Page 47 of Immortal Alliance

I shove my shoulder beneath his and stand, bearing his weight. Pyre runs toward Morrigan with deadly intent gleaming in his eyes. It’s then that I realize Morrigan’s body is surrounded by a river maybe two feet high. The kelpie, in her last moments, must have ensured Morrigan’s protection.

Touching.

“Pyre!” I yell.

He stops in his tracks. “She needs to be killed, Baron.”

“I won’t argue that, but think about Aima. She’s here somewhere and we need to find her. Cambion is barely hanging on as it is,” I reply as Pyre faces the elf and sees the wretched state he’s in. “Aima’s life is more important right now,” I continue. “We can fight Morrigan another day.”

“No,” he starts.

“You stopped me from hunting her in the Veil... this is no different.” I glance at the river swirling around her. “Besides, that river is going to be a bitch and a half to cross. It’s kelpie magic.”

“Fuck,” Pyre says and I watch his resolve break, but I don’t feel victorious. I turn to face the elf who leans against me and still struggles to breathe. I tap Cambion’s face, trying to get him to look at me. “Hey. Open your eyes. Where’s Aima?”

“She…” His eyes close again and he starts to lean on me more than before.

I smack his face this time. “Hey, Forest Fuck, stay with me! We need to hurry before Theren comes back and Morrigan wakes up.” I pause for a moment to make sure he’s still awake. “Aima…”

“Dungeon… Tortured…”

Crouching low, I summon my vampire power and lift the elf above my shoulders. He won’t be able to walk so I’m going to have to bear his weight. Then I follow Pyre through the palace, instructing the blind necromancer where to go using the memories of the last time I rescued someone from the dredges of this fucked up place.

“There might be runes on the doors—” A flash of Pyre’s magic interrupts my words as he uses his power to shatter the door like glass. We move quickly through the dungeon, searching every room until we find a blood-soaked chamber with a large copper tub at the center.

My gut sinks as Pyre reaches inside and lifts Aima out of the slimy liquid. Quickly, he casts a portal as soldiers begin to race down the corridor.

Once on the other side, the four of us collapse onto the ground. Cambion lands beside me as Pyre uses his body to cushion Aima’s fall. Noni and Flumph appear right before the portal closes. The small fae creatures look exhausted.

“Bout time you fuckers showed up!” Flumph yells. “I was nearly skinned alive an’ sold for my parts on the market!”

Noni shakes her head and limps over to Aima. “Noni do her best to keep Aima alive, but she cannot heal her no more. She is too tired, Master.”

Pyre tucks the house brownie into his pocket without saying a word and carries Aima into the Echoing Spire. I lift Cambion’s unconscious body and follow Pyre. When we reach the Sentinels, they take Aima and Cambion from our arms and disappear into the darkness.

“You should not have stopped me,” Pyre says.

“I know.”

“But you did the right thing.”

“This another one of your weird riddles? Because I’m not in the mood right now.” I walk over to my bedroll in the corner and flop down on the blanket. My back and side protest the movement because I’m exhausted. I lay down as I face the stars above us. “Morrigan can ride a kelpie. That means there’s very little light left in the Midnight Queen.”

“The kelpie isn’t dead, Baron. It will regenerate and when it does, it will hunt you.”

“Perhaps,” I suppose. “But, for once, I feel like my life is no more valuable than anyone else’s.” It’s true. Though I’m pissed at Cambion for his stupidity, I have to trust that whatever his reasons for doing what he did, he has good ones. If we’re going to end this, I can’t keep thinking of my allies as enemies.

Pyre looks at me and nods as if to say he agrees with my thoughts. “Cambion has made mistakes,” he starts.

“We all have,” I interrupt him. “And it’s time I start acknowledging my own before I pass judgment.”

Pyre nods. “I believe the Cambion who awakens here will not be same.”

***

CAMBION

Echoing Spire

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