The shield over my emotions and thoughts had me feeling freer than I had in years. I might’ve gone too deep into my void, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t risk fucking up this mission.
Nobody within the insurgency besides Slate and Onyx knew about the prisons, so if things went tits up, then we were on our own. It was my call to keep everyone else in the dark, unwilling to risk others while being able to potentially salvage the plan if we were caught.
I pushed open the door, finding Peri and Onyx waiting for me with curious expressions. “All good, bro?” Onyx asked, a black brow arched.
I nodded. “Let’s go.”
Icould’ve used my Elemental magic to open the door from the stairwell into the prisons, but Onyx would’ve detected it, so I kept my black crystal bracelet intact. Peri used her magic to smother any sound waves emitting from our movements and voices, while Onyx focused on keeping our energies undetectable.
I resisted my body’s natural urge to recoil from the sight and stench of the prisons. I walked ahead, Peri and Onyx flankingboth sides of me. Every time I’d been down here, Grim or the king escorted me themselves. Mostly Grim. So I’d never been able to get a proper glimpse into the cells.
As we passed each cell along the main corridor that led straight into the interrogation room at the end of the hall, I tried to make out the inmates taking up residence within. Most of them were Elementals, either sleeping, pacing, or slumped against the wall—dejected by their known fates.
Other cells, however, harbored a few Kinetics. Some would run to the bars and cry out, begging us to set them free. They pleaded for the chance to prove their innocence, claiming that they were framed or that their crimes were a misunderstanding.
The temptation to absorb their energies grew with each soul we passed, and each Kinetic and Elemental varied in their strength of their power. The curiosity to pull from them, even just a bit to sample, was too strong. With my sister and Onyx beside me, I refrained.
I shook my head. My patience with Kinetics outside of my circle ran thin. They were nothing but willing sheep led to slaughter by a wolf with green fur. Most Kinetics craved power and control, even if it was a microscopic amount, but it was ingrained into our culture. Power equaled strength and respect. The more one had, the more relevance they held. The fact I had been roped into this twisted society at such a young age repulsed me every day.
Once we reached halfway down the long corridor, I murmured to Onyx, “I need you to cover me.”
With a dip of his head, he closed his eyes the way he had back in the weapons room, directing his magic to latch onto my essence so he could mask it. “Got it.”
I shot him a quick thanks, concentrating on my life force and stretching it throughout the prisons in search of the hollow energy’s location. All I knew was it was deep within the maze ofcells. I had been too out of it that night to place the creature, but it was undoubtedly concealed well within the prisons’ depths.
After several soundless moments—except for the moaning pleas coming from the prisoners—I managed to latch onto the devoid energy. Dreadful. Sickened. And hungry. Awake and conscious, I confirmed that the energy undoubtedly belonged to an Endarkened. Having come across a few in the past two years; their energy was unmistakable.
“Follow me,” I murmured, pivoting sharply to the right down the next corridor. The energy guided me, but I realized with some measure of panic that the longer I held onto it, the more it drained my strength and power.
I bounded into a sprint.
Onyx and Peri ran to keep up. I couldn’t worry about them. I had to get there…and fast. “Go back,” I said over my shoulder, heaving from the exertion it required. “Just hold your magic for me. If you hear anything, take Peri to safety.”
Onyx tried to protest. “But no…”
“Go! Now!” I ordered, leaving no room for argument. “Protect her!”
“Chrome!” Peri shouted, our voices and steps muted to the outside world.
“No! Go, now!” My steps slowed as I struggled to pull in air. Fatigue rapidly weakened my muscles, my power dwindling fast.
Onyx and Peri fell back, and I thanked the gods that they listened to me. I glanced over my shoulder as I hooked down another corridor past a new block of cells to find the pair gone.
I didn’t have long to locate the Endarkened before it completely drained me, leaving me nothing but a limp body on the floor. If I could just find it and see them with my own two eyes for confirmation, then I could get word to the insurgency. I needed to provide proof. Claims like these would not go over well for the others if there wasn’t hard evidence to back it up.
Slowing to walk now, I turned once more down another block. A long corridor awaited me, although no light hung above like the others before it. A vicious darkness beckoned me forward, taunting me to follow it into its depths. Every follicle on my body raised to attention.
I heaved for air, my limbs molten like jelly. My power was nearly depleted. Exactly like being locked in one of these cells again with Grim after he emptied my magic. I grabbed hold of the cell bar, barely keeping myself upright with what little strength remained.
My fingers slapped against the cold steel as I passed, uncoordinated, hardly able to lift my arms to grasp the metal.
I only had to make it to the end of the corridor. The Endarkened lurked around the pitch black corner. I felt it.
I pushed forward, digging deep within myself to take faster steps. All my life, my body had been one of my strengths, so I’d be damned if I let it fail me now.
Step after sluggish step, I clumsily made my way down the hallway.
An incomprehensible darkness awaited me. Icy fingers of dread and death cinched my lungs tighter. I tried to release my essence’s grip on the Endarkened’s lifeless aura, but stumbled at the resistance.
