“At least they did a joint funeral,” the other CO said. “Imagine going through the same ordeal twice.”
The first CO chuckled. The rest of us mirrored their demeanor.
“You weren’t too fond of Amalia and Vincent, huh?” Heron asked from behind me.
“Amalia was a freakin’ psycho!” the first CO replied. “I can’t even count the times I’ve had to clean up her messes. That wench had a thing for draining the blood out of Imen children. It was disturbing.”
“I mean, at least we drink from the adults,” the other CO added. “We let the kids be kids, you know?”
I found that infuriating. Letting Imen children grow up into this nightmare, to then snuff the life out of them for pleasure. It was equally deplorable.
“Yeah, the kids need to grow before we can drink them dry, right?” I replied dryly. I instantly felt Avril discreetly nudging me.
The COs didn’t catch my sarcastic tone, though. Instead, they laughed lightly and nodded. As if any of this was funny. My hand was itching for my sword.
“As for Vincent… Just no,” the first CO said, while the other chortled, scratching the back of his head. “He was simply useless and pathetic. The upside is he’s no longer here to order us around.”
“Let’s just say the city hasn’t suffered too great a loss,” the second CO said, and nodded at me. “You can take those masks off, though. This is a pleasure house. No one cares how hard you grieve.”
I chuckled softly, moving to leave them behind. “It’s fine, it’s fine,” I said. “We need to get a room and change altogether.”
The first officer caught my arm, frowning. “What have you got to hide?” he asked. Then he grinned. “Are you that ugly? Let me see—”
He tried to grab my mask, but Zane had already snuck up on him. Zane stabbed his neck with a poisoned arrow, then disabled the other CO. Before they even hit the floor, we caught them, held them up as they lost consciousness, and followed Zane into the nearest room, farther down the narrow corridor.
We stashed them inside a closet, then made our way to the secret door at the end of the hallway.
“Thanks,” Heron muttered.
Zane gave him a brief nod, then opened the secret door and rushed down the basement stairs. We went after him and stopped at the bottom. We all put our red lenses on underneath our masks, just in case there were any invisible fiends around. Wearing our hoods and masks was going to get us deeper into the underground level.
“Hold on,” Zane whispered. He went ahead, checking the walls and ceiling for hidden traps. He passed his fingers over a small hole in the ceiling. “Aha.” He grumbled, using his claws to disable it. It was a misting device, from the looks of it. It would’ve revealed any creature using the invisibility spell.
We followed him through another hallway, where he broke two other traps—one devised to deploy water mist, and the other meant to trap an intruder between two sheets of charmed, unbreakable glass. We’d learned some lessons from our previous visit, for sure.
We had one more corner to turn before we’d see Lumi’s room straight ahead. It was as far as the cloaks were going to get us. From what I’d spotted along the way, only uniformed COs had access to these parts of the basement. We dropped our cloaks and masks, then ingested invisibility paste. Less than a minute later, we’d all vanished.
I peeked around the corner, spotting the two daemon guards and two COs posted outside Lumi’s room. Harper was also in there, according to Aymon. Two birds, one stone.
“Okay, same deal as last time,” I whispered. “We split up.”
“Heron, Zane,” Caspian replied, “can you two draw the guards out on both sides, so we can enter directly through the front?”
Both Heron and Zane nodded. “Yeah, the layout works,” Heron muttered. “They’ll have to chase us around the perimeter from both ends of that corridor, while you three go in perpendicularly.”
That said, Heron and Zane darted off in opposite directions, while Caspian, Avril, and I waited around the corner, quietly watching Lumi’s door. About twenty seconds later, two distinct noises drew the guards’ attention. They all frowned, then looked at each other, briefly nodded, and went after the noise sources. A daemon and CO took the left, while a CO took the right. They left a daemon behind, but one was three times easier than all four of them put together.
I shot through the corridor at high speed. He spotted the air ripples, but it was too late. I rammed into his stomach before he had a chance to react. The impact was strong enough to throw him against the door and knock the air out of his lungs.
