Outlast: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Warden of the West Book 3)

by Annabel Chase

  I watched helplessly as my friends disappeared beyond the horizon.

  8

  Gray and I exchanged worried glances.

  “What’s going to happen to them?” I asked. Although I was desperate to remain calm, my mind was spinning with all the horrible possibilities.

  The vampire’s whole body was taut with tension. “I imagine they’ll be taken over the wall.”

  “Where’s the wall?” I couldn’t see anything except the blank horizon.

  “Trust me, it’s there, and it’s where we’re headed.”

  I looked at the weapons still within reach. “At least they have their wands.” That would give them a fighting chance.

  Gray gripped the staff. “We’ll take these.” I watched as he stripped a ribbon of bark from an obliging tree and used it to strap Dani’s axe to his back.

  “I still have my dagger, too,” I said.

  “Good. You’ll need it.” He paused for a moment to examine me. “You okay, Morrow?”

  “I’ll be better when we find my friends.” I gulped for air. “All of them.”

  I couldn’t say exactly how far we walked because a mist settled around us the second we left the forest, and clung to us for miles. Eventually, I heard a rushing river in the distance—a welcome sound to a water witch like me.

  Gray tried to observe the landscape ahead, but the mist was far too thick to see much beyond the tips of our noses.

  “Is it a waterfall?” I asked.

  “It should be a river,” he replied. “If we keep moving toward the sound, I’m pretty sure the mist will clear.”

  “Unless we end up in the river first.”

  Gray offered a vague smile. “You should try and be a little more positive, Morrow. It’s good for the soul, or so I’m told.”

  When the mist finally cleared, I saw the raging river ahead of us for the first time. It was easily a mile in width. A wooden bridge connected the field to the other side, where a great wall loomed. A gateway was visible in the distance, taller and much more ornate than the one at the academy entrance.

  “There’s a tree of life symbol on the top of the gateway,” I said, pointing.

  Gray squinted. “I’m a vampire. How can your eyesight be superior to mine?”

  “I thought your hearing was superior.”

  Gray gave a modest shrug. “We’re superior in many ways.”

  I chose to ignore his boast. “Shouldn’t there be a boat or something to ferry us across?” I asked. “I wasn’t expecting a bridge.” My thoughts immediately turned to the bridge spanning the Delaware River, where I’d first met Chancellor Tilkin—the pivotal moment that brought me to Spellslingers.

  “Do you still have the mistletoe?” Gray asked.

  I felt in my pocket before I confirmed. “Do we need it again?”

  “Might. We’ll know soon enough.”

  As soon as we stepped foot on the bridge, I noticed Gray stiffen. “What’s the matter?”

  His brow furrowed. “Do you hear that?”

  I strained to listen. The only sound I heard was the fast-moving water below. “You mean the river?”

  “No.” His gaze remained fixed on an invisible point in the water. “Someone needs help. She’s calling to us.”

  “She?”

  He nodded, and leaned over the ledge. “She’s in the water. I think she’s trapped.”

  “Who?” I peered into the river, but saw nothing except whitecaps.

  “I have to save her,” he said. He kicked off his shoes before removing the weapon from his back and stripping off his shirt.

  I was momentarily distracted by the barest and most ripped set of abs I’d ever seen. He wasn’t kidding about being superior.

  “Gray, stop,” I said, snapping back to reality. “You’re not making sense.”

  He dove headfirst into the water without a backward glance.

  “Gray, no!” I had no idea what kind of creatures lurked in a body of water in the underworld. I had a strong feeling they weren’t of the Finding Nemo variety.

  When he failed to reemerge, I kicked off my shoes and jumped in after him. I didn’t even consider using my magic to part a river like this one, not in the underworld. I had no idea what would happen. I’d probably offend some nautical god and end up in an underworld prison. No thanks.

  I opened my eyes and tried to locate Gray in the murky water. The creatures that swam by were unfamiliar but seemed harmless enough.

