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Her lips quirked. Yes, Mastyr.
He smiled. Aralynn, like Delia, never let his head get too big. He liked that about her as well.
He shifted his gaze to the tunnel and charted his course. Levitatin
g slowly and once more extending his hearing, he could hear laughter, both male and female, coupled with jeers.
The Invictus bonds were permanent and eradicated a sense of morality from both the wraith and the victim. The worst characteristics of each individual came to the fore.
Wraith-pairs quickly became thieves and murderers. They developed an instant addiction to blood and killed their victims often by draining them to death. Those they attacked were all ages. Murdering rampages quickly became the preferred way of life.
The enemy was vicious and without conscience.
We’re only a few yards away.
He felt Aralynn’s battle vibration begin to beat at him. She also carried a dagger in her sheath that she knew how to use extremely well. I’m ready.
Her confident response urged him forward. We’ll be entering at the back of the cave well behind the Invictus and across from where the men are chained.
Got it.
The back entrance area was to the west of what he knew to be a large cavern. He could hear Dracut Falls easily now, though the cave was set back about thirty yards from the waterfall.
As he levitated into the back of the cavern, he could smell the burning coals. A few feet more and the portable fire pit came into view. Branding irons stuck of the middle of the blazing coals, heated up and ready for use.
He stopped for a moment, needing to take it all in. Aralynn drew up beside him. The shield she’d created held tight. The men he’d served beside for centuries were manacled to the opposite wall: Gerrod, Ethan and Quinlan.
Though he had a strong impulse to charge in, he needed to be wise. I want to get the layout, he pathed to Aralynn.
Though there were natural stone pillars separating their side of the massive cavern from the rest of the space, he could see the ruling mastyrs easily. Each had been stripped down to their leathers, whipped and beaten.
Blood ran from several chest and abdominal wounds, and he could now smell burning flesh, inflicted by the branding irons. At the same time, self-healing energy boiled from the men. They weren’t powerful vampires for nothing and each had bonded with a blood rose, adding to their abilities. That Margetta had overpowered them in some way was a testament to her essential power.
The wraiths flew slowly around the space, yet in an agitated, predatory manner. Their shrieks had died down for the moment.
Aralynn grabbed his wrist. She was trembling again.
He glanced at her, holding her gaze. He knew she’d seen a lot in the seven weeks they’d been battling together, but nothing as heinous and personal as this. I know this is hard to take. Do you want to sit this one out?
She shook her head. I’m overcome with rage, not fear. I hate what’s happening here with a passion.
He could feel it now, the strength of her anger which matched his own.
The cavern curved toward the southeast, so that he couldn’t actually see Margetta from where he and Aralynn hovered. But her golden glow spilled from the space nearest the east exiting tunnel.
Margetta called out. “Be ready, my servants. Mastyr Stone is here.”
At the mention of his name, two of the wraiths shrieked and took to flying rapidly back and forth through the air near the two-story cavern ceiling.
The third and tallest wraith floated in the air and turned slowly in a circle, hunting for them. Invictus wraiths were fierce-looking, and this one was no different. Her skin was white to the point of opaque and she had yellow fangs, dark lips, and small eyes. She wore the traditional wraith gown made up of gauzy red strips of fabric sewn loosely together to float around her thin legs.
She smiled, showing red gums. “We’ll find him, Mistress Margetta.”
Stone took Aralynn’s hand. Let’s get higher in the air. He rose as he spoke, Aralynn with him.
With no pillars to obstruct his view, Stone caught sight of the Ancient Fae. I see Margetta now.
She squeezed his wrist. Me, too.
