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Abrax
A pitof dread opened in my stomach as I watched one of the other warlocks disappear into the building with Kua. I’d naively hoped that we wouldn’t get separated as soon as we arrived, but I should have known that was going to happen.
Willas clapped me on the back, making me jump. “You did the right thing, Abrax.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
“I’m glad. I was worried you were going to try and abandon us.”
My stomach twisted into knots. I’d suspected he hadn’t believed me before, but this all but confirmed it. “I was always playing the long game,” I lied. Though maybe it actually wasn’t a lie. I was playing the long game, just not one the Sons of Seth would be very pleased with.
“So it seems. And I have to say, it’s been more effective than everyone else we’ve sent out. None of them have managed to bring a god back.”
“I’m glad to be of service.” I hated every word.
“Good. Now get some rest. There’s a room on the first floor waiting for you.”
I nodded, not commenting on the fact that I wasn’t being allowed to return to my lodgings outside headquarters. Though at least that would make it easier to get back to Kua.
The only problem was working out where she was. I guessed my best bet was to start in the rooms around the core and go from there.
“Anyway, I should get going, but excellent work, Abrax,” Willas said. “I’ll make sure that the superiors know that you’ve honoured your promises to us.”
“Thanks.”
There was something on his face that made me wonder whether that was actually true. I suspected not. If they hadn’t trusted me to bring Kua in before, then I doubted they’d start trusting me now. I was tainted goods as far as the Sons of Seth were concerned, and if I stayed here, I was almost certainly going to end up dead before the morning.
Luckily, we planned on being long gone by then. If everything went to plan, anyway.
I made my way inside the building, but ignored the instructions to go to the first floor. I had no idea what was waiting for me there, but I had a bad feeling about it and I’d rather not find out.
Instead, I kept going until I was close to where the core was kept. They had to have put Kua around here.
A couple of voices sounded, and I pressed myself back against a wall. The warlock who had carried Kua inside strode past, not even noticing me. But at least that meant she was probably somewhere close and would no doubt already be trying to get out of wherever they were holding her. I wasn’t entirely sure how she was going to do that, but I knew her well enough to be certain she’d give it a go.
Not that it helped allay any of my worries about what was happening right now.
Satisfied that I was clear to enter the corridor, I pushed open the door and stepped inside, wincing as it squeaked.
I was about to make my way towards the first room when movement from a little way down caught my eye. At first, I dismissed it as nothing, but then I saw it again. A tiny grey snake against the wall.
“Kua?” I whispered.
In an instant, the snake changed in front of me and retook the form of the one person I really wanted to see.
“Hey,” she said.
“You made it out.”
“I did. Thanks for the key.” She leaned in and kissed my cheek.
“You didn’t need it, did you?”
She chuckled. “No, but it was appreciated all the same. And if they’d searched me and found the other amulets, maybe I would.”
I nodded, trying not to think of all the things that could have gone wrong.
Kua’s gaze looked up and down me. “They haven’t done anything to you?” Her voice shook, revealing the very real concern she seemed to have.
