by Bailey Dark
So I ran.
Suddenly, Erzur grunts and the creatures carrying her wail in pain. I turn towards her, watching as shapes in the darkness dart back and forth. I can hear her struggling, hear her fighting tooth and nail to get away from the creatures. They hiss and growl in protest. And then I hear Erzur scream. I hear her body crumple to the ground. I hear limbs and fists pummel down on her. She gasps, wheezing, and I smell the sharp tang of blood. But the creatures keep striking, beating her until I can hardly hear the sound of her wet breathing.
“Erzur?” I ask, voice warbling.
The creatures carrying me lumber forwards again, and I listen as the others collect Erzur from the ground. They drag her behind us, and she hisses in pain each time they pull her over a stone or into the wall. I wonder if they're doing it for fun. My heart beats wildly, fear coursing through me more powerfully than adrenaline. The tunnel grows cold, and the creatures halt. I cover my nose with the cloak as the stench of rotting corpses reaches me. I gasp, crying out when the creatures toss me to the ground.
I curl into the fetal position and listen as they drag Erzur' beside me. She grunts and I hear brief wrestling. Suddenly, cold, clammy hands are on me, roving over my body. I scream and lash out but fall silent as a clawed hand strikes me. My cheek stings and I feel hot blood drip down it. I go still, letting the creatures bind my ankles and wrists. They slink away when they're done, their strange noises fading the further they travel into the tunnels.
I wait a few minutes, gauging the silence. “Erzur?” I whisper.
The warrior-queen rustles beside me. “What?” She asks, her voice wet and thick from the blood.
“Are you okay?” I roll over, scooting my body like a worm in an attempt to face her.
“Been worse,” Erzur sighs. I feel her eyes on me. “You should see the creatures. I ran them through like stuck pigs.”
A smile quirks at my lips despite the gruesome imagery. “I’m going to get us out of here.”
“How?” Erzur scoffs. She spits. “Leave me be. Take Altair for yourself—if you make it out.”
“Are you always so obstinate?” I hiss, rolling my wrists as I try to work at the bonds. “Can you just shut up and say thanks once in a while?”
Erzur swallows thickly, musing. “No.”
I close my eyes as she falls silent. I listen to her labored breathing. If I can't get her out of here, she'll die from the beating she took—if the creatures don't eat us first. My throat goes dry at the thought. The creatures tied a rope around my ankles and wrists. The knots are tight and complicated. I hiss, trying to tug a hand free. But the cords don't budge, and all I get is pain. I take a deep breath. I mustn't panic. Panicking would doom both me and Erzur.
I burrow deep inside myself, searching for the depths of my magic. I find it and coax it from the darkness into the light, where I can manipulate it. Slowly, my magic responds until I feel it like a vibration in the air and a tingling in my fingertips. Clumsily, and awkwardly, I draw a rune on the stone, hoping the rune will work even if it isn’t visible. I think of Cleo and her lesson on runes. Feel it, she told me, let your fingers drift the way the magic wants.
When I complete the symbol, I feel heat flush through the air for an instant. The bones on my wrists slip away, loosening enough for me to pull my hands free. I sit up quickly and untie the knots at my ankles. Adrenaline flushes through my system, mingling with the fear to create an intense urge to run. I feel like I have boundless energy like I could run entire marathons trying to escape these creatures and my death. I crouch over Erzur and fumble with her bonds. She groans as if waking from sleep.
“What are you doing?” She moans.
I untie her, tossing the ropes aside. “Getting us out of here. Can you stand?” Blindly, I search for her shoulders. She hisses when I run my hands over her breasts, but I ignore her. I hoist her to her feet and she sways, knees buckling. “No,” I snap, mostly to myself.
“You’re going to carry me out of here?” Erzur laughs bleakly.
“Just walk, tell me where to go—I can’t see,” I demand, draping her arm over my shoulders and tucking myself into her side.
“To the right,” Erzur says.
I sidestep, and we shuffle forward. The Fae woman is heavy, despite her lean frame. She's all muscle, and taller than me. But I push forward, leaving the stinking room behind. My thighs burn as we hit an incline and I know we're going in the right direction. I feel something crawl down my spine just as the snarling of the creatures reaches my ears. I move more quickly and Erzur stumbles, hissing in pain.
