Part 15 (2/2)
”Move it!” a voice behind me shouts, giving me a shove.
”It'd be a lot easier if I could see,” I snap. ”What's the point in blindfolding me, really? Afraid I'm gonna tell people where your super cool secret hideout is? As if anyone cares! And it's not like the h.e.l.lhounds can't see where we're going. Whoever said you guys were the dumbest demons around gave you way too much credit-” The blow of a giant hand cracks across my cheek again.
”Shut that mouth or I'll shut it for you. Permanently,” a voice growls.
”Stop here,” says another.
The blindfold is finally removed, and as my eyes adjust I see we're in a darkened dungeon. The walls are made of ancient grey stone, as is the floor, partially hidden beneath stray batches of yellow straw. The air is stale with the pungent stench of rotten eggs. The low ceiling gives me an instant feeling of claustrophobia. Overall, the place has all the charm of a medieval torture chamber.
”Mind putting my blindfold back on?” I ask, disgusted by the filth.
Suddenly I gasp and stagger back, my horrified eyes locked on the body hanging slack and motionless in midair, as if suspended by invisible ropes.
”Kieron!” I scream.
I start toward him, but before I've taken three steps, the zap of an invisible electrical force sends me flying back across the room in excruciating pain. I skid across the straw-covered floor on my b.u.t.t, stopping only when my back slams up against a cold, concrete wall. A rat scurries past, and I stagger to my feet. Kieron hasn't flinched.
I close my eyes to shut out the mocking laughter. I was wrong. I wasn't supposed to come here.
And now I will die here.
Chapter 16. Lucky.
”Lower the s.h.i.+eld,” the woman commands.
A short, old man with pinched features waves his hands in small circles and mutters some words under his breath. Must be their demon-witch, I think to myself. What Tatiana would be, had she traded the use of her magical powers with demons in exchange for immortality.
Xandria turns to me with a wicked smile. ”No demon alive can escape from this prison. Not even your pretty lover boy here, and don't think he didn't try.” She glances at Kieron. ”Poor thing must've worn himself out again. That's okay, he needs his sleep. It's no fun playing with my toys when they're broken.” She turns to the others. ”Put those two in that cage,” she says, pointing to Alik and Khalil, ”and these two in the far back.” She points to Bones and me.
The guard nods. ”As you wish.” I'm confused. I don't see any sort of cage anywhere, just a series of smaller chambers inside the cavernous room.
The guard pushes me forward, and as I pa.s.s by Kieron I can't help but stare. I've waited for so long to see his face. But his head is tilted down, and I only see top of his black hair. Xandria said he was sleeping, but I've never seen anyone be so still who was just sleeping. He looks like a statue hanging in suspended animation.
”Kieron! Kieron, can you hear me? Wake up, Kieron!” I yell before the guard clocks me again. This time my mouth fills with blood. I turn and spit it in his face. He just laughs and runs his forked tongue over his lips.
”You taste delicious,” he says with a salacious smile. ”I think I'm going to nibble on your legs for dinner.”
”Try it and I'll have your heart for breakfast,” I snap back.
Bones and I are pushed to the farthest corner of the room. Fortunately, I can still see Kieron from where we are. ”Don't make yourselves too comfortable. I have a feeling you won't be staying with us very long.” The guard's eyes flash and he snakes his forked tongue at me like a whip, cracking the air and slicing my cheek. He retracts it and smacks his gums. ”Delicious,” he repeats.
I place my hand over the stinging wound and fight back tears of rage. I've really done it this time. This is far worse than I imagined, even in my worst case scenario...Aria dead, betrayed by Gyan, ridiculously outnumbered and walking right into a trap like the biggest, most gullible, incompetent idiot who's ever lived...
That's exactly it. I'm too stupid to live. I made the fatal mistake of trusting a demon for Satan's sake. Sure, Gyan, come along! The more the merrier. No big deal! And now, because of my colossal stupidity, not only can I not rescue Kieron, I've probably signed the death warrants of Bones, Alik, and Khalil as well. After this fiasco, it'll no doubt be for the best if the Hlbafa just do away with me. They'd be doing me and the world a huge favor.
Bones sits on his haunches at my feet, and I absently stroke the back of his neck. Even sitting, his head is still taller than mine. ”Not phasing out, huh? Can't say as I blame you. I'm sure I'm the last person you want to talk with right now. Sorry you have to be locked up with me-”
Bones pushes his cold nose up against my hand, which is still covering my sliced-open cheek. He makes a low whimpering noise and nudges my arm until I move it. Then he starts licking the side of my face, and with every stroke of his wide, moist tongue, the acidic burning eases until it's gone.
”Thanks,” I whisper, wiping away a stray tear. I turn my head to hide my shame from Bones. Now is not the time to turn into an emotional, blubbering mess. Now is the time to think. Figure a way outta here.
”I'm not mad at you,” Bones' gentle voice cuts in. ”This isn't your fault. None of us suspected Gyan was dirty.”
I glance up into his toffee eyes, relieved at the kindness I see in them. ”Why didn't Aria pick up on it?” I wonder, taking a few steps around to feel out the boundaries of our invisible cage.
”I guess she just wasn't looking in his direction. He seemed like one of us, so why would she question it? And he probably knew to control his thoughts around her anyway...”
”That's impossible, controlling one's thoughts,” I say, more to myself than to him, as I recall my eternal struggles with my own mind.
”Not for pure demons it isn't. It can become a bit taxing after a while. But it can be done.”
I move forward tentatively with my arms outstretched, and when the stabbing jolt of electricity sends me flying back into Bones' arms, I know I've gone too far.
”You okay?” he whispers. I nod and shake it off, smoothing down my frizzed-out hair.
I glance over my shoulder at him as I resume pacing, slowly and carefully. One step too far and I'm toast. The first sensation of painful shocks is just a warning to let me know where the barriers lie.
We're trapped.
”Think I can blast us outta here?” I ask Bones. He sits against the grey slab of stone and fidgets with a piece of straw, his arm resting on a raised knee. He shakes his head. ”What about using these?” I hold up the bag of veneficus calx.
Bones shakes his head again, his wide eyes wary. ”Don't even think about it. They might not be able to penetrate the magic of the force field, and if they just bounce off it and land in here with us...”
”Well, we've got to do something! We can't just sit here waiting to die! Or worse...”
”Lucky, relax.”
”Are you crazy? How can I relax? We're trapped and probably going to die here. Doesn't that bother you?”
Bones shrugs. ”If that's what's meant to happen, then so be it. But I don't think our story is coming to an end just yet, my pet. I think you and I are going to be getting into trouble together for a long time to come.”
”What makes you so sure?” I ask, only slightly mollified by his optimism.
Bones runs his tongue over his lips and lowers his voice. ”Because whatever they do, at some point they are going to have to lower the s.h.i.+eld. When they do, we can grab Kieron and get out of here.”
”But what makes you think we can-”
Bones leans closer. ”Look, I'm still in communication with Alik and Khalil. So in case you thought we were alone in this, think again-”
Bones stops abruptly at the sound of footsteps. The guard pauses in front of Kieron's cage and stares at him for a moment, then makes his way to stand in front of Bones and me.
”I don't think your little friend in there wants to ever wake up,” he says with a derisive sneer. ”Oh well. We had plenty of fun with him already. Now it's your turn.” With a sickening cackle he lets his tongue fly across the cage like a la.s.so, slicing my arms and face with burning acid. I scream out in agony, but am unable to stop the whipping that seems to come at me from every angle all at once. Bones jumps in front of me, but time and time again, the tongue snakes around him, shredding my flesh to ribbons.
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