Page 77 of Dark's Savior

"I'm certain," Ryziel said. He would have no more use of it. Once he and his brother were reunited, he would have plenty of other ships at his disposal.

"And the humans—I assume they will come with me until I can set them on a path toward their own home?"

"All except Aly, yes."

Xilya paused in dumping her container to look at him. "She will return to Nihl with you?"

Ryziel didn't slow as he emptied his own. "Yes."

Xilya didn't say anything at first, but Ryziel could practically hear her thoughts. "What is it?" he said.

"As happy as I am to see you two finally getting along, I can't help wondering if that is such a good idea."

Ryziel forced himself not to rub at his temples or his receptors. "Why?"

"Because of your people's laws about non-nillium subjects."

"What about it?"

Xilya shrugged, as if it were some casual remark. "She wouldn't have the same privileges as the others, would she? And she isn't a silion either, which means..."

Ryziel glanced at her, with a frown. "She would be under my care and protection. I would have my brother pardon her."

"The same brother who practically lives by nillium law?"

Ryziel said nothing. It didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was that they got off Lethe Maws. That he got to Nihl and challenged his uncle. What happened after was of little consequence, he was certain. His brother loved him as he loved his brother, and he would give him this one thing because Korzien would see how much Aly meant to Ryziel and allow her to be his chosen mate as he so wished it.

"And what about Aly?" Xilya said, as if hearing his thoughts. "What if she does not wish to return to Nihl with you? What if she wants to go home?"

Ryziel hadn't even considered that. He realized this was a fault on his part, but it had seemed so obvious to him, that there was no possibility of her not returning with him.

"I will ask her, then, if it will make you feel better," Ryziel said. "When she and I are back in the Keep."

Xilya's eyes narrowed at him. "Why in hell are you returning there this time?"

Ryziel actually smiled at her. "A surprise."

Chapter Twenty-seven

"So, where, exactly, are we going?" Aly's hand tightened around Ryziel's, not out of fear (she was used to the dark now) but with excitement. Though the water splashing at her feet did worry her a tad. The waters were beginning to rise, just as Ryziel had mentioned before and per Xilya's warnings. The rush of water could be heard dully through the rock walls, droplets falling in splats on her head. But Ryziel didn't seem concerned at all as he led her down a flight of stairs toward the Keep.

"You'll see soon enough," was his only answer, but she could see by the glint in his eyes that whatever it was he had them doing wasn't just the usual mineral run.

They came down to the landing of the stairs then through a tunnelway till they passed a shorter, narrower bridge with fast running water beneath them, and Aly had the suspicion that they were entering some secret side entrance to the Keep, one yet seen. They slipped through a narrow open doorway and took several turns through obvious corridors till they hit a set of wide stairs leading down. This time, Ryziel slowed but didn't hesitate to go down them. "We won't have a lot of time," he said. "Till the waters consume this place. But I think we can make it."

Aly didn't respond, only followed, trusting his guidance. Even when they came to the end of the stair and the water hit her ankles, she didn't pause, thankful she couldn't feel the icy cold through her suit.

At the end of the stair was a wide double door with a long gash slashed across one side and down the other. Aly's heart fluttered at the sight of it as Ryziel approached. With his weight, he pushed on one side and, with a loud crack and a groan, the door opened. They waded inside, into a long, wide-open chamber with nothing but water on the ground reflecting the muirlemp above and what looked like a tree at the center. A metal tree with glowing buds sprouting from its ends. Ryziel ignored the tree and pulled Aly around it, the tree brightening considerably as they passed, until they splashed their way over to the other end of the room and the tree returned to a dim glow. He stopped at the next door and placed his hand on its surface.

"This door is locked pretty tight. I need you to keep watch for me as I break it." He released her hand and started to examine the door for weak points. Aly did as he asked and watched behind him, though she knew he could easily sense anything without her. She decided to indulge him anyway by keeping her eyes peeled for any movement.

Beside the occasional ripple in the water, which was probably only a worm, there was no sign of a threat. Behind her, she heard Ryziel work at the door with loud thuds and scrapes until there was another loud crack followed by an eerie creak as the door fell open. Aly twisted around, but Ryziel halted her from following.

"I'll go in first and make sure it's safe. Wait here."

"What if it is trapped?" she said softly, not sure why she was whispering.

Ryziel looked back at her with a sly grin. "That's what I'm going to find out."

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