Page 61 of Unraveled (A Kingdom of Beasts and Ruins #1)

Orange torchlights guide me as I follow the breeze to the end of the tunnel. I walk away from the lingering scent of stagnant water until I find drops of blood— his blood. Gold and freely flowing on the ground. I follow his tracks up the smooth, slippery steps.

This is familiar. I came down this stairway with Naheli. The tall steps make the ache in my body worse as I run up them, two at a time. My magic—and a healthy dose of adrenaline—aid my strength. I’m tired, but I will endure.

It takes me a while, but eventually I make it to the machine room, chaotic and buzzing with the clamor of scientists rushing about.

Morla didn’t leave anyone guarding the halls, likely not expecting trouble.

Steam rises from the brass pyramid in the center, occluding most everything from me.

Hiding behind the curtain of shadows provided by the hallway, I wait for the perfect moment to sneak in.

I spot two cages on the other side of the massive room, hastily pushed against the stone wall, with a group of men lingering nearby. One is Morla, under the guise of Skylar.

They speak loud enough I can hear them from where I stand. “After tonight, we’ll be free,” someone says.

Fool.

My stomach sours when I find Ash through the smoke. He’s slumped over, holding onto the bars of his cage. I imagine he’s whispering comforting things to Nera.

No one’s looking my way. My breaths are shallow as I step over puddles that remind me of the first night I was here. Body pressed against the wall, I inch closer and closer.

I have no plan other than possibly using my revealing spell to blind them all.

Then perhaps using fire to get Ash out of his cage.

We can both figure out how to help Nera after that.

Perhaps once he’s free of the shackles, he’ll regain enough strength for Naheli to return.

It’s not ideal for her to be here, but I need help.

Especially since I don’t know who’s a hybrid hiding behind a human disguise.

I watch intently as Skylar rounds Ash’s cage, his arms behind his back as he speaks to the group of men.

Harper stands meekly to the side, her gaze averted to the ground in shame.

She hates this... I’m sure of it. Perhaps if the scales tilt enough, she might help me?

Even though she’s in this mess because of me.

My heart grows so heavy with guilt that I can hardly breathe.

But if I focus on the bad things, I risk being frozen by them. Instead, I think of Skylar and his lack of magic, other than the glamour that hides his true appearance. He seems to rely heavily on weapons.

Did crafting such a curse zap Morla’s power completely?

“I said to weaken him further,” Morla says with Skylar’s voice to Harper, who visibly flinches at his command. “I don’t want him talking or moving at all.”

“And here I thought we were having fun.” Ash’s words drag through the noise.

I crouch down, hoping my squeaking soles won’t call their attention. Steam rises in the distance, and scientists shout as metal clanks and hinges hiss.

Harper shakes her head, and strands of her silver hair stick to her shiny skin. “I-I’ve already done all I can. The laws of librarians demand I don’t hurt living things. I can keep him subdued so he won’t hurt you all, but I won’t injure him...”

Even though Harper growing a backbone would’ve normally made me happy, I fear for her safety. Morla is bloodthirsty, and has a gun strapped to her belt. Skylar looks around and surveys all of those that surround him, watching their every move.

Most of these people didn’t watch Skylar kill Kyle down in the cave. Most probably think this is the way to protect Penumbra, but seeing the fae looking so unbeastly is making them question the whole thing. I watch as a few scientists shift closer to the cages, their faces set in hard expressions.

“Whatever.” Skylar pulls a pair of fine leather gloves from his pocket.

Slowly, he puts them on as he walks toward Ash.

“Load the princess into the machine first. The king gets to watch until he repents for every life he took for granted.” He points at Ash, who says nothing in return, though I see him stiffen.

His head lifts, and he stares at Skylar like he’s seeing him for the first time.

Did he figure out who’s really behind this? Perhaps her glamour flickered, like it did down in the cave?

I step over hoses and wires. My eyes flit across the room, searching for something I can use as a distraction, and then Harper’s gaze fixes on me.

Time seems to slow as I wait for her to turn to Skylar and tell him I escaped.

Without a word, she tilts her head toward a sliver of space nestled between the wall and a rounded column shrouded in darkness.

But I don’t have time to move into the shelter of shadows because they’re loading Nera’s cage onto a dolly.

I grab a metal tube from a crate beside me and press my hand to the cool column, my cracked skin whitening over my knuckles. Their cruel laughter makes this all much worse...

