We paused, Elex once again bubbling us in a protective Air shield. We didn’t dare use the shield too much. We couldn’t take the chance that a brainwashed Mageia might pass nearby and report us. I couldn’t imagine how any Mageia could submit to this kind of torture and continue to support the Elusians.
“What element is everyone?” he asked, looking around at our battered and bloody crew.
“We have three Water, four Fire, two Air, and one Earth Mageia,” Maia responded.
“Who’s the Earth Mageia?” Elex asked.
Roni raised his hand.
“I—I’m Earth—Mageia,” he managed to gasp, his thin hands hugging his injured ribs. He’d been beaten by two guards while a female Elusian had watched. It had been a pleasure to gut her while Elex took care of the guards.
I shook my head; the boy had multiple broken ribs. There was no way he was going to be able to focus through the pain to open the locks on all the chains. Though, looking in his eyes, I figured he would die trying.
We need Luke,Elex signed to me.
Well, we don’t have him, so howare we going to free them?I signed as Maia looked on in confusion.Are you strong enough in Earth to free all the chains?”
Elex looked through the hole, taking careful note of the fifty or so servants and eunuchs secured, careful to prevent any light from showing from behind him, then shook his head.
Not thatandprotect us from Suppression. Roni is too weak to be much help.
Elex had access to all four elements since we’d Bonded, but that didn’t mean he had each in the same measure, especially since we hadn’t had the opportunity to train before going on this mission. Earth and Air were diametrically opposed elements. A Tesseris Mageia was typically weakest in the opposite element of his primary power.
“I have an idea,” Elex responded out loud, an evil grin spreading across his face as his gaze jumped to Maia’s face. “But I am going to need everyone’s help to get us out of here. I’m going to take a page from your book.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of that,” I responded suspiciously.
“I’m burning this fucking place down,” he said, his face a mask of fury. “We free the eunuchs and slaves before we set the place on fire. In the chaos that follows, it will take them time to figure out who all the bodies are. By the time they realize people are missing, we’ll be long gone.”
“Are you planning on the confusion of the fire helping us reach the Legion?” one of the Mageians asked. “Because they patrol the streets heavily at night.”
Elex shook his head.
“We’ll go through the sewers. They won’t be expecting that.”
“What if one of the servants or eunuchs decides to call for help?”Maia asked.
“That’s where they come in,” he said, pointing at the Air Mageia. “Can you all keep an Air shield up and prevent sound from traveling?”
The Air Mageia looked at each other hesitantly for a moment, but then nodded.
“Good. Here’s what we’re doing,” he said.
Within a few moments we had them organized into squads based on their elements. We couldn’t take a chance on someone turning on us, so the Air Mageia would be responsible for handling the slaves and servants. We would free as many as we could and offer them the opportunity of freedom.
“We need to find Luke and Rhu and tell them about the change of plans,” I said.
Elex nodded.
“And get Luke down here to take care of the chains. While I do that, the Water Mageia will begin sucking all the moisture from the building. The less water in the wood, the faster the Fire Mageia can make it burn.”
“I didn’t see them in any of the rooms we passed,” I said.
“I think the Gold Room is reserved for very high-level VIPs,” Maia added.
“How do you—”
She leaned her head back displaying a necklace of bruises around her neck.