  Then I spotted Gray.

  He was in the arms of a scaly creature with long, flowing hair. She…It stroked his cheek and seemed to be angling for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Panic seized me, and I knew instinctively that I couldn’t let the creature succeed. I didn’t have time to debate my options. I called the water to me, which was effortless given that I was submerged in a river, and the magic spread through my body to my limbs. Then I let forth what could only be described as a sonar boom. Underwater life scattered in slow motion, and the resulting high-pitched shrieks would haunt me for years to come. I shot forward as the scaly creature relinquished its hold on Gray, and I hooked my arm under his shoulder, yanking him away. His blank gaze told me he was still in some sort of trance. Thankfully, he was buoyant in the water, and I was able to guide him to the surface.

  Once our heads cleared the water, he seemed to snap out of his stupor. I saw the life return to his eyes as his gaze darted from the bridge to the water.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “We need to swim back to the bridge,” I said. We were too far from the other side to swim, and I didn’t want to spend another second in this water, knowing how dangerous it was.

  Gray began to swim without question, and we climbed back to the base of the bridge where he retrieved his shirt and weapons.

  “Let me dry us off before we put on our shoes,” I said. I called to the water and pulled the excess moisture from our bodies. Wet shoes were the worst. The last thing we needed was dry rot on our toes while we trekked across the underworld.

  Gray’s attention kept drifting back to the water. He seemed shell-shocked. “What was that?”

  “Mermaid,” a voice scoffed. “They’re nothing but the spirits of the unhappy dead. Their entire M.O. is to lure men deep into the water to drown beside them. Misery loves company!”

  A young-looking woman stood in front of us on the bridge. Her hair was shoulder-length, stick-straight, and bright pink. She wore a kimono-style dress that looked like it was made of black latex.

  “I always thought mermaids were peaceful, with big boobs, a fish tail, and flowers in their hair,” I said.

  She scrunched her nose. “I don’t know where you get your information. These are opportunistic mermaids. They figure if they can nab you before you enter the gateway, then your spirit will be theirs for eternity.”

  “But Gray doesn’t have a spirit,” I said. “He’s a vampire.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Did I mention mermaids can be stupid? Because they can. Totally.”

  “We also can’t drown,” Gray added.

  “Then what would have happened to you if I hadn’t saved you?” I asked.

  Gray looked thoughtful. “I would’ve stayed underwater and eventually looked like a shriveled undead prune.”

  “But the mermaid would’ve kept a hold on you,” I said. “You would’ve been her new river companion.”

  “Apparently.” He grinned. “At least she looked better to me than she did to you.”

  “Gray!” I swatted at him. “She was disgusting. Her whole body was covered in scales.”

  “I don’t know,” Gray said, a teasing tone creeping into his voice. “That was a pretty believable glamour she used.”

  The woman gave me a supportive nod. “They are truly nasty. Not a tongue you want down your throat. Trust me. I made that mistake once after too many nectars. Never. Again.”

  Gray contemplated the woman. “Who are you?”

  “Oh, that would be helpful, wouldn’t it?�
�� She giggled and pressed a palm to her chest. “I’m Mona, and I’m the guardian of this particular bridge.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mona,” I said. “Thanks for the information about the mermaid.”

  “No problem. Now, be a helper and tell me why you want to cross my bridge because you’re clearly not here to apply for permanent resident status.” She blew a big pink bubble and sucked it back in.

  “We’ve come to find our friend,” I explained. “She doesn’t belong here either. She was taken against her will, and we’ve come to take her home.”

  “To the overworld?” she queried. “She’s another one like you?”

  “Yes,” I replied.

  Mona jutted out her hip. “And what do you have in the way of an offering?”

  That was my cue. I pulled the mistletoe from my pocket and held it up for inspection. Mona snatched it greedily.

  “You’re kidding!” she squealed. “This is awesome.” She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent. “By the gods, you have no clue how much I love this stuff. It’s my catnip.” She sucked off a berry and then tucked the mistletoe behind a strand of hair, securing it there.