“Duck!” Caspian said behind me.
I instantly dropped to the floor, and Caspian cut the daemon’s head off. I unlocked the door using a skeleton key that Laughlan had crafted for this mission, and then Caspian dragged the daemon inside, while Avril brought his head in with a disgusted expression.
“Ew, ew, ew!” She groaned, then tossed the daemon head into the corner.
I closed the door behind us and stayed close to it, listening to the noise coming from outside. Just as Aymon had said, both Lumi and Harper were in the room. Its walls had swamp witch symbols scrawled all over them, as did Lumi’s and Harper’s cuffs and restraints.
Lumi was gagged and frozen, watching us with wide, strangely white eyes. She could see me without a red garnet lens, despite my invisibility spell. She was beautiful but… different. Her hair was a bright orange, tamed into a luscious bun. She’d been stuffed into a black, conservative dress, which contrasted with the tattoos on her neck, cheeks, and temples.
Harper smirked, catching the air ripples and instantly figuring out what was going on. Caspian rushed to get her out. I tossed him the key and gave Harper a wink as soon as he put a red lens over her eye.
“Your escape service has arrived,” I said, wearing a devious smirk.
Harper
My heart soared at the sight of Caspian, Fiona, and Avril. As soon as I was free of my charmed cuffs, I wrapped my arms around Caspian, and he covered my face with feverish kisses. I’d heard the noises outside. Part of me had already known what was happening before the door even opened.
I shot to my feet, stretching with delight as Caspian handed me a sword. Mine had been taken away, along with the rest of my gear. I took the key from him and used it to remove Lumi’s cuffs, then took the gag off. The swamp witch was in shock, hope glimmering blue around her for the first time.
“Where are the others?” I asked as I tossed the chains and cuffs aside, resting my hands on Lumi’s thighs and giving her a warm smile.
“Zane and Heron are outside, giving the guards a run for their money,” Avril replied, settling by the door, next to Fiona. “The rest of the team is in position.”
“You’re… You’re all from Calliope.” Lumi finally spoke, for the first time in millennia. Her voice was faint and raspy, her vocal cords weakened. She took several deep breaths, smiling at the sound of it.
“And The Shade,” I said. “I told you, we’re getting you out of this place.”
“After all this time… I didn’t think I’d ever utter a word again,” she whispered, tearing up. “I’m so weak.”
“I know,” I replied gently. “I’m… We’re not going to let anyone hurt you again, I promise. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. You’re one of us, Lumi. We don’t leave our people behind.”
“How come you can see us, even though we’re invisible?” Fiona asked.
“Swamp witches can see the magic of the Word, even when it’s cast. Invisible spells, cloaking shields, hidden charms, everything. It all glows gold for us,” Lumi explained. “I cannot see you like I see Harper, for example, but I can make out your figures and most of your facial expressions. It’s difficult to explain right now.”
Avril stilled and sniffed the air. “Hold on. There’s a sudden mixture of scents coming from above. From outside, specifically. I think the Adlet flare was launched.”
Fiona gasped. “Oh, hell
, it’s showtime. It’s about to get busy in here, for sure,” she added, and looked at Lumi. “Lumi, what spells have you given them so far?”
Lumi sighed, then nodded at Caspian. “Can you scratch off as many of the symbols on these walls as you can? They’re holding me down, physically and spiritually.”
Caspian immediately took out a pocket knife and started breaking the seals. His skin started to burn, as he was going against his blood oath. Avril took over from him, while I helped Lumi stand up. Her knees were weak. She gripped my shoulders, giving me a frightened look. I responded with an encouraging smile.
“I gave them plenty of spells,” she said. “Invisibility, fertility, defense, and attack. Warfare magic. Poisons and scrying potions. Cloaking shields of various dimensions.”
“Including one big enough to hide the entire planet, right?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said.
