Where are you, Talon? The question danced across my mind, the words floating around my subconscious. From my peripheral vision, the glow of my demon’s mark caught my eye. Deep purple lit up my skin, and the tattoo pulsed with energy.
Azara, is that you? Talon’s deep voice boomed across my head, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
Oh my gods, how are you in my head?
The same way you’re in mine. A loaded pause froze me in my tracks. Then his voice resounded once again. Wait a second. Where are you?
First floor in the stairwell. Thax’s underground castle, Vatican City.
Damn it, Azara! His shout bounced around my skull like a ping pong ball. Stay right where you are. I’m coming to get you.
I can go to you. I think I remember this castle too.
No. He growled. Stay put.
“Over-protective irritating dragon,” I muttered to myself and took a step back into the dark stairwell. At least he hadn’t threatened to kill me for coming. That was definite progress.
Chapter Twenty-Three
No joke, five seconds later the faint scuffle of footsteps reached my hiding spot in the shadowed alcove. I poked my head out and smacked into a wall—nope, Talon’s unrelenting chest.
“What the hell are you doing here? Are you completely out of your mind?” he hissed, his murderous glare throwing daggers. Maybe I’d spoken too soon.
“I told you I wasn’t sitting this one out,” I hissed right back, jabbing my finger into his torso.
He scanned the dim stairwell and frowned. “Where’s Vander?”
“Don’t be mad at him. It wasn’t his fault.”
“Where is he?”
“I knocked him out when he refused to come with me.”
The hint of a smile lifted the corner of his lip, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. “I should send your sneaky demon ass straight back to your cell.”
I rose to my tiptoes and seared him with my steeliest glare. “Just try it.”
He blew out an exasperated breath and wrapped his thick fingers around mine. Jerking me forward, he muttered a slew of curses before searing his gaze on me. “So help me, Azara, if you do anything stupid, I’ll leave you here with Thax and never look back.”
I narrowed my gaze at him. “You wouldn’t.”
“There were a lot of things I never thought I’d do until I met you.” He yanked me down the corridor, fury radiating from his broad shoulders in toxic waves.
We sped through the desolate castle in silence, the thrashing of my racing heart my only company. “Why is it so quiet?” I finally whispered.
“I don’t know. But it can’t be good.”
Talon turned the bend and pulled me into a murky nook. He ticked his head at the far corner, and a hidden door took shape from the shadows. It was made of the same slate stone as the castle walls and barely visible. He tugged me the remaining distance and motioned me through the doorway.
I nearly tripped over the narkin demon splayed across the floor. Son of a biscuit! I pitched forward before an arm wrapped around my torso to steady me. I craned my neck back and glared at my savior. “A little warning would’ve been nice.”
“You’re lucky I didn’t let you fall flat on your face.”
“Well, if it isn’t our mischievous little pumpkin.” Hayden threw me a grin from across the small room. Dallas and Logan stood on either side of him, and Delacroix appeared from a shadowy recess. Seeing the four of them together was so weird.
Now that my eyes had adjusted to the lighting, they landed on the dozens of black-uniformed narkin bodies strewn across the stone floor.
“You don’t think Thax is going to notice half of his guards are missing?”
“Most definitely,” said Dallas.
“Which is why I’m certain he knew we were coming,” Delacroix added. “Remy is no fool, and he’s a wizard with that oracle.”
The milky white orbs of Thax’s resident seer flashed across my mind, and a chill scurried up my spine. “Didn’t we plan for this?”
“We waited until the very last moment to make the decision to move,” said Logan. “We were hoping to evade him, but he must have been watching us closely.”
I glanced around the dim chamber, somber expressions carved into each of the males’ faces. “So now what? We’re just going to sit here?”
“Not exactly.” Logan shot me a scathing glare, one that provoked hazy images of my father. “We were merely hiding the bodies, but then a certain stubborn demon showed up and we had to halt our advance.”
Oops. “Well, I’m here now so let’s get this party started.”
Talon grunted, eyeing Logan. Our warden threw his hands up and shook his head. “I guess we’ll have to take her with us.”
“Enough stalling,” Delacroix growled. “The longer we wait, the more time we’re giving Thax to amass his troops against us.”
“I hate to say it, but the demon’s right.” Dallas puckered his lips and moved to the door. “Let’s stick with the original plan and move out.”
Logan reached for me, his hand settling on my shoulder and he steered me toward the exit.
“Azara’s with me.” Talon’s hand wrapped around my bicep and tugged me away from a surprised gargoyle.
Logan’s eyes narrowed as they zoomed in on his possessive grip. “You’re sure?”
His head dipped. “Blood oath is still in effect, despite everything.”
“You don’t have to—”
Talon cut him off. “Yes, I do.”
Our warden slowly nodded. “Fine.” He turned toward the guys and motioned at Dallas and Hayden. “Let’s go.”
That left me with a surly dragon and a demon mob boss I didn’t trust. Great. My inner demon rose to the surface, side-eyeing her competition. Delacroix was no warlord, but he was still daunting.
Talon’s hand locked on mine, and he towed me into the hall with the hellus demon fast on my heels.
“Where would Thax be if he wanted the best vantage point in the castle?” Delacroix’s very strategic question surprised me. I’d expected him to be all about brawn, not brains.
I paused to consider for a moment. “The atrium. There’s a hidden room right off the corner with a high-tech camera system.” The words burst from my lips without thinking. Apparently, my memories of this castle were breaking free.
Talon scoffed. “I never pictured the dark lord to be a techie.”
“He likes to combine the best of both worlds—magic and technology. He makes Remy hang out in there to test his visions. He runs the playback, pauses it and asks him to guess what happens next. The old seer is crazy accurate.” I gulped right after I said the words. I never believed the prophecy, but after the past few weeks, I felt the truth in my bones. I would kill Thax, but first I’d dethrone the bastard and make him suffer.
“To the atrium, then.” Delacroix snatched the map from Talon’s hand and took the lead.
My dragon bodyguard snarled, and a low rumble vibrated his chest as he followed close behind. We ascended the main staircase to the second floor and crossed the rotunda that led to the atrium. The platform jutted over the two levels below, allowing a bird’s eye view of the central portion of the castle.