by Linsey Hall
Coraline dusted off her hands. “One down, ninety-nine to go.”
“You look like you want to do them all yourself.”
“I wouldn’t hate it.” Her lip twisted in a grimace. “I’m not normally so bloodthirsty, but after seeing what those bastards plan . . . I’ll kill each of them with my bare hands if I have to.”
We started down the hall, and I asked. “What do they plan? Beside raising Anat.”
“That’s enough. It’s the version of Anat they want to raise that scares the crap out of me. Violent and vicious, she’ll see that war breaks out over the entirety of the Earth.”
I shuddered.
We passed a huge room, and something called to me, so strong I couldn’t resist. I stopped to peer in through the enormous doorway.
Awe filled me at the sight of the huge space dotted with columns and the giant statue of a woman. She held an ax and wore a broken crown. It was one of the Egyptian style ones I’d seen in illustrations—the kinds the Pharaohs wore, with two prongs, one on either side. One was broken off, however, the stone paler where it had been snapped away. The damage looked recent.
Anat.
She had been calling to me all along. All throughout this. Those crazy red and white visions were from her, but why?
“It’s the main temple,” Coraline said. “The rest of the rooms are like administrative spaces or something.”
The air felt weird—slimy, almost. Unbalanced, somehow. As if there were a constant draft sloping downward, giving the perception that the floor was tilted. It was incredibly strange, and strong enough to give me a sense of vertigo.
“There’s something wrong with that room,” I muttered. “With that statue.”
“It’s the cult’s influence, I think. All of them feel like that, and it’s spreading to the building itself.”
I caught the sound of approaching footsteps echoing from the other side of the large room. Coraline’s eyes brightened, and she perked up like a cat who’d heard the tuna can opening.
I dragged her away, vowing to return to the statue that called to me. “We can’t afford a fight that will alert more people. We need to keep looking for the lever.”
She nodded. “You’re right.”
As we hurried through the halls and rooms, darting into hiding spots anytime we heard footsteps, my hope began to dwindle. Where the hell was this damned lever?
I pressed my fingertips to my comms charm, hoping I could get in touch with anyone. There was only silence, however. Did that mean they weren’t here? Or perhaps the signal was blocked by the protective dome.
A moment later, two red cloaks entered the room. Fear sliced through me, and I lunged for one, dagger already gripped in my hand. They were both about my size. Women, maybe. Not that it mattered.
I lunged, swiping out with my blade, and delivering a deep cut to the figure’s chest. A small fist swiped out, nailing me across the cheek. The blow was so strong that I spun away, pain flaring.
To my left, Coraline moved like a whirlwind, slicing the other person’s neck in the same maneuver she’d used earlier.
My attacker lunged for me, and I ducked low, plunging the dagger up into their gut. A groan of pain escaped their lips. I yanked the dagger free, but before I could attack, a blade appeared at the figure’s throat, slicing across. I darted as blood sprayed. It hit me in the cheek, warm and wet.
I gagged.
“Sorry,” Coraline whispered.
Both cloaked figures were slumped on the ground, and I dragged my shirt across my face, wiping the blood away. The hoods had fallen back to reveal two women, both pale skinned and fair haired. They had tattoos on their necks, just like our prisoner had had.
“We need to get rid of them.” I looked around, hoping to find another convenient room.
There were none.
“Damn it.” I scowled.
“Let’s just leave them. We’ve already covered more than half the temple by my estimate. We’re sure to find the lever soon.”
I didn’t like the plan but couldn’t think of a better one. We stepped over the bodies and hurried away, fast and silent.
Finally, while hiding behind a door to peer into a large, nearly empty room, we found the lever. The ornate brass handle was four feet long, set into a stone base and guarded by a red cloak.
“He’s asleep.” Disgust and delight echoed in Coraline’s voice.
But she was right.
The guard was sitting slumped against the wall, head bowed. I could hear his snores from over here.
“Normally I’d say that killing a sleeping man is unsporting,” Coraline whispered. “Not today.”
Before I could respond, she was darting across the hall, dagger drawn. The job was done in seconds, her blade flashing across the neck. Blood spurted, and I felt my stomach turn slightly.
This was more killing than I was used to. I knew without a doubt that these people were the evilest of evil, with plans that could bring about the destruction of so many innocent lives.
But still . . . it was hard to give up on my human ideals and everything I’d learned at police college. Everything I’d grown up to believe.
There were certainly no juries in the magical world. Or, if there were, I hadn’t seen any. And I doubted that any of the red-cloaked individuals in this cult were going to ever see any either.
“Let’s do this thing,” Coraline whispered from across the room.
I sprinted to her and grabbed the lever. She joined me, and together, we pulled hard on the metal rod. It resisted at first, finally giving way with a creak.
Magic exploded all around us, lights cracking and popping as the sound of shattering glass filled the air. A cold breeze rushed over me, followed by the warm heat of the sea air. The sounds of night insects filled the space.
“We did it.” Coraline grinned widely.
I ran to a small square window and looked out, searching the courtyard for my friends.
