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Other magic? What was I supposed to even say to that? "I — I think I was able to find it because it didn't see me as a threat."
Frexin nodded distractedly. "Maybe. But I suspect it is something a bit more unique, dear, and I do so look forward to figuring it out with you, now that these ridiculous masks have been dispensed."
Grinning, she turned to the collared mages and mechs, then gestured toward the monster. "Collar it."
The mech operators and collared mages nodded.
Collar? I looked around, confused, as my heart pounded in my ears. How were they going to collar a relic?
Except the mechs weren't carrying a collar in the normal sense. This one had been fashioned into a long set of chains.
Fuck! What would happen when those items were disconnected from Rien?
My stomach twisted.
"And you, Kaiya," Frexin said, interrupting my thoughts. "Let's free that mate of yours."
My shoulders tightened. If she let him free before the chains were on, this might work! Tye would be safe, and the real relic would be kept from Frexin.
"What do you want the creature for?" I asked, trying to hold my voice steady despite the tension.
She just chuckled. "Sorry dear, but you'll just have to wait and see!"
Frexin began pulling the glove off her right hand, and my heart raced as she reached out to cup Tye's cheek.
Faster!! We needed to go faster!
"STOP!" A hoarse screech sounded from behind us, and Frexin froze, palm just a hairsbreadth from Tye's stony cheek. I spun to see Holden scrambling out of the forest, Japhire ripping vines off his body.
Fuck! My gaze flew to the forest where Rien hid.
"That isn't the relic!" he called, as vines wound around his legs and up his body.
Frexin's nails bit into my arm as she spun me to face her.
"What's he talking about, Kaiya? Were you trying to be clever, dear?" she whispered. "What am I even saying? Of course you were!"
My heart slammed against my chest as I shook my head, desperation clawing at me.
Please! We were so close!!
"He's lying," I assured her. "That is the relic. You can see it with your own eyes!"
"There's a man!" Holden screamed. "The relic is some sort of man. He's hiding nearby."
Frexin shot me one more curious look, then nodded toward Japhire. Dozens of wolves took off into the woods, and a dozen more mechs jumped from the airship, shaking the ground as they landed.
"Yes," Frexin said, voice in a near whisper. "This makes more sense. Even now, you impress me, my dear! You didn't just capture it. You befriended the Forest God and convinced it to help you, of all things! This is the stuff of myths and legends." She chuckled softly to herself, then took a deep breath. "But you lied to me, my dear. You lied. And now I have to teach you your lesson."
Kneeling, Frexin gently pressed her bare hand into the dirt. She looked up at me. "You should have sent the Forest God away from here. Then at least you would have had a small victory."
I stared, heart in my throat, as the world around us changed …
Chapter 62
Jaiel
The sun was up over the horizon when I let myself half-fall, half-slide down Shaide's furry back. Every part of me ached and burned, but the Heartless Basin loomed ahead.
