Feel the Burn (41 page)

Last of the Thalian line, Princess Catherine, Fire Elemental.

A grim laugh slipped out when I stared at the tank and I shook my head, knowing she watched from somewhere.

‘Subtle. Real subtle. Guess we’ll see.’

Damned if I’ll end up in a tank in her trophy room, I growled inwardly, and stalked toward the stairwell. Another of those long jawed creatures approached. I’d observed it watching me from behind the tanks and I didn’t hesitate, turning mid stride and flicked a fireball, hitting it dead center. It shrieked when the fire consumed it and I drew my energy around in a bright shield, jogging up the stairs to the next floor.

The faint, nearly wet sound caught his attention first, like a cat washing its paws. Ignatius threw an arm up when the gaw shot its barbed tongue at him. The barbs dug into the rapthna leather plating and Ignatius lunged back, wrenching the creature with him. He dispatched the squat lengthy creature with a quick stab then hurriedly unwound the tongue from his arm, using the pommel of his sword to stop from touching the moist, acidic organ. Just when he got it loose another tongue shot out, narrowly missing his head and Ignatius swore, dropping to a knee. Snatching a dagger from a leg sheath he flicked it, catching one of the gaws gathered before him between a set of its bulbous eyes, then dodged to the side while a half dozen more barbed tongues shot at him. Knowing the nature of the creatures he fumbled at his belt, fingers closing around one of the smooth balls of the bola. He yanked it free, giving it a hard spin then threw it high into the corridor. He heard a loud ‘splat’ when all the gaws launched their tongues at the five headed bola and then squawks when the throw of the weapon lifted them off their feet, tongues entangled. Ignatius shoved to his feet and grabbed his sword, easily killing the trapped animals and retrieved his bola, before peering up and down the dimly lit corridor, trying to see if any more lurked. Spotting an unlit torch in a wall sconce, he lifted it out and struck his sword against one of the stones of the bola to create a spark, activating the torch’s chemicals. It flared bright, and tucking the bola back into his belt with his sword at the ready, Ignatius walked down the corridor, the torch held high while he looked for signs that Cat had passed this way.

*~*~*

Chapter Thirty Three

Compared to the other floors this floor shone with light and I couldn’t see any wood paneling, instead marbled dove gray stone walls and floors that reflected the light from ornate iron and glass lamps hanging from the ceiling. It felt like stepping into an art gallery, so pristine and modern; but the coppery scent of blood stopped me. I paused in the narrow corridor, ears straining to make out the strange grating sound I could hear. It seemed vaguely familiar, yet set my teeth on edge. Keeping my shield in place I followed the corridor around to the left and around further until I reached an archway. Peering through I saw a spacious corridor with archways into alcoves down either side. From this archway I could count three on the left and two on the right, although it looked like the end one on the left might lead to the stairwell. The archways had elaborate wrought iron detailing over the stone and more lamps hung down. That odd grating noise continued intermittently but I couldn’t see any movement and I walked in, placing my feet softly on the stone floors then glanced into the first alcove.

An animal skin stretched across the wall, pierced by two iron hooks.

It seems wrong to damage such a beautiful skin with those hooks, I thought, and I stepped closer, eyes captivated by the lovely auburn, tan, and white stripes. Two large feathered fans with the same stripes decorated both walls, artistically spread across them, and out of the corner of my eye I noticed a marble bust and twisted to look.

Horror snaked down my spine and I heard my shallow, dismayed gasps as if from a distance, my head spinning when my mind made the connections.

It wasn’t just a marble bust, and they weren’t fans.

I heard the roar of blood in my ears as I stared at the hacked up remains of Deas and Moright. What I’d admired like fans were actually the griffon’s beautiful wings, stumps of bone now clear to my eyes, and it was his hide strung up between the hooks. My head didn’t stop spinning and I bent at the waist, hands on knees, while I fought the urge to be sick. The bust, made of marble, bore Deas’ face. She’d skinned the fourteen year old’s face and draped it over the stone bust, the white marble visible through the gaping hole in the forehead. I dug my fingers into my knees, desperately trying to stop the onslaught of tears when I remembered that vibrant boy, so excited at his role, and his beautiful purring griffon. With a ragged gasp I straightened up and took a step back, needing to get away from the gruesome display, but promptly stumbled over something that snarled as I fell.

