Page 101 of Gothikana

She knew exactly what was in that direction.

Running out from the room, she went down the tower and sprinted to the people gathered for the search, stopping breathlessly as Kaylin spoke about going in groups of three.

‘The ruins,’ Corvina panted. ‘There’s smoke coming from the ruins. I saw it from the window.’

‘What ruins?’ someone asked.

‘Slayers’ Ruins,’ Vad spoke, already jogging into the woods. ‘Rest of you, search the grounds. I’ll be back in ten minutes.’

Corvina ran after him, aware of Ajax on her tail.

They ran down the incline for a few minutes, and soon the familiar crumbling wall came into view, the ruins she had been in just hours ago puking smoke into the air.

She saw Vad stop at the beginning of the wall, extending his arm out to stop her. She collided into his arm with the momentum, and stopped, watching the scene before her in horror.

The piano she had been sitting on just hours ago, having one of the most beautiful moments of her life, the piano Vad had spent days repairing, was up in flames, completely destroyed as the fire ate it alive. Nothing else in the ruins was touched except thepiano.

‘This is personal, Deverell.’ Ajax looked at the grim scene with his keen eye. ‘And the fire makes me wonder if it’s not connected to the burned female we found.’

Vad stood still, just watching the fire take up the instrument he loved. Corvina slid her hand into his in silent support, not understanding why anyone would burn this in the ruins, not unless they had something against Vad or his grandfather.

A scream from somewhere in the woods broke them all from their silent consideration, spurring them into action. All of it seemed to be happening so fast, a night that had been beautiful suddenly spiralling into one of horror with each passing minute.

‘Where did it come from?’ Corvina ran toward the sound, her heart pounding both with the pace and with the anxiety.

They stopped at a point in the woods, looking all around before Ajax groaned in frustration. ‘Let’s split up. We’ll cover more ground that way.’

‘I’m not leaving her,’ Vad declared clearly, and Corvina appreciated that. She didn’t want to be left alone. But there was one of the girls, hopefully both of the girls, somewhere in the woods, and they could find them better if they did split up. Ajax was right.

She touched Vad’s shoulder.

‘He’s right. Go check the tunnels,’ she suggested. ‘You’re the only one who knows them. I can check around the lake. Ajax can go see the shack.’

Vad looked around, frustrated,reluctant.

Ajax nodded, already taking off in a hurry. ‘Just yell if anything goes wrong.’

Vad turned to her, giving her a hard kiss. ‘I don’t care if a bat frightens you. You fucking scream, got me?’

‘I will,’ she promised. ‘Be careful.’

He nodded, gave her another kiss, and ran in the other direction.

Corvina jogged down to the lake, the woods flying by at her pace, and emerged into the clearing by the bridge. Under the pale moonlight, the water shimmered, a reflection of the moon bright on its surface.

Corvina ran up the bridge, breathing hard, and turned in a circle, looking to see anything untoward. All she saw was a lake placid and dark, and woods eerie and silent. Too silent — even the nocturnal creatures weren’t making sounds at the moment.

Corvina shook off a shiver and stilled herself, trying to see anything.

Something light drifted on the surface of the dark water, shimmering just like in her dream. Corvina gripped the edge of the railing, identifying Roy’s hair in the water.

‘Vad!’ she screamed as loudly as she could. ‘Ajax! Down here!’

‘Corvina?’ She heard Ajax’s shout from far away, possibly from the shack.

‘By the lake!’ she shouted back, her heart sinking as she saw Roy begin to drift down.

Corvina looked down at the water, the dark, reflective water. She wasn’t the best of swimmers, but she just had to go in long enough to keep Roy afloat while Ajax got there.

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