I followed Mahin’s partner through the quiet tunnels, filled with quivering lights. My head was already filled with the mission at hand. I preferred not to talk, I needed to gather all my thoughts and get into a state of extreme concentration. In times like these, I turned into a completely different human being. Sharp, opportunistic, cunning, ruthless. I had to keep my body and my mind aligned, because losing focus during a battle was lethal.
“They most likely would use lights at night. That’s how you can find them,” Amira said at last.
I stepped beside her when she stopped by an enforced metal door.
“Knock and the guards will let you back in,” she added.
I watched her lift the heavy wooden bolt, then she opened the door. Pitch black darkness greeted me on the other side. I was on my own from here on out, anything could happen beyond this point. I drew a deep breath of the warm air and stepped forward. The door behind me closed and all of my senses came to life.
Before I took the next step, I removed the small glass jar I had secured to my belt and uncovered the lantern.Luminfera noctis.That is what Mahin called the amazing creatures. Males were the ones who produced the cool glow to attract the females. They were only active at night and preferred to be hidden from the bright light during the day. The bugs had always lived in the caves, especially the darker crevices.
I moved quietly through the tunnel, carefully avoiding the dried branches and pieces of torn paper. Any, even the very softest of noises could be deadly when you were out at night. I had learned this lesson early on, and of course, I would never venture out in the wastelands alone if I had a choice. I strained my ears, trying to catch any stirrings from the outside, but only a low howl of wind was distinguishable in the distance.
What did the crawlers do at night? I often thought about it. Could they talk? Exchange some ideas? Is that what it would be like to die? Your body still remained, but your mind was completely gone?
I forced myself to concentrate on the dusty walls and the smudges on the paint. Whoever built these tunnels did not expect that the temples would be left to monsters and all the worshippers would be trapped underground, if they were lucky to survive the first wave. I still remembered the stories we were told when we were children. The first wave was what the doomsayers were expecting at the end of all times. Some believed that the gods had returned to punish all the unworthy ones. Whole cities and towns perished just in the first week, but the survivors had months of suffering after that. The dragonborns were not as easily affected. Entire families flew away in search of a better life, but many, many people remained. No wonder they still hated us for our seemingly magical bodies that could shield us from the bites and lift us up into the sky.
Up ahead, I saw an opening. The air grew fresher, and the sounds from the surface became easy to distinguish. I could hear the crawlers growling, shuffling their feet, and even the strips of their torn, loose skin rubbing together. Carefully, I stepped toward the end of the tunnel.
It was a different way into the compound, and I could not recognize where I was in the city. The vastness and the clear night sky confused me. Looking back, I noticed that this tunnel had been carved out of a dirt wall, and from the outside, it reminded me of an abandoned ore mine. I crouched, looking at the street. The crawlers had probably heard me, they moved around sporadically, but they still did not know where I was. I placed my lantern on the ground and straightened.
An untamed, powerful force that was trapped within me slipped through my veins as I thought about lifting up in the sky. The familiar sensation rippled through my skin and my bones ached, elongating. I bared my teeth, transforming into my true shape. I lowered myself to the ground until my front paws touched the sandy floor and spread my wings.
It was time.
Without delaying any further, I soared up.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
ALINA
Iwoke up alone in the small bed. Tynan was already gone, and for a moment, I felt sad that he had not stayed with me. Suddenly, memories from last night returned all at once, and blood rushed to my cheeks. He let me do what I wanted. I was too direct, too forward. I thought I was in full control, but, with just a few words Tynan reversed our roles. Yet again, I felt like a school girl who was trying to play an adult. I groaned and hid my face in the blanket.
Moments later, I sat up, staring out the window. It had rained all night, and it seemed like the gloomy weather had come to stay. The soft rumble of rain soothed my nerves and spread warmth in my chest. On mornings like these, all I wanted was to stay in bed, lounging in my nightgown with a book, and eat a late breakfast.
I could not remember when I allowed myself to forget about everything and do absolutely nothing all day. Like when I was still a child, under the protection of my older brother. Hadeon had barely come of age when he had to take charge of our familyestate, and take care of me and our delusional stepmother. I could not remember how soon I started helping him with his daily duties. At first, I was shadowing him everywhere he went. Then I started learning from the servants about the day to day issues in the castle. I was still quite young when I started settling minor disputes between the villagers.
I was only fifteen when I organized my first winter solstice and I never looked back since. My days were filled with duties, and at first, I thought I was doing all that to take some of the burden off my brother. He worked day and night, trying to learn how to become a better lord. Some days I never even saw him. He was out in the fields with the farmers, or helping rebuild the broken bridge, he worked on securing the roads for the merchants, and spent endless hours doing paperwork. Soon enough, I realized that I enjoyed helping him.
I sighed, thinking about my old life, and wondered if Hadeon was still searching for me. Deep down, I knew he would never stop looking.
What would he say if he saw me now? Would he be mad if he knew that I married a man he had never met? Would he like Tynan? Would Tynan like him?
I bit down on my lip. Hadeon was always so protective of me. Probably because he had to assume the role of a father when he himself was no more than a child.
Suddenly the door opened and Tynan walked in.
His hair was damp, and his black flying suit looked impeccable on his tall, striking form. He looked around the room then his eyes landed on me. A lazy smile formed on his lips and his face immediately softened. I could still remember when we first met,I meditated on the fact that he never smiled. He had a perpetual frown on his face, no matter what was happening around him. I was oblivious, in those early days, that he had a smile that made your heart stop.
“I knew you were awake.” He closed the door behind him.
“Is everything alright?” I threw the blanket off me and slowly got up.
“I would say so.” His eyes followed me while I swept my hair up.
“Is there something we should be worried about?” I walked to the basin and splashed my face with chilly water.
Tynan followed me, handing me a towel.
