Page 62 of He Who Ignites The Flame
“Looks like the ward didn’t take this one out,” Rhyas muttered, looking around for any way to get past it.
I hated how I couldn’t shift, how I could still barely sustain my own weight. Useless. Fucking useless...
The creature’s head shot up, and we stilled, air halting in my lungs. It was hideous, patches of fur missing from its wrinkly skin, face sunken in, eyes a ghostly white. Blood coated its maw, chunks of flesh dangling from its serrated teeth. It twisted around, attention drawn to movement on the far side of the cavern as a woman stepped from the darkness, her silver eyes cold, her black hair dancing around her as fire erupted at her feet. Her hand shot out, and the flames surged as the creature launched for her. It went up in a pyre, its shriek lasting only seconds before it crumbled into dust.
She moved with graceful steps as she scanned the area.
“They’re the ones who attacked the front gates,” Rhyas whispered, holding me in place.
Others dressed in black leather poured out of the tunnel after her, weapons drawn as they searched the cavern. She looked in our direction, and Rhyas and I ducked deeper into the tunnel.
“Go back. We don’t know what they’re here for,” Rhyas whispered.
“Please stay.” Her voice was soft—powerful, but soft.
Rhyas cursed under his breath. “I’ll hold them off. Take another route to the cells and regroup with Kish near the gates.”
“There’s no need for you to hold us off,” she said, her voice growing closer as we twisted around. “We’re here to end this wretched place and free the”—her eyes found mine, and her steps slowed—“prisoners.”
She held out her hands as if to show she was unarmed, the light returning to her silver eyes. She’d seemed so cold moments before, so detached from the weight of taking a life.
“You’re immortal,” she muttered, shock painting her face.
My brows furrowed, and another of the warriors rushed to her side, his long, dark hair pulled back out of his face, his olive skin coated in a sheen of sweat. She held her hand up, and he stopped before following her gaze to us.
I shrugged off Rhyas’ hand when he tried to pull me back. “Why do you ask?”
She offered me a smile. “We are as well. My name is Lucia.” She gestured to the male at her side. “This is my mate, Damien. We’re here to bring you home, to free the other prisoners.”
I carefully assessed her before glancing at Rhyas. “This is Rhyas, and I’m Thalia.”
“Is he your friend?” she asked.
I nodded, watching her wearily as we stepped toward them before taking in each warrior who entered the cavern behind them. I faintly caught sight of some with pointed ears. “You’re working with fae?”
“Erebus’ warriors,” she clarified.
Damien turned to her. “I just heard from Zephyr’s team. They’re gathering the other prisoners near the gates to start the evacuation once we arrive.”
I stiffened. “You can’t!”
They simultaneously looked at me.
“Every one of us is bound to Arden,” I explained, pulling back my sleeve to reveal the ink on my skin. “We cannot set foot out of this place without his permission. If we do, we’ll trip the wards, and our only escape will collapse on us.”
Lucia and Damien exchanged looks briefly. “Then we kill Arden.”
Hope blossomed in my chest. I’d forgotten how hope felt, how it fluttered and danced like the forest sprites I’d seen as a child. Was this really happening? Would we truly be free?
Rhyas stepped forward as Damien eyed him wearily, his hand going to the hilt of his sword. Rhyas seemed to notice and pulled back his sleeve. “I’m just like her. I was a guard, but I’m a prisoner as well, forced to serve. I don’t serve him willingly and will gladly slice his throat if given the chance.”
Lucia lifted her hand to Damien, and he eased, releasing his sword. “He speaks true.”
“My mate is on the lower levels,” Rhyas said, his words a near plea. “She’s evacuating the other prisoners to a safer place.”
“The lower levels are crawling with guards,” Lucia said, and my blood went cold. “Our teams are working to break through them now.”
Rhyas took a step forward. “Please, we have to go to them!”
