Page 29

“I’m a damn warrior, not your magical hipflask, yon eskindo pishalé,” I hurled at Kaiser.

“Watch your mouth, silka la vin, or I’ll consider cutting out that troublesome tongue of yours.” The Fury turned from me and I was left with North’s anger giving way to a smirk.

Kaiser strode for the window and tugged me after him with his possession, but North’s foot shot out, sending me stumbling forward a step and nearly crashing into the bed.

I turned to him with a snarl, magic sparking in my good hand, but Kaiser’s possession guttered it.

North snatched my left wrist, lifting my hand under his nose to take in the scars on my palm with a cruel smile.

“Get your filthy paws off of me,” I warned.

“Look at that. The mark of a failed neophyte. You won’t pass the graduation trial, so you’re probably better off being Kaiser’s pet. At least you’ll be worth something in the war. Fuel to a rising legend.”

I raised my free hand to strike at him and was surprised when Kaiser’s possession let the slap land, my palm pinking North’s cheek, but the moment I tried to wield magic, he took hold of me again.

“That wasn’t nice,” North said in a dangerously low growl, glancing over at Kaiser.

“You’d better keep a tighter hold of your little water weasel with your possession, Kai, or I’ll get hold of it myself and strangle the life out of it.

” He shouldered past me, following Kaiser out the window onto the roof and I was drawn after them once more.

I must have lost close to an hour by now and my throat thickened at the thought of not making it back to Wandershire in time with the traitor’s skull – because all chances of getting my shit back from Ransom had to be put on hold now.

But passing up the opportunity to kill one of the most fearsome princes of Air was a distraction I had to afford myself.

For assisting Cascada, anything was worth the risk.

Even eighty-five years in service to Mavus Angelico.

My gut sank at that thought, but I pushed the feeling away. I could do this. I wouldn’t doubt myself.

Kaiser led the way across the rooftops, cloaking us in concealment spells with a casual ease that ignited a wild envy in me.

Those kinds of spells were so damn simple to him, but he was the one who had burned my hand and made it difficult for me to cast them.

All the struggles and pain and loss he had caused me felt ripe in that moment, with the icy wind biting my cheeks and Kaiser’s back to mine.

He had done this to me. He had taken everything from me and weakened me in the process.

And with every passing day that I vowed to secure his death, he was no more threatened by me.

At least, not yet . That sliver of a possible fate drove me on now, the strength of Pisces gilding my heart as I walked in my enemy’s footsteps, assuring myself that one day I would be strong enough to deliver him death.

Eventually, Kaiser led us through a window in the Vault of Flames, guiding us down a narrow corridor then pulling on a sconce which opened a dark passage in the wall. We delved into the unknown, winding down a staircase that twisted away into the pits of the Keep.

The cold was so heavy, it delved into my bones, and my breath fogged before me in the frigid air.

Kaiser cast a silencing shield along with a dim Faelight to guide the way on, but only damp stone walls stared back at us.

“Why would Prince Dragor come down here?” I whispered into the dark, but neither of them answered me.

“What is this place?” North asked, but Kaiser didn’t answer him either. “Is this the secret you’ve been keeping?”

“Part of it, yes,” Kaiser said. “We’ll talk later, freyin. When this is done.”

Deeper and deeper we went until I could hear the splashing of the underground river that swept beneath Never Keep.

At one point, we walked out onto a ledge that followed that black expanse of water until we were in narrow tunnels again.

The tight-knit passageways were a claustrophobic labyrinth that never ended, constantly driving me closer to the Flamebringers and making my skin prickle with the nearness of my adversaries.

The air shivered with magic as we crept onward, walking so far that I felt sure we were growing closer to the passages Vesper and I had explored together.

A roaring explosion made the ground shudder at our feet and we all paused. Kaiser and North shared a look before they continued on without a word passing between them, in tune with each other.

We reached a sharp turn and Kaiser forced me to an abrupt stop, my nose mere inches from a shimmering veil of magic barring the way forward.

“By the fires of Leo,” North gasped. “She almost got incinerated. The Reapers cast that magic, how did Dragor get through it?”

“He’s one powerful trince o kaské, ” I muttered, stepping back from the offending barrier.

