Page 48 of Sunken Empire

Gathering armor and weapons gives me a weird sense of déjà vu. This is the exact thing we were doing all those years ago right before the kingdoms were cursed. After all this time, I wouldn’t dream of declaring war on our neighboring kingdoms. I’m actually looking forward to us all coming back from the brink of extinction and working together to rebuild our lands. This time is different. I’m not donning my armor for war. It’s for my brother and the sake of my mate’s sanity. Two of the people in this realm I’d do anything for.

“Ready to say goodbye to Rubi?” Zale asks, slapping a hand on my shoulder. He tries to hide his frightened secret beneath the chipper tone of voice, but I’ve known my brother too long to not see straight through it. But I won’t call him out on it because, Poseidon knows, we’re all dripping with fear. Aukai most of all.

I’ve been hesitant to accept him into our folds since he was born to be our enemy. However, if we’re able to pull this off and save Zephyr, I’ll let go of those prejudices entirely. If he’s tricked us all and is trying to lure us to death, I’m going to be sure to take him with me. The entire plan could easily be a farce were it not for that terror that’s present within his eyes and the shake of his hands.

Watching the last of our guards latch his armor plate across his chest, I give Zale a curt nod. Leaving half of our people here with Rubi and Zephyr puts us at a severe disadvantage considering we don’t know what we’re going to be up against. Nevertheless, if this is an ambush, they’re not left here defenseless. We’ve just got to hope that the loss of her mates won’t drive Rubi mad.

Stepping into the room and seeing her cleaning Zephyr’s wounds is enough to drop a grown mer to his knees, knowing this may be the last time I ever see her. She hands off the supplies to Merrick who takes her place instantly. The swish of her royal dress is enough to pull my attention to those beautiful curves. For a second, I wish I had more time to show her how much she means to us. She deserves much more than the trouble we’ve thrown her into since stepping foot inside this realm. My thoughts are much like a rolling thunder inside my mind as I watch her embrace Zale.

He whispers reassurances to her around kisses and soft touches before pushing her my way. She slips right into my waiting arms and goes up on her toes to kiss my chin before murmuring, “Bring my mates and yourself back to me in one piece, please. When this is all over, my first action as ruler will be to declare a day to ourselves. Maybe a week.”

I can’t fight the smile that springs forward and am rewarded with one from her that sets those indigo eyes alight.

“That’s if I don’t beat you to it,” I promise.

She gifts me with a lingering kiss that washes away all doubt of our mission. I’ll shift the tides to come back to her. Begrudgingly I hand her off to Aukai. Their moment is brief but with no less emotion than she showed us. When they’re finished, the only thing stopping me from staying right here with her is the sight of my brother lying in the bed behind her.

Taking point with Caelan, I turn from them, and without looking back, I lead us to what I’m hoping won’t be our doom.

We’d already discussed where to set up the portal. Seeing as the throne room is the most easily defensible if things get out of hand, that’s where we head now. A few guards will hang back and watch this side to make sure nothing comes through that shouldn’t. Aukai had nixed the idea of closing then reopening it, saying that he wasn’t sure he’d have the strength to do both. The entire thing feels like a setup, but we can’t risk our brother’s life if he’s actually telling the truth.

Stopping in the middle of the room, I listen to Caelan bark orders to those staying behind. As he goes quiet, Aukai asks, “Ready?”

I nod, and, in the silence, we can all clearly hear his sharp intake of breath. Hands moving slowly to lift in front of him, he begins a low murmured chant. It will be a million years before I admit it, but I’ve always been afraid of portal magic. There’s always that small chance every time you go through, you could get stuck in the between. Give me foes with weapons and magic any day over a gray matter you can’t fight your way out of.

“It’s done,” Aukai announces. “Remember, it’s going to be dark. Keep your weapons close and don’t lose sight of the person in front of you. Nothing but bad things hide in the darkness there.”

Showing what could be a sign of stupidity or courage, he steps through. Our people can’t be asked to save one of their rulers without one of us also taking the risk ourselves, so I step through next almost shoulder brushing Caelan. Easton, who’s under direction to guard Zale, is right on our heels with my brother.

An inky sensation washes over my skin, making my stomach turn sour before the portal releases us into the blackest of nights. I can sense Aukai in front of me and the others at my back, but I can’t see them. He’d said the portal wouldn’t let in any light down here and that he’d be the only one able to find our way back by tracking his magic back to this spot. Semi-guiltily I’d considered that small fact was done on purpose so we couldn’t leave him here.

Aukai lights a small flame lantern, and I almost wish he hadn’t. The darkness would’ve been better than what we’re greeted with. Cages upon cages of creatures line the walls. A snarling orc leaps toward his bars closest to us, reaching for our party without avail.

“Don’t make eye contact with them,” Aukai warns. “It makes them go crazy. Let’s go.”

I follow quickly but have trouble turning from the cages, for there are so many souls trapped here. Beside the orc is a half-man, half-horse creature that doesn’t bother stirring from his spot in the corner. All of the hair on his flank seems to have fallen out, and the skin is marred with what appears to be infected whip marks. His neighbor is a too-skinny cat of sorts who paces the front length of his cage. Saliva drips from his maw as though he can’t wait to sink his giant teeth into us.

On and on the cages go the further we walk. There are no gaps, and none of them are empty. A voice slips through the bars of one of them as we’re beside it, and the sound forces my feet to shift in that direction. I’m almost within touching distance when a heavy hand lands on my shoulder.

“Don’t listen,” Aukai warns. “It’s a siren.”

As though his words dump a cold pitcher of ice water on my head, I can finally see through the haze. A hollow creature has his arms outstretched toward me, waiting until I’m close enough to grab. Taking two steps back, I cover my ears when it screams in disappointment. If my head wasn’t twisted to the side, I never would’ve seen one of our mer walk straight into the waiting arms of a fanged vampire, their eyes locked as though they’re the only two down here.

“Stop him,” I growl, jumping their direction, but it’s too late. The vampire rips clean through his throat, spraying blood everywhere. Desperation reeks from the vampire’s cage as the body slips to the ground. Wet slurps fill the air as he drinks the blood from the floor before yanking the mer’s body to the bars.

Knowing there’s nothing that can be done for him now, I force out, “Keep moving and stay together. Hold hands if you have to.”

We make it all the way to the end of a corridor without another incident. What greets us makes up for the lost trouble times ten. A dragon the size of the Keep sleeps next to a hollow hole that seems to go on forever. Dragons haven’t gone down in the books as the gentlest of creatures. Especially when someone is encroaching on their hoarding dens.

Mocking Aukai’s quiet steps, we work around the sleeping giant. The dark green scales look dry, like it’s trying to shed. Wings fold underneath arms that lead down into sharp claws longer than my entire arm and webbed feet. Wherever this dragon is supposed to be, it’s not in a dank cave. He was made for the water.

“Well, if it isn’t the oath breaking mermaid himself,” a voice quips out, making the dragon stir but not awaken.

Aukai holds up his hands in front of him. “I’m no oath breaker, Dain. I’m here, aren’t I?”

Chains rattle, stirring the dragon again before a malnourished fae steps close enough to Aukai’s light to see.

“Only took you a hundred years,” he counters.

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