She whirled around. “Why did I say no to Adair? It sounds like we were really close.” Her heart thundered, her gut twisting.
Memphis’s gaze roamed over her face, lips, and trailing. His silence said enough. His look said enough. Heat crawled up her neck, and she pushed forward, not knowing what to say.
Did she have feelings for Memphis once?
If that was true, she had left him to love a ghost, a memory. Pushing the thought down, Emory didn’t know what to say. There was no time to dwell on what could have been if she had stayed.
Memphis clearly sensed her discomfort and, thankfully, broke the silence. “We’ll just pick up some bows. We have a bit of a walk ahead of us.”A small twitch sneaked out the corner of his mouth, and she sighed internally.
It wouldn’t be awkward.
The armory was located at the end of the hallway and was like an iron cave. Rows upon rows of steel blades, armor, and bows hung neatly. Coolness washed over them, and Memphis instantly lit up when he started rummaging through a small carved chest, murmuring to himself.
Emory stood, surveying his back as he looped strange clear goggles and straps over his arm. “What exactly do we need these for?”
Chuckling, he winked over his shoulder. “You asked to see all the parts of Kiero, and though seeing every inch of it is impossible right now, I can show you something beautiful.”
Something beautiful?
Several minutes of collecting items later, a slender bow strapped over her shoulder, and a quiver full of arrows, they left the armory. Memphis held the goggles, looking like a kid on Christmas morning.
As they walked, Emory looked at the building around her. Patches of older looking brick peeked out from below the windowsills.
“You guys did a lot of work here,” Emory stated.
Memphis shot her a look. “After Adair took the throne, not only was Kiero ravaged by looting raiders and the dabarnes, but the countryside was assaulted with waves of unexplainable destructive magic. Gases that have wiped out cities, explosives that have destroyed whole forests. Alby has observed it while on his scouts, so over the years we have reinforced the Academy with lots of kieroian steel. In case we are in line with one of these attacks, it will protect us. The metal absorbs the impact, making it stronger.”
Chewing the inside of her cheek, Emory nodded. “That’s reassuring.”
Reaching the end of the hallway and at the elevator, Memphis pressed a worn button and glanced at her. “Emory, what do you see when you look around you?”
“A war zone,” she replied.
“But, past that? Past the loss and the hiding and the divide, what do you see?”
Mulling this over, clasping her forearms, the gates groaned open in front of them. Stepping in, Memphis closed them in as they were propelled above ground.
“I see love and friendship, and strength.”
Memphis nodded. “Three things Adair will never truly understand. To have lost everything but have the hope to rebuild the future is the strongest weapon in the world. We hid you so that you could reclaim your throne and help us build that world.”
Goosebumps rose on her skin, guilt sinking in her stomach.
Memphis caught her expression. “Emory, it was all our choice for you to leave. The people need their rightful leader. They need you.”
His fingers tenderly lifted her face to meet his gaze. “We all need you.”
Her stomach did a double flip, her nerves singing. Clearing her throat, she took a tentative step back. “It’s hard for me to understand what exactly I will need to do.”
Memphis chuckled. “Emory, you are our hook. Adair himself hasn’t set a foot outside of his kingdom since you left. He sends his cronies out to do his dirty work. We are in a warzone between them and the raiders. But if we can draw him out with you, we have a chance to engage him. A chance to end him.”
“So, I’m just supposed to let more people die for me?”
The elevator groaned to a stop, and they were hit full on with sunlight. Emory closed her watering eyes as Memphis opened the gate. The hot afternoon air was like a wall when they stepped out.
“You can’t look at it like that.”
“But that’s the truth! At the end of the day, people have lost—and will lose—their lives because of my parents’ mistakes, and in turn, because of my mistakes!” Her voice rose to a panicked yell, and Memphis cocked his eyebrow.
“It’s the price we have to pay, Emory. Your parents built a government they thought would ensure peace. Whatever they were hiding was for good reason. It wasn’t their fault, or your fault, that Adair unhinged that.”
Emory planted her feet firmly in the grass, narrowing her eyes at the solider in front of her. “And why wait so long to try and change things?”
