by M. D. Massey
I motioned for Crowley to follow me back down the shaft. “They’re marching to war against us.” I pulled out my cell phone, but I had zero bars this far underground. “Damn it!”
“We can’t go back that way, that’s for certain. Too much traffic, and we’ll be discovered in minutes. I’d say our only course of action is to find this Piscina and steal it away, before the Ojáncanu’s army overruns your villa.”
“By the way, did you see him down there? He’s hard to miss. A ten-foot-tall cyclops with long red hair and six fingers and toes on each hand and foot.”
Crowley shook his head. “I did not. Perhaps he’s pulling up the rear of the formation?”
I pursed my lips and exhaled forcefully. “One could hope. C’mon, let’s see where this tunnel leads.”
21
The ventilation tunnel wound and twisted a few hundred feet, then angled up sharply. Since we could see daylight above, we backtracked until we found a small side tunnel that was large enough to explore. It was more like a crack in the wall, really, but it was the only other path of escape.
We squeezed through the crack, noting that it angled down and not up. That was something, at least. Hopefully it would exit into another tunnel and provide us with a way around the Ojáncanu’s army.
The crevice narrowed significantly the farther we went. I turned sideways and continued until I got stuck. Or, rather, until my hips got stuck.
“Crowley, I can’t move. You’re going to have to pull me out.”
“Can you see anything ahead? It’s going to be difficult from this position to pull you, but I think I can lodge my shoulders in and push you through.”
I took a moment to calm myself and take in my surroundings. Crowley’s faint mage-light spell illuminated enough of the way ahead for me to see that it did open up beyond this choke point. And beyond that, I saw what might have been the flicker of torchlight playing off the walls.
“I think there’s an opening ahead. Alright, push me through—but if you cop a feel you’ll regret it.”
“I’ll use my feet, then.” Crowley placed both boots on my rear and pushed. “Be advised, this might require a bit more force than I anticipated. Your behind, while quite lovely, is also firmly wedged in this cleft. A moment, please.”
“I swear, if you make one comment about how your hips are narrower than mine, I’ll punch you in the throat.”
A smile tugged at the corners of the wizard’s lips, but he maintained his composure, saving himself from an ass-kicking. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Now, inhale, please.”
He pushed with his feet while extending two shadow tendrils past me. They anchored into the walls and latched onto my hands, pulling me while Crowley pushed from behind. The shadow limbs felt like slick mist on my skin at first, but when they latched on they felt like oily, squishy octopus tentacles… or snakes. Even with my upbringing, it creeped me out.
When I finally popped through, Crowley’s “assistance” flung me forward, and I nearly tumbled out of the opening ahead. My upper body hung out and over the end of the crevice. The only thing that saved me was my tactical belt, which snagged on the lip.
Slightly disoriented, I hung there for a moment and took in the scene below.
Shit-piss-fucking-hell.
I felt Crowley’s hands on my ankles as he began to pull me back. I wiggled side to side to assist him, remaining on my belly as I verified what I’d seen.
Yep, there was a culebre down there, along with all its treasure. I saw piles of gold coins and bars in stacks, silver goblets and platters, gilded weapons, and gemstones in glittering piles. All the pretty things that dragonkind loved to collect. Culebre were winged serpents, related to dragons but lacking limbs and the ability to breathe fire. This one must have been old, because it was huge—easily fifty feet from nose to tail. Its wings, while massive, were wrinkled and showed the signs of many battles.
I saw something else below, chained to the wall amid all that treasure. Every so often it would move, making its chains jingle—but it was too small, and we were too far up to see it clearly.
Crowley laid down beside me to see what I was looking at, and in the close confines of the crevice his body pressed firmly against mine. The guy just didn’t give up.
“Well, that certainly presents a conundrum,” he said. “Are you familiar with this breed?”
“Culebre. Yeah, we’ve run into some smaller ones over the years.”
“Do you think we can sneak past it?”
