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“Luz ain’t dead,” Orman said, as if he could read my thoughts.
I jerked towards him. Orman had perception ability, he could see beyond walls and darkness and was able to throw his second sight forward enough to cover the entire cave. “No?”
“Nah.” He snuffed. “Knocked out, but they’re breathing.”
A puff left me and my body sank against the fabric we sat on. Orman didn’t relax, though. He paced over the nest, pulled a knife, and banged the side of it against the bars so that the noise echoed. That wasn’t going to get the four of us out of here, though, which was my responsibility.
“Elisa,” I whispered, “can you send a thrush to Sai?”
“Okay.”
“Keep it informative but not panicked.”
She heaved a sob. “Are you not afraid?”
I waded through the plush knots of fabric, found her, and rested my forehead against hers. “The best thing we can do right now is stay calm and think. If we warn Sai about the situation, he can approach it carefully. We’ll get out of this.”
Maybe without Luz, though, if they were badly injured. The doubt crept through my mind and made me want to give in to despair. No. Cool focus. That was part of a job. We could process things later. Orman grunted but stopped his restless movements.
“Orman,” Elisa asked, “could you cover me?”
He walked over and placed his body in front of hers so she could pull the sparkling magic of the thrush without it becoming a beacon of light to the rest of the cavern. She wrote the letter, more panic seeping into her words than I would have liked, but when she turned towards me, I only nodded. “It’s good, love.”
She raised her palm, beckoning another thrush to take it. The magical creature appeared, grabbed the letter, disappeared, and immediately reappeared dropping the scroll into her still open hand.
“What?” she said.
“Oh, shit.” I frowned. “They’re still in the temple. Magic can’t reach them.”
Orman groaned again and paced away as Elisa let the magic of the thrush crumple, sparkles of light dying down like the dissipating embers of my hope.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
LIRA
Sai had nearly died.A second time. It felt like a cruel hand of fate reached for him since the moment we’d stepped into the temple. It made me want to wrap my arms around him, redouble the vow I’d once given the Naga.I’ll make sure he doesn’t fall.
He stepped forward alongside me through another dark tunnel that vines crawled over, hanging down and brushing against us like snakes slithering over our arms, the leaves tickling my skin. One batted against my face and I cringed. I grazed my fingers along my cheek and down my jaw. I could already feel the swelling and tenderness from where I’d hit the ground. The memory caused me to wince which made it hurt more.
I’d hit the stone hard, and the coppery tang of blood still filled my mouth. I didn’t regret it for a moment. When I’d seen Sai slipping, his fingers about to lose their grip, I hadn’t hesitated or even thought. I’d leapt and sang and grabbed him and was willing to plunge to our deaths together if it meant I didn’t watch him fall alone.
Even thinking about that with him standing next to me, his sweet-burnt smell overcoming the mustiness of the passageway, left me feeling so horrified and full of revulsion I could have choked on it. Sai had nearly died.He could have died, he could have died, he could have died,my heart seemed to thump.
Then I’d nearly kissed him. Like a fool.
I was falling under the same spell that had taken me prey the first time. Something about Sai compelled me, made me forget my hesitations and fears. I wasn’t sure where I wanted our relationship to go, however, and didn’t want to unfairly lead him along.
Regardless, I didn’t want him in danger. I shivered, sidled up next to him, and slid my fingers between his. I would face those complicated feelings to have his flesh against mine. He turned towards me, and his lips inched up as he gripped my hand tighter and pulled us forward.
Words froze on my tongue. I’d speak them once we got this map and out of this damned haunted temple. We had to stay focused on our task, but then I’d be honest about everything I’d asked him while I’d compelled him regardless of what it cost me. Logically, now that I had some time, I understood Sai’s past decisions. I’d been a fool, angry over his rejection, too emotionally close to the situation to appreciate the costs for him. We’d barely known each other when he’d handed me over to Lennox. Even in that, he’d crafted a plan to protect me. He’d instructed Luz to pay me and get me away from this mess. I was too hurt to see it.
At the end of the tunnel broken bits of stone jabbed down the arch and we ducked. Who was I kidding? Sai and I still barely knew each other. I wanted to get to know him, though.
We entered a room which was pristine compared to the rest of the temple. Sunshine filtered down from a dome at the top and washed over the silvery stone walls and floor. In the center, a circle of arcs stood, each one raining water.
Sai nodded towards them. “This is the innermost realm of the temple. I’m assuming the map is in there.”
“Let’s go.” We walked together, hands still clasped. As we approached the water it splashed against the stone, making the floor slick and created a curtain that obscured whatever lay in the center. I took a deep breath and, with Sai at my side, walked through it.
