Lara jerked her head up and peered out into the far reaches of the cavern. She was disappointed when she didn’t see him. Still, she felt lighter.
I hear you. Where are you?
It took a long time before she heard his reply. In the meantime, the woman made an abrupt decision. “Bring them.”
After taking possession of their weapons—including both of Skye’s knives, the leader motioned the other guards to place their captives into the middle, preventing them from running for the tunnels on the far side of the cavern. If they weren’t in such a precarious position, Lara would have rolled her eyes. It was obvious Skye couldn’t see in the dark. Skye fumbled once in the darkness cocooning him before she clasped his elbow, leading him toward the open gate.
Eiren and I are a half day’s journey from Areth. We continue our search for the mark’s origin. My Lady, you were to stay at the school. Where are you?
Despite his words, she heard the affection he held for her, and her heart flipped over. She’d missed the paka more than she thought. Although Skye and she had jumped from one tumultuous situation into another, Lara felt a fleeting sense of happiness knowing he was relatively close by.
Looking at the tall, middle-aged man keeping pace beside her, she asked, “What city is this?”
The guard’s eyes flickered once in surprise before he pressed his lips together in a flat line. She sighed.
Chion, I’ve no idea where we are. Our captors won’t share the information, she said with irate sarcasm. We were at the school until I got sent back to my planet. Because Skye and a Malirran were holding onto me, all three of us ended in my bedroom at home. I…
She tried to figure out a way to tell him everything that had transpired on Earth, then she realized it’d take too long. She eyed the gate with dread, feeling the increased rush of emotions pushing at her. Updating Chion would have to wait.
Let’s just say it is a really, really long story. Skye and I are entering a big city. It might be Areth, but no one will tell me for certain. Um, I think you and Eiren will need to come rescue us. We might be in a bit of trouble.
Oh, God.
Frantic, she ran her hands up and down her body, looking for her purse, ignoring the weapons swinging toward her. Finding it, she shoved her hand inside. Her insides turned to mush when her fingers grazed the top of the object.
The coil was in her bag. Here. On Aradun.
Her mind swirled at the implications. Would she be able to return home? What if the magic in the coil broke before she could travel back? Her stomach twisted when the coil’s presence fully hit home.
The coil was in her possession, her only link home conceivably gone forever. Lara might be stuck here for the rest of her life. Her parents may never see her again. The thought vibrated through her with increasing and sickening momentum.
She wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. It had taken her weeks—months—for her to figure out the coil’s involvement, and now it didn’t stay where it was supposed to. Her life was gone as she knew it, and still, somehow, she managed to put one foot in front of the other.
In patent defiance of her emotional turmoil, her interest piqued as soon as they entered the gate. The gate led directly into a tunnel. Unlike the other tunnels she’d traveled through, this one had intricate motifs inlaid into the smooth walls. Pictures of fight scenes and children playing were woven around the long runners of lifelike ivy. There were two strands, one for each side of the wall. It was beautiful, masterful. Her depressing circumstances couldn’t deter her from admiring the work of art trailing alongside her as she walked deeper into the tunnel. It was unfortunate Skye couldn’t see the artwork.
A lengthy amount of time passed as they walked, and she realized the city was located a distance from the wall. It was a clever strategy. The outer wall was built to withstand an army while the city fortified their position farther away.
The tunnel spit them out into a small city of intricate tunnels. As they were marched into the city, Lara noticed the city didn’t have a large cavern like Malkese or Olun. Instead, the city was made up of small caverns that interconnected with other rooms, reminiscent of a vast warren of rabbits or hares. She soon became hopelessly lost. No straight passageways existed; traveling anywhere in the city would take hours. It was confounding. The original builders didn’t use any logic when constructing their city. The townspeople had left the huge cavern alone and built their city inside a rabbit hole.
Although the entire tunnel system had artwork scattered throughout, the city could never compare to Malkese’s majestic city center.