“Only one way to find out.” I picked up a pebble and tossed it below. It pinged off a piece of plate mail inlaid with gold and gems. While the culebre never stirred, the thing it had chained to the wall stood up and began to glow.
Now, I could make it out clearly. It was a sprite, probably captured by the dragon for its beauty and resemblance to something shiny and valuable. Poor creature—no telling how long it had been down there.
“We have to rescue it,” I said.
Crowley inhaled sharply. “Belladonna, this is no time to be taking in strays. Might I remind you that we have a mission to complete?”
I pushed myself to my feet. “I’m fully aware of that. Call this a tactical decision, then—because if that faery has been down there for any length of time, it’s heard things. I’d bet bullets to beers that it knows where we can find the Piscina.”
Crowley sat up and regarded me for several seconds. “Very well, it is your op. How shall we proceed?”
“Can you lower me down there using your shadow thingies?”
“Can a unicorn defecate rainbows? Just tell me where to set you down.”
“As close to the sprite and as far away from the culebre as possible.”
He nodded. “Consider it done. I will remain up here to pull you out if something goes wrong.”
“Uh-uh, that’s a bad idea. Serpents can squeeze through some pretty narrow gaps, and I’m pretty sure this crevice is how that thing gets out to go hunting. Look, there’s an exit on the far side of the cavern. Think you can cause a cave-in if we need one?”
“It will be dangerous, but yes.”
“Okay then. Lower me down, and wait for my signal.”
22
True to his word, Crowley lowered me to a spot on the far side of the cavern, nearer to the sprite than the culebre. Once I got to firm ground, I crouched and remained still for several seconds to make certain the beast was still asleep. Still snoozing. Let’s hope it stays that way.
I crept across the cave, careful to avoid disturbing the drake’s treasure. It was probably spelled, and the culebre would likely be alerted just as soon as anyone touched it. I didn’t want the thing to wake until we were ready to split the scene, so I tiptoed between stacks of coins and piles of gemstones as I made my way to the sprite.
She was a pitiful-looking thing—dirty, thin, and dressed in rags. But she was also beautiful, and she shone with an ethereal light that was breathtaking and mesmerizing. No more than a foot tall, she was built like a miniature ballerina—all grace and potential energy. She had bright green eyes, long golden hair, high cheekbones, and lips that seemed to hold a permanent pout.
I snuck within a few feet of her, and the faery held a finger to her lips. “Speak softly. The culebre is accustomed to my voice, but unfamiliar sounds may wake it.”
“I’m Belladona.”
“Oh, what a pretty name! And it suits you. Deadly and beautiful, you are, that’s plain to see.” She paused and wrung her tiny hands together. “Are you here to rescue poor little Kiara?”
I nodded and pointed at her chains. They were iron, of course, and impervious to her magic. The shackle around her ankle had caused her skin to break out in weeping sores, even though she’d stuffed rags between her skin and the cuff.
“You know what I’m going to offer—a favor for a favor. Your freedom for your help.” The truth was, I’d free her anyway, but I needed to work out a bargain first to ensure that we’d receive her help. She was fae, after all,
and there was no guarantee that my assistance would be returned in kind.
“I can’t help you take any of the serpent’s treasure. It’s cursed, and she’d wake and tear us to shreds before any of it left her cavern.”
“That’s not what I’m here for, and I wouldn’t free you just to see you captured again. What I need instead is information.”
The little fae’s face brightened. “A quest! Are you here to rescue a princess?”
“What? No.”
The pout that played on her lips became more pronounced. “A prince, then?”
“Nope. Sorry to disappoint, but my prince is far away and safe.”
The little sprite crossed her arms and stuck out her lower lip as she plopped down on a lacquered jewelry box. “Boo! If there’s no romance involved, it’s no fun.”
I thought for a moment, then raised a finger in the air. “Well… my companion is only helping me because he has a crush on me. Does that count?”
