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Shane’s jaw worked. “The chambers where the crystals are locked have a key.” So he did know how to get to them? He told me he didn’t. “Last I heard, my father kept the key in his office in the town hall across from the main square.”
“I know where it is,” Conri snapped. “I’ve been there before. I didn’t see any key in there.”
“It’s because it’s hidden. You know the portrait behind his desk? There’s a vault behind it.”
“A vault? How to do you open it?”
“The key to the vault should be in the last drawer in his desk, along the back, probably taped to the bottom of the drawer above it.”
Conri glanced at me and I fought an urge to step back, even though the classroom door was between us. He returned his gaze to Shane. “Okay. We’ll try that. But if you’re lying …” Conri turned toward the shadow wall then paused and glanced at the demons. “Bring him some clothes. I don’t want to keep staring at him naked.”
Phell and the other demons nodded as the shadow wall parted for Conri. He walked out, the demons with him, and the wall closed once more.
I stared at Shane through the two doors and glass separating us. “Are you insane? You’re going to let him have the crystals?”
Shane shook his head. “Of course not. I lied to him. I have no idea how to get to the crystals.”
“But … he’s going to come back and he’ll be mad.”
Shane shrugged. “I can take it.” He splayed his hands on the sides of the door. “More importantly, how are you? What happened?”
I let out a sigh and told him about Lonan's betrayal because he couldn’t swallow being helped by me, the damn omega. “I knew he hated me, he never hid that, and I think he hated me even more after our capture, but I had no idea he could do something like this.” I had really thought he would put up with me for a little longer for the pack’s sake.
“That’s insane,” Shane whispered.
“Alas, Conri loved it. He killed Lonan anyway, and put me in that witch’s circle as bait.” My brow furrowed. “And you fell for it. Why? You shouldn’t have done that. Now our plan is ruined. You’re stuck here with us, and your friends are stuck outside the barrier. There’s nothing we can do now.” And it was all my fault. If I hadn’t been caught, if I had waited to distribute the potions, if I hadn’t trusted the entire pack …
“Raika,” Shane started. His eyes darkened. “When I saw you …” He shook his head once. “I knew I was walking into a trap, but I didn’t care. I had to make sure you were okay.”
My heart squeezed and the pull of the mating bond drew me toward him. Damn, how I wished these doors were gone. “I’m okay, but again, we’re all stuck in here. I don’t know what we can do now.” I didn’t tell him about how Minsi had been dragged to the school by Dixon, and she was probably still freaking out. That would only make him more distressed. I was glad we couldn’t hear her screams from here.
“My friends will realize what happened and they will act.”
He explained that Killian and Lavinia had been out, but they would soon get back to their inn and realize something was wrong. They had friends on the way. The witches would work on breaking the barrier, and Ironfang would rescue us.
Ifthey could bring the barrier down.
I frowned, not liking our odds. “So, what do we do now?”
“We buy ourselves time. That’s why I sent Conri on a wild goose chase over a key that doesn't exist. When he comes back, he’ll let out his frustration on me, but I can take it.”
My frown deepened. I didn’t like that idea. “What will you do then?”
“I’ll send him on another fake chase. Conri won’t be able to help it. If he wants the crystals, he’ll have to check it out. We’ll be buying my friends the time they need to break through the barrier.”
I nodded, though I hated the idea of Shane being tortured. I hoped his friends figured out he was gone fast, and that the witches were powerful enough to break through the barrier in no time.
Because the way things were going, I didn’t see any other way out of here.
* * *
At some point,Shane and I tired of standing in front of the doors to see each other. We both sat down on the floor and talked here and there. We didn’t receive any food or water, though Phell had brought Shane some sweatpants and a shirt. As night fell, the exhaustion accumulating in my bones took over. I scooted to the mattress in the corner and lay down, my hands folded under my head. In a matter of seconds, I was asleep.
But my sleep was restless and full of nightmares.
I only saw a jumble of images, and they were more horrible than the others. Conri had put Shane in the witch’s circle and used his shadow magic to whip Shane’s back, drawing blood and screams. With each crack of the whip, Shane grew weaker and smaller, his wounds opened more and more, and blood was everywhere … until Shane disappeared and all that was left was a giant red pool.
I saw Minsi screaming and clawing the walls of the classroom she was being held, her nails broken, her fingertips raw and bleeding. When she looked at me, her eyes were feral and her teeth were razor sharp, like the demons'.
