by S A Edwards
She giggled. “Do not think you can flee. This is a binding agreement. Once your quest is complete, if you do not return to the lake by dusk, you will change back anyway. The closest water will claim you and deliver you to us, where you belong.”
“I don’t belong here.” My words caught in my throat. Was there no way to escape the clutches of these Hellion?
“You do now. Do we have an accord?”
I gritted my teeth against the lump in my throat. Farther options eluded me. And for a chance to return to the land, to my normal form, even for a day, I couldn’t refuse. “We do.”
“Wonderful.” She clapped her hands together. “Sabina, take her to Omen. You will change back when you touch the land.” Coruscent sank back into her throne and held out a pale hand. “I look forward to seeing you again.”
48
Ifollowed a silent Sabina back through the palace and out into open water. In my disbelief I barely registered my surroundings.
I was doomed, doomed to be a Hellion for eternity. There must be another way. The thought of spending the rest of my life trapped in this watery grave, dwelling on my irreversible mistakes was too much to bear.
Perhaps the Daemon could help me escape. There had to be a loophole. But the fear of what he would ask for to release the Keepers weighed on my mind. A second deal could be catastrophic.
Still, I held enough desperation that it seemed like an option.
Sabina led me beside a towering rock wall and paused by the opening to a cave. “Here you go.”
Dark magic emanated from the opening, sending goose bumps along my arms. “Are you worried?” I asked.
“About whether Hellions more powerful than us will destroy us? Of course.” She sighed. “Omen is an evil place. We’re counting on you. Our whole race is. So, I hope you know what you’re doing.”
I stared at the cave. “Me, too.” Although I wasn’t doing it for them.
She didn’t speak again, leaving me to swim through the cave mouth and along a narrow tunnel alone.
Before long, the way turned, leading up.
Strange, orange light beamed through the water in eerie streaks.
My head broke the surface to stale, warm air. It felt wrong in my lungs, and the water dripping down my face filled me with distaste. A part of me longed to dip back below to the cool, soothing depths.
“Stop it.” My voice echoed through the cavern. A thin stretch of rock led to a towering set of Gates. Darkness pulsed beyond it and set my arm hairs on end. The sheer evil of the power here revealed new knowledge, knowledge that my control of the water could not protect me if I ventured nearer.
But I had no choice.
A flick of my tail sent me gliding to the side. I grasped the rock and hauled myself out.
The rough surface ground against my skin and watery tail like hot coals.
I cringed, biting back a cry.
Then, the pain eased. My tail melted and morphed back into legs. Water gurgled beneath me and ran over the rock toward the pool.
I gasped down air and flinched against the pressure on my chest.
Only my tunic remained of my clothes. Its cold weight stuck to my thighs.
I scrambled to my feet. My knees shook like they’d forgotten how to hold me, and I took a trembling breath. “I can do this. This is me.” My body. My legs. My feet. I wasn’t meant to be a Hellion.
Even so, the effects from my brief transformation concerned me, and the drops falling from my tunic sent shivers through me.
The pool water still rippled from my departure, black under the strange glow from a single, burning torch in a bracket on the wall. I held no doubt that magic kept it burning. A deep longing for my own flames washed over me. Or even just to touch the water swirling behind me and see the familiar symbol of the Healers.
Once more, there was no hint of connection with the element, just the cold, cruel depths of the lake, one eona beneath the surface. It occurred to me that I couldn’t swim back topside and hold my breath the whole time. Without my Healer gift, how could I return there?
I shook off the thought. This wasn’t the time.
First thing’s first: The Daemon.
The Gates of Omen gleamed, reflecting the low light. Chains bound the thick bars together, silver and polished like new, although I doubted anyone had ventured here in a very long time.
I frowned. The last time I’d approached Omen, Zantos, the Dark Keeper, had allowed me access. With the Keepers trapped, could I still enter? Had this Gate failed, too? In which case, would the Daemon even be in there?
Nerves fluttered my stomach when I approached, and I struggled to find my voice. “I wish to pass.”
Echoes cut through the silence, and then the chains clinked and unfolded.
The Gate parted a crack, and darkness spilled out.
I bit my tongue. Having never desired to return to the Daemon’s territory, my actions now screamed of madness.
I slipped inside.
Darkness pulsed around me, blinding, suffocating. Not even the light of the single flame slid through the Gate.
I staggered back into the cave, blinking in the warm glow. “Not a Beast Mage,” I whispered. “Not anymore.” My enhanced sight no longer worked and wouldn’t lead me through the shadows.
I lifted the torch from the bracket, swallowed my bitterness, and entered once more.
Rock surrounded me on all sides, leading ahead in a narrow tunnel. Spikes hung from the ceiling high above, ancient, and I hoped, permanently fixed to the roof. The razor points added to my unease, not helped by the flickering shadows cast by the fire I could no longer control.
The Gate clanged shut.
I gasped, startled, and the torch shook in my hand.
The dark power emanated stronger on this side of the bars, adding to my hope and fear that the Daemon still resided within the boundaries.
