Suddenly, my grief is shattered by the thrumming footfalls of guards descending upon us. Yet even in the face of imminent danger, James remains kneeling by Malachi, a statue frozen in anguish.
“James, release the coven!” I bellow as I am tossed into yet another wall by this dragon shifter. There’s no time for tears. Not now. We must survive, then he can break all he wants.
The wolves and I charge the dragon man. The clash of bodies, the symphony of snarls and growls, the hissing of fire—it’s all drowned by the pounding in my head.
As I fight, James moves into action, finding the keys on a nearby guard. The key clanks in the steel doors, and the faces of the liberated coven members shift from complete terror to resolute anger as they stand. They help James take down the guards using whatever their hands touch as weapons when fire bursts past me and hits the wall. Suddenly, explosions go off, and Hunter’s body hits me with enough force to knock me backward.
The roof caves in, and I scramble backward as the avalanche of rock tumbles to the ground, crushing and blocking us from the guards and the dragon shifter. A hand grips my shoulder, and suddenly, I am jerked away just as the cell wall crumbles. Looking up, I find my father staring down at me.
“You were told to wait outside!” I snap.
“Good thing I didn’t,” he retorts as I get to my feet.
“And Leila?”
“With Shadow, I was getting bored, and the girl talks far too much.”
Moving to the tunnels, we do a headcount. Luckily, none of the coven were killed, and some are already running for the exits when I spot Kelly. “Where is Zirah?” I ask.
“With your brothers, Slavic ordered us to be taken, but only half the coven was before you showed up.”
“But they’re alive?” my father asks.
“Yes, last I saw of them, your sons were still alive. Slavic knows Zirah won’t bring back his son without them. He’s using them as leverage,” Kelly explains.
“His son. He’s been dead for a while,” I tell her.
“Yes, I know, but he wants to resurrect the dead and thinks Zirah is the way to,” Kelly informs me.
“And where is Malachi? Where is my brother?” My father demands, his voice momentarily quelling the storm of conflict. An icy silence descends, chilling and foreboding, and I look at James. “Well, is someone going to answer?” my father snaps.
“Malachi . . . is dead,” I tell him.
The statement hangs in the air, and my father staggers back a step. James reaches out and drops a hand on my father’s shoulder. My father shrugs him off. “I will lead the coven out,” he states, turning on his heel and heading back the way he came.
“We’ll be coming with you. There is no way past here now, I need to find another entry,” I tell him.
“The western border. That’s where he is holding them. He had his guard move everyone,” Kelly informs me. I nod, following her and taking up the back on the off chance a hidden tunnel exists in this maze.
Chapter Fifty-One
Fear clogs my throat, sticky and bitter, as Slavic’s guards drag us from the stony confines of our cells. My body throbs with every step, and my feet drag, unable to keep up. But I can’t give in. I can’t afford to, especially now Regan is almost here.
The grand hall of the underground bunker stretches out before us, a cavernous area filled with a menacing aura. King Slavic awaits our arrival with a sickening glint in his eyes. He thinks he has won, that he can use my power to resurrect his dead son, but he’s wrong.
As I am dropped at his feet, I glance at the faces of my coven. Half are missing. My breath catches. Did they escape? Were they . . . ? No. I can’t entertain that thought. I can’t let the darkness seep into my hope. Yet, I don’t see Kelly anywhere.
Slavic’s voice cuts through the silence like a blade, demanding answers about the missing witches. His rage is like a living force in the room, tightening the air around us, and my heart beats frantically against my ribs.
I catch whispers from the guards. Regan has gotten past barriers Slavic put in place. He has infiltrated the mountain, taken down the eastern side, and is now where we just came from.
“We’ve locked down this entire side. What do you want us to do?” a guard stutters, looking at Slavic for answers.
“Fucking stop him, stall him, anything until I bring my son back!” he roars at his guard. A few scamper off, and a breath of relief eases out of me, knowing he is still alive.
“Make sure the other exits are open. Set the explosives off on the eastern and northern side,” Slavic snaps. That relief is short-lived, as Slavic orders the mountain to be blown up. My heart plunges into my stomach.
My gaze drags to Zeke and Lyon, strung up by their wrists, their bodies marred by the torture they’ve endured. Slavic means to use them as leverage. He thinks he can make me do his bidding. A sick knot forms in my stomach, but I suppress the urge to vomit.