  “That’s it?” I asked. “We can cross now?”

  She held up a hand. “Not so fast. Let’s discuss the ground rules. If you don’t want to get stuck down here, you’re going to want to hear these.”

  “We’re listening,” Gray said.

  “Do not,” she said, “I repeat, do not go through the gateway. The gateway entrance is for spirits. You go in there, you’re basically announcing yourself as a spirit and nothing more. Got it?”

  “We need to scale the wall?” Gray asked.

  “That’s one option,” Mona said. “Not the easiest wall to climb, even for a capable vamp like yourself. It’s smooth and pretty darn tall. Once you get up close and personal, you’ll see.”

  “What’s another option?” I asked. Although Gray was gravity resistant, I wasn’t. I’d have a tough time getting over a wall of that size.

  “You can be sneaky,” Mona said, chewing hard. “Maybe find a place to sweet talk a guard.” She winked. “I’m a big fan of sweet talking.”

  “Any tips for when we get on the other side of the wall?” I asked.

  Mona tapped her finger against her chin. “Don’t die. If you die in this underworld, this is where your spirit stays. It’s very hard to bargain your way to another one.“

  “Don’t die,” I repeated. “Got it.”

  Mona moved aside and bowed with a flourish. “After you.”

  “Thank you, Mona,” I said, and nudged Gray’s arm. Manners were not his specialty.

  “Thank you,” he added hastily.

  “There, was that so hard?” I whispered, as we continued across the bridge.

  “Thank you for coming to my rescue back there,” he said. “I should’ve said it earlier.”

  My heart soared. “You don’t have to thank me for that, Gray. I would never want anything bad to happen to you.”

  “Same.” His gaze settled on me for a beat longer than necessary.

  “What’s your plan?” I asked. “Wall or sneaky entrance?”

  “We should consult the map,” he said. “It didn’t get ruined, did it?”

  I pulled the scroll from my pocket. “No, I was able to dry everything.”

  We waited until we reached the far side of the bridge before we stopped to examine the map. I wanted to put as much distance between the river and us as possible.

  “There,” Gray said, touching a spot on the map. “A weak spot.”

  I squinted. “How can you tell?”

  “It’s an entrance of some kind, but it’s away from the gateway.”

  “So not for spirits?”

  He rolled up the map. “Nope.”

  We lurked outside of the wall, casting furtive glances to make sure we hadn’t been noticed. The only visible sign of life was an Anubis-style guard posted out front. His head belonged to a black dog, but the rest of his body appeared to be human. His chest was bare and he held a golden spear.

  “He’s a dog-man,” I said. “I’ve never seen one of his kind before.”

  “Right now, I’m more concerned with the fact that he’s an obstacle,” Gray replied.

  “Do you think he’s his own best friend?” I whispered.

  “You there,” the canine head said. “This is the special entrance for deposits only.”

  So much for the stealthy approach.

  I approached the access point. “What kind of deposits?”

  The dog-man examined me. “What have you got? You appear to be empty-handed.”

  “We just need to gain entry,” I said. “Would you mind letting us pass?” I’d given up my mistletoe. Maybe Gray would need to offer his sprig.

  The dog-man laughed. “Let you pass through to where we keep underworld treasures? By all means, step right up and steal whatever you like. Line your pockets.”

  I eyed him closely. “That’s sarcasm, right?”

  He threw out his arms. “Of course, it’s sarcasm. I can’t let anyone who asks enter here. I’d lose my head.” He scraped his finger along his neck.

  “We don’t want any treasure,” I said. “We just want to use this entryway so we can find our friends in the underworld.”

  “You don’t want treasure?” he repeated. “Nonsense! Balderdash! Everybody wants treasure!”

  “We honestly don’t,” Gray said. “You can escort us if you like, make sure we don’t try to take anything.”

  The dog-man folded his arms. “Like I’m going to fall for the oldest trick in the scrolls.”

