But not before one of them focused on me and his eyes widened in triumph.
“Kill him,” Tank yelled after noticing his reaction as well.
The Black Diamond’s companion fell beneath another’s sword, but he managed to sprint back through the portal. Now I felt sick, and Tank stared at me with a look torn between regret and worry.
The threat neutralized, we lowered the shield, and I staggered backward, clenching my fists at my sides.
“Everest,” Tank started, but I shook my head.
“Maybe it was nothing,” I whispered, glancing around. “And if it is, then I’ll leave.”
“Slade is not going to let you leave,” he growled.
“He might not have a choice. If they really are after me and they think I’m here, they’ll attack, right? I won’t let that happen.” I nodded firmly then turned back to the wounded.
I kept my head down and focused, praying for Slade to come back and someone to kill that Black Diamond on the other side of the portal to stop the threat against the Underground. A commotion at the portal had me whipping around again, fearing the dragon returned with friends, but it was more refugees and our fighters. They came through in droves. I heard someone say reinforcements and the next moment, Jared appeared followed by Aiden and Davis.
Then the portal closed.
Slade. Where the hell was Slade?
“We were overrun,” Aiden explained, bent over as he fought to catch his breath.
Mom reached him with me right behind, both of us hugging him. “Are you hurt?” she demanded, looking him over.
I went to Jared, hugging him tightly as I glanced for any wounds on him, too.
“Where’s Slade?” I demanded, finding the wound on his right arm bleeding profusely.
When I started to pull his sleeve away to see, he stopped me.
“You’re hurt, I have to get a salve on this.”
“Everest,” he said, voice rough and I froze.
“Slade,” I whispered, already knowing what I hadn’t wanted to admit just yet and my heart sank. “He’s not coming, is he.”
“He’s not dead,” he said quickly.
“So, you just left him behind?” I shoved him away when he tried to take hold of my hands. “No. Where is he? What happened?” The tiny bit of self-control I had vanished in a shot as I stared from him to Aiden. “Where is he?” I repeated.
“Reinforcements came,” Aiden said regrettably. “Slade stayed back to hold them off, so we could escape. He saved all of us, Everest.”
An incoherent sound slipped past my lips and Aiden reached for me, but I pushed away from him. Slade lectured me constantly about not putting myself in harm’s way and what did he do? He promised he’d be back and then he threw himself right into the teeth of the enemy. I was furious with him, hated him for doing this to me.
Aiden was talking about the fight, but I heard none of it. The room spun, and I thought I was going to be sick. I clutched a hand to my gut and took off through the Underground, needing to get away from them all. The enemy had Slade and if they hadn’t killed him, then who knew what would happen to him. My nightmare of Radnak destroying Slade entered my mind, but I yelled, refusing to believe that would happen.
I was not going to lose him, not like this.
I ran until I reached the very back of the Underground, slamming into the wall of the supply room. I hit my fists against the concrete as I sank to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest as tears seeped from my eyes.
“He’s not dead,” I whispered to myself. “He’s not dead. He can’t be dead. You would know.”
If he was captured, then there was a chance we could rescue him. We had to. I wasn’t going to let him suffer at their hands, not again. Zara had saved him the first time, and I was going to do it this time. I swiped angrily at my face and with adrenaline pumping through my veins, got to my feet and stormed back to the main hub. Jenny, Preston, and Aiden were up on the platform talking. I made my way there.
“Everest,” Tank said as he caught my hand. “What are you doing?”
“I want to go after Slade,” I stated firmly. “Problem?”
“You’re not going out there alone, and they’re not about to send anyone after him,” Tank told me, not letting me go. “Everest, just stop.”
“What?” I snapped loud enough to get Jenny’s attention. “I can’t just leave him out there. He saved me, didn’t he? I’m going to do the same now let me go.” His grip was like iron, and I clawed at his hand, but he refused to let up. “Tank, please.”
“You think Slade wants you out there?” he demanded. “Do you?”
“I don’t care. I’m not going to let them hurt him.”
“Everest,” Jenny growled behind me. “Enough.”
I turned to face her, and Tank finally released me. “We’re going after him.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that,” she told me, face blank.
“Why the hell not?”
“We don’t have the manpower to find him,” she said. “We’ve already lost too many, and I will not risk other lives for one dragon. Slade knows the risks of his duties. It’s time you learn them, too. This is not school anymore, Everest. This is war, and in war, you lose people.”
My jaw dropped, and I felt my power rise within me, swirling in violet mists around my fingertips. “How can you say that? He’s given everything to the cause, and you’re just going to leave him to die?”
“I don’t have a choice,” she yelled, and her calm demeanor shattered. “You think I enjoy leaving my own out there? I don’t, but I have no one to send after him. And you are not to leave the Underground, understand? You are far too important to this cause. Tank? You are to watch her at all times. I do not want her sneaking off and getting herself killed.”
Tank bowed his head at her order, but I glowered at her.
“You can’t keep me here.”
“I’m afraid you’ll find I can. Slade is strong, Everest. He will survive whatever they do to him.”
