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There was a moment of disorientation when her body and mind worked against one another. She put her hand on the rock wall, getting the dizziness under control. Raine made traveling the pathways look easy, but she still had the urge to unload her stomach every time she exited the stream.
When her stomach calmed, she realized the guard was missing. There was always a shadow warrior at the sanctuary entrance. The light circle that protected it was normally so bright she couldn’t look at it. Now the dim light allowed her to see the first few feet of the children’s haven. She hadn’t entered the sanctuary, though Raine had offered to show her many times. This wasn’t the time to evaluate her reluctance.
She unsheathed her reaper blade, holding it in her right hand as she entered the mouth of the sanctuary. The curved entrance differed from the rest of the caves, the stone polished and smooth like black glass.
The room was massive, with multiple bright white domes that reminded her of iridescent igloos. Their construction was similar to that of the light cell the shadows used to trap a reaper, but the power source was not man made. Neither was the material that they constructed the domes from.
Her heart spiked when she realized she was alone. “Hello?”
Maverick, the shadow who protected the sanctuary, popped his head out of one dome. “Dannika, come in here. Hurry.”
She rushed to the dome he was hiding in, slowing when she noticed the wounds on his neck. “Are you all right? What about the children?”
Maverick grimaced as his torn flesh knitted together. “I’ll live. The reapers were smart. They attacked me while I was feeding. Two of my sentries died. I returned to the sanctuary before they could kill me, but I’m too weak to reset the light circle. I can’t reset the protections until I heal. We must remain in the domes until I regain my abilities.”
Dannika touched the glowing dome. “How are you powering these?”
Maverick swallowed hard. “We constructed the domes with blessed steel. No reaper can enter. The domes reflect even the smallest light. The children remain in the domes whenever I am outside the sanctuary. We never take a chance with their lives.”
“Is Darren here?”
“No, but the reapers who attacked us ordered another crew to grab the cartographer,” Maverick said.
“Shit. I need to find him. Go back inside with the children. I will—”
A grunt outside the sanctuary door had her and Maverick turning. Two reapers stepped to the entrance, holding Darren’s beaten body.
“Looking for this?” one of them said as he dropped Darren to the ground.
“Get inside the dome, Maverick.” She didn’t look to see if he listened. Her focus was on the monsters who had attacked Darren.
The larger of the two reapers appraised her, his red eyes afire with interest. “Killian is quite put out with you. He said we could have a little fun before we return you, but I prefer to bring you in unharmed. Please, come with me.”
The polite manner of the large reaper was unnerving.
She feigned bravado. “This is my home. What do you mean, return me?”
The reaper who had dropped Darren laughed. “Your ignorance is almost comical. We are looking forward to you learning the truth.”
“Why don’t you enlighten me then? I can give you one hell of a performance right here.”
The larger, scarier reaper smiled, exposing his fangs. “Alas, we are forbidden. Killian wishes to deliver that message himself.”
The reaper’s archaic speech pattern alerted Dannika. He was much older than he appeared. “Fair enough. I have a message for Killian, but I doubt he will like it.”
The reaper stepped forward. “You may give it to him yourself. It’s time for you to come with us.”
Dannika tapped her finger on her lip. “That’s a tempting offer, but I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. Here’s one for you, though. Leave Darren and get the hell out of the caves, before I shank your ass.”
Venom dripped from the smaller reaper’s fangs. “Killian wants the cartographer. He does, however, want you more. Why don’t you fight for Darren? If you win, you can keep him. I should warn you; a dozen reapers surround the wolf leader. He won’t be coming to your rescue.”
She smiled sweetly at him. “That’s your problem. You assume I need a man to rescue me. I assure you I don’t. Tell your friend to leave and move away from Darren. I’ll be happy to fight you.”
The larger reaper flicked his hand. His partner dissolved, disappearing into the shadow pathway.
The reaper moved away from Darren’s fallen body before holding out his hand. “Come to me.”
Dannika advanced on him. “Since we’re getting so cozy, why don’t you tell me your name?”