Ahead of me, the daylight breaks through the stone, slipping into the tunnel. Relief floods through me and I feel tears prick at my eyes. I thought we were dead. Erzur seems to gain strength at the sight of the sun, and she picks up her feet. Blood from her wounds drips down my shoulders and arms, hot and sticky. She’s moving more quickly, and I wonder just how well Fae healing works. I grit my teeth. If there was ever a time for Fae healing abilities, it’s now. Behind us, the creatures howl, and I know they’ve discovered our absence.
I rush forward, bursting into the sun just as scratching sounds in the tunnels. “They’re coming,” I pant, careening forward. Erzur and I rush for the path leading down the mountainside and into the trees in the valley beyond.
“Verity?” I hear Altair’s voice, like a beacon in the night.
My body seizes, trembling. “I thought you left,” I murmur, as Altair, Thal, Sadal, and Serus come into view.
They slink out from behind the trees, swords drawn. Altair reaches us first, but it's not me his eyes are on. He takes in Erzur, leaning on me. Altair reaches for her and she sags against his shoulder, sighing. Her blood soaks my cloak and leather armor. Her face is swollen, covered in purple bruises and small gashes. Blood mats her hair where one of the creatures cut her skull. My lips twist into a grimace at the sight of her. Erzur's sword is missing, lost in the tunnels or stolen by one of the creatures.
“We should go,” Thal says, glancing towards the tunnels.
Howling reaches my ears and I feel a shiver of fear slip down my spine. Altair slips an arm around Erzur’s waist and sweeps her into his arms. I feel a pang of jealousy at the way he holds her close to his chest. Another screech from inside the mountain distracts me. We sprint down the slope towards the tree line as the creatures breach the tunnel. My heart is in my throat, arms pumping as I try to keep pace with the fast-moving Fae. Even Altair, burdened by Erzur, is moving more quickly than me. He overtakes Sadal quickly until I’m bringing up the rear.
I hear the creatures behind me, crashing through the undergrowth. I leap over a root, knowing that if I fall, there won’t be another opportunity to escape. It will mean death. Thal drops back beside me, his sword already in hand. His green eyes dart towards me, filled with concern. He holds out a hand wordlessly and I take it. He closes his fingers around my hand, and suddenly I'm running faster than I ever have. We trample through the forest together, a few feet behind the others.
And then I see it; a black arch looming through the trees. The portal.
Chapter 9
Altair
Erzur groans in my arms as we flee from the tunnel creatures careening down the mountainside behind us. I can't keep her steady, and her limp body bounces and jostles. Her face is twisted in pain, but she doesn't scream. For an instant, I feel a flash of respect for Erzur's warrior-like and stony demeanor. I try to move more evenly, and I sense her almond-shaped eyes studying my face.
"Faster," she grunts, scrunching her face as she fights against the pain. "Injuries be damned—move."
I obey, pushing hard again and flying between the trees. I dare a glance over my shoulder and see Verity struggling to keep up with the rest of us. Sadal is running haphazardly, wrists at chest level, restraints jangling. His eyes are wide and filled with fear, but he stays a step behind me. I curl my lip. The rat probably knows there’s safety in numbers. He’d be dead in an hour without us.
"A
h!" I hear Verity gasp, and my heart lurches.
Images of her diving back into the tunnel for Erzur flash through my mind. I risk another glance and almost stumble over uneven ground. I see Thal beside her then, his brows furrowed with concern for her. He pulls her forward, dragging her behind him at Fae speed. My heart eases somewhat as they gain on us, putting more distance between them and the creatures.
“I see it, the arch,” Erzur says weakly.
The trees begin to thin, and I see a structure of black stone peak between the leaves and trunks. I sprint towards it, bent on making it before the beasts catch us. The portal is another arch, as tall as the door leading into my now-destroyed palace. The stone is so black, it seems to absorb the surrounding light. I hurtle through the small clearing, breaking the tree line.