I trod carefully, following the path deeper through Omen. Every breath seemed amplified, and my steps resounded between the walls, but I didn’t slow, knowing that if I faltered, my courage might fail.
Memories of my previous visit returned to me with the words of warning from my allies.
From the first spoken word with the Daemon, there is no turning back. A deal must be struck.
And if I failed, I would become his, slave to him for eternity. At the moment, I wasn’t sure which was worse: being subject to him or to the Herron. Neither was a fate I desired.
But I would have to give him something. There was always a price.
He will ask for the thing you will be most reluctant to give up.
I puzzled over what he might request. I held nothing of value. Not anymore. Charlie was lost. My gifts were gone. The book wasn’t mine. There was nothing I was unwilling to give. And nothing he would want.
My footsteps faltered.
What if he didn’t have what I needed? What if he couldn’t help me release the Keepers? No deal would be made. Then, what? Would the Herron go to war with him to claim me? They said they would once the peace was restored. If I failed, there would be no peace. They’d never take me back.
An appealing thought.
A shiver of disgust slid through me.
If I didn’t try, the Keepers would never be free, and the land would fall.
My hand tightened on the torch, and I pushed on.
The ground tilted down, leading farther into the earth. The tunnel grew narrower until my arms scraped the rock on both sides.
My breath became hot and fast.
Then, the path ended.
A huge cavern spanned as far as the shadows allowed. More spikes covered the ceiling and strange symbols, similar to those written in the book, gleamed in the walls. A thin, stone bridge led across a deep chasm. Darkness concealed the bottom, and magic fizzed in the air.
I edged across the bridge, eyeing the lethal drop on either side. If only Siren were here. I wouldn’t be afraid to fall with him to catch me.
Time passed in anxiou
s silence. No signs of life appeared. Thoughts of those bound by the Daemon’s power, hidden in the depths below filled my mind, imprisoned so far down I couldn’t hear their screams. For in my head, they screamed.
Yet, the farther I travelled, the more the silence seemed to increase, and dread settled in. How big was this place? Maybe the Daemon had escaped, and I was wasting my time.
A tremor ran through the bridge. The sizzle of crumbling rock and falling dust sounded behind me.
I twisted and almost dropped the torch.
A bulk of a creature heaved himself over the edge of the bridge on to the stone. Long, shaggy fur covered his body and swayed with his movements. When he sat down, his bottom hung over the edge.
Terror froze any strength I held to flee.
His yellow eyes fixed on me, and sharp fangs glinted between his lips. “So, you’ve returned.”
The first word. No turning back now.
I swallowed back my fear. “You don’t sound surprised.”
“I’ve been keeping an eye on you.”
“From in here?” I cast my gaze about, half-expecting to see a window. “How?”
He cocked his head. “Did you really think you could get through Herron territory without getting caught?”
“I needed to try.”
He coughed a chuckle and shifted. Strands of fur drifted over the edge, releasing a dry, dusty scent. “So, you’ve come to make another deal. What is it that you want this time?”
“How much do you know about the happenings on the world I’m on?”
“Enough.”
“Then you know the Keepers are trapped?”
“I do.”
I hesitated, afraid to speak further.
“You want to release them.” His deep voice rumbled through the cavern.
I nodded.
“And you’ve come for my help.” He sniffed. “Why would I give you the means of releasing those who would imprison my children again?”
I blinked. “Your children?”
“The Hellions are of my own making.”
“But then, that means … you’re the original Hellion?” How old was he?
He flashed his fangs.
“The Hellions are killing everyone in their path,” I said. “They’ll take over the land and destroy it if something isn’t done.”
“That doesn’t matter to me,” he growled.
I took a step back.
His mouth twitched, and I thought he might be smiling. “That being said, I do like to make a deal, and since you’re you …”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You could be of great use to me.”
“I’m no more special than any other Mortal.”
He rubbed his snouted nose. “How interesting. Twice you have entered my domain without knowing the truth.”
“The truth about what?”
“About who you are.” He leaned forward suddenly and surveyed me carefully. “You have forgotten everything.”
My response became lost on my tongue. I remembered all my lives. What could I possibly have forgotten? Gazing into the evil eyes of the Daemon filled me dread, yet something deep inside confirmed his words. “Who am I?” I breathed.
He leaned back then and scratched his protruding belly. “You are Nephilium. And you are here to make a deal. An unwise combination by any standard but an advantage to me. I have the means to release the Keepers, and I will give it to you. For a price.”
As expected. It took a moment to reply. From the little I knew about him, he knew what I had to offer, what I held most dear. Yet, I held nothing. “What do you want?”
His gaze strayed to the far walls, as though contemplating. “Let’s just say you’ll owe me a favour.”
I blinked. “A favour? That’s it?”
Though, that wasn’t it. Any favour he would ask for would be worse than my most valuable possession, something I would loathe to give, and something told me I’d have no choice but to give it.
His lips twitched again.
I frowned, wondering if he could hear my thoughts.
“Do we have a deal?” he asked.
“How will I know what you want?”
“When the time comes, you will know.”
“And if the favour isn’t one I can give?”
