in pain. The creatures grind their teeth together as if to warn us not to speak anymore. I bite down hard on my tongue again, trying not to remember their skin on mine. It's too soft, too dry, and too flexible. I shudder, Erzur's words echo in my mind. She's right. It would have been wiser to keep running, to follow the cackling Sadal out of the mountain. But the thought of leaving Erzur behind overwhelmed me with guilt. No matter how much a dislike the woman. I couldn't live with myself.