Memphis’s face darkened. “Adair is playing with dark magic. That mixed with his ability is lethal. If we would have tried to overthrow him, we would have died.”
Emory bit back her retort, sensing the conversation was over.
Exhaling heavily, she started to walk, Memphis on her heels. The forest splayed in front of them drew her forward with every step. The warm breeze encircled her, making her blood pound. The heavy scent of earth, sweet pollen, and dust pulled at her senses and pulled at her memories through a fog.
Home.
She chewed over the word, and the new meaning it now held. She had a family. A mom, a dad, a lineage. Overwhelming her, it all came crashing through her façade, through her fake sense of calm. She had left her home and people that had loved her. People she had loved. And now, they came face-to-face as strangers, to rebuild, to grow. How could she grow if she didn’t even know who she was?
Panic bloomed in her chest, as her mind spun. Memphis came up beside her, tentative and too burly to miss. “Em?”
Emory Fae. Heir. Traitor. Coward.
Clenching her fists, nails pinching her skin, each thought dug holes into her heart, searing it. She needed to forget if just for a minute. Her muscles responded first, feet bounding as she turned and left Memphis behind. Pumping her arms hard at her sides, syncing her breath, she ran. Memphis’s surprised cry echoed behind her.
Sweat prickled her skin, her legs burning, and her surroundings became a blur. Breaking through the forest line and interrupting her stride, Emory wove in between the trees, the speckled light glittering. Branches and spindly trunks created a catacomb around her.
A matching crunch sounded behind her, and Memphis side swiped her. He was fast. He pulled her waist hard, and she didn’t have a choice but to side roll messily into the dirt and leaves before her. The bow dug into her back, and she clamped down her jaw in complaint. Her head smacked hard, and stars danced in her vision.
“What are you playing at?” he breathed huskily, his eyes slits and chest heaving. Her tongue felt thick and dry in her mouth. Memphis continued. “I brought you out here on the promise I would keep you safe. To keep you safe, we must stay in a team. To stay in a team, I would advise you not running at a drop of a hat. We are in raider territory. Always remember that.” He held her gaze, allowing the words to sink in. He exhaled, his warm breath tickling her face. “Now can I let you up? I’m sore from the ring and don’t feel like tackling you again.”
Emory nodded, and he stood up, offering her his hand. Truly, she couldn’t help herself smirking up at him. “You’re out of shape, old man.” He balked confused, and Emory winked. “Memphis, it’s a joke.”
Shaking her head, they walked through the woods, trying to catch their breath, and Emory listened to the gentle wind sing each sigh, the sound stripping her worries away one-by-one.
***
Memphis strapped the goggles on enlarging his eyes and blond lashes. Truthfully, he looked like an extremely fit bubble fish. Emory squeaked, trying to cover her laugh as Memphis bantered on. They had walked for hours, either in silence or careful conversation, knowing they had both pushed each others’ boundaries this afternoon.
Finally, th
ey reached a clearing, the thickets of trees thinned, and sloping grassland greeted them. Strange purple and black birds chirped and swooped down in a graceful dance around them as they entered. In the middle of the clearing, a large still pond awaited. Emory walked toward it and had to do a double take, making sure her eyes weren’t tricking her. The rose gold water swirled and churned before her like a frosted mirror. Emory was entranced. “What is it?”
Memphis was radiating, making his features light up. “This was founded and named by your mom. Welcome to clearing Monenta, it means ‘the clearing of lost memories’. Your mom used to come here to work on her research and study the waters. I thought you would want to see it.”
Emory nodded, muted by the beauty and fascination of these woods. That’s when Memphis handed her a pair of goggles and, with a wicked glint in his eyes, asked, “Ready to explore?”
Beaming back at him, Emory grabbed the goggles which suctioned to her face when she adjusted the strap. She peeked over at the Commander, just as he peeled off his thin black shirt, revealing the dips and valleys of his chiselled chest. Pink scars rippled in the afternoon light. Too many for her to take in at once.
