Page 28 of Dark Heart (Elven Kingdoms #2)

28

The Below was Arya’s domain, her home. The place she was the most comfortable.

As a group, the five of them traveled by shadows to the location Jai chose. She had half-expected Dain or Ravi to grill him about why he had chosen that spot, but they hadn’t. She had been ready to defend him, but there had been no need. Even Jai seemed surprised they had agreed without any argument.

Then they reached their destination. The instant the shadows tumbled away, and the heavy, oppressive air surrounded her, a shudder went through her. They were deep underground, farther than she had ever been before. Deeper than most elves had gone, as far as she knew.

She scanned the wide tunnel with its arched ceiling that soared above them and the ground littered with rocks and thick roots. At least, she thought they were roots.

“ This is not a good place,” Dain whispered into the sinister silence.

Jai walked a few steps away to look down the tunnel into the distance where a murky glow could be seen. “ It gets worse.”

“ We beat Priya ,” Yasmin said.

Arya looked over to find her hands on the wall, and her head turned to the side as if she were listening to the rocks. Arya wondered what the stones sounded like, but that wasn’t something she would ever know. As useful as Yasmin’s gift was, the human would be hindered by lack of light once the battle began. She wasn’t defenseless, however. The stones would guide and help her wield a knife if any enemy got too close.

Arya’s gaze moved to Ravi . He was never far from Yasmin . The Sun Elf would have difficulty seeing in the dark, as well, and without the sun to charge his magic, it would deplete quickly once he began using it. He would have to make every strike count. The pendant he wore would aid in restoring his magic—at least for a little while.

And then there was Jai . Without magic, he would be entirely dependent on close-range combat skills. That wasn’t something most elves ever delved into. There was no need when magic was always available. Dain had forced her to learn, and she was glad.

Jai turned his head to the other side. She stared at his profile and thought back to their conversation earlier. He had detailed as much of the compound as he knew. He didn’t just give them the layout, he told them the size of the rooms, where the guards gathered, and which areas would give them the biggest problems.

“ I know what you’re thinking,” Jai said, bringing her back to the present.

She took a step toward him. “ Do you, now?”

“ Aye .” His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “ You think I can’t help in the attack, but you’re wrong.”

Dain came up alongside Arya to listen.

Jai continued as he glanced at Dain . “ I planned on escaping one day. I knew it would take years for me to earn their trust so they would remove the bracelet, but I planned to do whatever it took. And all the while, I prepared.” He walked to the wall. “ Priya was the one who brought the car—uh, the elves. I only did it a few times. I stayed at the ship. Or at least that’s what she and the rest of the crew believed.”

“ What were you really doing?” Ravi asked.

Jai put his hand on the wall. “ Ensuring I had things at my disposal.”

Arya moved closer for a better look, and Dain followed. They watched Jai walk slowly along the wall, his hand never leaving it. Suddenly , he stopped. Arya saw the hole in the stone. It was the perfect hiding place for any number of venomous creatures that lived in the Below .

When Jai withdrew his hand, he held a sword. But not just any blade. It was an Asavori Ranger sword.

“ How did you come by that?” Dain demanded.

Jai turned to face him. “ I found it inside the fortress and procured it for myself.”

“ I hope you know how to use it.”

“ I guess we’ll find out.”

Arya walked between them. “ Now that we’re here, let’s get into position.”

Dain grunted before turning on his heel and walking back to Yasmin and Ravi . Their plan was simple. Hide until the last of the crew were past them, and then Arya and Dain would quietly take out the two at the back. Then they would go for the ones at the front, leaving only Priya . It should be easy to free the elves, but the attack would have to be done silently and quickly. Jai warned about the guards stationed ahead. If they heard anything, they would descend upon them.

It was five of them against the five crew members. It seemed a fair fight, but it wasn’t, and everyone in their group knew it. If their plan was successful, then they would head to the fort and dismantle it as they had with Shaldorn . It was a risky, precarious move. Anything could happen once they were inside, but this might be their only chance.

Arya looked ahead in the tunnel. She had been told what Shaldorn was, but the description she had been given was nothing compared to being within the stronghold’s walls and witnessing the cruelty and depravity for herself.

This time, she had an idea of what was within the fort, and she didn’t want to go anywhere near it. The odds of all of them coming out alive and unharmed were slim. It wasn’t five highly trained Dark Elves going into the fort, it was a group impeded by a necklace and a lack of sun. As integral as Yasmin was, her ability would only do so much for her.