Suddenly, a howl rends the air and birds burst from the treetops. I skid to a halt, heart pounding. The others have joined me, and we turn in a slow circle, searching for the source of the noise. Verity is pale with fear. “The creatures have returned to the tunnel,” she whispers. “They ran when they heard that sound.”
“I think we should do the same,” Sadal says, hunching.
“Agreed,” I murmur. “Thal, you and Verity through first. Then Sadal, and I’ll follow with Erzur.”
Thal touches his forehead in a lazy salute and pulls Verity forward. Suddenly, a black shape hurls out of the nearby brush, all long, skinny limbs, and fleshy skin. Sadal shrieks, his pitch matching Verity's. The creature turns its hairless head towards me. Its eyes are perfectly circular and yellow, the pupil too small. It smiles, and I shudder. I had expected razor-sharp fangs, but the creature's teeth are square and flat. It's too normal, too familiar, to be a part of a creature like this. When it rises onto its hind legs and its long arms press against its body, it looks like a tall, thin shadow with vibrant eyes.
It shrieks again, and the sound makes my eardrums ache. “It’s a Shade,” Verity says, breaking the silence. “Run!”
Sadal makes a break for the portal, but the creature lashes out at him with a long arm. It slams into Sadal, flinging him like a rag doll towards the trees. Sadal crumples, panting. Thal draws his sword with a grin and starts toward the Shade. He circles him, beginning an intricate dance of death. I retreat behind Thal and place Erzur gently on the ground. She clenches her teeth and I see fresh blood soaking through her tunic.
“I can fight,” she hisses. “Give me a weapon.”
“We need you in the Third Stratum, Erzur.” I shake my head. “I won’t risk you like that.”
“Bastard. Let me die like a warrior.” Her eyes are blazing.
I rise, drawing out my sword as Thal darts towards the Shade. “You’re not going to die.”
Verity rushes past me towards Sadal. “Go through the portal!” She cries, tugging at Sadal.
He stumbles to his feet, a hand on his temple. “It will follow,” he mumbles.
“Just go.” Verity pushes him forward. She turns desperate eyes towards Thal. Thal leaps nimbly to the side just as the creature’s claws slice through the air where he stood. He swipes his sword in an arc, bringing the edge down on the Shade’s elbow. It shrieks, black blood spurting onto the grass. Verity hovers beside the portal and then our eyes meet. “Take Erzur through—please Altair.”
“You go,” I say, striding towards Thal and the Shade.
“I can’t lift her,” Verity pleads, eyes wide.
“Thal,” I bark. My cousin dances out of the Shade’s reach, barely missing its jaws. “Take Erzur through. I’ll finish this.”
“Always taking my victories, eh?” Thal cocks a brow but obeys, sweeping Erzur into his arms. “Just remember I warmed him up for you.”
“Just go,” I growl.
Thal disappears through the portal, following Sadal. Verity’s shoulders sag with relief and she glances at me. Time slows as I watch a black hand slither towards her. It wraps around her waist, pulling her sharply. She screams, shattering the stillness. The Shade snatches Verity, dragging her towards it as if to embrace her. I dart towards them, heart pounding with fear. If we lose Verity, we lose everything. I lose everything. The Shade grins at me as if it knows all this perfectly well.
“Goodbye, little Fae King,” it whispers. Its voice is unpleasant enough to make me grimace. “I have my prize.”
My stomach twists with fear. The deepest kind, the kind that makes you feel weak at the knees and helpless. I shift my gaze from the Shade to Verity. She’s looking at me desperately and I suddenly wish I had done a million things differently—that I had made a life for her and I. My lips part in a silent cry of fear and I lunge at the Shade. The Shade screams, a sound of pain and surprise. I hear a thumping noise and then the Shade recoils violently.
Verity is on the ground, smoke curling from her hands. I pause in my assault, eyes wide with surprise. “Bitch!” The Shade screeches, lumbering towards us again.
“Come on.” I bend and pull Verity to her feet, dragging her back to the portal. Behind us, the Shade lopes, skin singed somehow. I hear the Shade gaining, its unnaturally long limbs make twice the progress we do. Fear and adrenaline course through me. “We aren’t going to make it.”