Kaiser placed a hand against my spine and the sudden touch sent an unexpected tremor rolling through my body. I glanced back at him, realising what he wanted of me before he asked it.

“I know what you’re capable of, silka la vin,” he murmured just for me.

I looked to the barrier, my teeth gritting in determination to succeed at the task awaiting me.

I shut my eyes, asking that dark power to come to my aid, willing it to help me.

It awoke slowly and North started asking questions, irritating me with his chatter.

I turned to tell him to shut his blabbering mouth when the power slipped from me unbidden, driving into the Reapers’ magical barrier and dissolving it just like that.

“Holy fuck,” North breathed.

“Come on,” Kaiser urged, taking the lead. “There is no more time to waste.”

North shot me a look that held a flicker of awe in it before he shoved past me and chased the heels of his brother.

I followed on, the power settling back inside me and offering me no more aid.

My feet tracked after my enemies until we arrived at the edge of a passage, looking into the vast chamber full of archways which had led me to Harlon all those weeks ago.

Where the Vampires had chased us and the Sky Witch and her friends had died in a pool of blood.

But this cavern was in ruins now, the archways blasted apart and the beautiful urn of black glittering dust now missing from its heart.

My heart skipped a beat as I took in the recent destruction, dust still rising in plumes from the fallen archways.

The final archway fell in a blast of air that was pouring from Prince Dragor’s hands, his element ripping it to pieces and shattering it for good.

He had destroyed every one of the portals.

But how had he known they were here? And why had he come to destroy them?

“Get hold of him with your possession, Kai,” North said eagerly, looking around the place with intrigue.

Kaiser tensed, his brow creasing as he attempted it, and I found myself on his side for once as I truly wanted his power to seize the prince. In this we were agreed; the prince of Stormfell was overdue a bloody death.

But Dragor swept out of the cavern at a fast pace before the possession could reach him, leaving us to race into the chamber and pick our way across the shattered rocks in his wake.

“ Hurry ,” North urged, flames flickering at his fingertips.

We made it across the chamber and chased after Dragor along the path he’d taken, still wrapped in a silencing shield that Kaiser had cast to quiet our pursuit. A glow came hurtling back along the tunnel toward us and Calcifiend appeared from the gloom with an excited click of his tongue.

He landed on Kaiser’s shoulder while we all sprinted down the winding tunnel, but we came to an abrupt stop as the path split in two.

“Dammit, which way?” I demanded, looking left then right, then to Calcifiend.

The Sayer Dragon chirruped guiltily and North cursed.

“You should have stayed with him, Fiend,” North huffed.

“I think it’s left.” I lunged that way but Kaiser forced me to stagger back with his possession.

“We cannot get this wrong,” Kaiser muttered.

“It’s fifty-fifty. I’m going right.” North ran that way.

“Then I’m going left.” I darted for it, but Kaiser followed North, forcing me to stumble sideways and race after them while I cursed him out.

The tunnel was long and winding, but eventually it sloped upward beneath our feet, turning into steep steps that carried us higher and higher until North pushed through a door and firelight spilled over us.

We hurried out of a secret door, pushing it firmly shut and winding through a line of stone statues. Leo, Aries, Sagittarius.

“We’re in the Astral Sanctuary,” I breathed in realisation.

North led us up another set of stairs up to the main worship area and as I hurried past Kaiser, a warm male voice greeted us.

“I was told I would not be disturbed.”

The Cardinal Reaper, Solomon Imai, rose from where he’d been kneeling on a zodiac wheel that was carved into the floor, with beautiful birth stones embedded at each point of the star signs. He wore a navy cloak that wrapped around his tall body, a glint of its gold trim catching the firelight.

I took a measured step away from the Flamebringers.

“Apologies, Cardinal Reaper,” North gushed, his head dropping in a bow.

“Yes, forgive us,” Kaiser said, no emotion touching those words. They sounded like rehearsed lines more than anything else.

I glanced back the way we’d come, internally cursing Kaiser and North for leading me in the wrong direction after I’d clearly chosen the right path. And it wasn’t like we could go back down there now. Our chance at killing Prince Dragor had vanished before our eyes because of these two fuckwits.

