The road, or what he guessed had been a road many years prior, was nothing but potholes and chunks of asphalt. The icing on the proverbial cake was the hordes of creepy-crawlies of every size, shape, and form crawling about like they owned the joint. Rian could only imagine what the other inhabitants would look like.
“Brann, are we where we’re supposed to be?”
“Yes, sir. We landed right on course.” Brannoc sounded both satisfied and amazed that their plan so far was working.
“Then where are all the people? Not that I mind, but something doesn’t seem right.”
“We left topside at high noon. The folks down here tend to sleep during the day and wreak havoc all night long,” Maddox answered then added, “Have you never heard about the things that go bump in the night?”
Rolling his eyes, Rian snorted, “Yeah, but it’s always night down here and this is…creepier than….well, it’s just really creepy.”
“Take the win. I figured we drop down in the middle of a pack of hellhounds,” Drago jumped into the conversation.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence there, gramps.” Brann acted offended but Rian could hear the smile in his voice.
“That’s Assassin Gramps to you, young’un.” Drago snickered.
“All right kiddies, cookies for all when we’re topside. Right now, let’s get our people and get out.” Rian was glad everyone was taking their new surroundings in stride, but he couldn’t shake the feeling something wasn’t right.
Touching the amulet around his neck, he reached out to Kyra as planned, “Kyra, we’re here. Everything up there okay?”
“We’re good. How about y’all?”
“Good but weird.”
“Well, it is hell after all.” Kyra laughed and Rian took the first full breath since he’d touched down in the Underworld. Knowing they had ten of the strongest witches and the best doctor in the world waiting to help them any way they could made what they had to do all the easier.
“Hey, you talking to my mate, brother?” Royce laughed.
“I was but she’s all yours now. I will butt the hell out.” Rian chuckled then said to Kyra, “Thank you. Talk soon.”
Rian cut his connection, giving the couple their privacy, and joined the others at the back of the room where they were going over the plan one more time. Brannoc had the maps spread out on a makeshift table made out of broken plywood laid across two stacks of crumbling cement blocks and was leading the briefing.
“Here is Adramelech’s castle. We go north for half a block then east. The big creepy haunted house looking monstrosity at the end of the street is the place.”
“Does anyone but me find it weird that all this info was on the internet? I mean, this is a map of hell, not Schenectady.”
Rian knew Rory was trying to be funny but as usual, his youngest brother had the worst timing. Not wanting to be a jerk but needing to get Rory to shut up, the Dragon Leader responded with, “Does anyone but me think Rory should keep his comments to himself?”
The group tried to contain their laughter but it was impossible when Maddox added, “And this round goes to Rian.”
“Whatever,” Rory grumbled under his breath.
“Aww,” Lance teased. “Don’t take it personally. Roy is always kicking my ass too.”
“Only when you need it, you big pain in the ass, only when you need it.” Royce, who had just joined the group, teased then turning serious he added, “Now, let’s get to getting. Sitting still is making me itchy.”
“Roy’s right. Let me see if Calysta has found Audrey yet.”
Rian touched his amulet. It was like his good luck charm. The Grand Priestess had assured all the Guardsmen they didn’t need to touch it to talk to those still topside, but it just made Rian feel better. He’d given the Grand Priestess all the time he could to get them an exact location on his mate. The last time he’d talked to her, Audrey was still being kept in Adramelech’s castle. But by all accounts, that place was massive and searching for his mate like a needle in a haystack wasn’t something they had time for, so he’d given Calysta a shirt of his that still bore Audrey’s scent so that the Priestess could scry for his mate.
“Calysta, you found anything yet?”
“I have but I have Kyra verifying what I see.” Calysta sounded worried, which was never a good sign.
“And that means…” Rian asked, trying to mask his growing concern.
“It means that Audrey is no longer in Adramelech’s castle. She’s not even in that realm,” Kyra answered, practically spitting as she explained. “The bastard has moved her into a lower level. From the map Brann left that’s only good because it puts her closer to Kayne’s location, or where we think he’s buried. But that means your girl is in with the nasty beasties. My guess is the Chancellor is still pissed and this is her punishment.”
