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Cruce ignored the women. “I’ll ask again, why are you here?”
“Because we’ve been infiltrated.”
“By whom?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Was this a vision?”
She shook her head. “No. My fae instincts are on fire and you know how powerful they are.”
Cruce scowled as he turned away. He had heavy features that most women would find commanding. He lifted an arm and rubbed the back of his head. He sipped his whisky again.
“What do you suggest we do?”
Rez thought it telling that he didn’t discount the fae’s instincts. This was a real partnership.
Holly’s voice entered Rez’s head. We need to leave.
We haven’t seen anything yet that can give us a clue where we are. Can you walk us back out? Maybe we can take a quick look around.
We’re running out of time, Rez. Can’t you feel it? The dizziness? Growing physical weakness?
She was right, but he felt a sense of urgency as well. Holly, move fast, then. But we’ve got to get a better look at these caverns if we have a hope in hell of finding this place again.
Okay. But I’ve warned you.
I understand and I know what I’m facing.
When Holly started moving the time-path, she whipped it back the way they’d come as quick as lightning. Reaching the intersection of paths, she asked, Back the way we came or do you want to go left?
Left.
She moved slower since this was unknown territory. The hallway was the same as before with stone walls and a jagged rock ceiling. But the air seemed fresher.
Holly guided them around the corner, then stopped.
Rez spoke aloud. “What is this?” He stared at a massive cavern open in the distance with a view of snow-capped mountains, the same view from Cruce’s living room.
“I don’t know. But look at that pen over on the right?”
“I see it. Wraiths?”
“Yes. At least a dozen and they’re caged up.” The enclosure rose clear to the top of the cavern maybe forty feet high. Wraiths floated all through the space.
“Some of them are weeping.” Wraiths, by nature, weren’t bad. It just happened that their blood could be used to form the Invictus bond. Once bonded, whether by choice or forced, they became crazed, even maniacal. Rez knew damn well some wraiths were forced into the Invictus bond.
Holly held the time-path steady on what was essentially a much higher overlook. Rez suspected Cruce came here often to survey his domain.
But what was he looking at?
There were tents as far as the eye could see, the smell of meat grilling and the sounds of metal weapons clashing against each other. This had the appearance of an army.
Another Invictus army.
“Take us closer.”
“Rez, we’ve really got to be going.”
