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I wish he would’ve told me why the queen exiled him. It could help us. The matters surrounding his imprisonment were vague. The crimes listed were nothing short of massive theft, and desecration of a temple, but that wasn’t how he was caught or why he was sent to the magi prison. Not knowing the truth about the queen’s intentions unsettled me.
Alisha met us at the end of the hall, her mouth curling in disgust at the sight of me before acknowledging Callum. She twirled her rod in an oval, the air shimmering with magic. “I’ll take you to the front.”
The portal took us to a part of the city that seemed to be empty except for the soldiers all dressed in black. Amidst the sea of black were flashes of silver, white and varying shades of purple decorating the warriors in front of me. Alisha led us through the crowd that parted around us. The buildings in this area were crafted from a beautiful purple crystal and onyx. Some of them had balconies draped with purple hanging flowers. The high cavern ceilings were covered in glowing yellow lights, resembling stars, lighting the entire city with starlight. They twinkled, and in some areas created outlines of different creatures and plants.
It was breathtaking.
Many of the dark fae glared at me as we passed. Not only was I the only human present, but it seemed that only fae were here, their dark skin blending into the darkness and leaving only their sharp, glowing eyes. One spit in my direction and another unsheathed his sword. I knew humans weren’t welcomed in this city, but they had to know I was on their side.
Someone grabbed my arm.
“Human scum,” the stranger growled.
Before I could conjure my magic, Callum yanked me to his chest, a ball of fire in his outstretched hand. “The human is under the queen’s protection. Touch her and die.”
“It seems fitting that a traitor would align itself with the surface folk.” The soldier scowled and disappeared into the crowd.
Callum moved me between him and Alisha. “Kelia should be in the palace.”
“Queen Merelda seems to think the human is powerful.” Alisha eyed me. “Is she?”
“The human can speak for herself, and yes, I am.”
Satisfied, Alisha nodded. “We shall see, surface dweller.”
The rows of soldiers ended with two tall dark fae at the front behind a barricade of jagged black spears. Past them, a large cave opening that seemed to go on forever.
Callum put a hand on my chest to stop me from going forward. His expression switched between sadness and something else. “I don’t know what waits ahead, and I don’t know if you’re scared or very good at hiding your feelings, but I need you to know something.”
I held my breath, waiting for him to finish.
His shoulders sagged and he looked at the ground instead of me. “Whatever happens today, know that I’ve enjoyed our time together. You do what you need to to stay alive and return to the surface.”
“I don’t understand.”
The corner of his lip curved into a smile. “No, I don’t suppose you would.”
He lifted his face and pushed my hair back behind my ear. “Then let me tell you the most important part of intimacy. It’s not a touch, or a physical response, but a feeling. One that can’t be explained with words.”
“Callum!” Alisha shouted and waved him over.
“Coming,” he replied and gently stroked the side of my face. “Stay safe, little sparrow, and I hope I see you at the end.”
My emotions were spinning out of control.
What was that all about?
A rumble sounded from the cave, and a dark fae shouted commands to ready ourselves. Callum stood at the front, his hands out to his sides, twin balls of fire burning from his palms.
The ground trembled causing debris and dust to fall and vibrate on the cavern’s floor. My legs shook as the waves rippled in my thighs and calves. Bursting out of the darkness an enormous insectoid monstrosity emerged. Its head was covered in spikes and massive with no visible eyes in sight. Suddenly, its worm like mouth opened by way of three skin flaps, each one uncovering a wicked pincher that unfolded outward. These gigantic jaw hooks had inner bladed surface areas, serrated, and dripping a saliva that hissed as it hit the ground.
A large glob of acidic phlegm shot forth hitting a score of infantry men, dissolving their armor and flesh in its gelatinous confinement. Whipping from out of its throat, long tendrils shot forth snagging soldiers from the front ranks, pulling them back in to its esophagus that was lined with a myriad of the creature’s eyes. Red hot beady orbs of hate encased in a slimy pink flesh scanned the battlefield for its next victim.
Skittering forward on a multitude of armor-plated appendages its rough epidermis was covered in sharp barbs that glowed white hot, answering who had dug out the tremendous tunnel.
The size of the monster nearly took up the entire mouth of the cave. Arrows shot over my head and into the beast but didn’t pierce the tough skin covering its body. I called on my flame and shot it at the aberration. Magical chains wrapped and tightened around the creature, anchoring it just before the barricade. I screamed at the enormous amount of energy it took to hold the insect in place.
Callum ran forward, throwing fireballs at the creature who roared and thrashed. Alisha and the fae by her side sliced at the beast’s side, but it didn’t show any effect on the creature. Sweat beaded my brow, but my magic held. I dropped to the ground, holding out both arms and screamed. Waves of blue magic pulsed through the air, wrapping massive chains around this nightmare centipede digging into its hide, strangling it.
