Page 49 of All the Devils are Here

“You’re going to want to shift back,” I told him, knowing he was far faster in that form. “We need to run.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

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MEGHAN

Igasped as I reappeared in freezing water that was sloshing around my hips, and I was in a cage.

Acage.

A fucking golden bird cage hanging from a chain into what I now recognized as the island’s water. What the fuck? Where was I and where werethey? The island had taken me from them, exactly like Prospero had said it would. And now that I knew the truth about what we were, I understood exactly how much my disappearing would make them panic.

I whirled around and screamed. I wasn’t alone in this cage.

A woman was here with me, arms over her head and held there with golden chains that matched the cage. She was alive—breathing—but not much else. Her big eyes were open, but it was clear she wasn’t seeing anything, her head leaning against one of her arms.

Long golden hair draped over a bare chest and just touched the water surrounding us.

“Hello?”

I reached out to touch her and my hand flew upward, locking itself in a matching golden cuff. And then the other one. “Oh, forgive me.” Prospero’s voice came from across the room, where he stood in the doorway. “A temporary double booking. You’ll have more room shortly.” Then he laughed. “Didn’t think it would bring you here, but at least it’s moving quickly.”

“Let me go,” I said. “You can. I know you can.”

“I could, but I won’t.”

My arms ached where they were pulled upward, trapped by the golden cuffs. The island was mimicking whatever the hell he’d done to this poor woman. “Who is she?”

“Myranda is none of your concern,” he said, and I noticed he was leaning on the table, barely keeping himself upright. He wasn’t a projection now, but he was haggard and suffering. Like taunting us and giving me his power was killing him the same way he wanted it to killme.

Light blazed in front of him on the stone wall. This room, outside the pool, was covered in shelves stuffed with books and scrolls and strange contraptions. Stones and stranger things I wasn’t sure I wanted to look closer at. But nothing told me what that light was.

He came toward us, and I cringed away from him as he entered the water, not even flinching at the freezing water. The woman—Myranda—didn’t react at all.

“Time to go,” he said, hauling open the door to the cage and unhooking her. She walked under her own power, like she could respond, but she was still blank. Like a doll.

She turned, and I saw her back. What looked like a tattoo peeked through her hair, and I saw metal. What the hell was going on here?

Prospero looked back at me sharply. I’d said it out loud without realizing it. “Did you think I’d spent my time on this island twiddling my thumbs? Despite what your gargoyle might think of me, there are those who value my talents and pay well for them, Meghan.”

The huge, swirling piece of light on the wall resolved itself into an opening. Misty and dim, the fog crawled through to this room on the floor.

“It’s ready?” A resonant voice asked, though there was nothing I could see on the other side of the portal.

“It is.” Prospero had her by the elbow, and he picked up a set of large golden keys off the table. “Payment first.”

More light. Silver, like the portal, floated through and struck Prospero in the chest. For long moments I could see everything—his blood and bones, the way his heart was beating. He returned to normal and shoved Myranda and the keys through the portal. He didn’t look nearly as exhausted now, but was still leaning on the table for support. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

The portal collapsed into nothing, drops of magic falling to the ground like a lingering splash. “See?” He waved a hand and the door to this gilded cage slammed shut. “Plenty of room for you now. The only thing is, I’m paid to make sure my creations are indestructible. You, I’m sure you’re aware, are not. Have fun.”

He left the room, and terror gripped me. “Hey,wait. Don’t leave me here like this.Prospero.” It was the first time I’d said his name out loud, and I hated it. He really was going to leave me here to die, because the magic he’d given me thought this was a good way for me to go.

I didn’t think it was ever going to feel normal, watching someone look at you and decide to let you die.

The cage lurched, falling an inch, and my stomach swooped. Beneath my feet, there was nothing but water. It was glowing, like the rest of the water I’d seen, beautiful colors curling and breathing within it. But there was no bottom I could see. No rocks or fish, just empty water sinking down into eventual darkness.

The cage jerked downward another inch, icy water reaching new skin and stealing my breath. “You don’t have to do this.” I spoke to the magic as if it could hear me. “I promise. I’ll find a way to give you back that doesn’t involve killing me.”

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