She nodded, though shadows still gleamed in her eyes. “It is. But you must be worthy.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes.” I looked at Tarron. “I have to heal him.”
Tarron frowned. “It’s more important that we defeat your mother.”
“I know you’re worried about your people. But we can do both.” I looked at Perisea. “Right? He can be cured? If there’s any place that could happen, it is here.”
My heart raced, desperation fueling it.
“It is.” She searched my face, her gaze intense. “You’re willing to take the risk? To try to prove yourself worthy?”
“I am.”
Her gaze flicked between my three companions. “It will be risky for you as well.”
“I accept that,” Aeri said.
Tarron and Declan repeated the sentiment.
“Well then.” Perisea stood and swept out her arms.
Magic sparked in the air. Anticipation surged through me.
I was dragged into the ether, away from my friends.
A moment later, I appeared on a windswept hillside. The grass under my feet was bright green, and the black, gaping maw of a slate cave rose up in front of me.
I spun in a circle, facing the sky at the edge of the cliff. “Tarron? Aeri?”
They were nowhere to be found. Instead, there was only the sound of whipping wind and the crashing waves, which slammed into the pebble beach about two hundred yards below.
From behind, the cave called to me.
Perisea wasted no time, it seemed.
Skin prickling, I turned.
I could see nothing within—just a faint bit of light that illuminated the black walls.
You must prove yourself worthy.
Perisea’s words echoed in my head. Yep—the challenge was definitely in there. The creepy darkness that led deep into the mountain had Dragon Blood written all over it.
I can do this.
Shivering, I drew in a deep breath and stepped into the cave. Immediately, the air warmed. I inhaled deeply, letting it fill my lungs.
The warmth wasn’t comforting so much as threatening—as if it came from fire. The light that illuminated the space was faintly orange, as well.
I forged ahead, shoving aside any fear. If there was fire in here, I’d deal with it. I’d deal with anything to fix what was broken.
The tunnels sloped sharply downward, studded with shards of black slate. Smaller tunnels jutted off of it, but I ignored them. I picked up the pace, jogging downward. The tunnel grew wider as I ran, and small chambers opened up on either side.
Flashes of gold caught my eye, and I peered in as I ran by.
Whoa.
Huge piles of gold sat inside each one—coins, jewelry, goblets, weapons. It had to be millions’ worth. I could just imagine the dragons crouching over their horde, spending long nights amongst these piles of treasure.
I’d never been much for gold—not like the FireSouls were. They shared a soul with a dragon, and something about that made them particularly covetous, like their dragon counterparts.
My blood didn’t do that to me—normally.
But right now…
My fingers itched.
What I wouldn’t give to go roll around on one of those piles. Maybe drag a few bags home with me.
I shook my head, focusing on the tunnel around me. The darkness called from within. Deeper and deeper I ran—and harder and harder the gold pulled.
It felt like a rope wrapped around my middle, yanking me back.
“The gold will solve your problems.” Perisea’s voice echoed in the cavern, disembodied and strange.
“It won’t!” I shouted. But I felt it. Perisea was right. This gold was magic.
I faltered, nearly turning into one of the caverns to my left. The glimmering pile drew my eye, and I swore I could see the magic sparkling around it. With a gasp, I forced myself away from it, continuing to run down into the mountain.
It was as if I could feel Tarron and Aeri down there. Their signatures drew me, and I needed to find them.
“It will save them all,” Perisea said. “All the Fae.”
All?
I swallowed hard.
That was the only thing I really wanted. To save Tarron and all the Fae.
Torn, I turned back to the gold.
Burn appeared at my side, pressing his thorny body against my leg.
I shook my head, jerked out of my obsession. I looked down at the Thorn Wolf. His fiery eyes blazed up at me.
“Thanks, buddy.” He gave me so much strength. So much clarity of mind. But… “I think you need to get out of here, pal. I’ve got to prove myself worthy.”
He woofed low.
“I know. But Perisea sent me here alone. I think I have to finish the drill on my own, too.”
Understanding seemed to flash in his eyes—or maybe it was my imagination. But he disappeared.
Without Burn at my side, the gold began to pull at me again.
I shook my head and kept running, nearly going to my knees with the force of my desire for it. Not just because it was shiny and pretty—I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t like shiny, pretty things—but because it felt like it would solve all my problems. Perisea was feeding some kind of magic into it—she had to be.
There was no way gold would solve my problems—even magical gold. There was no magic that it could perform to get me out of this mess.
It would be up to me. Only me.
The pull of the gold loosened, as if my realization had freed me.
I powered onward, jogging though the tunnels, ignoring the chambers full of treasure.
Then I heard it.
Screams. Shouts.
Tarron and Aeri.
Shit.
They were in danger.
9
As I ran through the dragon tunnels deep beneath the slate mountain, Tarron’s and Aeri’s screams echoed up from the depths of the caves.
Was this where they had gone? Had Perisea swept them up and taken them somewhere down here?
It was really them, not some figment of my imagination. I could feel it, as if they were close enough to see.
I sprinted forward, determined to reach them.
Prove yourself worthy.
My breath heaved in my lungs as I raced toward them. They needed me.
More loose slate appeared in my path, threatening to trip me up. The ceiling was low, but I called on my wings anyway, flying along the ground. When the slate on the walls began to move, my heart jumped into my throat.
The stones along the side of the tunnel shifted, forming monstrous shapes. Creatures with multiple legs crawled toward me, like giant spiders made of rock. Eyes of flame burned within their heads, and they hissed loudly.
One lunged for me, and I flew upward, darting away as quickly as I could. The creature reached up with one long leg and swiped for me. I dodged.
As I drew my blade from the ether, a second creature leapt for me. It reached out, smashing one of its stone legs into my hip.
Pain flared as I tumbled, barely managing to keep myself airborne.
In the distance, my sister and Tarron screamed.
My heart thundered, fear chilling me.
The monsters converged on me from below, leaping up, determined to keep me from my family.
These bastards are going down.
As I drew my sword from the ether, I spotted a cluster of tiny monsters huddled against the wall.
My jaw slackened.
Babies?