‘Crap!’

The snarling thing grumbled and I heard it shuffling off while I scrambled to my feet.

Weird? Why didn’t it attack? I extinguished the flame from my hand and followed the creature out, forcing myself to not look back. My mouth set in a hard line and I locked the horror away, saving it for later when I would release hell on that sadistic bitch.

The other alcoves all had the same style of morbid displays and I kept my eyes on the squat creature I followed, noting the horrific details in my peripheral vision. My face went taut with the effort of not reacting; the snatched glimpses of tortured beings strung up in all manner of degrading displays making my insides cringe.

Eyes front, I chanted inwardly. Stay focused.

The dark red hide of the creature swayed from side to side while it walked, its stiff straight tail waving with its gait, just above the floor. It paused to look back at me, wrinkling its wide flat nose that looked pasted on the end of the large muzzle, then it turned back and continued on its way, disappearing through the alcove I’d thought might lead to the stairwell. With a slow guarded step I put a hand on the curve of the carved stone archway and looked through. Deeper than the others, this alcove had bones scattered across the floor, and I counted seven of the red creatures, most of them gnawing on bones. The sound clicked in my mind when a memory of Audi gnawing on bones from the kitchen sprang up. Hearing a lapping sound, I spotted a red creature drinking from a strange low fountain. A thick dark liquid welled up in the center and over a lip in the fountain in a continuous flow. The hairs on my arm rose when I realized the thick liquid was blood, explaining the smell of this floor. I gagged at the choking scent and looked away. A splintering noise caught my attention and I made the mistake of turning to look toward the sound. In a back corner a red creature struggled with an enormous skull, its strong jaws working at breaking through the bone. The sight of the beak on that skull made me flinch and I jerked my head to the side, breathing through the mouth, trying not to inhale any more smell of death. Turning away I left the creatures; they weren’t interested in me and hopefully soon I’d cremate all the remains within this foul building. I marched along not bothering to hide my steps and wrenched the next door open, giving the elgrid I discovered hulking behind it a snarl of a smile. Putting my fury to good use I roared my energy out in a maelstrom and watched it incinerate the shrieking beast, then sent the twister up the stairs ahead of me.

Loi worked frantically, flinging waves of energy around and out, trying to cover as much ground as possible. Above, the sky battle would soon end and Loi knew she had only moments to kill all the enemies possible before Sabyn landed to take her away. Sounds of desperation ripped from her throat when the men she knew, the men she’d protected for so long in the caves, fell under enemy blade and bow. She kept alongside Cavalry Lieutenant Larvaste, fighting fiercely with the remaining men, their ranks reduced by half. Loi felt the thud on the earth bridge and heard Tomiar’s cry but ignored it, gathering energy and flinging it at the massive trolls edging their way across the earth bridge.

‘Laura!’ Larvaste shouted above the din of battle. ‘Get out of here!’

Pressing her lips flat while hot tears of frustration tracked down her cheeks, Loi ignored the command and focused again. Before she had a chance to release the energy Larvaste snatched her by the waist and threw her over a shoulder, galloping toward where Sabyn and Tomiar waited. Loi screamed when she watched a troll strike, its axe-like arms severing a General Guard’s soldier’s head from his body. She flung another pulse, knocking the creature back and the troll bellowed when the force shunted it over the edge. Larvaste jerked her back to the ground and she fought against Sabyn when he tried to get her up into the saddle.

‘No! NO! WE CAN’T! WE CAN’T LEAVE THEM!’

Sabyn gripped her shoulders and shook her roughly.

‘LAURA! Cut it out,’ his light blue eyes bore into hers, face tense. Larvaste interrupted Sabyn before he could speak and the centaur gestured for him to climb up, seizing Loi by the hips and held her until Sabyn sat in the saddle, then threw her up.

