AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Here.” She thrust the cup into my hand. “Drink slowly. I’ve been soaking a cloth in water and dripping some into your mouth a few times a day. You must be starving, though.”
“Thanks. I, um, I really appreciate you doing all that for me. I’m sorry I don’t remember you. Apparently, my brain was overloaded with visions or something, and my memories were sacrificed to save me. Have you seen Dare?” I repeated, realizing she’d never answered the question.
Rogue looked at me, startled, and I took a moment to sip on the cool water, nearly groaning at how good it felt on my parched throat. She gestured vaguely at the row of tightly packed together white columns, through which I could see hints of trees.
“Quinn and I are yourphylakes,” Rogue said cautiously. “Thanatos explained it when he brought us here. We’re wardens, of sorts. Here to protect you and watch over you while you were vulnerable. This place, the Isles of the Blessed, isn’t meant for justanyoneto visit.”
She stared out at the columns, looking slightly concerned for a moment before her face returned to its impassive expression. “I was in here, watching over you. I didn’t see what it was that deposited you on the island, but suddenly yoursoulwas floating through the air and slamming into your body, and Dare was shouting from the outside of some unseen barrier. He’s still there, right on the edge of the cliff.”
“Shit, I have to go. I can’t leave him there,” I said, still holding Quinn while I swung my legs over the side of the altar, feet dangling above the ground for a moment. My head was swimming slightly from the sudden movement, and I was glad when Rogue plucked Quinn out of my arms because I really didn’t want to drop her.
“You’re in no condition to go anywhere,” Rogue pointed out flatly. “There’s always fresh fruit and nuts magically appearing on that table; I think you should probably eat something first. I’ll even go out and check on Dare for you.”
“No, I have to get out there. We were in a rush. We have to get back to Grace.”
Rogue’s lips twitched as she shoved an apple into my hand. “I’m glad you haven’t forgotten her. That could be awkward.”
Yep. It was definitely that.
There was a shout of panic from outside. I half jumped, half fell off the altar and ran through the wall of columns, stumbling to a stop at the top of a few steps that led down to a dense forest.
“Dare!” I yelled, gaze darting through the trees, trying to figure out which direction the shout had come from. I couldn’t hear anything now, just an eerie kind of silence. “Dare! Where are you?”
Rogue came to stand behind me, holding a whimpering Quinn in one arm and a freakingsword, loosely dangling from her other hand.
“This is not good,” Rogue muttered as Quinn fell silent, emphasizing just how quiet the world around us was. “This place is always loud—the forest is full of birds and insects, and on the other side of the trees is an ocean in every direction. The waves crash against the cliffs all day and night. Something is very wrong.”
There was another shout, and while I couldn’t quite make out the words, this one sounded like a warning rather than a panicked surprise. Rogue shoved Quinn into my arms, the kid promptly bursting into wailing tears as her mother descended the steps, lifting the sword into a battle-ready position.
“Shouldn’t you stay with Quinn—”
“I’m yourphylakes,” Rogue interjected, scanning the forest in front of her. “My job is to protect you; Thanatos made that very clear. If you didn’t want to babysit, you should have chosen two fully grown protectors.”
I honestly didn’t know why I hadn’t, that seemed much more sensible.
There was a rustling sound, barely audible beneath Quinn’s tears, and Rogue adjusted her stance, tensing in readiness.What do I do?From what I’d seen, the inside of the building was just one room with an altar and what looked like a sort of nest in the corner where Rogue and Quinn had probably slept. If I put Quinn inside, surely she could just get back out again?
I gave her an appraising look, trying to decide if she was capable of moving on her own or not. She definitely wasn’t a newborn—
“Don’t let go of her,” Rogue ordered, her back still to us. “Whatever happens, okay? I’ve got my job, you’ve got yours. Go grab the other sword from inside, though, just in case.”
She didn’t need to tell me twice. I looked around, trying to find any other weapons, but there was just the one heavy silver sword with the golden hilt that scraped painfully along the ground when I picked it up.
“No,” I told Quinn firmly as she attempted to flop forward and grab it. “Definitely no swords for babies. Where’s Dare? Dare needs a sword. I don’t know how to use a sword. My brain has conveniently forgotten that information.”
Or maybe I never had it?
I rushed back out right as the strange rustling sound grew into something far louder and more ominous. There was an almost scrabbling, scratching, clicking noise, and Quinn trembled silently in my arms.
And then we were overrun. Enormous, monstrous insects—no, scorpions—rushed out of the trees, scuttling toward the temple in a swarm.
If Rogue was afraid, she didn’t show it, immediately jumping into action and stabbing indiscriminately at the approaching creatures.
“Don’t put her down!” she screamed, though I didn’t need the reminder this time. No way was I putting Quinn down at eye level with these things. I tightened my grip around her, using my sword-wielding hand to slice at the approaching beast. To my relief, one clean cut took off the head, and I yelled at Rogue to lop them off at the throat instead while she attempted to shake off a corpse stuck at the end of her blade.
There was a crashing noise, and I stiffened, wondering what terrible creature we were going to face next, but it was only Dare. He was armed with a branch and was beating the scorpions over the head with it as he approached, cutting down their numbers from the back of the swarm.
Fighting his way to us.