She looked up at the opening high above from which I had descended. “I suppose. But he has a darkness about him which speaks of tragedy and loss. I don’t see how you two could ever be an item—but then again, all the great love stories are tragedies.” She rubbed her tiny chin and narrowed her eyes. “Fine then, I’ll help you if you free me. Tell me of what you seek.”
“We’re here to steal the Piscina de Cristal from the Ojáncanu. Can you tell us where it is?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Not only can I tell you where it is—I can lead you to it. As it so happens, the Ojáncanu has something of mine in his vault.” She stood and turned around, pointing a thumb over her shoulder at her back. “See? No wings. The Ojáncanu stole them from me, just to be cruel. Then he gave me to the culebre, knowing I wouldn’t be able to escape.”
“So, you’ll help us?”
“Only if you can get us out of here alive… and help me retrieve my wings. I could grow more, but it took me ages to get the color just right. Morpho meneleus blue is terribly hard to emulate.”
“I think we can manage that,” I said with a smile. I signaled to Crowley to come down, and he descended the wall on shadowy spider legs that sprouted from his back.
“He’s creepy, but kind of cute—even with the burns,” the sprite whispered.
“Yeah, but he’s a bit of a pig,” I replied.
“All the pretty ones are,” she said.
I smiled. “Not all of them.”
Crowley lowered himself down next to us. “Who’s a pretty pig?”
I rubbed my temple. “Never mind that—we were just having a little girl talk. Now, we need to bust our new friend Kiara out of here and cause a cave-in to keep the culebre from following us. Can you do it?”
“Of course.” He looked at the sprite. “After I free you, how much time will we have to escape?”
Kiara pinched her chin between her finger and thumb and frowned. “Not long. Once, a duende stumbled in here and tried to steal some gold. He didn’t make it far.”
Crowley turned to me. “Get ready to grab her and run.” He sprouted eight shadow arms, and grasped the faery’s shackle with two of them.
I nodded. “Do it.”
The shackle popped with a metallic clink, and I immediately snagged up the sprite and ran for the exit. I heard a hissing roar, and glanced back to see the culebre slithering after a shadow figure, up the wall and into the crack we’d entered by. Crowley followed right behind me. After we were out of the culebre’s lair, he collapsed the cave behind us.
“Think that’ll hold her?” I asked.
“For a while, I think.” He admired his handiwork. “But we’d best get the Piscina and be on our way before my shadow construct runs out of steam and the culebre learns she’s been taken.”
I set the sprite on the ground. “Hopefully we can be in and out long before then. Lead the way, Kiara.”
23
Kiara led us down tunnel after tunnel, always seemingly just ahead or just behind any mouros, duende, or other minions of the Ojáncanu that were wandering the same areas. We slipped several patrols, thanks to the faery’s uncanny knack for sensing danger and avoiding it. But as we went deeper into the mountain, our near run-ins grew less frequent. Soon, we traveled the tunnels undisturbed.
“Are we nearly there?” I asked the sprite.
“Close. In fact, from here on we should be as quiet as possible. The Ojáncanu’s vault directly connects to his throne room far above by a hidden staircase. He’s known to wander down there for hours on end, admiring his many treasures.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Just curious, Kiara—how do you know all this?”
She held up a hand, signaling that we should wait, then crept up to a nearby tunnel intersection and glanced left and right before responding. “In answer to your question, I know the Ojáncanu’s habits because I was his lover, for a time.”
Crowley did a double-take. “Say what? Just how does that work, exac—”
I backhanded him in the gut, cutting him off before he offended our guide. “I take it you didn’t end things on the best of terms?”
Kiara shook her head. “He cheated on me with a nymph, so I cut his ear off.”
“And that’s why he took your wings and gave you to the culebre.” I checked my weapons and did an ammo count in my head as we continued down the tunnel. “Do you think he’ll be in his throne room, or with his troops?”