‘Go do your job!’ The centaur bellowed when she started to struggle and Loi froze at the look of fury on the Lieutenant’s face.

‘Do your job, Loi. That’s the ONLY way we win.’

Sabyn didn’t give her a chance to respond and Tomiar shoved off hard. The overwhelming panic gave way to despair while she stared after their army and the massing enemy around them.

‘Why,’ she sobbed against Sabyn’s chest and he held her tight. ‘Why didn’t you let me fight, I could have saved them!’

Tomiar’s voice broke into her mind.

‘Loi, that’s not your job. Your task is to kill Jenviet. The army was tasked with drawing out the enemy troops. What did you think would happen to them?’

‘I didn’t realize they would all die,’
Loi wept. She felt Sabyn sigh when Tomiar evidently told him.

‘C’mon, goddess,’ he murmured, stroking the hair back from her face and tucking it under the hood. ‘We’re nearly at the castle. Pull yourself together, let’s kill that witch. We can’t let them die in vain.’

Kassie clung to the saddle when Kerak dived with a screech and Rumal lunged up from a crouch, hurling another spear through the rapthna’s head. The ancient dragon bellowed in pain and lashed out with its strong tail, making Phroma and Nesha take sudden evasive action. All the griffons scattered when the dragon roared and snapped, massive wings pumping the air while it shook its head and body, trying to get rid of the spears piercing it.

‘Phroma and Gredel’s turn,’
Kerak thought.
‘Then we leave!’

Kassie kept her eyes on the fight, refusing to look and see how their army did. Loi’s hysteria echoed through their link and neither she nor Sian commented, but the feeling of despair at leaving those men reverberated from each girl.

Focus!
Sian thought sternly while they watched Phroma make a run for the dragon, Gredel sitting high with his crossbow ready.

We mourn everyone if we don’t succeed,
Kassie thought to the girls, knowing her words were true but feeling like a traitor for thinking them.

Loi’s angry thought ripped through the link, making Kassie flinch.

THAT BITCH DIES!

‘Okay?’ Rumal asked. Kassie didn’t get a chance to answer when everyone screamed in victory, Gredel’s neck shot finishing the rapthna. The griffons and Sito swooped out of the way of the plummeting beast. Tomiar appeared alongside and Kerak’s thought flashed into her mind.

‘Finally! Let’s go after Loushka and Cat!’

Oooo,
Kassie thought to the girls.
Cat so gets it after this!

What the hell was she thinking?
Sian’s thought growled through.

I’m going to bloody kill her—after Jenviet,
Loi’s thought brought a brief smile and Kassie nodded in agreement, focusing on the task at hand when they swooped over the castle. The griffons and Sito landed heavily, bristled and ready to attack, but no one approached. The men exchanged glances before climbing down and the girls followed. They gathered together, the griffons and Sito standing protectively around them.

‘Don’t see Belsesus or Ignatius,’ muttered Daron and he turned Sian around, checking the seam on her armor.

Rumal, in the midst of patting over Kassie’s limbs to check her weapons were in place, glanced up.

‘They must be in there already.’

Sabyn nodded and he quickly re-tucked Loi’s long hair down the back of her armor.

‘We better move it.’

The griffons and Sito launched back into the air, spreading across the tower roofs to watch and Gredel made a sound, gesturing the girls to step close. His ruddy face showed little emotion other than sternness and he locked eyes with each of them for an instant.

‘No hesitating. At all. Those men dying back there die for you. Don’t let them down.’

Loi flinched and Gredel turned on her, his quiet voice threatening in a manner Kassie had never seen from him before.

‘Do. Your. Job.’

Sian thrust her hands out and Kassie took one, Loi the other. The men gave them a moment and the strong link allowed a sense of Cat to waft in, giving a moments relief. Releasing their hands Kassie turned to Rumal who looked down at her, eyes warming for an instant when he caught her hand.

‘Keep your energy up, beautiful. Let’s get this done.’