They could leave. All of them, right then. The CCD and DIA would likely order them to retreat if they knew. Yet they remained, ready to face Priya and whatever else came after to save the unfortunate souls being taken to a horrible fate. Arya couldn’t think about the others who had already walked this path and gone through the auction. But she could—and would—do something about the ones who had been on the ship with her.

Arya went to Jai as Dain situated Ravi and Yasmin . “ How are you doing?”

“ Wish I had this fucking necklace gone. Dain has a right to his concerns. If I were him, I wouldn’t let me be anywhere around.”

“ It isn’t up to him, though, is it?” she asked with a grin.

Jai faced her, his features tight with concern. “ In all likelihood, we can take out the guards and Priya and free the elves. As for the rest?” He shrugged. “ We need more fighters.”

“ The four of us recently infiltrated Shaldorn . We were successful there. We will be here, too.”

“ Even I heard the news about Shaldorn . You were able to get in without notice. That won’t be the case this time.”

She watched as he drew back the top portion of his hair and tied it away from his face. “ Why ? Does some kind of magic alert them?”

“ There are many secrets I was never privy to, but little goes on in the fort that the Masters aren’t privy to.”

“ Just the fort?”

“ Like I said, its size is considerable. They keep their focus on that. We’re far enough down that only those who know how to get here would come this way. And if anyone else stumbles upon it and enters the gates, they never get out again.”

Arya wondered who had found this area to begin with. The Below was a safe place for the Dark , but even she was uncomfortable being so deep. “ We could get information from Priya .”

“ We might, but we wouldn’t be able to believe any of it.”

“ Not to mention she’ll want to kill us both again once she realizes we’re still alive. Thankfully , she can only go after one of us at a time.”

Jai’s hand lifted, and he started to reach for her, but he dropped his arm to his side. “ I won’t let her hurt you again.”

“ You aren’t to blame for what she did. She deceived you.” Arya took his hand and brought it to her chest, covering it with both of hers. “ As I did.”

His fingers slid around the back of her neck as he closed the distance between them. “ It isn’t the same.”

“ I lied to you.”

“ You gave me a false name and acted as a criminal. Did you lie about your feelings for me?”

She shook her head. “ Never .”

“ Then it isn’t the same. You were doing a job. I don’t blame you. I’m the one who needs to apologize.”

“ You ?”

He rested his forehead against hers. “ What I did to you was unf?—”

“ That wasn’t you. That was Priya .”

“ It was me. I put the necklace on you. I enjoyed the thought of your distress and terror.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “ I planned to hand you over to them.”

Arya placed her palm over his heart. “ In exchange for your freedom. You believed I was responsible for your enslavement. I would’ve done the same.”

“ Can you ever forgive me?”

“ I already have.”

He opened his eyes. Need soon replaced the stark relief in his expression. A soft groan escaped him as his lips claimed hers for a long, gentle kiss. Then he enfolded her in his arms and gripped her as tightly as she did him.

“ Priya is devious,” he told her. “ She loves deceptions and tricks. Don’t trust anything you see or hear with her.”

“ The same goes for you.”

“ We both know I’m not coming out of this.”

Arya leaned back to look at him. “ Aye , you are. I’m going to make sure of it.”

His smile was sad as he lifted his arm to show her the silver bracelet. “ As long as I wear this, I’m theirs.”

“ There’s a way to get it off. We’ll find it.”

Their conversation came to an end when Dain walked to them. Jai squeezed Arya’s hand before stepping back. She shot Dain a scathing look.

He quirked a brow. “ I take it I interrupted something.”

“ You know you did,” she said in a low voice.

His yellow gaze darted to Jai for a moment and then returned to her. “ Emotions are running high. I think I should be the one to go after Priya .”

“ Nay ,” Arya and Jai said in unison.

Jai glanced her way. “ I’ll be the one to deal with Priya .”

“ I’ll reach her before you can,” Arya replied. It was a low blow, but she wouldn’t allow Priya another chance to take his life. She had come too close to losing him already.

Dain clasped his hands behind his back. “ Nay , I’ll deal with her. We have the element of surprise. It could possibly be the only time we’ll get it. I know both of you have issues with her, but the goal isn’t to stop just one elf. It’s to put an end to this trafficking organization once and for all. That means everyone needs to keep their emotions in check. I need to know both of you understand that.”

“ Aye ,” Jai answered.

Arya reluctantly nodded once. “ I understand.”