Page 69 of The Storm of the Empire

“Why else would we be here?” I felt like there was merit to what I was saying. What other purpose would this place serve? It was nearly impossible to get to.

“They could be anywhere,” he said as if he’d lost faith in finding them.

“But we will never know if we don’t take a look.” I took a sharp turn into a tunnel off the walkway.

“Hey, where are you going?” Luka hissed.

“To look around.”

“You can’t just go poking around here. If we get caught, we won’t just have to answer to Captain Veles. This is dangerous Hazel.”

“Shh! Just a quick look,” I said as I hurried down the tunnel. I could not hear any signs of life in the tunnel, so I felt safe to explore a little.

Luka kept up with me, huffing his objections.

The tunnel took a turn into the mountain, but it was sporadically lit with magic orbs so I kept going until we reached a stone staircase that led to a door. I listened but heard nothing except the roar of the sea echoing through the tunnel system.

We tiptoed down the steps, and together, we opened the heavy door just a crack.

A glow spilled from the space beyond, and a low drone could be heard. We waited, but no one came, so we opened the door a little more.

When we peeped into the space, we found ourselves on a balcony high above a great cavern, and down below was a sight that made me cold.

TWENTY-TWO

LUKA

Igrabbed her around the middle and dragged her back as she reached for her dagger. We stumbled back, both too far gone with drink to pick a battle with that many…things. Whatever those things were. This wasn’t the time to be messing with them. I’d seen them in action, and we’d be destroyed. I couldn’t let any harm come to Hazel. I’d never let anything happen to her.

I swore it to myself then and there. No harm would come to her as long as I could prevent it.

She stopped fighting me, turning on me as I pulled her back through the door, closing it quietly.

“You saw what I saw. What are you doing?” she hissed under her breath. “We need to do something!”

“While you’re half drunk? What are you going to do against a hundred or more of—” I couldn’t bring myself to say undead. I’d seen those things when I’d been in the Sea Kingdom, and they’d raised the hairs on the back of my neck then. They couldn’t be here. My brain didn’t want to believe it.

“I could take out that many with my eyes closed. They are dead. I am part of the Archeiai. A thousand undead could not kill me.” Her face was in my face, practically spitting the vitriol she felt. I had to talk sense into her.

“I don’t doubt that. I’ve seen you fight. But for what? To be killed? To have this entire base turn against you?”

“So? I could end them all.” Her confidence was misplaced. Even in dragon form, there was just no way of knowing what these things were capable of. And the Dragon’s Bane stores they used could be here, too. I had to get her out.

“And then what? Do you want to die here in silence? What good would that sacrifice do?” That seemed to sober her.

“What would you have me do?” She searched my face, tears welling in her eyes.

The flip caught me off guard. “Keep yourself alive. We can’t do anything dead.” I urged her back up the stairs, and we started back down the long tunnel to the outside.

“If this is just to save your own skin,” she said, fisting a hand in my tunic as we spilled back out to the small dock area.

I grabbed her wrist. “I can’t believe you still don’t trust me. I’ve put my life and reputation at risk for this. To bring you with me. To track down dragon eggs—and I’m not even a dragon.” I didn’t know where I was going or even what this would prove to her.

Her hold on me twisted, and she plunged us into an ancient alcove in the rock. I opened my mouth to object and then she kissed me, making my brain short circuit.

How did we go from practically yelling at each other to kissing? My lips moved with hers, parting to taste the spirit on her tongue. I slid my hand around the back of her neck, pressing her into the stone, then voices reached my ears, and I understood what this was.

As soon as they passed, we broke apart.

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