She regretted each spell she’d given, but we already knew she’d had no choice.
“You did what you had to in order to survive, and that’s a good thing,” I replied. “If you’d gotten yourself killed, our chances of going home would’ve dropped to zero the moment we set foot on Neraka.”
“They tortured me,” Lumi murmured, taking a few steps as she held on to me for stability. We had to get her in better shape, and fast, so I cut my palm and offered her my blood to drink. “They nipped at my soul.”
“I know,” I said. “Drink some of my blood. It’ll help you heal faster, at least enough for you to replenish some of your strength, because we’re about to bust out of this joint.”
Lumi nodded again, then consumed some of my blood. I could see the color gradually returning to her cheeks. Her gaze looked sharper, slightly more focused than before.
“What do you need in order to take down the shield they put around Neraka?” Fiona asked.
“A safe space and about half an hour,” Lumi replied. “I don’t need much else. The one thing I never told anyone, including the Exiled Maras, is the fact that I can break any swamp witch spell with just a few ounces of my blood.”
“Smart witch,” Caspian muttered.
“I think I know where we can go,” Fiona said. She was about to continue, when the door burst open, prompting all of us to step back and draw our weapons.
Standing in the doorway, accompanied by two daemon guards, was Adaris, one of Shaytan’s sons—the sixth on the Council, before Zane. He looked surprised, wearing a red lens and perfectly aware of our presence.
My heart jumped in my throat. We had been bound to get company, sooner or later, only I’d hoped it wouldn’t be one of the princes. They were vicious bastards and very difficult to kill. Time wasn’t on our side, this time. We had to get Lumi out before more hostiles converged on our location.
“What are you ladies doing here?” Adaris muttered, drawing his humongous, bejeweled broadsword. That seem to be a common denominator for Shaytan’s sons—big bodies, big egos, big weapons.
“Waiting for you,” I replied.
I stepped in front of Lumi and raised my sword, its tip pointed at him. The bigger they were, the harder they fell. And I was not leaving this place without my swamp witch.
Fiona
For a second there, I felt like a guilty little schoolgirl caught doing something that was against the rules. Technically speaking, the last part was true, but we were fighting to save thousands of innocent creatures.
It was time to kick things up a notch. We had Lumi now. We just had to get her out of this place. Adaris stepped into the room, leaving his two guards in the doorway. Avril and I looked at each other, then went straight for their throats, leaving Harper, Caspian, and Lumi to deal with the prince.
I took on one of the daemons, dodging his rapier as it swung left and right, its blade thirsty for my blood. I swerved around and slashed his back, then severed the tendons behind his right knee. He growled from the pain, but I didn’t give him the time to react.
I drove my sword through the back of his neck, then twisted with all my strength. He croaked, then choked and gurgled as blood ran down my blade, poking out at the front. I pushed him down, pulling my sword back in the process.
Avril’s daemon was also down.
Harper showed no mercy toward Adaris, either. We dragged the daemons’ bodies inside and closed the door again, as Harper fought the daemon prince. Caspian secured a position in the corner with Lumi, who watched as Harper dodged Adaris’s broadsword, then hit back with decisive swings of her blade.
I noticed Lumi muttering something, her lips moving rapidly as she slowly lifted a hand, wiggling her fingers. Their tips took on an incandescent hue, then sent out a pulse through the air. It smacked Adaris between his shoulder blades. He stiffened, suddenly out of air. Lumi had just cast a spell on the daemon.
It gave Harper the window of opportunity she needed, and she drove her sword through his chest. Adaris collapsed, bleeding out, as Harper stared at Lumi.
“I didn’t know you could perform spells with just… words,” she breathed.
“What we wrote down in the triple tome is barely a fraction of what we can do,” Lumi said, leaning against Caspian, her legs still weak. “Those are just what we selected to pass down to generations of non-witches, in case we were ever destroyed. The power of the Word goes well beyond that, and it’s too dangerous for just anyone to wield such magic.”