She shook her head. “He fears the Anjana, Daughter of the Serpent. Even though her power is diminished at the moment, she’s still a formidable foe. No, he’ll be hiding and waiting for news of the outcome of their attack.”
“How’d you know who I was?”
“You may not have your mother’s height, but you do share her beauty. Jacinta Becerra is known to the fae who dwell in these lands.”
Crowley cleared his throat. “Kiara, you don’t mind if the Anjana gains possession of the Piscina?”
“Mind? After what the Ojáncanu did to me? If I could, I’d help you carry it out of here.” She cocked her head to listen for a moment, then waved for us to follow as she took off down the tunnel. “Come now, it’s not far.”
Kiara led us to a massive arched doorway that had been cut from the rock, easily over ten feet tall. It was intricately carved with runes and symbols in a language I didn’t recognize. An iron-bound door guarded the entrance to the Ojáncanu’s vault.
The sprite patted an exposed area of wood on the door, just above the iron kickplate that was riveted to the base. “This is it: the Ojáncanu’s treasure room.”
“Any idea how to open it?” I asked her.
“Don’t look at me—I thought that was what you brought the wizard for,” she replied.
Crowley crossed his arms and studied the door. “Give me a moment.” He rubbed his chin, then reached out, running his hands just above the surface of the door and archway—inch by agonizing inch.
“If you could hurry this up, that would be great,” I said. “I don’t much like the idea of running into that culebre on the way out of here.”
The wizard ignored me as he continued to examine the door. Then, he closed his eyes and began chanting as he twisted his hands and fingers into impossible patterns. Soon, threads of shadow drifted from his hands to the doorway, where they filled the runes and carvings in the arch and door. As the shadow filled the clefts and crevices that had been carved into the door, I noticed that the outlines and patterns it followed altered slightly from the original.
Crowley kept muttering and gesturing as the patterns covering the door and frame were filled and altered, one by one. Within moments I heard a click, followed by the sounds of gears turning and deadbolts unlocking. Crowley stopped chanting, then he opened his eyes and pushed on the door. It swung inward on well-oiled hinges, opening to reveal a long stone hallway lit by torchlight beyond.
“Time to get this over with,” I said as I stepped into the tunnel.
“Wait!” Kiara yelped, too late. As I shifted my weight forwar
d, the flagstone I’d stepped on depressed with the ominous sound of stone scraping on stone.
Crowley grabbed my jacket and pulled me back, just as a number of darts shot out of the wall into the space I’d been occupying a split-second prior.
“It’s trapped,” Kiara said.
I glared at the sprite. “You might have mentioned that before Crowley opened the door.”
She raised her hands and shrugged. “Sue me, already. I figured you’d assume it was rigged, what with this being a treasure room in a cavernous dungeon and all.”
Crowley tilted his head and pursed his lips. “She does have a point, you know.”
I covered my face and groaned. “In the future, when raiding a giant’s underground treasure trove, I’ll make sure to be more careful. Now that we’ve established that I’m no Indiana Jones, can we get on with this? Crowley, do me a favor and trigger the rest of the traps.”
24
His voice oozed with smugness as he replied. “Your wish is my command. Allow me.” Dozens of shadow tendrils erupted from his hands. The smoky cords of magic and aether shot forward into the tunnel, pressing on each flagstone in the floor to reveal any surprises that lay ahead.
The variety of traps that the Ojáncanu had installed were impressive. Fire shot from jets in the walls, spikes extended from the floor and ceiling, massive ax blades swung across the hall, and a green noxious gas seeped from between the cracks in the wall. Not every flagstone triggered a trap, but Crowley marked the ones that did by leaving shadow residue on those stones.
We waited for the gas to dissipate, then gingerly stepped over the trigger stones as we made our way to the treasure vault. As we entered the vault, I couldn’t help but gasp in astonishment and amusement. The place was an obsessive-compulsive’s wet dream.
