Page 4 of Risen
Robin turned her head toward me, as if she could hear every thought.She arched one perfectly-shaped red-gold brow and gave me a bored look.Then her gaze dropped to where my hand rested on the hilt of my knife and she rolled her eyes, turning away from me again to pay attention to the naga, crossing her arms over her chest and popping a hip as if she was extremely underwhelmed with the entire encounter.
Don’t be an idiot, Martina.As if your alpha would lead you astray.The naga might have numbers on us, but if they tried anything, we had an unhinged dragon shifter, a demon-blooded sorcerer, a bubak, a fae assassin, and a chupacabra shifter on our side.No one was going to steal Ruya away from us.Message received.
I forced myself to focus on the conversation, rather than my paranoia.Sadavir was arguing with the guards about waiting for an escort.But eventually his alpha status and overbearing noble blood won out and he got his way.He said—chin up and shoulders back with a sense of haughty command that reminded me ofanotheralpha I knew—that he didn’t need to know the exact layout of this new enclave, because his royal blood and innate magic would lead him to his family.I swear, the man seemed to grow several inches taller, just being near his people.No one was willing to tell their prince no.
We followed Sadavir across an impressive underground waterway, tall lamps and mage lights casting warm, soft halos of light over the path.No one talked much, except Queen Cat, who occasionally yowled from her perch on Robin’s shoulder, and Vlad, who flitted ahead with a series of little chitters, apparently excited about this new cave-like place.
Our path led us through some sort of long-forgotten access shaft reminiscent of a mine, then down a stairwell carved from slick black stone.I had to give it to the naga, this place would be a nightmare for anyone who tried to attack them—the route to the heart of the enclave was filled with odd landscape features and multiple twists and turns.The air grew cooler, damper—earth-scented.My pulse thudded at the realization of just how deep under the ground we must be.
I could sense more people now, heartbeats and paranormal auras nearby.The path opened suddenly into an underground cavern of unimaginable heights.Bioluminescent moss lit the arches of the stone ceiling so far above us it looked like a starry sky, and delicate waterfalls trickled from rock faces into hidden pools.The naga enclave lay nestled like a secret between worlds—part temple, part dark underground forest, and part city, pulsing with life despite the gloom.
A sharp trill echoed through the chamber where we stood overlooking the domed shape of some grand building, and three figures shimmered into view—one elder and two guards, all in naga form.
The elder moved forward, a tall woman with curved horns, and little bones braided into her silver hair.Her serpent’s tail coiled behind her, sleek and iridescent.She stared at us, taking us all in, measuring our intent.Then her eyes landed on Sadavir and her cool expression disappeared as her eyes widened.“Prince Sadavir?Is it really true, then?”
He bowed, then signed,“Yes, elder.I’ve returned.”
There was a long pause, then the woman moved forward and embraced him roughly—her strong arms flexing with muscle, scales glinting along the backs of them in the dim light.
“You vanished,” she murmured as she pulled back to hold him at arm’s length.“We tried to track your lifeforce after you went away with that horrid creature, but...she hid you from us.We feared you were dead.And the council of elders was afraid any further interference would negate our bargain and bring the syndicate down on us again.”
“You did well,”he signed.“I have survived.And I am free now.But I need help.We all do.”
She looked up again, finally taking in the rest of the court.Ruya, holding onto Yukio’s arm.Robin, stoic and watchful.Dusek, shadowed and tall.Sanka standing at the ready with his sorcerer’s magic flaring through his aura.A mismatched pack of rebels, wounded and wary.Her gaze lit on Josh, still limp in Cicely’s arms, and her expression softened for a moment with recognition before she was all business again.
“We would welcome you and Josh with open arms,” she said slowly.“But you bring outsiders,” her voice was full of cold warning.
“I bring family,”Sadavir said.“War is coming, and with it, great change.Change that only these people can bring about.”He shot a meaningful look toward Robin.“But for now, we are hunted.We need sanctuary while we plan our next steps.”
She looked at him for a long, long moment, and we all held our breath as we waited for the inevitable rejection.Then she nodded once, making the bones in her hair rattle.“Come.Your family will weep with joy.And the other elders will want to have words.”
We followed Sadavir and the naga elder into the heart of the enclave, the beautiful domed building below where we had entered.We passed under vine-draped archways dripping plants that somehow managed to thrive here in the dim light, through halls carved from stone with sparkling veins of pink and green.Pale, glowing lilies sprouted everywhere, their scent delicate and strange.Far from the earthen tunnel entry, this place was polished and posh, marble and gold, and what I suspected were real gemstones quietly decorating every nook and cranny.
Nagas paused their tasks to watch us as we passed—eyes wary, tails stilling in mid-motion.I caught snippets of whispered conversation.That’s him.He came back.With outsiders.And worse.Is that Josh?What have they done to him?He’s a monster.One of them.
I watched as Ruya brushed her hand against Sadavir’s arm, and a spike of discomfort rippled through me at the reminder of their bond.“Okay?”she signed to him.
“I don’t know,” he breathed, speaking aloud for her.“But this is where I stop running.Acacia can’t reach me here.And even if she could… I won’t let her take me from my home again.”
She smiled softly, her expression showing such tender, heavy understanding that I felt like I was witnessing something private.She squeezed his fingers.“Let’s hope not.”
But despite his confident words, I saw the way the naga alpha glanced over at Josh’s unconscious form.Acaciacouldstill reach him here.In worse ways than a simple physical attack.
When we entered the audience chamber, Sadavir stopped, riveted to the spot, signing to us with hasty motions.“My brother.Arif.”
The other naga prince was slightly shorter than Sadavir and not quite as broad, a younger version of him, barely out of his teens, with storm-colored scales and an aura like tempered steel.He raised an eyebrow, looking unimpressed.
“Took you long enough, brother,” he said aloud as he signed.
Sadavir came unfrozen and grinned.“You always were impatient, snakelet.”
Arif stepped down and Sadavir met him half-way in a crushing hug.They pounded each other on the back in that annoying way males tend to do.Then the younger brother stepped back to study the rest of us.“They’re yours?”he asked aloud as he signed.
“They’re ours,” I Sadavir corrected aloud.“They are clan.”
Arif’s gaze lingered on Ruya, no doubt sensing her strong omega nature.Then he nodded, slow but respectful.“Then they are welcome—pending elder approval, of course.And I have news of my own, just so you don’t think you can steal all the attention—I’ve recently announced my own engagement.”
Ruya tilted her head, polite but unreadable.“Congratulations.And thank you for your hospitality.”