“So, it’s true. Non-witches can become swamp witches?” Harper replied.
Lumi nodded. “Yes. We’re not born but made. However, it’s not an easy path. It is a complicated and lengthy process. It requires plenty of self-sacrifice.”
“I get it,” Avril said. “Lumi’s got the real magic going on, the heavyweight stuff that daemons and Maras don’t even know about. She’s been stringing them along with spells that require potions and charms and all kinds of symbols. It’s why they’ve kept her gagged all this time. They probably suspected she would eventually get herself out of here just by uttering her magic.”
“That is correct,” Lumi replied, then froze in sheer horror.
Adaris wasn’t dead yet. He got up and raised his sword at Harper—too fast for any of us to react. He was right behind Harper, and by the time she’d turn to stop him, there was a high chance he’d get her.
My stomach tightened. Lumi quickly whispered a spell, then flicked her wrist.
Adaris’s head was instantly thrown to the side. We all heard the horrific crack of his spine breaking. He dropped dead, and Harper exhaled sharply.
“Oh, wow,” she murmured.
Lumi’s eyes rolled in her head. She passed out. Caspian caught her and sat her in the chair, while Harper produced a small bottle with a special elixir that Patrik had cooked for all of us, to help jolt any of us back to consciousness. It was a powerful smell, enough to make Lumi’s eyes pop open.
She squirmed and pushed the bottle away, visibly disgusted.
“Good grief, I haven’t smelled a Druid potion in ages,” she muttered, then rubbed her face with her palms, regaining full awareness of her environment.
“Sorry, but we need you awake,” Harper replied, putting the bottle away.
“I’m still weak,” Lumi said. “That kill-spell took its toll on me.”
Harper smiled. “Thank you for that. But we need you to stay awake and capable of taking down the shield. It is the single most important thing you can do for us right now.”
“Harper, just so you know, we’ve got confirmation that our people in GASP are waiting outside the shield,” I said. It was finally an appropriate time to brief her on this. “The Exiled Maras spotted them on one of the moons. They plan to attack them, but Aymon and several of our crew are taking care of that. Point is, our people are here. All we need to do is take down the damn spell.”
Harper stared at me for a couple of seconds, before she lit up like a Christmas tree. “Hell, yeah!” She stood, then helped Lumi up as well. “Wait, who’s Aymon?”
“A Correction Officer who
switched sides,” Avril explained. “He’s the one who helped us prepare for all this. He’s somewhere in the Palisade, I think, disabling whatever the Exiled Maras plan to use against GASP.”
“I can take care of that, too,” Lumi interjected. “Just get me somewhere safe so I can sit down, break all the charms they’ve put in place, and disable their attack spells.”
“Holy moly, you can do all that?” I breathed, in awe of her.
“It took us thousands of years to master the art of the Word,” Lumi replied, wearing a sad smile. “My sisters and I were always aware that everything we could do needed a way of being undone, as well, to preserve the balance in the world, if it ever got out of hand.”
Avril sniffed the air, frowning. “Guys, it’s getting hot in here. There are more daemons coming to our location,” she said, then narrowed her eyes at Lumi. “We need a fresh take on this,” she added.
“What are you suggesting?” Harper asked, somewhat confused. “I thought we were just going to sneak out of here.”
“I’ve got a better idea. You might not like it,” she replied, then shifted her focus back to Lumi. “I’m going to need your help with this, if you can.”
Lumi raised her eyebrows, curious, like the rest of us.
Scarlett
We waited until the funeral procession returned and began to scatter before we abandoned our hiding spots and made our way into the fourth level. Aymon had left to find out where they were planning to launch the attack on our moon-based crew, and we’d agreed to meet behind Marlowe’s Tavern to join him in thwarting that endeavor.
We found him waiting just around the corner, wearing his daytime uniform. He wore a red lens and was able to see us as soon as we emerged from the shadows.
“This way,” he muttered, then guided us through the back alleys of the fourth level.