No one was there. But then, I hadn’t told them where to hide. They could be anywhere.
I turned to Coraline. “You need to get out of here.”
“No. Someone needs to stay here and make sure the switch isn’t flipped back.” Conviction gleamed in her eyes. “I’m going to do that.”
“Thank you.”
She nodded. “What about you?”
“I want to go back to the temple room. There was something off there. Something important.”
“When I’m done, I’ll come find you.”
“Good luck.” I hugged her tight, and she gripped me back.
I raced away from her and the lever, pressing my fingertips to my comms charm as I ran. It crackled to life, and gratitude swelled through me. “Eve? You there?”
“We’re here! Did the barrier just fall? Everything looks different.”
“Yeah. There are over a dozen prisoners. Cordelia is helping them escape. More than a hundred red cloaks, too.”
“Shit.”
“I’ll be in the huge temple room with the statue. Good luck.”
“Be safe.”
“You, too.” I thought of Grey, wishing I could see him. But now wasn’t the time. Never was the time, in fact.
As I ran through the halls, the sound of battle began to ring around me. Lightning struck, no doubt from Eve, and the crash of magic reverberated through the air. Screams and shouts sounded, along with the maniacal laughter of the witches as they attacked.
The battle was in full force now, but it was the statue of Anat that drew me to her. I had to get closer, had to figure out what was going on there.
I sprinted into an empty room, nearly at the statue. Only a couple rooms away, now.
“Hey!” A loud voice sounded from behind, and I whirled.
A figure staggered toward me, tall and strong. Blood poured from the throat where a wound gaped. The hood had been pulled back, revealing the memorable squashed face and black eyes of the first man that Coraline had killed with such glee.
Shock raced through me. “You should be dead.”
He laughed, an ugly sound. “Never.”
Shit, shit, shit.
He had definitely been dead. I’d seen it with my own eyes, and there was no way to survive the deep wound in his throat. Yet he was definitely walking around and ready to rip my head off.
As he neared, I felt the same dark magic that had wafted from the statue of Anat. It was slimy and unbalanced.
“What magic is this?” I demanded, dancing out of his way as I kept my dagger at the ready.
How was I supposed to kill someone who was already dead?
“The power of Anat, a gift to us.” His words were a growl.
“Stolen, I am sure.” I eyed him, debating where to stab or slice.
A creaking sounded from above, and I glanced up.
A huge metal chandelier hung above us, a massive, rustic thing. Cordelia sat on top of it, her little hands gripping the chain that affixed it to the ceiling.
Get out of the way, dummy.
I darted backward, and magic flashed around her hands. The chain snapped, and the light fixture came crashing down. It slammed onto the man, crushing him into the ground. He lay still.
Cordelia jumped down and dusted off her hands. You’re welcome.
“You’re getting two kebabs for that. How are the prisoners?”
Most free, our friends are working to release the rest.
“And Grey?”
Fighting like a demon to find you.
“You didn’t tell him where I am?”
He won’t stop to listen. He’s gone crazy with worry.
The idea pulled at my heart, but I shoved the thought away. “I need to get to the statue of Anat. Go warn people that these bastards can’t be killed. Maybe we need to burn them to dust.”
She nodded, then darted off.
I followed, sprinting through the hall as I touched my comms charm and warned Eve about the deathless state of our enemy.
Finally, I reached the huge room with the statue of Anat. It pulled at me, stronger than ever. The sound of battle echoed closer, and I could catch glimpses of fighting through doorways leading off the main temple room. It hadn’t arrived here yet, but it would be here soon.
I sprinted across the empty space, drawn to the huge statue. As I neared it, I called upon my magic, praying I could read what I needed from the cold stone.
I skidded to a halt in front of it and slammed a hand onto the base, looking up at the towering figure of Anat.
Light flashed, and the ether sucked me in.
19
Grey
Fear iced my skin as I tore the head off one of the red cloaks standing between me and a cell containing a middle-aged woman with brilliant red hair.
Where was Carrow?
The need to find her raged through me, a beast with vicious claws and fangs. But the red cloaks had discovered us freeing the rest of the prisoners, and they’d come to stop us. If we didn't get these people out of here, the red cloaks would kill them.
Carrow would never forgive me for letting that happen.
I flung the headless body away and yanked on the door that trapped the woman. It broke away, and I flung it aside. She raced out, eyes wild and dress ragged.
“Go right,” I said. “There’s an exit.”
“Hell no. I’m going to kill those bastards.” Anger gleamed in her eyes.
Not a single prisoner had run for it so far, all opting to join the fight.
“Go right anyway. Your magic will start working again when you’re out of this hallway.”
“Thank you.” She sprinted away.
I spun, searching for more doors. Down the way, Quinn ripped a door off its hinges, and Mac poured a potion onto a lock to break it.
“We’ve nearly got them all,” she shouted. “Cordelia already released most.”
The little raccoon had vanished recently, which meant that Carrow was in trouble. It was the only reason she’d have left the job of freeing the prisoners.
The rest of the group appeared to have things under control, and I could no longer fight my desperate desire to find Carrow.
