“You take that hallway. I’ll take this one.” I pointed my gun down each path.
“I really don’t want to separate,” Ryker growled.
“We have to. And we have to move fast.”
Ryker gave me a curt nod then proceeded down his designated passage. I swung down the opposite one. The hall I chose was mostly vacant. I didn’t know if I should be relieved or sickened. Had it been full at one time? If it had been, I understood all too well those people, or fae, weren’t alive anymore.
“Sweet honey and butternut biscuits, stop touching my ass.” After a few beats Sprig’s head peeked out of my pocket. I put my finger to my lips. He nodded, then slipped out, crawling up to my shoulder, his backpack hitting my cheek as he settled.
“What are we doing?” He leaned into my ear.
“Looking for Lexie and Croygen.”
“Except the pirate, right?”
I ignored him and continued to move past each window. There were a few fae, most sleeping. When I reached the end room, it appeared to be slightly bigger and set up more like a testing room. The eggshell-colored room was embellished with lab equipment. A robot machine was positioned above the lone hospital bed, decked with needles, blades, and a Taser.
A shirtless man was pulled into an eagle pose with all his limbs chained to the bed. I moved to the glass, feeling my stomach spin like a washer. Dark hair, slender but muscular frame, a tattoo on his shoulder and chest.
My hand slapped over my mouth. “Croygen.” I reached for the door, shaking the bolted lock furiously. “No!”
Sprig sighed and moved down my arm. “Don’t say I never did anything for the pirate.” Sprig stuck his tongue out as he worked on the lock.
“Can you do it? Is it coated?”
“This one doesn’t have goblin metal. Just an ordinary lock.”
Finally one thing went in our favor.
“Hold on.” His tongue stuck out farther. “Like honey.” The lock inside snapped, the door sliding open.
“I love you, monkey-man.”
“I know.” Sprig leaped back on my neck as I slunk inside the room, shutting it behind me.
“Croygen?” My feet moved quickly toward the form on the bed. Blood leaked out of open wounds, bruises covered his face and body. Like Ryker they left him shirtless, using his torso as a battering ram. “Oh my god.” My hand reached for his face.
“Is he alive?” Sprig scuttled down to Croygen’s chest. “Hey, butt-bandit.” Sprig jammed his finger into Croygen’s ribs. “You dead?”
A soft groan came from Croygen’s lips, his lids fluttering.
“Croygen!” I gripped his face tighter, turning it toward me. “Wake up.”
His mouth moved, but I couldn’t understand what he said.
“What?” I leaned down closer to his ear.
“I liked it better when I woke up to your face in my crotch,” he whispered, his voice weak and gravelly. “And if you wanted me chained up, all you had to do was ask.”
Relief flooded my eyes, forcing me to blink. “Well, I’m sure I can find a whip or two in here as well.” I tried to joke, but my throat caught on held-back tears.
“You know how I like it.” His eyes stayed closed, but his mouth formed a smile. “But let’s leave the monkey out of it this time.”
“Only you.” I snickered, straightening. “Tortured and barely coherent, but you still think with your dick.”
“That’s where his brain is.” Sprig held up his fingers. “A very, very tiny one.”
“Have you ever had barbequed monkey? I have…tasty.” Croygen’s eyes opened, his gaze dull and unfocused. I didn’t want to think of how much they tortured and tested him. He groaned as he tried to sit up, but the handcuffs dropped him back to the bed.
“We have to get you out of here.” I looked over at Sprig. “Sprig, can you get his handcuffs off? They contain goblin metal.”
We were back where everything had been coated with goblin metal, but Sprig was so low on the magic list, it only seemed to affect him when he got straight injections of the malicious metal. It was worth a shot.
“I can try…but do you really want to, Bhean? I mean, really take your time and think about this. If we let him go, aren’t we only hurting society instead of helping it?”
“Sprig?” I lifted one eyebrow.
“I think you need to take more time.”
“Now, Sprig!” My patience was thin. We didn’t have much time.
