Page 74 of The Curse of Eternity
An explosive rumble of cascading stones pierced the air. My eyes widened, my mouth popping open when the gargoyles on either side sprang to life. On my right, the gargoyle wielding a stone staff whipped its curved edge against the three transformed lycans closest to us.
Blood splattered the walls as tufts of fur were ripped away from flesh by the enormous gargoyle’s unyielding advance, leaving crushed canine limbs and caved-in skulls in the wake of its massacre. Behind me, a similar sound of savagery echoed back. My arm holding my machete shook, and I glanced over my shoulder to lock eyes with Drake. His gaze was awed, but not frightened. Then his hand gripped mine, the pressure too firm to be reassuring.
I swung my head back around to stare down the hall, where the gargoyle on my side met the oncoming army head on. Exclamations rang around the room, and Drake tugged me into motion. A resonant crack hit my eardrums, making me stagger. I peered through the doorway to the throne room on my right. At its epicenter, the tall onyx throne behind the lesser six had shifted. A huge fissure ran down its stone structure, leaving the seat backing’s highest edges crumbling while a rumble shook the fortress beneath our feet.
“Run, Maria!” Drake’s shout zinged through my head, returning me to the moment a split second before a piece of the ceiling broke off in a huge stone chunk. It crashed against the marble behind me, but I didn’t look back to assess the damage.
With the other gargoyle now preoccupied by the hall of enemies Drake had intended to face down, a path to escape was slowly being revealed.This couldn’t be happening,but through the shock, I forced my aching legs to sprint in Drake’s wake. Our joined hands had him pulling me faster than I could move, and I stumbled, but Drake’s focus was on assessing our surroundings.
Another archway came loose from above when the gargoyle flung an armored lycan into it. Rubble rained down as dust stuck to my sweat-soaked skin, but I held my burning breath to keep from choking on it. Whatever army the Domnitori had at their disposal within the fortress was quickly being decimated, thanks to the gargoyles whose stonework bodies were now coated in a warpaint of blood.
Chaos reigned, but Drake and I were easily obscured by the dust and debris piling up while he led me through the corridors beyond. The fortress still shook, making me wobble until I was clinging to Drake’s hand for balance. My next shaky inhale of stale air burned in my lungs, the exertion blazing my stomach by the time we reached the final door.
The hallway on either side was unfocused around me, my gaze trained on the iron handle I recognized. Without delay, Drake pushed the door open with brute strength. Wood slammed against the stone while the door creaked on its hinges, and my breath exploded out of me at the sight of the mirror across the macabre sitting room.
Knowing what was coming, I gulped down air and threw myself at the mirror. After having accidentally taken in Mihai’s blood, the enchantment worked its magick and let me through. Ice embraced every inch of my flesh. My nerves screamed for relief, but I was mentally prepared for the onslaught. What could have been seconds, or minutes later, I finally fell forward into the barren room beyond.
I flung out my hands to catch myself, and released my grip on my machete an instant before Drake’s familiar cool hands caught me around the waist. The clatter of my blade hitting the stone floor echoed while Drake pulled me tight against him. His cold hands clung to me, and I threw my arms around him to hold him equally as tight. Heart hammering, my eyes briefly closed as I buried my face against his chest.
His hysterical chuckle was my only warning before Drake lifted me up into the air and spun us around in a circle. An insane smile spread across my lips, and a giggle climbed my throat by the time he’d set me back down. With his hands on my waist, Drake leaned in to press his forehead to mine.
“We ought to still be running, love.” So close, his whisper shifted the tangled hair around my face, tickling my chin.
“We did it.”Surprisedcouldn’t come close to describing how I felt, but it was probably plain on my face when I looked up to gaze into Drake’s eyes.
“Youdid it.” When Drake smiled, my chest flooded with warmth.
This—it was all worth it. Tears welled in my eyes, pouring down my cheeks with every blink. Drake’s grin slid from his face, replaced by concern. “What—Are you hurt?”
All I could do was shake my head. Inhaling a stuttered breath, I scrubbed the tears from my face.
“I don’t know what I’m feeling, but at least I’m alivetofeel it.”
Sympathy and understanding shone behind Drake’s eyes, and he nodded. Without another word, I leaned heavily against him as we took our first steps toward the stairs—to freedom. I even let Drake carry my machete as we left the miserable fortress of the undead behind us.
− 23 −
Feels like Forever
Silken sheets kept me snug and slow to wake. Although warm beneath a heavy blanket, dull aches gnawed across every inch of my body. When I tried to roll over, I winced, and stretched my arm out to find empty space beside me. My eyes squeezed, still closed, as I frowned and felt more freely.Nope, Drake wasn’t in bed.
I forced my sticky eyelids apart, blinking several times. Compared to the fortress, the darkness surrounding me was thin and easy to peer through. A glance at the closed red and gold embroidered curtains confirmed that it was nighttime, or early morning. How long had I been asleep for? Sighing, I sank a little deeper into the mattress of the four-poster bed.
At the center of the room was a light fixture whose visible bulbs became a comforting reminder of our return to the modern world. Exposed wood panels lined the walls, and the elegant stone fireplace opposite the bed still glowed with embers. Memories surged to the forefront of my thoughts despite wishing to delay facing everything that happened.
To distract myself, I focused on replaying more recent events. Like how we’d gotten from the ruins outside Poenari Castle tothis much smaller, and thankfully cozy, castle. It hadn’t taken long for us to find a road, and a passing car whose driver was swiftly charmed into giving us a ride. Exhausted and overloaded, the foreign voices filtering in over the radio had lulled me to sleep in the backseat.
I’d woken up briefly when Drake carried me inside this deserted castle. Like something from a dream, the place was perfectly pristine. Grandiose gardens and grasslands surrounded it, almost as ethereal as the vibrant fields of the Summerland. Nobody was home, but that hadn’t stopped Drake from entering. Blissful sleep had pulled me back under shortly after getting to the bedroom.
My mouth didn’t feel like sandpaper, so I must’ve woken up at some point to drink water. Except my skin still felt grimy, and the idea of centuries-old dust stuck in my ratted hair finally encouraged me to get up. I inhaled a hiss through my teeth while gripping the sheets to help leverage myself up. Once I scooched to the edge of the bed, my hands fell onto my lap to relieve my aching shoulders.
The ring on my left hand glinted, reflecting the dying embers in the fireplace. Curious, I wiggled my fingers. Somehow, the ring fit perfectly, but maybe that was woven into its magickal creation. From this point on, as long as I wore the ring, no sorcerer could scry for me. Since Drake wore the matching pair, he was truly free. For the first time since he’d died.
I could go home. Better yet, Drake could come with me. Joy flooded my fast-beating heart. Sure, the monsters still knew the region where I lived, but what were they going to do? Knock on every door until they found me? The second we caught wind of the undead within our city limits, my whole family would be on alert, and we’d fry the fucks first.
Smiling, I moved through the thick scabs stinging along my forearm and the bruises smattered over my body. My disgustingsweat-and-blood-soaked clothes had thankfully come off at some point, which meant using the blanket like a cocoon to keep the chill off my skin.
I carefully tested my weight on my sore ankles. Dried blood crusted my socks, but the sensation of the soft rug underfoot was a small reprieve. My soles felt like I’d walked over hot coals, but I gritted my teeth and slowly stood. Past the handcrafted wooden dresser and equally exquisite vanity, I approached the refreshingly plain door.
