Page 58 of Bound Paths
Their journey through the dark hallway continued for another few minutes before splitting in two directions. Rose peered down both paths. The compass pointed left. As they kept walking, a row of cells came into view. They lined the hallway on both sides, but her eyes were immediately drawn to the shock of black hair under a familiar hood and cloak.
Her magic circled him immediately, drawing his gaze in her direction before she could even send him a thought.
“Learn some new tricks while I’ve been gone?”His voice in her head was playful. She checked the daggers magic, drops stillfell—the invisibility still worked—he must feel her as she had felt him.
The clear view of his face made her heart sink. It couldn’t have been more than a week that he’d been here, but he looked exhausted. His exposed skin was dirty and bruised. She wanted to scream. She wanted to throw her arms around him and sink into the warmth she knew she’d find—even in this cold, damp place.
Carter gave a warning rumble as they crept forward slowly. She couldn’t do any of those things. Another familiar head of black hair was in the neighboring cell. If they revealed themselves, Aterra would not let them leave unhindered.
“I have all kinds of new talents,”she said playfully as her heart raced, thinking through how she’d get him out.
“I never doubted.”This close, his words were like a whisper against her skin, speaking to her from the very heart of her magic. Rose couldn’t fight the feeling that he could see her, no matter her invisibility. It had her sliding the dagger against the pad of her finger again, replenishing the magic. Confident she was still invisible, she looked up and found his gaze waiting for hers.
His brown eyes held every word she needed to hear from him, even the ones he’d already said. He was sorry. He wished he had more time to explain. He loved her. He would do this all over again because he knew she needed it of him and would never ask.
Any lingering anger she’d been trying to hold onto slipped away.
“You left me little choice,”she replied. “I needed to compete with the realm-crossing power of a demigod.”
His low chuckle was more than she could bear. The need to touch him, overwhelming. She couldn’t hide the twitch of her lipinto a smile—nor did she want to. This. This was familiar, even as everything changed around them.
His dark brown eyes left hers, scanning the area. They flicked to the guard post behind her, evaluating their options.“I’ll spend the rest of our existence making it up to you.”His words were a promise she had no doubt he’d deliver on.
Rose tried and failed to hold her lips into a thin line as she replied.“I am holding you to that.”
Luc’s gaze never landed on Carter. She was relieved to know their shield held, and he could only see her due to their bond.
“Carter is here with me as a veil cat, too.”
She wasn’t sure how to explain this to Carter. He looked up at her, awaiting their next move.“Do you know how we can open the cell? If we can get you out, Carter can get us back to the continent.”
“I’m not sure. The guards you passed have keys, but Aterra won’t let us leave quietly.”Luc glared at the god a few cells down: his father.
“Aurora’s dagger is responsible for this new trick—our invisibility. If I can poke you with it, we might be able to get out unseen.”
“So, you still feel a need to stab me?”he teased.
Rose smiled even though he couldn’t see it.“Only a little.”
“We will need to be quick. Aterra will alert the guards if he sees me disappear. He’s not exactly thrilled with the situation I’ve put us in.”
“Well, he can get in line. I have first dibs on emotionally exploding all over you for this…after I get you home.”
He couldn’t hold back his grin this time.“As you wish.”
Carter nudged her leg. His patience was wearing thin. Even if Aterra would react, she couldn’t leave without trying to get Luc. His cell was at the beginning of the row. Formulating a plan, she started to play it through.
Sending her wind forward to work the lock, just as she’d seen Juliette do at Osten house, she watched for the guards or Aterra to notice. The click sounded, but Rose didn’t pull the door open. She would need to wait for the right moment.
Somehow, she knew she could extend the magic of Aurora’s blade to him. He didn’t have the Vesten fire she’d felt in the blade, but the longer she stood and stared at him, the deeper she felt the strength of their connection. Aurora’s dagger would cover him simply because her magic was intertwined with his.
He was right, though, his disappearance would be a problem if it was noticed.
Sighing, she moved as close as she dared. There was no way they were leaving without trying something.
The bars of Luc’s cell were a whisper from her body. With a final glance at Aterra, still facing the opposite direction, she pricked her finger again on Aurora’s dagger and closed her eyes. Her magic sprawled out, encircling Luc again. She reached the dagger through the bars so Luc could do the same. The shield stretched and rebounded, bringing him into the shield when his blood touched the blade.
She breathed a little easier the moment the ripple of Norden protection snapped into place. The drops of magic fell around them, ensuring protection from magical detection and visibility.