“All right. But this is on you!” He moved to one of Croygen’s cuffed wrists.
Croygen snarled at Sprig, but he turned back to me. “Have you found Lexie? Is she all right? Are you all right?” His piercing dark eyes roved over me.
“No. We haven’t found her. Ryker went down another corridor looking.” I bit my lip. “We’ll find them.”
“Them?”
My heart sank. I didn’t want to believe Annabeth was here, but my gut told me so. If she was, I would find her. “When did you last see Lexie?”
“Yesterday.” The corner of his eyes flinched, his voice going soft. “It’s not going to be long.”
I nodded. “I know.” We had so much to tell Croygen later, but right now all I could say was, “Thank you, Croygen, for going with her. What you did…the sacrifice you made…I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”
“Hey.” His arm strained against the bracelet Sprig was working on, trying to touch me.
Snap. The restraint broke open, freeing his right arm.
“Good job, rodent.” Croygen shook out his hand, nodding at the little sprite with admiration. “Impressed.”
“Funny, that’s not what the ladies say about you.” Sprig squeaked as Croygen swiped for him. With a chattering giggle he ran down to one of Croygen’s manacled ankles.
“Little shit.” He rolled his eyes, but I could see the caring in his slightly pained smile.
We really were a twisted family.
“So after you free me, what’s your plan, love?” He leaned back on his pillow, his eyelids drifting closed for a moment. “I was a gentleman and escorted your dear little sister here. I’m done…thinking about taking a nap now.”
Croygen was good at making me smile, even in the worst conditions. He had been the one who sat next to me, holding me, when I had to mutilate Ryker. He gave me strength. In that moment to have Croygen here meant the world to me. It had bonded us for life. No matter what front he put up, he would be part of my family. He had pulled me out of darkest depths and stood me back on my feet again.
“Taking a nap without pillaging and seducing all the women in town?” I lifted my brow. “Losing your touch, but not really surprised after that humiliating loss with the nurse. I think you should hang it up now.”
“Not. Funny.” One lid opened.
I was about to respond when I heard metal releasing near the end of the bed.
“Supersprite!” Sprig held up his arms in victory and hopped over to his other leg, working on the cuff. “You know…”
“All the honey you want. Once we are out of here,” I responded, already knowing where his trail of thought was going.
“All the honey?” His eyes widened, and he stopped what he was doing, staring at me.
“Well, until you pass out.”
“I can work with that.”
A loud echo tore down the hallway, like a door slamming, making all of us jump.
“Hey, gerbil. Get back to work.” Croygen nodded at his leg. “Or no honey packets.”
“How ab—” Sprig opened his mouth.
“Or Izel’s pancakes, churros, mango chips, granola bars, honey sticks, or nuts…of any kind.”
Sprig gasped.
“Not messing around, hamster. Get me out of these now.”
“No wondered no one likes you. No honey nuts or sticks,” Sprig muttered, turning his focus back to the cuff.
Croygen tore his gaze from Sprig back up to me, cupping one hand around my cheek. I stared at him.
“Res
ponding to your earlier statement. You never have to repay me. You know there is nothing I won’t do for you. Or for Lexie.”
I tried to swallow over the tightness in my throat. Tears flooded my eyes. “Why?” My head shook, almost afraid to hear his answer.
He tipped his head.
“Croygen…I…”
“You’re afraid I’m going to say I’m in love with you, aren’t you?”
My mouth opened and shut.
“Sorry, I love myself too much to ever really love anyone else. But I have to admit, you are the closest I’ve probably been.” His fingers brushed lightly over my lips. “Deep down, I knew I never really loved Amara. It was more like an obsession.” His eyes drifted back up to mine and once again I forgot to breathe. “Love is fickle with me anyway. With you it’s more…you are more…” He cleared his throat. “You’ve become…”
“Family,” I filled in.
His lips lifted slightly, his gaze going back to my arm. “Like a damn tree with roots.”
“I feel the same,” I said. “And you know what?”
He peeked at me.