Memphis looked up to meet her gaze, and mortified, she jerked her head forward. Heat pulsed off her body. Get a grip on yourself. Taking deep breaths, Emory felt heat flare in her cheeks. Looking back at Memphis, she asked, “Will we keep our weapons?”
“We will, just follow my lead.” Winking, Memphis surged forward, dragging her along with him.
They jumped, plunging into the cool water. Initially, the shock stung her skin. She dropped further, toward the bottom, her eyes closed. A hand brushed her cheek, and her eyes flew open. Memphis pushed a strange triangle cone toward her, motioning to put it over her mouth. Her lungs were already complaining for oxygen, so she didn’t hesitate. Instantly, the fabric molded to her skin, and beautiful clean air met her lips.
She couldn’t help but be delighted as she exhaled, and a school of bubbles escaped from the spout. It was like a portable oxygen tank, and this realization made her relax, so she took in the hidden world around her.
Memphis swam lazily, looping and twisting, the streaming light capturing his fluid grace in front of her. He looked more at ease in this aquatic world than she had seen thus far. Long pale green reeds encircled them, growing from the clearest gold sand Emory had ever seen. She swam forward, kicking her still booted feet as a school of long eel-like fish cut in front of her. Her limbs were flayed out in every way as she tried to get away, her breath coming in short bursts.
The fish eyed her cautiously, their grey skin looking dull against the backdrop of their home. Memphis flashed her a quick thumb’s up, motioning to them: They were okay.
She gently treaded water, taking them in more closely. Memphis reached a hand out to the fish closest to him, brushing its scales lightly. That’s when their world exploded into an array of dancing colors. The school encircled Memphis, swimming laps around him, each fish seemingly glowing, their grey skin dissolving.
Hundreds of shades of colors danced on their skin, bathing them in a rainbow of light. She gasped, utterly entranced by the display. Memphis dove toward her, grabbing her hand once more, and they swam deeper into the lake, the fish following and roping around them. It was like being in a pearl, a crystal world hidden from prying eyes.
They swam for several glorious minutes, her body becoming more natural in her weightless state. Memphis’s blond hair billowed out in front of her as they stopped suddenly in front an oddly shaped tunnel.
Mischievousness danced in his eyes as they plunged toward the darkness, and she didn’t have time to protest because they were sucked in, leaving their new friends and their glorious light behind.
For a second, she was disoriented, not knowing where her body began and Memphis’s ended, as a current surged from behind them, pulling them deeper. The silken blackness dulled gradually, and the walls came into view, the sand providing a soft glow from beneath them.
It looked like they were in a worn cavern, strange markings etched all around them. Emory couldn’t quite make them out because they suddenly plunged down, her yell caught in her throat. She squeezed Memphis’s hand so hard, she was surprised the Commander wasn’t wincing in pain. Darkness blinded them again, and her stomach lifted to meet her throat at the sudden gravity change, the current gone.
Floating, Emory squinted in her goggles, trying to make out the shadows. She let go of Memphis’s hand and swam forward just as an iron voice rang out.
“Who dares disturbs us?”
The bone pommel was luminous as a blade met her throat, pricking her skin, and she tried to back pedal; Memphis was behind her, and she rammed into his bare chest.
Through the shadowed water, two luminous eyes shone back at her, slowly revealing who the voice belonged to. Pale white hair floated around his strong upper body, his muscles taunt from holding the sword. Strange tattoos swirled on his skin, the same markings they had seen before on the walls. Emory’s eyes trailed down his skin until her gaze stopped where his human body changed to that of a fish, deep blue scales glinting back at her. Two huge incandescent flippers propelled him forward as the merman repeated in a dangerous whisper, “Who dares disturbs us?”
Memphis squeezed the back of her arm as he swam in front of her. She was frozen, and the merman took in Memphis with furrowed eyebrows. Memphis had stilled, staring at the creature intensely. It dawned on Emory that the two were having a private conversation just then, as the merman’s eyes constantly flickered over to her, assessing.
Her hands shook as the merman slowly lowered his weapon after several painful seconds and swam to her, coming face-to-face.