Their group attracted the attention of the townspeople already standing inside the medium-sized rooms they journeyed through. At seeing Skye and Lara’s outlandish features, quiet descended until the very walls resounded with it. It made for a harrowing trip. After walking what felt like miles and seeing no end in sight, Lara wondered where they were going. Because each room blocked the view of the others beyond it, she had no way of guessing the city’s population.
They reached their mysterious destination at the end of one long tunnel. The scarred woman spoke to someone hidden from view. “I have two more for you to hold.”
A man’s tenor rang out in reply, “Two? You should have killed them. I’ve already packed in more prisoners than the chamber can rightfully hold.”
“We found them outside the city gates. I’ll speak to Ader about extracting any knowledge they have about the Pyrannis or Malirrans. Until then, they’ll stay with the others.”
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“Yes, Captain. My men will watch them, as long as it’s not for long.”
Lara peered into the large room from over the woman’s shoulder. She flinched at what she saw, digging her fingernails into Skye’s arm. When his arm twitched, Lara drifted her fingers down his arm in silent apology. Without warning, she was grabbed by a grim-faced, golden-eyed Kurite, losing her hold on Skye’s arm in the process. Her purse and sheath was stripped from her by rough hands. She watched in alarm as her purse was thrown without care into the wall of the hallway.
Someone else damaging the coil had never crossed her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut. Damaging the coil was bad; losing it was far worse. For one thudding heartbeat, Lara’s hold on the watery shield weakened, and the surge of emotions rammed into her. She tightened her barrier with a jerk, and her hands mirrored the mental imagery.
Before she could protest the loss of the coil, she was hoisted up with a stalwart show of strength and tossed inside the large cell. Lara crossed an invisible barrier, feeling a slight resistance, almost like walking through tall grass. She landed on her hip, and a loud gasp was wrenched from her as pain flared to life. Skye skidded to a stop next to her. His soft grunt filled the room once he identified the cell’s inhabitants.
Small fires threw light, shedding enough shadows for Skye to see the blond-haired men either sitting on the rock floor or standing around the flames. Every man within a twenty foot radius stared at them, the commotion from their entry apprising the occupants of their newest cellmates. As one, the men stood without a word.
Not taking his eyes off the prisoners, Skye reached down and gripped her upper arm, hauling her to her feet. The silence stretched until Lara fidgeted from the tension. Based on the armor some of the men still wore, they were Skye’s people. In contrast to every man in the room—including Skye, Lara was ostentatious with her brown hair and eyes. Many stared at her with banked expressions of surprise and curiosity. It was like the men hadn’t ever seen a woman.
When one man—who she assumed was the spokesperson for the ragtag group—pushed through the crowd, Lara edged closer to Skye. She didn’t care whether they thought her a coward. They all towered over her short stature, making her feel small and vulnerable.
The blue-eyed warrior gave Skye a dignified bow before identifying himself. His crisp, baritone filled the packed room. “My name is Hente Northbow, once the second lieutenant of Gharra’s military. We were captured following our defeat at Areth’s gate.”
Skye’s eyes sharpened at the introduction, but he gave the lieutenant a deep bow of respect. “Sire, I am Skye Silverhand.” He swept his gaze across the room before returning his attention back to the man. “Every man in this cell was captured in the battle at Areth?” The warrior gave him a curt nod. “Then can I assume I am in the Kurite city, Areth?”
“Yes, young Silverhand.” There was a small pause. “Since our defeat, we’ve awaited news from Pyran. We have hoped for a trade between Pyran and Kureto.”
Areth. The news brought Lara considerable cheer. Chion and Eiren were already on their way. We were just told we’re in a holding cell in Areth. It is packed with Pyranni soldiers. I’ll let you know if I learn any more information.
Listening to Skye speak to Hente, it took a while before she realized she was purposely excluded from the entire conversation. The man hadn’t even thought to ask for her name or spared her a glance since walking up to them. Skye also ignored her huddling presence, almost as if she didn’t exist. She observed everyone as the conversation unfolded.
