Stopping in the middle of the room, I listen to Caelan bark orders to those staying behind. As he goes quiet, Aukai asks, “Ready?”
I nod, and, in the silence, we can all clearly hear his sharp intake of breath. Hands moving slowly to lift in front of him, he begins a low murmured chant. It will be a million years before I admit it, but I’ve always been afraid of portal magic. There’s always that small chance every time you go through, you could get stuck in the between. Give me foes with weapons and magic any day over a gray matter you can’t fight your way out of.
“It’s done,” Aukai announces. “Remember, it’s going to be dark. Keep your weapons close and don’t lose sight of the person in front of you. Nothing but bad things hide in the darkness there.”
Showing what could be a sign of stupidity or courage, he steps through. Our people can’t be asked to save one of their rulers without one of us also taking the risk ourselves, so I step through next almost shoulder brushing Caelan. Easton, who’s under direction to guard Zale, is right on our heels with my brother.
An inky sensation washes over my skin, making my stomach turn sour before the portal releases us into the blackest of nights. I can sense Aukai in front of me and the others at my back, but I can’t see them. He’d said the portal wouldn’t let in any light down here and that he’d be the only one able to find our way back by tracking his magic back to this spot. Semi-guiltily I’d considered that small fact was done on purpose so we couldn’t leave him here.
Aukai lights a small flame lantern, and I almost wish he hadn’t. The darkness would’ve been better than what we’re greeted with. Cages upon cages of creatures line the walls. A snarling orc leaps toward his bars closest to us, reaching for our party without avail.
“Don’t make eye contact with them,” Aukai warns. “It makes them go crazy. Let’s go.”
I follow quickly but have trouble turning from the cages, for there are so many souls trapped here. Beside the orc is a half-man, half-horse creature that doesn’t bother stirring from his spot in the corner. All of the hair on his flank seems to have fallen out, and the skin is marred with what appears to be infected whip marks. His neighbor is a too-skinny cat of sorts who paces the front length of his cage. Saliva drips from his maw as though he can’t wait to sink his giant teeth into us.
On and on the cages go the further we walk. There are no gaps, and none of them are empty. A voice slips through the bars of one of them as we’re beside it, and the sound forces my feet to shift in that direction. I’m almost within touching distance when a heavy hand lands on my shoulder.
“Don’t listen,” Aukai warns. “It’s a siren.”
As though his words dump a cold pitcher of ice water on my head, I can finally see through the haze. A hollow creature has his arms outstretched toward me, waiting until I’m close enough to grab. Taking two steps back, I cover my ears when it screams in disappointment. If my head wasn’t twisted to the side, I never would’ve seen one of our mer walk straight into the waiting arms of a fanged vampire, their eyes locked as though they’re the only two down here.
“Stop him,” I growl, jumping their direction, but it’s too late. The vampire rips clean through his throat, spraying blood everywhere. Desperation reeks from the vampire’s cage as the body slips to the ground. Wet slurps fill the air as he drinks the blood from the floor before yanking the mer’s body to the bars.
Knowing there’s nothing that can be done for him now, I force out, “Keep moving and stay together. Hold hands if you have to.”
We make it all the way to the end of a corridor without another incident. What greets us makes up for the lost trouble times ten. A dragon the size of the Keep sleeps next to a hollow hole that seems to go on forever. Dragons haven’t gone down in the books as the gentlest of creatures. Especially when someone is encroaching on their hoarding dens.
Mocking Aukai’s quiet steps, we work around the sleeping giant. The dark green scales look dry, like it’s trying to shed. Wings fold underneath arms that lead down into sharp claws longer than my entire arm and webbed feet. Wherever this dragon is supposed to be, it’s not in a dank cave. He was made for the water.
“Well, if it isn’t the oath breaking mermaid himself,” a voice quips out, making the dragon stir but not awaken.
Aukai holds up his hands in front of him. “I’m no oath breaker, Dain. I’m here, aren’t I?”
Chains rattle, stirring the dragon again before a malnourished fae steps close enough to Aukai’s light to see.
“Only took you a hundred years,” he counters.
“There’s much to discuss,” Aukai replies, “but I’m here to uphold my promise.”
The stunned expression on the fae’s face says it all, but then his lids drop low in warning as his lips curl back. “Is this a trick? Your father send you down here to see if I’d be stupid enough to attempt another escape?”
He spits on the ground at Aukai’s feet. “Leave, traitor, before I wake the dragon. You and I both know none of us want that.”
“It’s no trick,” Zale says, stepping around my shoulder.
If the fae’s eyes could’ve gotten any bigger, I’m sure they would’ve, but my brother doesn’t notice as he keeps going. “Our brother was bitten by one of the dark creatures. We need your help to save him.”
“I’m here to keep my oath and call in one of my favors,” Aukai adds.
“You brought them here?” the fae snarls, jerking against his restraints and rattling his chains again. “Do you know what you’ve done?”
A hot huff of air fills the cavern just as we all begin to realize the dragon is no longer sleeping. The entire floor threatens to crumble away as he begins to rise to his feet.
“Mother help us all,” the fae murmurs. “Get us out of these chains. We’ve got to get out of here before it’s too late.”
I’m tempted to tell him that we’ve already pushed that button as the dragon lets out a roar loud enough to have my head aching instantly.
Aukai jumps into motion, wrapping his hand around the anklet chaining the fae down. It releases with a click and drops to the floor with a rattle that echoes. Raising to his feet, he’s gone to turn when the fae sinks his fingernails into his arm.
“I’m not leaving him here,” he barks. “You want my help, then we take him too.”
Fear forces Aukai’s back rigid as he tells him, “We can’t. He may not even shift back.”
“Package deal, friend,” the fae quips.
Easton and Caelan have slowly inserted themselves between my brother and I and the threats in the room. I sense the few others we brought with us closing ranks as well. Intelligence is hidden in the deep pools of the dragon’s eyes, but whatever they’ve done to him down here makes that glass over real quick. He lets out another roar, giving us plenty of time to understand he’s done with the show. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’d rather not be dragon food today.
“Aukai,” I command, “open the chains.”
Without hesitation, he jumps to obey my order. The fae waves his arms at the dragon like a mad man to draw his attention there instead of his friend running straight towards its leg that looks big enough to crush him against the stone wall.