Page 79 of Witch Unbound
I glanced at Rune. “Can you see him now?”
My mate shook his head. “No. Nothing.”
“This is Jamie, Leana’s boyfriend. He was brought here, and…”
“I died…” Jamie shook his head. “I don’t want to think about that.”
“He died here.” I smiled at Jamie. “You don’t have to think about it. Show us where the others are.”
“Follow me. They’re not here right now but they’ll be back. They always come back so we need to be quick.”
He slipped down the stairs and we followed, and it was only when I recognized the heat of hope in my chest that it hit me how pessimistic I’d been about the chances of success on this mission.
But with our ghostly guide, we might be able to get the people out before whoever was running this fucked-up operation returned.
* * *
With Jamie to guide us,we passed through unlit stone corridors that looked like tunnels and descended below ground where the air was cold and damp. The candles here burned so low their existence was pointless. But my eyes adjusted and the world bloomed silver and sharp.
I guess whatever changes my body had undergone included excellent night vision. I hoped the rest was just as useful. There was a metal grill archway up ahead, which Jamie passed through before turning to face us.
“The lever opens it,” he said.
“What now?” Rune asked, scanning the rockface around the arch.
“Jamie says there should be a lever.”
“Got it.” He tugged the metal knob jutting from the stone.
The grill opened with a grating sound that set my teeth on edge. We pushed through into the dingy chamber beyond. Cages lined the walls. Occupied cages.
Shit. “Ursula?”
The woman propped against the wall at the back of the nearest cage scrambled up in shock. “Cora?”
I rushed forward and gripped the bars. “Thank God you’re alive.”
She scanned my face as if she couldn’t believe it was really me. “How did you get here?”
“Long story. We can chat all about it over hot chocolate and brownies once we’re out of here.”
She nodded eagerly. “The keys are over there.” She pointed across the room, and I noticed her bandaged hand for the first time.
Rune headed for the keys.
“What happened to your hand?” Oh, God, I kinda knew, but I had toknow.
She gritted her teeth. “I lost a couple of fingers.”
My stomach rolled. “The darklings?”
She nodded, jaw clenched.
“Right.”
Rune unlocked her cage door and my attention slipped to the Magiguard body behind her. He lay on his side, blood-soaked, bandaged arm cradled to his chest. His eyes were closed, and his face was as white as a sheet.
“We couldn’t stop the bleeding,” Ursula said as she climbed out of the cage. “He slipped away.”