My search for a distraction resumes until I find a brass box with square doors and a keyboard at the top. Liquid pumps through translucent tubes, feeding the main body of the pyramid.

It looks important . . . I should destroy it.

I creep closer, crouch nearby, and wait.

The ticking gears bring an idea to the forefront of my mind.

Steam hisses from the box and goes quiet in a one-minute cycle.

Steady like a clock. If I time it right, I should be able to destroy whatever this is—I pat the box—without alerting anyone I’m here.

If I stop the machine, it’ll draw everyone’s attention, and I can get Skylar away from Ash.

Sweat drips down my temple, and I tighten my hold around the tube. As I count down the minute until the machine makes noise again, enchantments I once studied flash in my mind.

. . . Twenty . . .

. . . Nineteen . . .

. . . Eighteen . . .

The veil’s energy shoots up to the sky, illuminating everything around us.

Some of the scientists look downright ill as they try to maneuver Nera’s cage over the mess of things scattered on the floor.

. . . Thirteen . . .

. . . Twelve . . .

. . . Eleven . . .

“We should get the princess out of the cage. There’s no way we’ll fit it through this narrow space...”

“Didn’t you learn a thing from what happened in the forest?” Skylar says. “The moment she isn’t surrounded by iron, she’ll wake up and kill you like she did to Maurice and Lio.”

That almost brings a smile to my face. Of course, Nera isn’t defenseless, even stuck in a trancelike state. She’s feisty and powerful.

. . . Five . . .

. . . Four . . .

I hold my breath and shove the tip of the tube into the seam of the elaborate panel, prying it open.

Sparks fly, landing on my skin, but I ignore the burn as I push until metal screeches and I see the gears turning inside.

I call for fire, and let it run wild in the chamber, melting the wire casings first before growing hot enough to melt the copper wires inside.

Flames burst from the hole, and black smoke billows out of the exhaust pipe jutting from the box. An alarm goes off somewhere, and I rush to the spot Harper showed me earlier. It’s a tight fit, but I manage.

The machine sputters and then stalls.

I wipe at my forehead and watch as Skylar and a few of his men turn to the pyramid. The veil flickers off and on.

“What’s happening?” Skylar screams and I hear the hurried steps of the few who are still following his orders, but more and more seem to back away, disappearing into the shadows themselves.

I press my body against the wall and hope the shadows hide me as someone runs by quite close. I have minutes before they realize someone tampered with it and it wasn’t a random explosion.

Seeing my chance, I jump at the only opportunity I may have. I’m by Ash’s side so fast, but he’s already shifting toward the cage’s door. He doesn’t look surprised to see me—nor does he say a word.

The unraveling spell comes to my mind easily. Something I’ve used on dozens of occasions, but for the first time, it doesn’t work.

I try again, and panic surges through me when nothing happens. Not a click.

I hear Skylar’s clear voice in the distance before a shot rings out and something buzzes over us. I jump in place and then slam the tube I used before into the lock with all my strength. Which isn’t much considering all the power I just used.

“I-I can’t!” I slam it again.

“Mia, you’ve been escaping your room in the castle for weeks. You already know you can unravel spells. Use your gift .”

I lift my eyes and meet his golden ones, and the knot in my throat loosens, even as I reach for the door with shaking hands.

Another shot hisses by, and it lodges itself in the wall in front of me. Rock fragments rain down on us, but Ash’s hand wraps around mine on one of the bars, and I don’t look back.

“Focus, Mia,” Ash urges. So tired. So weak. “You can do this.”

I look at the lock and see the strands of Harper’s old spell, thinly woven over the metal and into the keyhole. A great enchantment meant to deter even those who wield sorcery. But not me. I pull at it, hurrying it to let me in and ignoring the running steps behind.

I swing the door open and step in, over his golden blood dried on the floor. I reach for his manacles?—

“Stop!” Skylar’s deep voice falters into a more feminine sound. He grabs Harper by the throat, yanking her back to his body where he presses the barrel of his gun to her temple. She screams as the metal burns her skin.

Even Ash stills beside me.

The veil gurgles as it continues to fail.

“I’ll kill the librarian unless you step out of the cage, Mia.”

The blood drains from my face as Harper’s expression turns into a silent plea. But even through the layers of her fear, I see the resignation in her slumping shoulders.