“The stars have many surprises for me as always,” Solomon said, a serene smile lifting the edges of his mouth. “They are quiet today, but I see now, perhaps you three are the sign I needed to accept that they are not in the mood to speak with me. Now, shouldn’t you be in training?”

“Yes, Cardinal Reaper. Praise to the stars.” North headed for the exit.

“Praise to those who tread their destined path,” said Solomon and I made a path for the door ahead of Kaiser, feeling his possession slip from my body.

I could feel the Fury’s eyes on the back of my head, but I didn’t turn to look at him, not giving him an opportunity to get hold of me again as I darted past North into the Heliacal Courtyard and didn’t glance back.

An ornate clock embedded in the wall at the heart of a ring of constellations made my gut lurch.

I only had five minutes to get to Wandershire.

Eské.

I raced through the Heliacal Courtyard and out of the Night Gate, nearly slipping more than once as I descended the sheer steps of the Escalade, and panic slashed across my chest at the sight of Wandershire pulling out into the ocean.

“Wait!” I screamed as my boots hit the beach, my legs gathering momentum as the power of the contract crackled in the air.

The magic that bound me to it was ripping, wrenching apart and I couldn’t let it happen.

Shit, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to know what the consequences would be if I didn’t make it.

Wielding the ocean, I stepped into it and the water carried me after Wandershire at a wild speed, then launched me up and over the fences around the floating town.

I cried out as I came crashing down toward the cobbled streets, throwing out my hand and casting another tide of water to slow my fall. I staggered as my boots met the ground, soaked to the bone as I raced for the clock tower. The bells were already ringing out the hour.

“Delphinus!” I cried to the dolphin constellation. “Grant me fortune in my endeavour!” I turned down the next street, finding the clock tower door open at its base.

I ran through it, taking the steps two at a time, then shoving open the door to Mavus’s bureau without knocking.

“For the love of the moon, lass,” Mavus barked, yanking his pants up with one hand, clearly having been naked moments before.

“Can’t a fella have two seconds o’ peace after he’s finished fucking?

It was a challenge and a half to convince her out of the snuggling part and now you show up the second she leaves to test my sanity. ”

“Here.” I slammed the traitor’s skull on his desk, its empty eye sockets staring right at Mavus, my breaths coming heavily as I sank down in a chair opposite him and melted entirely.

Mavus picked it up with a grumble, but his eyes lit as he realised I’d actually brought him what he’d asked for. “Well now, ain’t that somethin’. I didn’t think ya could do it, if I’m entirely truthful with ya. It was somethin’ of a test.”

“A test?” I deadpanned.

“A test of ya prowess, ya might, of that grit ya been tellin’ me about. I see it now, but you sure cut it close, lass. Are you addicted to playin’ with fire, or do the stars enjoy setting your fate alight?”

“A bit of both, I think.” The whirring hum of the magic driving Wandershire across the water rumbled through me and I pushed to my feet. “I’d better go. Oh and Mavus? Don’t ever test me again.”

“Noted, lass.” He smirked.

A creak drew my eye to the secret door in the bookcase, finding it ajar, swinging slightly on its hinges. I drifted its way while Mavus continued to pull on clothes, tilting my head to try and get a look at his secrets. What dark, demonic things do you have in there, you crazy pirate man?

His hand slammed against the door and it snapped shut as he leaned closer, invading my personal space. “Curiosity killed the cat.”

“And satisfaction kept it coming back,” I finished the saying, raising my brows as I grinned.

He smiled back, but it was a feral thing. “You’ve been out there breaking rules and playing rebel, doll, and I can see how much anarchy calls to your chaotic soul. But beware the path of the dissenter, for only fool’s gold glints on that shining road.”

I backed away from him, the scent of fogweed mixing with a subtle and enticing fragrance on his skin. I got the feeling he was the most dangerous thing to roam the open seas, and no beast had ever come close to killing this Fae.

“See you next month, Mavus.” I made it to the door, still wearing a cat’s grin as I slipped outside and ran for the edge of Wandershire, ready to let the ocean carry me back to Never Keep, and all the twisted secrets it held.