The Mirrored Deserts then? She had read the temperatures there could dip low enough to cover the sands in a layer of frost after dusk, but there were no mountain ranges, no caves, only a sea of flat, barren wastes.
Not the deserts.
That meant she was far from her promised prince. Despite her predicament, she relaxed a bit at the thought of escaping that farce of a marriage. She wouldn’t have to be tethered to a complete stranger or bear his children. She actually felt a fraction of gratitude toward her captors.
She huffed a sarcastic laugh. That’s how far things had gone—being abducted was a welcome alternative to the life she led.
She stepped toward the open door to peer around the corner. Up close, in the light, the walls glistened like flecks of bright stars embedded in the foundation. She couldn’t help marveling at the color as her hand rested gingerly on the solid stone. She looked down the hall. She couldn’t see anyone, the passage was empty. Multiple crevices of light lined the ground behind dozens of closed doors along the tunnel. Perhaps leading to other rooms like hers? At the end of the hallway, the faintest supernatural glow was visible. The aqua color was strikingly vibrant.
A way out, maybe?
She gathered her resolution and began down the long expanse toward that distant beaming light. The echoes of falling water followed her as she tried to calm her racing mind. She paused when she heard muffled voices, whispers coming from the same direction as that mysterious glow.
She took another step—the voices hushed. The soft scrapes of her boots had given her away. She mentally scolded herself for not being more stealthy. She continued forward, ready to face whatever and whoever lay ahead.
The voices started back up again.
The tunnel opened into a giant cavity that rivaled the size of Oakmire’s great hall. Stretches of wooden tables lined the center of the cavern. Above her, the otherworldly aqua illuminated the ceiling. Her head arched up as she narrowed her eyes, trying to better understand what she was seeing.
Bugs, the ceiling was crawling with bugs. They created that beautiful light. She had no idea such a small critter could produce something so grand.
The turquoise luminescence looked like an enchanted sea, it was breathtaking.
In her awe, she had momentarily forgotten about the source of those voices.
They hadn’t forgotten her.
“Who the fuck is this?” a woman said.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Theo watched her jaw drop as she found the sea of glowworms above. Her face was like every newcomer’s when they first set foot in here, wonderstruck. The Azure Chasm was the epicenter of Elkron Fortress, his underground stronghold.
Everyone in his company surrounding the dim, viridescent fire looked only at her. Callum and Manos occupied the same bench. Fee, a slender little thing, more feline than female, lifted her head off Breyer’s shoulder to get a better look.
Theo had sensed Helaina the moment she had awakened. That tether between them gave a slight tug of acknowledgment. Her room had been carefully selected, closest to his own, to ensure she didn’t do anything stupid. Having her so close had made it very difficult to rest, not that he slept much anyway.
Her presence here, in the same room, was even more vexatious. Theo’s mind was raging from that internal pull. He couldn’t think straight. And although he appeared unfazed on the outside, the sight of that gaunt body made him furious.
“Who the fuck is this?” Breyer, one of the eldest in his company, pointed her clawlike nails in Helaina’s direction. Her scarlet hair was pulled tight atop her head, allowing her pointed ears to show. Small braids decorated with various beads were woven into her scalp. He always liked that about Breyer, always dressed and ready for battle.
No one answered her, but Helaina’s attention shot to them, letting her sharp look of distaste speak for itself.
“A new pet, perhaps?” Breyer mused. The wordpetmade Helaina’s lips curl. “A scrawny stray you found wandering in the forest?” Breyer eyed the new recruit up and down as the girl stared right back, not balking, not backing up an inch.
Theo realized he should have communicated his plans before now. Usually when he brought in a new recruit, it was well known within the ranks. Helaina was an unexpected outsider, and no matter how weak and harmless she appeared, she was anything but.
He should have allowed those outside the Troika to understand where they were going and who they were hunting. He knew that if this girl was who he suspected, bringing her here meant he was putting everyone in unquestionable danger. But as commander he didn’t feel like subjecting himself to scrutiny. On the other hand, if his plan was to work... if he could mold her...
“She is a guest.” Theo sat forward, adjusting his leather gauntlets. The muscles in his arms felt strained when she was near. He thought perhaps loosening the ties might ease the tension. Most soldiers here wore fur-lined leathers to protect them from the chilled mountain air. Theo never got cold, not even in the most dreadful of winters. His leather cuirass was thin and airy with two wide slits placed at his shoulder blades.
Callum and Manos shared a sharp glance before returning to their copper mugs of ale. They had purposely taken days to get back, searching the open roads for any sign of the undead. Manos had held her mind in unconscious suspension until they arrived. They had no additional encounters, much to Callum’s chagrin.
Throughout the journey, Callum’s annoyance with her was more than clear. He held a lot of resentment toward royals in general. They never had to sleep in the dirt, wondering where their next meal would come from. Callum and his brother, Aaron, knew that life all too well.
His lieutenant rarely talked about his mortal years. When he did, Callum spoke of days without food or clean water. Sometimes the scraps they gathered were only enough for one mouth. Callum was the eldest and made sure whatever they had went to Aaron. They had begged until they were old enough to steal.
Theo had sensed godly blood coursing through their veins as they entered adulthood. The old gifts of the world were quite rare, but sometimes it was like that, both siblings displaying the signs. These days it was usually only one in a family’s generation that possessed what he needed.