At my words, Verity twists in my grasp and I lose my grip. I stumble, whirling in time to see her raise her palms towards the Shade. She digs her feet into the ground and bright, white light sears from her palms. The lights are familiar, the same ones she called only a few nights ago when we were attacked by phantoms. But this light is painful to the Shade, burning him viciously. The Shade stumbles back, crumpling to the ground. It stretches away from Verity, looking like her shadow.
Moaning and hissing, the Shade slinks back into the woods, away from Verity’s magic. She lowers her hands, shoulders curling with exhaustion. I push back my curiosity and wrap an arm around her waist, ushering her through the portal. The world droops and melts around us, our eyes covered with a red sheen. Verity sags into my side, breathing shakily. I glance down at her smoking hands just as the world rights itself. We step out of the portal and into a desert; the Third Stratum.
Verity looks up at me, darkness in her light blue eyes. “It will find the others. There will be more next time.”
Chapter 10
Verity
The first thing I notice about the Third Stratum is the heat. It's dry and scorching as if I've just stepped into an oven. The red earth is cracked and so flat I can see for miles in any direction. It's like another world. Every breath I take leaves my throat and nostrils burning. Sweat sheens on my brow. I fumble with my cloak, trying desperately to remove it. The red fabric flutters to the ground, and I stoop to collect it.
“Gods, it's hot here,” Thal groans, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Serus pads to my feet, slinking. I pick him up and let him settle on my shoulders. The baked earth is too hot for him to walk on. “How is Erzur?” I ask.
The ebony-skinned warrior leans heavily on Thal. One of her eyes is so swollen she can’t open it, and her lip is split. “Fine,” she spits out. “Let’s get out of here before that Shade comes through.”
“We have a little time,” Altair says, appraising me. “Verity injured it pretty badly.”
“Verity?” Thal cocks a brow, looking impressed.
I clench my charred hands into fists to hide them. “It isn’t dead though. And it will bring back more Shades. We were lucky there was only one guarding the portal.”
“Do you think that’s what it was doing?” Altair asks. “Guarding?”
I chew my bottom lip and nod. “I don’t think it was a coincidence that the Shade was there.”
“I don’t want to be around when it finds reinforcements,” Sadal whines. His gaze darts towards the arch fearfully.
Altair hoists Erzur into his arms despite her weak protests. He lifts his chin towards Sadal. “Show us the way.”
Sadal nods eagerly. He leads us away from the portal, glancing over his shoulder often to see if any enemies are chasing us. Gr
adually, as we distance ourselves from the Second Stratum, the itch between my shoulder blades fades. I relax. The group is quiet, conserving energy as we walk through the dreadful heat. I run my tongue over my lips, wetting them, but they dry instantly. I frown as I realize that we didn’t bother packing water into the Ether.
“We’re getting close,” Serus whispers from my shoulder.
“To what?” I squint, trying to pierce the haze of heat for any signs of what we’re looking for.
“To whom.” Serus’s claws prick into my skin.
We travel down a short slope and I see imprints of bones in the earth. Slowly, the fossils grow more numerous and I realize we’re walking through the bed of a dried lake. Sadal grows more at ease as we lose sight of the arch behind us. The Dark God adjusts his collar and straightens his shirt, smirking. My brows twitch together as I watch him preen like a peacock.
“You seem more relaxed now,” Thal notes, looking at Sadal like he has a bad taste in his mouth. “Not frightened anymore?”
“The Shades wouldn’t dare come this far into the Third Stratum,” Sadal says, brushing his hair into place.
“And why not?” Altair asks. Altair’s brow is glistening with sweat, matting his hair to his forehead. Erzur breathes shallowly in his arms, eyes closed.
“The Shades can’t touch the danger here, but she can still threaten them,” Sadal says simply.
I open my mouth to question him further, confusion, and questions spinning in my mind like a whirlwind. The heat doesn't help. Suddenly, I stagger backward, and Serus clings tightly, so he doesn't topple to the ground. My entire body tingles as power slams into me again and again. I press a hand to my chest, trying to calm my beating heart. The others have paused, looking at me curiously. Altair starts towards me but seems to remember the woman in his arms, and he stops. Fear lances through me when the force of the power turns into a gentle tug, coaxing me forward.
