AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No way,” Raven exclaimed with passion that took Oye by surprise. “Torick, looks at you like you’re his everything. I don’t think it’s just passion or-or just lust.”
Averting her eyes from Raven, Oye bit her. She couldn’t stare into such clear eyes; Raven had obviously lived a charmed life far from the horrors that Oye had lived. Maybe, it was only girls like Raven who were meant to have happy endings.
“Even more I—” She stopped short when she spotted Asher coming onto the main deck. Her hand tightened into a fist at her side. The familiar feeling of hate and anticipation for what was coming.
He was a clear living, breathing symbol of where her focus should be. “Excuse me.”
“Oye, wait.”
She didn’t glance back as she left, maneuvering through the crowd she reached the back of the large vessel she gave a cursory look around before she climbed the railing and without hesitation she jumped, shadows shot up from the lake surface and swallowed her.
Strong arms caught here, as the light of the long hallway erupted around her. Castian blue eyes and golden locks under the brim of his favorite hat peered down at her. He wore his many necklaces and rings, the large maw of his beast opened and closed with a snap behind him.
“Hello there.”
He lowered her to her feet; she clicked her heels together twice. The fancy dress shredded to pieces as her jeans and t-shirt took over, her leather coat felt familiar, like a warm hug.
Her hair braided up, and she gave a short kick so that her heels turned into thick black boots. “It feels good to be back in normal clothes.”
He quirked a brow. “Normal?”
She offered him a saucy smile. “Yeah, cutesy shit isn’t me. So, where do we start?” She turned to give him her back.
Castian lifted his right hand causing the metal golem to twist and turn until it was a short staff floating mid-air. He grabbed it slamming the end into the floor. A resounding bang echoed through the hallway. The walls quivered, bending inward as the glass windows bent outward. His free hand went to the brow of his hat. “Reawakening what never should have been put to rest.” His eyes glowed, as a shadow descended behind him. Oye felt a chill run down her spine as the creature’s face was exposed from the shadows. “Ashiya, disperse.”
Oye sucked in a quick breath as an enormous amount of power rushed past her and slammed into the floor. The sound of glass shattering filled the corridor. The ground broke open as six stones flew out. The white of the anti-magic spell turned black as it died. All of them fell to the floor, now useless.
The wall at the end, began to bleed a black, green, slick oil.
Castian walked over to her side.
“What’s that,” she asked.
“That’s my family tree, come on,” Castian said as he walked toward it. Oye followed behind him. “It tracks those who are banished from the major four families, and those born into them.”
They reached the end and Castian spread his arms wide making the slick substance part down the center. A doorway appeared from behind it. “My father told me that if anyone, but the true heir touched it, they’d die a horrible death.”
She side-eyed him. “I guess you warlocks like putting your lives on the line.”
“Something like that,” he said as he opened the door and entered. Oye followed him into a dark hallway. The pictures that had been unmoving when he’d first come, were now vibrantly alive. They yelled and demanded payment in blood, their faces holding anger and disgust.
All of them calling for the blood of Tillon, all demanding the cuckoo be pushed from the nest. Castian felt their anger, and understood their call for vengeance. Oye didn’t stop him even though he was sure she had questions. Now wasn’t the time, he would explain his family’s ways to her later.
“Raijin said we have to hold them down for ten minutes.” He stated.
He stopped right before the entrance to the chamber. “Once we enter, they will scry for me and get my location. We’ll need to keep busy for as long as we can.”
“Okay, got it,” Oye said, cracking her neck.
He nodded, and facing forward he entered the chamber.
“I knew something was fishy.”
Both he and Oye tensed at the loud shout that greeted them.
Standing in a now empty chamber was Tillon. Jake and Robert Renson. Asher stood to the back corner; the four men all glared at them.
Oye didn’t immediately let her sword drop.
