Page 4 of What Sleeps Within the Cove

“But your mate treats us as if we matter. As if we are equal. Perhaps with her in charge, the Lliadhe will finally know some peace within Alfheimr,” Monos said, her gaze going distant as she glanced toward the door of the dungeon and the guard I knew waited there. “She took a lashing meant for one of our own. She danced with us when most do not acknowledge we exist. She was kind when others only brought pain. Even if there was no chance of her victory, we would stand beside her. We would do anything for your mate for she sees us as her equals.”

I nodded, following her gaze to the dungeon door and wondering how many beyond it would feel the same. “So would I,” I echoed.

So would all of them.

TWO

ESTRELLA

Pain consumed my body, the dull thump of it striking the surface as I landed, snapping me out of unconsciousness. Coughing, I sputtered as I forced my aching form to turn over onto my stomach. The water I’d involuntarily breathed into my lungs gurgled, spewing up onto the stone beneath me.

I heaved, pushing to my hands and knees as my body revolted against me. Wiping the back of my arm against my mouth, I fought my way to my feet and froze as I glanced overhead.

The cove was above me, the waters crystal clear as the creature made of shadows writhed within it. The mouth snapped open and closed as it swam through the water. Light drifted into it from above, coming to the bottom of the cove in a filtered ray.

The shining blue of the cove was in direct contrast with the gray stone beneath my feet, with the distinct lack of all colors from the area surrounding me. The bodies of those sacrificed to the Tithe werescattered upon the stone around me, their clothing the only color to the area that felt devoid of all life.

The monochromatic stone led the way to two pillars that rested to each side of the bridge where I had landed. Daemons had been carved from stone, those horrifyingly massive figures perched precariously upon the top as they stared down at where we had landed. Their mouths were open to reveal razor-sharp teeth, their eyes glowing with red. The eeriness of those stares peering out of the darkness forced me to swallow as I looked between those pillars to the enormous gates waiting beyond them, and the three-headed dog who stood guard.

I knew him from the books I’d read, from the portraits in the forbidden texts the Resistance had managed to keep. Those drawings couldn’t begin to do him justice, his very presence filling the air. Cerberus was bigger than even a cave beast, each strand of his long black fur the same length as my hair as it covered the densely packed muscle on his body. Each of his three heads was nearly identical, pointed ears jutting toward the cove above. Flames danced along his spine, sparking inside one of his mouths as he opened wide and growled at me in warning.

I took an involuntary step back, wincing as one of his paws rose and came down upon the stone steps leading up to the gate where he waited. His claws and toes spread across half a dozen steps, the sound of those claws scraping over the stone making me shiver in disgust.

His growl vibrated through the stone, the force of it making my legs tremble beneath me. Still, I was painfully aware of the faint slithering sound behind me, of the familiarity in that noise. I spun, coming face-to-face with the milky eyes of a basilisk as it crested over the ledge of the bridge.

The serpent was enormous, its neck bent to allow it to meet my gaze as it slithered forward. Its eyes were white and clouded over, shocking against the deep gray of its scales. A forked tongue slid out from its mouth, navigating the narrow gap between jagged, needlelike teeth that spread across the sides of its jaw.

The tip of its tongue touched my cheek, brushing over the skin there gently as it tasted me. I gagged, swallowing my nausea at the scent of rotten meat and decay that came from the creature’s mouth.

I turned my head away from the scent, the smallest of motions so I didn’t aggravate the fanged creature staring back at me. Another slithered across the stone, its enormous body curving over the edgeof the bridge. I didn’t want to think about what lay below for such creatures to slither from the depths, and a shudder wracked my body.

I watched in horror as the basilisk wrapped its tail around the body of one of the sacrificed humans, dragging him over the edge of the bridge. They disappeared into the nothingness below at the same moment that a third and fourth basilisk crested the ledge. I turned from the one staring me down, sprinting toward Rheaghan’s unconscious body. The basilisk making its way toward him moved more slowly than I did, allowing me to reach him first and put myself between him and the coming danger.

Rheaghan’s only crime had been attempting to right the wrongs he committed in the interest of saving his only sister, and the urge to protect him even in death was overwhelming. The basilisk slithered to a halt in front of me, staring down at me through milky eyes just like the other one. Its neck twisted to the side, leaving me with the distinct impression of a human cocking their head to the side in confusion.

“I won’t let you take him,” I said, raising my chin. The creature’s eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed, its head lowering toward me in challenge.

It struck, its tail twisting around my body to reach for Rheaghan’s legs. I turned, reaching for the too-large sword that was strapped to my waist. The steel handle was cool in my hand as I pulled it free, diving forward to drive it into the beast’s tail.

My momentum stopped short as something slithered around my waist, pulling me back away from the attacking basilisk and Rheaghan’s body as it wrapped him into its grasp. I screamed, my voice echoing off the muffling waters above and forcing the stone to vibrate with the force of my fury.

I shoved at the basilisk’s tail wrapped around me, slicing through its flesh the best I could with the long blade at such a close proximity. Its body slithered around mine, wrapping me in a tighter grip as the tip of its tail grasped my forearm and squeezed.

“He doesss not belong to youuu, Little Sssserpent,” the snake’s voice said, the words forming in my mind as the sword fell from my hand. It clattered to the stone as I wrestled with the idea of the creature who had spoken to me, communicating as if there was a bond between us.

He spun me in his grip, turning me to face him once again. I felt certain that the voice in my mind had been male, that I’d heard it as clearly as if he’d spoken the words aloud. But I also knew he hadn’t,that the distinct way the words felt had been imprinted on my mind and not heard.

I struggled against his grip as the other basilisk slithered toward the edge, Rheaghan’s body wrapped in its grip.

“No!” I screamed, shoving and punching at the way the basilisk held me, tightening to the point that I felt like I could barely breathe.

I screamed through it, tears stinging my eyes as the gates of Tartarus slowly parted. The portrait beyond the gates was one of hellfire and brimstone, of curved archways and abandoned ruins with no sign of life among them. A single blight flew through the gap in the doors, a whistle sounding through the air as it traveled fast. It lowered as it approached; the doors slamming shut behind it. It plummeted toward the stone, amber eyes glowing as it approached. It flung its wings wide, onyx feathers shimmering in the light of the cove above, and just before it landed, three women burst free from the blight itself. What had once been feathers in the wind transformed into three figures. Their eyes each glowed a different color, set into brown skin. The one at the center had sleek hair that reminded me of the blight’s feathers, her eyes glowing the same amber as the bird’s had.

“I am afraid these snakes are beyond even your control, Estrella Barlowe,” she said, and the other women remained still at her side. None of them moved to help as the basilisk plunged over the edge with Rheaghan, disappearing into the smoke and steam rising from below.

The one to the right spoke next, her red eyes glowing like something from a nightmare. “Welcome to Tartarus, Child of Fate. We’ve been waiting for you.”

THREE

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