Part 24 (2/2)

Its moans were pitiful. It bent over and wretched, spewing more black blood on the floor. It ate away at the wood, making a series of holes.

Sasha stayed where she was against a wall, fearing the animal was faking its death. Evan lunged, picked up the sword and jumped over the ogre to stand near Sasha. The beast slumped and panted lightly. It took a final shuddering breath and was still.

Simultaneously, a panel on the wall that was covered by the ogre when it was a statue slid open. Evan went over to investigate.

”There's a decent here,” he said. ”Can you make it?”

Evan looped Sasha's arm around his neck and hoisted her to her feet. She didn't feel like anything was broken just crunched, punched and bruised.

”I'll live,” she said.

She peered into the opening and saw a steep stone ramp disappear into darkness.

”Does it ever get easier?” she said exasperated.

”I can't hear anything,” Evan said. ”Did Deal say there were guards in the room?”

She shook her head. Deal didn't tell her much. She never would have been able to kill the ogre without Evan.

”I'll go first,” she said. ”I owe you for the ogre. I've got to get you home in one piece.”

”Stop worrying about me,” Evan said. ”I'm not the one with a death curse over my head.”

Evan climbed into the opening.

”See you at the bottom,” he said and pushed off as if it were a slide. While he disappeared into the dark, she could hear him descend. He whooped when he reached the bottom.

”Not bad,” he yelled. ”Not quite Six Flags, but it'll do.”

Sasha climbed into the opening and pushed off. The air was cool and she felt a rush as she flew downward into darkness. It was kind of creepy but happened too fast for her to get scared. The incline wasn't too steep and leveled out when it opened up into a room. Evan struck a match, the flame flared in the darkness. He lit an oil lamp on the wall and the room came into view albeit dimly.

The room wasn't that big, maybe as large as a bedroom. One wall was taken up with an elaborately carved wooden wall. There were hundreds of tiny drawers with small k.n.o.bs. Each drawer had a carving. Sasha guessed it was to indicate what was inside. Some had pictures, others letters. She searched for hers but was distracted by a noise. She couldn't see into all the dark corners of the room but thought she saw movement.

”Ev, there's something over there,” she said pointing to one of the corners. She picked up his sword and went to investigate. He didn't object and kept hunting for her box. The talisman was the priority.

As she got closer she saw black boots with small heels. They were vaguely familiar and out of place for Tysseland. She edged closer and saw thin legs clad in jeans tied together with rope at the ankles. What the h.e.l.l?

She followed the legs until she saw a T-s.h.i.+rt that said Don't Touch in silver sequins. There was only one person she knew in the world with that T-s.h.i.+rt.

”Cady,” she screamed as she dived into the darkness. She could barely see Cady's face. She wrapped her arms around her. Cady didn't reciprocate. Her wrists were bound and there was a gag across her mouth. Sasha tugged at the bindings, they didn't seem that tight. She started with the gag and it came away easily.

”You're alive,” she said undoing the knots around her wrists. ”I thought you were dead.”

Once her hands were free, Sasha worked on her ankles. Cady seemed stunned and didn't speak. She appeared thinner than when Sasha last saw her. She was pale and her hair was grimy. Otherwise she seemed in good shape. Sasha couldn't see any bruises or signs of abuse. How long had she been down here? What was she doing down here?

Cady swallowed a few times licking her lips. ”Do you have water?” she said in a raspy voice. Sasha shook her head. Cady rubbed her wrists where there were marks from the bindings.

”Cady,” Sasha said pulling her to her feet. ”What the h.e.l.l?”

Sasha grabbed her into a bear hug and they embraced. Sasha was so relieved that Cady was alright. She thought for sure Cady's friends.h.i.+p had gotten her killed. The fact that she was in Tysseland did seem to indicate the queen's henchmen kidnapped her making it Sasha's fault.

Cady put her hands on the sides of Sasha's cheeks.

”I am so glad you found me,” she purred. ”If you hadn't, I'm sure she would have killed me.”

Cady slipped her arms around Sasha's neck and hugged her tight. Sasha didn't have to ask who she was. Sasha felt a slight tug of hair at the nape of her neck. Cady's hands fell away and she stepped back.

Cady was holding the necklace, the pendant dangling from the black leather cord. Instinctively Sasha's hands went to her naked throat searching for the necklace. It was gone. Cady had taken it.

”What are you doing?” Sasha said reaching out. ”Give that to me.”

Cady leaped out of reach. ”I can't.”

She dropped the pendant and then crushed it beneath the heel of her shoe. The blue gla.s.s exploded into hundreds of shards like the shattering of Sasha's life.

”No,” Sasha screamed and dropped to her knees. ”What have you done?”

Cady moved toward a curtain covering on a wall. ”I did what I had to.”

Sasha picked up some of the gla.s.s and pieced it back together. There were some large pieces but others were slivers. It was ruined. Her spell protection was gone. She was going to die.

She looked at Cady tears blurring her vision. ”Why?”

Cady seemed unaffected by her agony. Sasha had never told her about the pendant or its importance.

”Look, it was nothing personal,” Cady said edging away. ”We can still be friends.”

Sasha couldn't believe what she was hearing. Friends? She's killed her.

”I'm going to die,” Sasha said. ”You talking the afterlife?”

”The queen kidnapped me Sasha and brought me to this place. I don't know what you're mixed up in but I want nothing to do with it. I did what she told me to do and now I'm done. I'm sorry it had to be this way.”

”Sorry? Sorry?” She felt her chest tighten. She coughed as it became difficult to breath. She wasn't sure if it was the curse working its magic or Cady's betrayal slowly killing her.

”Help me Cady,” she sobbed as she collapsed to the ground. ”Help me.”

Cady stared at her with pity but didn't move toward her. She walked to a curtain Sasha hadn't seen before and pulled it to the side. ”I love you Sash. I never wanted this to happen.”

And then she was gone. The curtain swished after her, rocking side to side.

Sasha lay on the cold stone floor her head spinning. She felt the life seep out of her and there was nothing she could do to stop it. This was the end. She felt a stab in her heart and knew the pain wasn't physical. She closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath. She just needed a second and then she pa.s.sed out.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.

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