“For how long?” I shot back as she turned. He might not have told me everything that happened while he was trapped in that world, but I’d seen the scars on his arms and back when we sparred. I saw the years of abuse reflected in the pain in his eyes that appeared when he thought I wasn’t looking. “You think he can go through that again and survive?”
“All we can do is pray.”
I stared her down, but she wasn’t going to change her mind.
“I suggest you keep yourself busy helping those who need it,” she suggested, but it sounded like an order. “If we hear any news, we will let you know.” Then she turned her back to me and returned to the platform.
I pivoted and stomped towards the infirmary, Tank right on my heels. “You’re seriously going to follow me around now?” I asked, dragging over a stool so I could help bandage a wound on a fighter’s calf.
“I’m following orders, Everest, and she’s right.”
“Whatever,” I mumbled, trying to think of anything except Slade being hurt… or worse.
No, if he was dead you would know, I told myself. I would feel it.
I moved from one bed to the next, helped make more salves and potions, not saying a word. Amelie tried to talk to me, but after I continually ignored her, she gave up with a worried huff and walked away. When I finally made it to Jared’s bedside to check on his wound, I was fuming, and my hands couldn’t stop shaking with fear of what I might be losing at this very moment.
“He went back for a kid,” Jared told me as I removed the bandage he’d already bled through and added another layer of dark green salve to help stem the bleeding. His words made me pause as I glanced at him. “The reinforcements were coming, and there was a kid, a boy, right in the line of them. Slade went to help him and then distracted the Black Diamonds, so we could get everyone else home.”
Hypocrite. That’s what Slade was, a damned hypocrite. When I saw him again, I was going to deck him for doing this to me. Th
en hold him tight and never let go again. These raw emotions were new to me, and I didn’t know what to do with them. I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to bite Jared’s head off.
“Everest,” he said and tilted his head, so we were eye level. “He’s going to make it.”
“How do you know that?” I whispered, feeling my tiny bit of control beginning to snap again.
“Because he has something to live for, something to fight for.”
“He’s always had that,” I reminded Jared, looking around at the Shadowguards with us, but he shook his head. “What do you mean then?”
“Love, Everest. He loves you, and he’s not about to give up on seeing you again. So, don’t you dare give up on him,” he ordered.
I liked Jared, and I’d worried when I found myself with Slade he would be upset with me, too jealous to still be my friend, but as I looked into his eyes now, all I saw was his worry for me, wanting me to be happy.
“Thanks,” I said sincerely. “I won’t. Now sit still so I can get you patched up.”
The quiet hum of voices surrounded me as I concentrated on his wound. Tank hovered close by, talking quietly with Davis about what their next move was going to be. I tried to listen, but when Tank noticed, he told me not to leave his sight then stepped further away so I couldn’t hear. I’d find out one way or another what was going on.
“What do you think your father would say if he could see you now?” I asked Jared, needing a distraction from thinking of Slade.
Jared laughed sadly. “He’d think I’d lost it.”
“But you saved all these people,” I argued. “That’s got to count for something, doesn’t it?”
“You would think,” he said then smiled, and I turned to see Fredwin approach. He patted Jared on his unhurt shoulder. “How’s it going, Professor?”
“Think I’m still in a state of shock,” he said and looked like it, too. “Seeing this up close really changes your perspective a bit. I never believed I’d find myself in a war like this… so much death and pain…” He trailed off, running a hand down his face. “We have to find a way to get the others to understand.”
“What about the message Elsa sent to campus?” I asked.
“All she said was to keep security on high alert to keep the students safe,” he told us. “She has no proof to show that the Council hasn’t already seen.”
“You mean seen and dismissed.” Jared gripped the edge of his cot hard enough to make it creak.
“It’s always down to politics. They would have to admit for the past thousand years, they were wrong about, well, everything. Besides, seeing the Shadowguards charge alongside the Black Diamonds didn’t help our cause any.”
I finished tying off the fresh bandage and sat back on my stool. “What if we captured one?”
“And how do you plan on doing that?” Fredwin asked, skeptical. “Or getting him to talk?”
“The same way Jared got Slade to talk,” I suggested. “Desperate times and all that.”
“Everest,” he said with a scowl.
“What? The Light Guard can’t keep taking hits like this. Soon there won’t be anyone left and then what?”
Fredwin and Jared both looked around. I was right, they knew I was right.
“For now, you need to worry about getting healed,” he said to Jared, then looked to me. “And you need to keep focusing on your training. Have you figured out if you can shift yet?”
“No, though Slade was pushing for me to try.” I couldn’t explain it, but a weird chill shot down my spine when I looked at Fredwin.
Something about him seemed… off. He smiled at us both and walked off, saying he was going to find Elsa. That odd look, that was the second time I’d seen it appear on his face.
“Hey, what’s with the killer stare there?” Jared nudged me. “Everest?”
“Sorry.” I smiled and glanced once more at his wound. “Get some rest. I’ll check on you later.”
He pursed his lips but laid down and closed his eyes. Within a few minutes, he was snoring softly, and I watched over him for a bit until I saw Amelie near the cauldrons looking ready to fall over.