“You are my family, Croygen. You are a part of me, of my life. And certainly part of Lexie’s. We’ve been through too much to be anything less.” He looked away. “I’m going to be around a lot longer now—well, if we live through this—but you will never be able to get rid of me. If I have a home, you have a home. You will always belong with me, with us.”
He stared at the ground, then shook his head and chuckled. “Damn, that was some sentimental crap.”
“Completely. And unfortunately entirely true.”
He laughed and turned to me, cupping my head he pulled my face down to his. He tipped my forehead toward him and kissed it. “Man, you are a pain in the ass.”
“I was born this way.”
Another clink of metal sounded through the room, and Croygen looked to his legs. “Damn, that feels good.” He kicked out his feet.
“Sprig,” I squeaked, rubbing his soft head as he moved up to the last cuff on Croygen’s left wrist. “You are amazing.”
“Why don’t we trade this ass bandit in for Leanbh?”
“Shut up, banana lover.”
“Wha-at? How dare you say such a thing?” Sprig sat back on his heels. “Say you’re sorry or I will leave you here, gnawing on your arm like every poor girl who got drunk and woke up next to you.”
I lifted one eyebrow at Croygen.
His eyes widened like I was insane. “No. No way.”
I lifted both my eyebrows.
He huffed, looking away. “Sorry, fuzzbutt,” he mumbled like a pouting schoolboy.
“I need to get paid for this shit,” I told the ceiling.
Ping. The last cuff broke away from Croygen’s hand. He let out a yip and sat up, rubbing Sprig’s head as he tried to stand up. He fell back on the bed, making it skid a few feet.
“Croygen, you need to take it easy.” I reached for him.
“We don’t have time.” He threw his arm around my shoulder, letting me help him stand. He was right, we didn’t. Every minute here we risked another moment in which someone I loved could be hurt. Sprig sprang for Croygen’s free shoulder, since mine were being used as a crutch.
Neither one said a word. Awww…all my boys secretly loved each other.
“Okay, we need to find Ryker.” I walked us slowly for the door.
“Is Amara with him?” Croygen’s head turned to me.
“Uh…no…”
“That purple wicked witch turned them over to Vadik,” Sprig exclaimed, throwing his arms out. “I swear if I ever see that pop tart, I’m going to poop in her hair and shoes.”
Croygen’s lips thinned at my nod that, yes, once again she had betrayed us.
“She better be long gone, or I will do worse to her.” He gritted his teeth, every step painful for him, but his weight became lighter on my arm.
Sprig nodded at Croygen’s statement. At least they had hating Amara in common.
“Okay, let’s go get that bastard.” Croygen sucked air through his teeth and stood up fully on his own.
“Rapava?”
“No. Your man.”
TWENTY-FIVE
“Do I get a weapon?” Croygen grunted, his torso swathed in deep green, yellow, blue, and black bruises. His skin was punctured from so many needles he looked like a voodoo doll.
I struggled to keep him upright and also hold my gun ready to fire as we snuck down the hallway. The place felt like a graveyard on this level. It made me extremely nervous.
“I think you having a weapon would be detrimental to yourself.”
“Please.” He rolled his eyes.
“Then it would be bad for me.” I kept my voice low. We moved back down the passage toward where Ryker and I parted ways.
“You act like this is the first time I’ve been drugged and woken up chained to a bed.” His black hair hung in greasy pieces, brushing his shoulder. He looked like he hadn’t seen a shower in a while.
“Dare I ask what they did to you?”
“No,” he stated. His jaw twitched, his gaze went distant, and a chilly mood descended on him. Then he jerked his head, a smile curling his mouth, pushing away the darkness. “Nothing a couple bottles of Jack and a razor blade can’t handle.”
“Croygen,” I growled.
“Just kidding. Not about the Jack, but just throw in a couple hookers instead.”
“Only way you can get them. Purchased.” Sprig snorted.
“At least they’re real.” Croygen glared at Sprig. “Maybe for your birthday I can take you to the petting zoo, full of real-life goats.”