Maybe ‘not existing’ was too strong of a phrase. It was more like she was a pet. A dog everyone knew was there, but no one would dream of holding a conversation with it. Lara almost said something to disrupt the man’s disdain, but she hesitated. Scrutinizing Skye’s posture, she realized there were nuances to their dialogue.
It rubbed her the wrong way, but she pushed her irritation aside. Wary, Lara watched the introductions crossing the room, trying to discern what was really going on. She was afraid to move lest she draw unwanted attention. Skye was her friend. He’d protect her from harm. They had lived through too many risky situations for her to think otherwise.
If Skye wasn’t introducing her to his own countrymen, there was a reason. Lara was just at a loss what it was.
Chion’s winded reply cut through the tableau playing out before her. My Lady, we are coming. We will reach Areth before the day ends, but it may take some time to explain our request to the city council. I will tell you the moment we enter Areth.
If Eiren hasn’t already, have her tell Skye you’re on your way. I dare not tell him since we are surrounded by strangers.
Skye continued to talk to the men in a low voice. Deep in thought, she chewed on the fact she’d already lost the coil. When exhaustion hit her, she looked around for a place to sit. The only available space was in front of the invisible door. When she headed that direction, Lara was startled when Skye gripped her hard enough she fell backward, bumping into him. He hissed a warning to her before releasing her shoulder, once more acting like she wasn’t there.
Confused at the mixed signals, a frown marred her face. She knew they were in danger, but she was exhausted. She’d driven all the way from Colorado and hadn’t had anything but a short nap on Jonathan’s lumpy sofa. If Skye wanted to stand and talk to the other warriors, she wasn’t going to stop him.
She made to walk away, testing Skye’s reaction. This time, half expecting his response, Lara didn’t react beyond reshuffling her feet. Skye twirled her around, plastering her back to his front, and the palm of his hand smacked down onto her shoulder, keeping her in place. Looking up, she found every man’s gaze fastened on her.
With a look of disgust, the lieutenant observed, “The woman is a wild one. A true Pyranni woman would know her place among men.”
“I am teaching her a woman’s proper place,” Skye said sincerely. “I’ve found the Abani culture very different from ours. She is finding the ways of the Goddess difficult. She’s a slow learner, yet I believe time will remedy her disobedience.”
His words held double meaning, one for her and one for the men in the room. It struck her then. With her leaning against Skye, she felt the tension coursing through his body. Every muscle along her back trembled. Lara was more confused than ever. Skye was among his own people. They didn’t know he was cast out from his society, so what did he fear?
She glanced around the room, for the first time really looking at the warriors gathered around them. She detected what Skye probably saw the instant they entered the room. The hectic gleam of madness shined in several of the men’s eyes. Every one of them stared at her like snakes ready to strike. She didn’t like the feeling that nestled within her chest. It made her feel too much like prey.
Understanding her peril, the muted emotions moved front and center in her awareness. Before, the vague feelings were easy enough to disregard, emotions barely detectable behind the shield.
She trembled and felt Skye’s tension ease a little. She was an idiot. She’d already forgotten Aradun held dangers around every corner. She should have heeded his warning instead of acting like a spoiled child. Lara turned the lieutenant’s words over in her mind. Lara recalled tidbits of a conversation they had shared before their jump to Earth. He wasn’t used to women. In some of Earth’s cultures, women weren’t allowed to interact with unrelated men.
If Pyran was anything similar, then perhaps it was why she wasn’t introduced. Either way, it didn’t matter. She’d do anything Skye wanted to stay alive.
She peeked up at the men listening in on the conversation. A few leered at her, and she could feel the lust curdling along the barrier. It was so raw, uncivilized. Almost an animalistic craving. If the men had been in this cell since the battle, then they’d had no sexual outlet for a while.
Lara was suddenly glad Skye stood behind her, claiming her as his in front of his countrymen.