AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No,” River said. “Let’s at least get some weapons, shall we?”
“We don’t use weapons,” Tzaria said. “We only use magic.”
The truth was that Fel was the same. Even when he had used swords or a bow and arrows, he was still using his ironbringing to control them.
River shrugged. “It never hurts to be extra protected.” He turned to Fel. “Can you lend me a sword and also arrows and a bow, if you have them? I can’t guarantee I’ll return the arrows.”
Fel opened a cupboard that had some weapons, and passed them to River.
Naia’s eyes were wide. “Really? Now? This is hasty and reckless.”
Tzaria put a hand on Naia’s shoulder. “Imagine you’re hungry and you want a cake. You have all the ingredients, you have wood for the fire. Would you wait?”
“If it was morning, yes.” Naia shrugged. “I’d wait for the cook to arrive or for Fel to wake up so I wouldn’t have to do it myself.”
“What if youwerethe cook?”
Naia took a deep breath. “I don’t like it.”
River took her hand, then kissed her cheek. “And I hate it. I hate everything that has happened and that is about to happen. And yet I would hate even more to look back and see that I failed. That I could do something and I didn’t…”
“But I’m not doing anything.”
River took both of her hands. “Connect with the other kingdoms. Make sure this place is safe. You’ve done a lot for the Ancients, and you also need to rest, Naia.”
She had a half smile. River’s lips got close to hers, then he looked around and stepped back, as if they made him embarrassed or maybe he thought it would be inappropriate to kiss her in front of Fel and the dragons. Fel wished he could tell River he could kiss her, but then he figured they would be able to kiss a lot in a few hours—if everything went right.
Fel hugged his sister and kissed her forehead, like he’d done so many times since they were little. He knew that part of her problem was being left behind. She was brave and wild and eager to prove her worth, and staying here waiting was likely a torture for her. But perhaps he was selfish, as he was happy to know that no matter what happened, she would be safe. His own heart was ripped in shreds thinking about Leah. He couldn’t bear to risk any more losses. And in that sense he understood his sister, who was watching him and River go.
Fel took Tzaria and River’s hands, who took Risomu’s, so that they formed a circle. Naia was right. Thiswassudden. He wasn’t sure if it was hasty and reckless, though. Waiting and doing nothing sounded a lot worse. And yet.
River had to be in control of stepping into the hollow because this was unlike anything Fel had seen in Fernick. There was no circle traced on the floor, and yet they were soon in this odd, uncomfortable dark place, then in an empty chamber.
“Where is it?” River whispered.
“Lower,” Tzaria said.
Darkness surrounded them again, then they were in another chamber, this one much smaller. Fel could sense a huge amount of metal around and under him, so much that it almost numbed his senses.
“In that room.” Tzaria pointed to a huge door.
This time it felt as if darkness was squeezing his body, then they were in a room with metal floor, walls and ceiling. A red linen cloth covered a huge bundle in its corner.
“Run.” It was a dragon’s voice, but wasn’t a voice Fel recognized.
“Let’s go,” Fel said, not willing to stay and figure out what was wrong. He had no doubt that this was not right.
“Oh, shit.” River chuckled. “Not this again.”
“What?” Fel asked.
“We’re screwed, brother.”
* * *
River had only hadthis sensation once—when he’d been caught in that room by Queen Kara. Now he felt it again, even if there were no leaves on the floor, and that story of death grass had been a lie anyway.
“I can’t feel my magic,” he whispered.
