Page 49 of A Court So Dark
I walked the entire length of this new hall without signs of Cardian. Where had he gone? He must have entered one of the many rooms.
Retracing my steps, I stopped to listen at every door. Through the third one, I heard Cardian’s muffled voice. I couldn’t make out what he was saying, but he was definitely in there. Gathering my courage, I flexed my fingers and made up my mind. It was now or never. I would not get another opportunity to free Kalyll.
I pushed the door open, willing it to glide silently, but I might’ve as well wished for a cell signal in my portable thumb-and-pinky make-believe phone.
Hello, Toni, guess where I am?
No luck. The hinges screeched like giant rats, alerting Cardian. He whirled on his heels to face me, and something about my expression must have told him that I meant no good because he jumped backward, pulling out a jeweled dagger from his belt and brandishing it in front of my face.
“I told you to stay put,” he spat.
Despite the danger, I couldn’t stop my attention from wandering toward a giant sphere floating a few inches off the floor. It crackled with light and static, transparent enough to reveal a crumpled figure at its base.
Kalyll sat slumped, his spine curving over the back of the sphere, his face battered, his long midnight hair chopped unevenly. His fingers and naked toes were blue and blistered. He appeared to be unconscious.
“So this is where you’re keeping him,” I said, taking a step closer to the magical prison. “I guess he didn’t escape, after all.”
At the sound of my voice, one of Kalyll’s eyes opened. He seemed to have trouble focusing, and though he appeared to recognize my voice, his battered face showed little awareness of anything else.
My chest squeezed. What had they done to him? I tried not to let my heartache show on my face. He was alive, and I’d found him. But… now what? Even if I was able to get rid of Cardian, how would I get Kalyll out of that damn sphere?
There’s only one thing you can try, Dark Dani whispered inside my head.
I turned away from Kalyll and faced Cardian. He was still holding the dagger and had started making his way toward the door, taking small sideways steps, eyes fixed on me.
“You’re a clever fox, aren’t you?” he said.
I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“This was what you wanted. You tricked Varamede somehow so that I would lead you here.”
“That’s nonsense. I was just curious. That’s all. It’s pretty impressive, I must admit. Unlike any prison I’ve ever seen.”
I took a casual step in his direction, which he counteracted with two of his own. Now, he was at arm’s length from the door. I couldn’t allow him to leave. I had to get my hands on him. I had to—
Unable to control the panic and desperation surging through my body, I leaped in Cardian’s direction, hands outstretched to grab his arm. He could stab me, if that would get him close enough to touch. But he was fast, and before I could reach him, he slammed the door shut behind him, leaving me trapped inside.
I pounded on the door. There was no response.
After a few beats, Cardian asked, “Why not use your power against this obstacle?”
Freezing with my fist up in the air, I realized he’d been waiting for me to blow the door to smithereens, except I was on empty.
“I… I don’t want to hurt you,” I said, feeling proud of my duplicitous answer. “C’mon, Cardian. I know it’s not easy to trust anyone in your position, but this is ridiculous.”
“Daniella,” a raspy voice said behind me.
I whirled and faced Kalyll, who was now kneeling toward the front of the sphere, one bloody hand propped against its surface for support.
Panicked, I ran to him and pressed a finger to my lips.
“No, not Daniella,” I whispered. “Ylannea. Just be quiet, okay?” I ran back to the door. “It seems like a fresh round of torture is due. He’s awake.”
Nothing.
“What is…?” Kalyll tried to ask in a hoarse voice, but he trailed off, too weak to even speak.
“Cardian,” I called. “Let me out. I’m starting to get mad.” Maybe that would do it, a sort of threat.