He raised thick eyebrows, hidden amongst his fur. “Surely you know better by now. I will not ask the impossible. Upon making this agreement, you will be bound, forced to complete my wish. But it is only one wish. How terrible can that be?”
More terrible than I could imagine, I was sure. Still, a price needed to be paid. It was that or my soul. “Tell me how to release the Keepers.” My words scraped against my throat.
“With this.” He held out a huge fist.
Power surged, and the hairs on my neck stood on end.
Slowly, he unfurled his fingers.
A single, small, glass vial lay on his palm, filled with a clear liquid.
My shoulders dropped. “A vial of water? Really?”
“It is not water,” he snarled. “This is Unum Vestibuli. Drink it, and it will allow you to break down the walls of the Keepers prison with a touch.”
“A touch?” My stomach sank. “You mean, I have to reach their prison to release them?”
“A single touch is all it takes.”
I buried my head in my hands. Impossible. How could I get back through all those Hellions, to the centre of the expanse, without my gifts? I’d never reach them unscathed, if at all. Although, my chances were better with Siren’s help. “How can I trust you?” I glared at the Daemon. “You set a Hellion on me. Told it to destroy me to keep its freedom.”
“Dear, naïve, Celeste. Do you really think I would use the medallion of Orashae on a lesser monster than I? The creature that attacked you on the battlefield made a deal with Zantos.” He spat over the edge of the bridge with violent distaste. “My words hold true. This potion will do as I state.”
“Why haven’t you used this to release yourself?” I asked.
“It does not work from within a prison and holds weak power. It could never penetrate the magic on my bars.”
The bottle on his palm rolled a little with his movement.
Drink the potion. Travel the expanse. Reach the Keepers. An impossible feat but the only way to restore the land.
“Very well,” I said. “The vial for a favour.” I took the bottle, flinching at the rough feel of his palm. Power sizzled in the air, locking the agreement in a binding grip. My breathing staggered under the weight, but I fought to stand steady.
“The deal is struck.” The Daemon shifted and slid off the edge into darkness, opening the way back to the Gate.
My hand tightened on the cool glass vial, and I sidled my way back across the bridge. Worry overwhelmed any relief I might have felt. He called me Celeste. Anything he had in common with Kyne couldn’t bode well. “I hope we never meet again,” I muttered.
His reply sounded beneath me, deep and soft. “We will.”
49
Istood at the edge of the pool, shivering on the rock. The torch rested once more in its bracket, burning as strongly as when I first arrived at Omen. Darkness churned beneath the water, marking its depth, its desire to drown me.
The surface lay one eona above me, a half hour walk at best, and way too far to swim without oxygen.
I longed to call on the water, to cut a path through the lake back to safety, but the connection was long gone. I should have asked Sabina to wait, to take me back topside. Of course, I wasn’t sure she would help.
Rock surrounded me on all sides and curved above me, showing neither cracks nor places of exit. The book said I needed a Healer to get through. Now, with Hanrel gone, that option no longer remained. It seemed to me that having a Healer hadn’t made any difference. I could have gone under without him and still ended up in the same predicament. Except Hanrel would still be alive.
I sank down on the stone’s edge. The book was wrong.
It served me right for trusting something so completely. Just because it held power didn’t mean it was good. Perhaps that’s why I’d found it sealed and hidden.
And me?
The Daemon had said I was Nephilium. What did that mean? Prudens mentioned it in relation to the book. Maybe that’s why I could read it. But without knowing what Nephilium was, it didn’t make any more sense than before.
Something gleamed beneath the ripples, and Sabina surfaced. Her discomfort plagued her expression, and she eyed my legs with a frown. “Coruscent wants me to take you back to the surface.”
“Oh. Good.” At least, the Queen had the sense to think of my need.
Sabina held out her hand. “Come on.”
I moved to join her and then hesitated. Could she get me to the surface in time? Perhaps she’d enjoy watching me drown, although I doubted the Queen would be pleased with that.
She rolled her eyes. “You have an accord with the Queen. You’re not changing back yet, and you can’t if you die.”
“Fair point.” It still didn’t increase my trust. I slipped into the water, gasping at the cold temperature. It hadn’t bothered me when I bore a tail.
“Did you get what you needed?” she asked.
I shivered and held up the vial.
“That’s it?” Doubt coated her words.
“It’ll work.” I tightened my grip on the bottle and let her take my free hand.
Her skin held none of the watery chill, and I resisted the urge to move closer. My teeth chattered, drawing an amused smile to her lips. “Deep breath,” she said.
I sucked as much air into my lungs as possible, and she pulled me under.
Icy blackness closed in, blinding me. It stung my eyes, but I strove to keep them open.
The pressure built the deeper we went. I became only vaguely aware of straightening out at the bottom of the tunnel, and moments later, we burst out into the gloom of the open lake.
Sabina swam ahead, her hand clasped over my wrist. Her tail flapped with fluid movements, propelling us up at a speed I hadn’t thought possible.
Sunlight beamed on the surface high above, streaking through the ripples in stunning beams.
