Page 62 of Born into Darkness

I pushed aside the straw itching my nostril and sat up, facing the panther’s cell. “Shadow. Flare. Are you all right?”

“Nope,” Flare replied. “It’s your lover boy.”

What the hell? Where? Movement at the front of my cell caught my attention. Phantom’s smoldering smile awaited me. Silhouettes cast across half of his smooth face. Glow from the light pouring in from outside illuminated the rest of him, giving him an angelic outline. Was I dreaming?

“Phantom.” I crawled over to him. “What are you doing here?”

“Getting you out.” He removed a key from his pocket and slipped it into the lock, releasing it and swinging open the door for me. “This is no place for you.”

No, it wasn’t. But in hindsight, I understood why Grimm had left me in here. If our roles were reversed, I would have locked me up, too. Snow would have come back in the middle of the night to free the panthers. As the leader, I’d never risk letting Snow free the shifters. What if they attacked the other members of the resistance or the other shifters we had rescued?

Gently, Phantom took my hand, setting my chest alight. For a brief moment, I was lost in the vigilance in his eyes.

But then Flare interrupted us. “Want to let us out, too, lover boy?”

For once, I didn’t bite at his insult. My mind was still foggy and struggling to catch up and process everything. I needed a moment to think.

Shadow leaned against the wall, his abdominal muscles clenched, his face tight. Flare looked aroused and alert, like an expectant hound about to be freed from his cage to chase game. We couldn’t just leave them here. We had to leave in secret for the dragons’ kingdom tonight. Grimm would never approve of it otherwise. He’d say it was too risky. Well, so was waiting around trying to figure out another solution.

“Open their door,” I said to Phantom, extricating my hand from his grasp, bulleting straight for the panthers’ cells.

“Have you gone mad, Snow?” Phantom replied. “They’re hunters sent to kill you. If they don’t obey the collars, they die.”

Both of the panthers growled, and green replaced Shadow’s normal gray eyes, while Flare’s deepened as my proximity activated their animalistic side.

“Not if she stays about thirty feet from us,” Shadow said, jerking his neck as if fighting the metamorphosis tugging at his insides.

I was well aware of the danger and risk to my life if my gamble didn’t pay off. We should be fine if I stayed far enough away from the panthers. If things went south, then there was always my magic…if it worked. Selfish as it sounded, I didn’t want to lose Shadow or the opportunity to be close to him.Sea God.Was I mad to welcome this danger when quite possibly, I could find myself embracing death itself?

“It’s my choice, not yours,” I said, holding Shadow’s gaze, praying I wasn’t making a big mistake here. “I made a promise to them, Phantom. Don’t ask me to break my word.”

Flare prowled toward the door. “You heard the little sweetheart, lover boy.”

“Harm her, and I’ll kill you.” Phantom’s warning jolted through me like the releasing of the lock.

I backed away from the cells and waited for them in the doorway.

“Thank you, brother,” Shadow said, patting Phantom on the shoulder.

Phantom nodded out of respect for his elder but didn’t extend Flare the same courtesy, slamming the door in his face. Flare huffed and swung it open again, glaring at the youngster as if he wanted to kill him.

“It’s a day’s travel to the dragons’ kingdom,” I said, reminding them of our mission so they wouldn’t focus on the petty little beefs between them.

“Dragon kingdom?” Phantom said. “I’ve always wanted to visit their palace. Those who have gone there say it’s rich in history.”

I understood his sudden change of heart and excitement. He was in for a treat when we arrived. The dragon’s palace was opulent and filled with relics.

“Phantom,” Shadow interjected, “can you lend us some boots? Snow, you handle the supplies.”

Perfect idea. Sea God knew we’d need food, capes, rope, and weapons just in case we encountered any unsavory characters on the dragons’ road.

Uneasiness gripped Phantom’s features.

I touched his arm, and his gaze fell to my hand.

“Meet me at the exit,” I told him.

With a nod, he led the panthers out of the cells. As we left, I had to step over and around the guards, who were slumped on the ground, reminding me of my escape from my stepmother’s prison.

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