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“I don’t have any,” he said simply. “I have nothing to hide.”
The drakon lady vanished with a blast of blinding light as her voice echoed in the cave. “Give me your greatest fear.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Strange Friends
Snow
Snow nestled into a corner of her prison, a bed of hay her small throne. Every day she took the same spot, her back against the wall with her wings tucked.
Snow brought her knees to her chest and pulled down her dress. She wished she still had the cloak Eva had bought for her at the market. Not because she felt cold but rather for sentimental reasons. But she felt grateful she wore no hematite cuffs.
No groans or feet shuffling came from other prisoners, if there were any. Perhaps she was the only one on this level. Sometimes she would drift off to sleep from boredom. and other times she would speak with the two mice that visited her often.
The door creaked from the far end of the dungeon. The vampire who had bought her at the demon auction visited her daily, but he had been absent the last few days.
She knew he had come before she heard the footsteps and saw his face. His scent of human blood, mixed with pork meat, carrots, and spiced potatoes gave him away. A strange vamp that liked to eat human food. But another familiar footfall echoed beside his.
Abacus appeared in front of her cell, then Markane. They both looked distraught as they curled their fingers around the hematite bars. If she hadn’t known better, she’d think they came to kill her.
But ever since they found out she could speak to animals, they’ve kept her as a prisoner, they seemed to admire her. The beginning of a strange and unfathomable friendship had bloomed.
In some ways, her captors reminded her of Otis and Tank. She missed her team and she worried for them. Snow had no idea what had happened. She was helping Dawn and Otis pry Tank’s arms from a horse when a second later she felt a prick on her neck.
When she opened her eyes, a couple of men took her on a wooden platform, her mouth and wrists bound. Then men and women in the crowd called out the number of coins they would spend to purchase her.
“Where have you been?” Snow rose and straightened her dress.
“You may get your wish soon.” Abacus released a long sigh.
His bronze skin gleamed under the torchlight and Markane looked paler.
Her wish. To be released from this prison. She had tried to win them over with her sweet voice, telling them stories of her adventures and entertaining them with her mouse friends doing tricks. Even with her promise that she would not escape, they wouldn’t let her free, nor tell Evangeline that Snow was in the very same vampire lair.
Snow had sent the two mice to wander through the tunnels to help her find a way out of the castle once she somehow freed herself, but never would she have thought one of Eva’s feathers would return to her.
The scent of spring flowers on that feather was no doubt her superior. So her plan had changed. She had to get on their good side and convince them to allow her to see Eva.
“What happened?” Snow inched closer, the straw shifting as she dragged her feet.
“Asmodeus has Nadira.” Abacus lowered his head. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the bars tighter.
Abacus had told her Nadira was eight years old and was like a daughter to them.
Markane kicked some hay by his feet. “Asmodeus demands that our king find the Gate Key in Mount Skulls in exchange for Nadira.”
Snow gasped. “No one comes out of there alive from what I’ve heard.”
“You heard too?” Abacus scrubbed his face. “If you believe, then it must be true.”
“Listen.” Snow went even closer to the bars but kept her distance. “Your king is strong and wise. He will be fine. The tales they tell are full of terror, meant to prevent the adventurous from venturing near the mountain. They serve to frighten us so we won’t even consider taking a single step in its direction.”
Abacus’s eyes and grin widened. “Not only can you talk to the animals, but you’re full of knowledge. I’m so glad I bought you.”
“Thank you.” Snow smiled sweetly, batting her eyelashes. They hadn’t harmed her so far, but who knew with these bloodsuckers. She could never trust them like she trusted her own people.
“If your king is in Mount Skulls and both of you are here, where is Evangeline?”