“Why don’t you take a break?” I said, taking the stirring spoon from her. “I can handle this.”
“You sure?”
“I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here. Sit down, just for a few minutes.”
She didn’t argue, but stayed close by, just in case I managed to mess the potion up. It was turning the shade of green signifying it was close to complete and would only need some heather and a bit of crushed lavender seeds to finish it off.
“How’s Jared?” she asked through a yawn.
“He’ll survive. The wound was deep, but the salve should work.”
“And, how are you?”
My hands stilled, but I had to keep stirring. I pushed through the sudden wave of pain. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”
“Really?”
Shoulders sagging, I whispered, “What do you want me to say?”
I could’ve told her I was sick to my stomach and it felt like someone was trying to dig my heart out with a knife. Not knowing if he was alive or not was torture. I felt like I was in a daze, hearing and seeing, but not really here. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop the tears from slipping out and when I glanced over my shoulder, saw Amelie passed out in the chair.
I let her sleep, finished off the batch of healing potion, portioned it out, then cleaned the cauldron. It kept me busy, and when I finished, I found a blanket to drape over Amelie before I walked away. Tank followed me like a second shadow until we reached Slade’s alcove.
“I think I’m going to stay here tonight,” I told him and expected him to argue.
But his face softened. “I’ll be just outside so don’t try anything.” To my surprise, he pulled me into a bear hug before setting me back on my feet and went to find a chair, probably to drag over to keep guard over me while I slept.
I stepped into the alcove and let the curtain fall behind me. The space felt so empty without Slade. I sank onto his bed and hugged his pillow to my face, willing him to be strong, and that one way or another, I was going to get him back. The necklace warmed against my skin, and I rested a hand on it, wondering what it meant, but there were no dreams, no visions. Nothing.
The warmth turned into comfort, and I fell asleep feeling Slade holding me close and whispering words in my ear.
SOMETIME IN THE middle of the night, I woke needing to use the bathroom. I stepped out of the alcove and stifled a laugh. Tank was passed out in a chair, his feet propped up on one another, and snoring ungodly loud. I considered waking him up, but I was only going to be gone for a few minutes.
I tiptoed around him and towards the large communal bathroom down the left corridor. The supply depot was at the very end of this one, and the training room was off to the right of it. I passed no one and reached the bathroom, cursing the cold tiles on my feet.
When I finished, I was just about to step out when I heard a muffled crackling sound then saw a bright flash of light coming from the supply depot. I pressed my back into the wall, pulse rocketing up, and violet mist appearing at my fingertips. The witches put protective wards all around this place, so the Black Diamonds couldn’t open a portal, but with these Blood Moon Priests on their sides, could they have gotten through? I wasn’t near an alarm to pull, and if I stepped out of the bathroom now, whoever was there would see me.
I held my breath and waited.
Booted steps grew closer, just one set. I heard muttering, like the person was talking to someone, but no one replied.
They were nearly at the doorway. I made ready to do whatever necessary to stop this intruder, but when the shadow passed across the doorway and the person passed by, I peeked out and frowned.
Fredwin?
What the hell was he doing using a portal in the supply depot? He couldn’t use magic. Suspicion stopped me from calling out to him… and then I saw the blood on his clothes and
the reddened cloth he was wiping his hands with.
Suddenly, he paused, and I ducked back into the bathroom. His boots scuffed along the floor, coming back towards me. I waited for him to dart inside and drag me out, accuse me of spying, but then he grunted, and his steps trailed away again.
I counted to thirty before I finally left the bathroom, hurrying as quickly as I could back to Slade’s alcove.
“Everest,” Fredwin said from behind me.
I jumped, whirling around with my fist ready to deck him.
He blocked it and laughed nervously. “A bit jumpy, are we?”
“Sorry.” I forced a laugh, too.
His eyes narrowed.
“What are you doing up?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” he replied.
“Just using the bathroom,” I explained. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Sure, and Everest? If I catch you spying on me again, you’ll have more to worry about than detention,” he warned. His tone was still light, and I grimaced in apology until he walked off. Then I glared at his back.
He was up to something, but the question now was what? And who could I tell?
Tank let out a horribly loud growl in his sleep, and I realized exactly who I could tell. As I passed him, I nudged his leg, and he jerked awake. “What—”
I clamped my hand over his mouth and nodded towards the alcove. His brow wrinkled, but he nodded, and he ducked inside with me.
“We have a problem.”
“What do you mean? Where did you go?” he asked, the second question sounding more alarmed. “How did you manage to sneak past me?”
“You should work on not snoring so loudly,” I muttered. “Tank, I think Fredwin’s a traitor.”
He raised a brow. “Course he is. He’s a Hollow Well.”
“I’m serious,” I said firmly, and his smile faltered. “Something’s wrong, and I think we’re all in danger.”
EIGHT
SLADE
Something slammed into the bars of my cage, jolting me from my restless sleep. Benji was crammed as far back in his cage as he could get. Ten Black Diamonds surrounded us, jeering and cursing loudly.
Dragon Guard (Ever Witch Book 3) Page 7