I raced from the hall, heart pounding. The main passage outside of the dungeons was full of red cloaks. Half of them poured blood from grievous wounds. They shouldn’t be able to stay upright, but their abilities defied the laws of nature.
I reached for one and tore his head off, viciousness surging through me. Blood spurted, coating my arm and shoulder, but I didn’t care. I tossed the two pieces away like the refuse they were and went for another. I had no idea if they could rise again without their heads, but it was worth a shot.
I moved quickly, embracing my vampire speed as I searched for Carrow. All around, battle raged. The witches shot colorful bursts of magic—green banshee blasts, blue stunner spells, pink pain shockers.
Overhead, the ceiling was partially transparent like the rest of the temple. Lightning struck from the sky; Eve sending blasts down at the cult members as they attacked.
There was so much chaos and bloodshed that it felt like Anat had achieved her will, after all.
No.
We would stop this. We had to.
Finished with the red cloaks, I sprinted away, drawn by Carrow. I could almost feel her, that pull that was so uniquely her. Though our bond was still broken, the memories that had returned strengthened our connection.
Finally, I sprinted into an enormous room with a tall statue on one side. At its base, a golden-haired woman pressed her hand to the statue.
“Carrow!” I shouted her name just as she disappeared.
Gone.
Carrow
The ether spun me through space and spat me out in an eerily empty field. Smoke crawled along the ground, and a diffuse light emanated from the sky. It was dusk here, the dim light creepy as it illuminated several skeletal trees.
A shiver raced down my spine as I spun.
“Hello?” Where the hell was I?
Behind me, I spotted a woman. She was about fifty yards away, walking closer with a graceful, powerful stride. Her form flickered, alternately covered in blood, or dressed in pure white robes. The robed version of her was beautiful—shockingly so.
The bloody version of her . . .
That was terrifying. Her long dark hair was replaced by a matted, crimson mess, and her body—entirely naked—was coated in slick, red blood.
Smoke rolled along the ground in front of her, bringing with it the sound of war and an adrenaline rush that made me shake. Terror shot through me, followed by calm. The feelings alternated, so fast that it made my stomach turn. I nearly fell to my knees and vomited.
It felt just like the visions I’d had, only stronger.
I forced myself to stay upright.
As she approached, I realized that she spent more time in her gruesome form, the beautiful white-robed woman rarely appearing.
Shit. That couldn’t be good.
She was only ten feet away, so close that her power felt like it could crush me from all around. I bowed, instinct driving me. “Goddess Anat.”
She inspected me for a long moment, her form temporarily beautiful and clean, white robe gleaming. “Finally, you’ve come to end this farce.”
Thunder echoed in her voice, making my bones shake. “Farce?”
“The people who have taken my will and twisted it”
Thank fates, maybe she would be reasonable. “I’m here to stop them.”
“Good.” Her form flickered red, and she lunged for me, claws outstretched.
I darted back, fear shooting through me. Her claws swiped across my chest, and pain flared. Blood poured down my shirt, and I gasped. Anat hissed, fangs protruding as she reached for me again. Terror drove me, and I stumbled back, out of her grip.
Her form flickered again, and the beautiful goddess reappeared, the blood gone. She looked at me with vague irritation. “You need to be faster. With the cult in residence in my temple, my dark side is more powerful
than it should be. That is why I called to you. Only you can stop this.”
“You were the voice in my head?”
“Both voices—my dark side and my light. The dark side wanted you for the same reason the cult does. If they force you to complete the ritual, I will rise again—death and destruction made form, and the entire earth will fall. The light side of me—the person I am this moment—knows that only you can stop this.”
“Why me?”
“Fate. Your power is growing, but even I don’t know what you really are. But you were the one that I could reach, and you are brave and strong enough to stop this.”
“How do I stop them?”
“They’ve cast a spell and are siphoning my magic from this temple to fuel their miserable lives. They do not die, even once they are grievously injured.”
“I’ve seen that.”
“You must break the spell they have cast on my statue, which is a conduit for my power. They’ve desecrated my crown, which represents both sides of me. The left side is peace, the right side is war.”
“They tore off the left side of the crown. I saw it.”
“Yes. Find that piece of the crown and return it. You must also destroy the spell they have etched into the ground at my temple. Tear up the floor if you must. When their spell is destroyed, they will fall without my magic to sustain them.”
“Destroy your temple?”
“I can repair it.”
“Then I can stop the red cloaks.”
“Go.” She flicked her hand, and the ether pulled me in. The last thing I saw was Anat, her form turning red once again. Then I was spinning through space.
A moment later, it spat me out in the large temple room. The sounds of battle raged, and I spun around.
Grey stood right in front of me, face white and eyes dark with worry.
“Carrow.” He pulled me to him, hugging me hard.
My heart swelled, threatening to beat its way out of my chest. Thank God he was there. Thank God he was whole. So much emotion filled me that I thought I would burst. This depth of feeling would be a problem for later. For now, I didn’t fight it. I hugged him tight, then pulled back.