  Gray raised his brow. “That’s the oldest trick in the scrolls?”

  “Listen, vampire. Everybody knows you can’t trust the undead. It’s Underworld 101. You’re not fooling anybody with those innocent pecs.”

  I shot Gray a quizzical look. Innocent pecs?

  “There has to be a way to get through,” Gray said. “We can’t go through the gateway because we’re not dead.”

  “And our first priority is to find my friend. She’s been kidnapped and taken to the underworld, but she doesn’t belong here. We need to help her get home. She isn’t safe.”

  The dog-man pretended to play the world’s smallest violin. “You tell a very convincing story. Unfortunately, I still can’t let you pass.”

  “Can you at least tell us where we might find a demon called Abraxas?” I asked. “We have a map, but I know he likes to change his location frequently.”

  The dog-man balked. “Did you say Abraxas?”

  Jackpot. “Yes, why?” I asked.

  A growl escaped his canine lips. “That demon owes me from a card game. I won fair and square, but he made sure his entourage kicked me out of his palace before I could claim my winnings.”

  “You played cards at his palace?” Gray asked.

  “He hosts these game nights for select guests,” the dog-man said. “I scored an invite after one of his minions deposited a few pieces of treasure here. You’ve never seen such gaudy tchotchkes.” He shuddered. “Anyway, he apparently appreciated the high quality of service he received and issued an invitation.” The dog-man smoothed his fur with pride.

  “But it ended poorly?” I queried.

  “It did for me,” the dog-man said bitterly. “He owes me. I filed a formal complaint, but administrative tasks can take forever down here. One of the flaws in the system. He can spend all the gold he likes down here, but that demon is a scourge on the underworld, regardless. I rue the day we let him move his entourage into our territory.”

  “Then you won’t mind if someone challenges him?” I said, adopting my most charming tone. It was the one I used to reserve for difficult restaurant customers, like the one that complained his ice cream was too cold. “Maybe someone to hold him accountable for his transgressions?”

  The dog-man seemed to warm to the idea. “And you two are here to do the job, eh?” He ogled Gray. “You’ve got the physique to take hi
m down. I’ll give you that.”

  Gray wasn’t interested in charming anyone. “Let us pass,” he said gruffly. The vampire applied his trademark penetrating stare, prompting a laugh from the dog-man.

  “You can’t compel me, vampire. Your undead tricks don’t work down here.” He inched closer to Gray. “Though I’ll admit that getting lost in your eyes is quite easy.”

  Gray’s nostrils flared. “How do you feel about mistletoe?”

  His beady eyes rounded. “You have mistletoe you’re willing to part with?”

  Gray inclined his head. “What if I do?”

  The dog-man was practically salivating. “You’d give it to me?”

  “If you let us pass without reporting us,” Gray said, “then I’d be willing to hand it over.”

  “What’s the big deal with mistletoe here?” I asked.

  The dog-man looked at me like I was the one with a weird head. “It’s a precious commodity. I can trade mistletoe for any number of valuable goods or services.” His eyes glazed over, dreaming of the possibilities.

  Gray pulled the mistletoe from his pocket and held it in front of the dog-man’s face. “For you, friend.”

  The dog-man gaped at the sprig of mistletoe. “Do you know that in Terrene, they have a custom involving mistletoe?”

  I knew where this was headed. “As much as we’d love to stay and chat, we really need to keep moving if we hope to find my friend. Mistletoe’s acceptable payment, right?”

  The dog-man snatched the mistletoe and waved us through. “You’re officially in the nether. Congrats.”

  We didn’t hesitate. Gray and I brushed past the dog-man before he could change his mind.

  “Which way?” I asked. We continued to walk at a rapid clip, but not so quickly that we aroused suspicion. I avoided making eye contact with any of the odd creatures we passed. The upbeat cantina song from Star Wars popped into my head, and I stifled a laugh.

  “According to the map, we should head southwest,” Gray said.