“Okay. Shut up.” I cringed.
“Pam is real!” Sprig reached around for his backpack, patting the top of her head. “Don’t listen to the assbuckler, baby.”
I held my finger up to my lips giving them both a warning look and continued down the hall. Croygen took more of his weight the longer we moved. When we reached the intersection, I propped him against the wall and peered around the corner. The hall stood empty.
Damn it. Where did he go? And where was everyone else?
We ventured down the new corridor moving past rooms, but none of them had display windows.
Then the sounds of talking, deep, anxious voices along with the vibrations of boots against the floor caught my ear. Fear gripped my chest, the voices nearing us, about to curve around the corner. I wildly looked around. There was nothing but closed, locked doors.
“Sprig?” I nodded toward the handle, but I knew we didn’t have enough time.
“How about that weapon now?” Croygen said. We had no choice but to stand our ground. To fight our way out. I tugged one of my extra knives set against my hip and handed it over to him.
“How many?”
“More than us.”
“That’s what I figured.” Croygen gripped the blade, trying to steady himself on his feet.
I lifted the gun, turning the way of the commotion. Nerves bounced with electric static inside my muscles.
A door opened behind me, and a hand slid over my mouth. I yelped as my body sailed back in the room. Terror turned me into a stiff block.
Croygen jumped on my captor. Sprig made a squeaky sound, grabbing on to Croygen’s neck.
“Get in here now,” Ryker hissed behind me.
“Fuck, man.” Croygen bolted into the room, shutting the door. “I think I just pissed myself.”
“Definitely not the first time.” Ryker dropped his hand from my mouth, but his arm stayed around me. I was thankful because I felt a little woozy from the shot of adrenaline to my heart.
“Or the last,” Croygen mumbled, voices speaking over him.
“This way.” A man’s familiar voice echoed down the hall. “I heard something.” Peter.
“Bhean, look.” Sprig pointed.
My head swung to the far bed in the corner. My heart leaped from my chest.
“Lexie!” I cried, moving toward her.
> Ryker’s hand slipped over my mouth, pulling me the opposite way of my sister. Instinct caused my arms to fight his hold, to reach her no matter what.
“Zoey, stop,” he said into my ear. “She’s alive. You need to stay that way too.”
“Check on the girl,” Peter ordered. “They’ll be searching for her.”
There was nowhere to hide in the room. The moment the door opened, we would be discovered.
“Sprig.” I pointed to Lexie. “Go!” The thought of him getting hurt again... No. I couldn’t take it. The best place was for him to curl up and hide with Lexie.
He sprang from Croygen’s shoulder and scrambled to Lexie, just making it when the outside door jingled.
Ryker released me and pulled out his knife. Croygen copied his action. I bounced on the balls of my feet, watching the door swing open, my heart thumping in my chest.
The blond, six-foot, ex-special-ops figure stepped into the room. Matt, his seer partner, and two military men rushed in the room behind him. For the briefest moment they stopped, their eyes landing on us.
Then everything ignited with a tornado of movement and voices yelling. A blur of bodies ran for each other. Ryker slammed into Peter, both men sliding across the room into the wall. The two military men went for Croygen while Matt lunged for me.
Seer vs. seer.
Packing or not, he should have known better. I always won with him. I swung for his face. He threw his arm up, blocking my strike. Peter had trained him by the book. Daniel liked the rules, but he had not been afraid to show me how you really won a fight. Plus, my experience in the ring taught me how dirty I could play.
In the background I could feel people wrestling around me, but I kept locked on Matt. Don’t lose focus on the fight in front of you. Daniel’s lessons weren’t always fun, but they came with a reason, and he made sure I learned them.
Matt reached out to grab my arm. I knew the move, he wanted to pull me in, get a hold of me. I twisted the opposite way. Pain erupted from my eye as Matt’s fist collided, his knuckles plowing deep. I tipped back, already feeling the pounding of blood circling it.
His arm went to his side grabbing for his gun. Shit.
From Burning Ashes (Collector Series #4) Page 29
