“That doesn’t mean we’ll get to you in time,” Stefan said in frustration.
“Doesn’t matter.” Alexei shook his head. “The best way to get to the griffin stone is to infiltrate the cult, pretend we’re one of them, and steal the griffin stone away before they realize there are traitors in their midst. If we storm down there looking for a fight, whoever has the griffin stone will run off, and it’ll be lost to us again.”
“What about disguises? They’ll welcome you back, because you’re returning to the cult, and they don’t know Kiara, but Ethan and I will be recognized straight away,” I said.
I realized what I’d revealed too late as Alexei’s eyes contracted. Several people around us stiffened. Alexei hadn’t told everyone he’d been a cultist— he’d only told Ethan and I.
I went to utter an apology, but before I could, Kiara knitted her eyes and stepped forward. She reached out, and took Alexei’s hand. “You were a part of them. Weren’t you?”
Color began to return to Alexei’s face. “I was, a very long time ago. I should've been honest with all of you from the beginning, but I was a coward. There’s no time to explain, but I’ve already told Ethan and Emma the whole story. I left the cult because if I hadn’t, they would’ve killed me. If the rest of you no longer trust me, I understand, but I’m asking you to believe in me now. I know the cult like the back of my hand. I can get us in and out safely. All I’m asking is for your friendship.”
“Of course you have it,” Kiara said, and she squeezed his hand. “Alexei, don’t you think I’ve guessed?”
Confused looks ran around the group. She’d clearly been the only one— but I supposed that was the kind of insight you got by being someone’s mate. Intuition told you what was true. After all, I’d known in my heart Ethan was the Phantom before I was willing to admit it.
Kiara’s trust thawed any misgivings the rest of our friends might’ve had about Alexei. Theo reached out and clapped Alexei on the back. “You’re among brothers. We know you’ll do your best to keep everyone safe, because you always have. You’ve never betrayed us before. None of us believe you’ll start now.” The others nodded at his words.
“Thank you.” Alexei relaxed. “I’m glad you’re all behind me.”
Ethan spoke up. “It doesn’t change the fact they know who I am. The cult knows I’ve been hunting them for years. They’ll kill me on the spot if they recognize me.”
“You and Emma will have to wear illusions as disguises,” Alexei said. “It’ll be hard, but you’ll need to keep them up the entire time we’re down there.”
“That drains a lot of magical energy,” Kiara objected.
Alexei’s face was hard. “We don’t have a choice. If we want to obtain the griffin stone, we need to leave now. Kiara, are you with me?”
Alexei turned toward her, and she gave a brisk nod. “I’ll always be with you, Alexei, wherever you may go.”
The look he gave her was long and meaningful. Ethan immediately sprung into action. “Lead us to it, Alexei. The rest of you, find Arthur and tell him what’s going on. Wait with him until he notifies you if we need help.”
When we need help, I thought. I was certain this plan would go awry at some point.
“I don’t like this,” Stefan grumbled.
“Then be ready to kick some ass when it’s time,” I replied. “Because I’m sure it’s gonna come down to that.”
Alexei,Kiara, Ethan and I stood before a large stone griffin statue in one of the hallways to the university. All of us were wearing plain cloaks, with hoods to conceal our faces and clothes that would keep us warm down in the chill of the catacombs.
“This is the secret passage Callista took,” Alexei said. “You guys ready for this? We won’t see the light of day for some time.”
“Just do it, Lex.” Kiara’s voice was weary. I knew that the thought of her task to obtain the griffin stone had weighed heavily on her for some time now, and she just wanted to get it over with.
Ethan and I had cast illusions to disguise ourselves. Both of us were sandy-haired blondes now, with blue eyes, peaky noses and sharp cheekbones. We’d also cast illusions to hide our scent. We’d be mistaken for alicorns, so long as a shifter didn’t smell past the illusion and realized we were wolvens.
Alexei pushed the paw of the stone griffin down. It swiveled in place, revealing a set of winding stairs that plummeted to what seemed like hell.
“Look down,” Alexei called as we entered. “There are over a hundred stairs to the bottom.”
Claustrophobia began to press in around me as we took the steps downward, and I started to get dizzy. When we reached the base level, we’d be seventy feet underground. Gods forbid if the entryways to the catacombs collapsed, because we’d be trapped down here forever.
“What’s the history of the catacombs?” I whispered to Ethan.
“They have various uses. Some of them, like the catacombs beneath Ceradyn Hall, are only twenty or so feet beneath the surface. Others go much further. Some catacombs are used as sewers, or to keep the city from sinking into the earth over time.”
Ethan’s tone hardened. “But if I’m honest, the fae used to store their dead down here. It saved the city on space to bury the bodies of fae beneath Dolinska, instead of within or around it. The tradition died out a few hundred years ago— but only because the catacombs could no longer fit anymore bones.”
As we walked, Kiara said, “Lex? If I’m going to do this, I need to know exactly what happened to you down here.”