“So, Emory Fae, you have finally come to claim what is rightfully yours?”
What was he talking about?
Panicked, she looked up to Memphis who nodded his head. This was a test. Memphis had purposely put her in this situation. Forcing her to trust him. She looked into the merman’s pale grey eyes and nodded.
He smiled wickedly, revealing pointed teeth. “If you can retrieve the heirloom, you may keep it.” He waved her forward, past Memphis and into an even darker tunnel. Emory’s heart rammed against her chest.
An heirloom. Searching within herself, she had to find the strength to get back the only piece of her family. A stubborn determination slowly started to build as she looked to Memphis.
He was solemn but intense, as if waiting to see if she would back down. It was probably stupid of her not to.
She swam forward, taking deep breaths. You can do this.
The mouth of the tunnel swallowed her, and she didn’t look back. An oppressive silence filled her senses, and she had to squint to see five feet in front of her. But she pressed on, goosebumps covering her skin. Slick rock surrounded her, and the once golden sand was now black. Her gut was screaming at her to turn around, that this wasn’t right, but she pressed on.
Swimming around a tight corner, she avoided the jutted rock’s edge, but that’s when Emory felt it. A change in the water that felt like charges had been turned on, creating a pulsing electric current. Stopping, she floated, listening intensely. Nothing. Her breath came in sick huffs, panic chewing at her. She hated the darkness.
The strange pulsing current started faster like her own personal tribal drum calling her and beckoning her closer.
Slowly, she turned her head to look ahead and was met by sharp gleaming teeth, saggy green skin, sparse inky hair, and eyes that were opaque. The creature sniffed at her, creating bubbles between them. Instead of limbs, it had long tentacles and crawled toward her, snapping its teeth. It had caught her scent.
Frantically, Emory clawed her hands back, reaching for her bow. The creature cocked its head at the movement. The nightmarish specimen lashed out, moving far too fast for her human eyes to take in. Slimy tentacles wrapped around her midriff, tightening around her, and she was reeled in. Kicking and screaming, Emory tried to escape, but it only made the c
reature hold tighter.
The only problem was that no one could hear her.
Its blind eyes swiveled side-to-side as an ancient voice rattled, “Your scent...is one I recognize...from long ago...when these waters...were considered...sacred. Who...are you?”
Each word was drawn out and dragged as if the monster wasn’t sure if she was a friend or foe. Again, it cocked its mostly bald head at her, waiting for an answer. The blasted oxygen masked was in her way though, and she couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.
“Noooo? That’s...a shame. It has been...a long...time since...a warrior swam...these tunnels. I will be...sorry...to end you.”
No, no, no!
More tentacles wrapped around her legs and arms, binding them and her will. This was it. Emory stared at its gleaming teeth, its rotting skin, and she was pulled down toward her death. Closer and closer she came until its long eel like tongue caressed her cheek, tasting her. She was truly sobbing now.
Cringing away, Emory pressed her eyes closed, saying a silent plea, and then a blaze of light warmed her eyelids, making her world a pale red for a second. Then she was dropped.
Eyes flying open, she saw the creature hissing at the light around them, backing away in the shadows and its algae like skin peeling as if it had been burned. She hung suspended in the water, and Memphis emerged in her vision, his bloody hand pressed against the wall, millions upon millions of carvings acting like personal suns swirling and dancing in sync.
His eyes were wide and panicked, his chest heaving as his voice rang through her mind, loud and clear, “Behind you there is a chest where that thing was. Grab it now!”
She swiveled and spotted a beautifully engraved small chest, practically blending in with the sand. Diving, she willed her muscles to move, taking deep gulps of oxygen. Her fingers wrapped around it, and she was surprised it wasn’t bigger than her palm.
A roar cut through the water, making it ripple, and Memphis mentally shouted, “Hurry!”
Cutting through the water faster than she thought was possible, Emory was about halfway to him when the Commander let go of the wall, and they were spun into inky darkness. Disoriented, she faltered but familiar arms wrapped around her and dragged her with him.
Heir of Lies (Black Dawn Series Book 1) Page 32
