“House Avus stood against him.”
“Good. That’s even better. Perhaps the strife will be relegated to the First Ring. Maybe they’ll fight it outamongst themselves. Maybe the Second Ring will aid HouseAvusif there's a chance of going against Cosmo. And who knows where Lynx stands.”
“But maybe countless innocents will die in the struggle. How many of the Lower Ringers will die before the Uppers finish fighting it outamongstthemselves?”
Zyaturned to me, deflating a bit as a look of pity crossed her face.
“The Lowers always suffer the most when the Houses clash,” she conceded. “It isn’t right but it’s the way it’s always been. It’s politics. I’m with you, Adrian, but I don’t know what we can do about it from here.”
“We can go back,” I said, standing.
Come back.I shuddered at the memory of the voice from my dreams, wondering if this was what it had meant, wondering if Sanctuary was somehow calling to me in the way Dante used to be able to call to me.
“Adrian,”Zyasaid gently but then more forcefully when I tried to push my way past her. “Adrian, wait.”
She couldn’t stop me. I phased right through her and strode out into the desert. The moment I re-materialized, I felt the burning of the sun against my skin, felt the dry, cruel heat of the desert around us. My heels kicked up sand with every step, my legs shaking with uncertainty in the unfamiliar terrain, but I pressed on. Until I realized I had no idea where I was going. I looked for the tunnel from which we'd been pulled, sure there would be signs of stones moved aside, some hole in the ground which had housed the Underground, a massive city above it that would be Sanctuary.
Instead, I found myself in a sprawling encampment. Dozens of tents like the one I'd come from littered the sands and men and women hurried to and from them dressed in varying materials of leather and cotton. Some had weapons strapped to their hips, some had bows on their backs, some carried no weapons at all and dressed in lighter fashion. Cotton and silk pants of all colors with wide legs that billowed in the light breeze, matching shirts with short sleeves that kept their arms free for movement. Their feet were covered in the thinnest of slippers. Those who wore leather wore boots, cotton shirts under their leather vests,and pants made of a thicker material I couldn’t imagine was comfortable. They were the ones who wielded weapons but they didn't seem to be ordering the others about. Rather, the camp seemed to flow with ease as though everyone had a role and knew it well.
Beyond this camp, there was no sign of the Underground or the city above it, of home. Just an endless expanse of sand burning in the bright sun and clear blue skies stretched as far as even my enhanced eyesight could see. I whirled toZyaas she emerged from the tent behind me.
“Where are we?” I demanded.
“I think it’s time I take you toGryfon,” she said simply and turned away from me. Her braids swung back and forth against her shoulders as she walked along the line of tents toward, I suspected, the slightly larger one at the end.
Some members of the camp turned to stare as we passed. I avoided their gazes as best as I could, scratching at the itchy fabric of mygraysupervisor’s uniform as I followed afterZyawho seemed far more comfortable in this camp than I was. I wondered then how long I'd been unconscious, how long she and the others had had to get used to their surroundings.
“We saved you!” someone was shouting from inside of the large tent as we approached it.
“We didn’t ask to be saved!” a familiar voice shouted back.
At the sound of it, I lunged forward and threw the flap back to enter the tent.
The argument stopped at once, every inhabitant of the tent turning to face me. My gaze drifted over the men and women in leather seated at a large, circular table, to the other warriors gathered on the fringes, including the man with the silver hair and striking blue eyes who leaned against a wooden pole in the corner, frowning. Then I turned to the other side of the table where Roxy, Kane, and Hugh sat, the latter’s leg healed entirely,not even a bandage remaining. Darius stood behind them, having obviously leapt up from the singular abandoned chair beside Roxy. His face was flushed red with anger and his chest heaved with the lingering emotion as his burning gaze found mine.
“Darius,” I breathed, true relief flooding through me for the first time since I'd awoken. “You’re alright.”
“Hardly,” he snapped. “These barbarians won’t take us home.”
I flinched. Barbarians? Home?
“Darius,” Roxy tried the gentler tactic, reaching up to place a comforting hand on his arm.
He softened but only slightly.
“You cannot return home,” one of the men on the opposite side of the table said in a way that let me know it wasn’t the first time he'd informed my friend of this fact. “The leaders of the Underground will have patched up the hole by now. TheGeistwill be aware of the threat. There will be no way in. Not again.”
TheGeist? I stared at the man who'd spoken.
“Who are you?” I asked, stepping forward. “Where are we? Where have you taken us?”
“The middle of nowhere,” Darius muttered and crossed his arms as he returned to his seat.
I drifted toward my friends,Zyafollowing close behind me. We stood behind them, looking down at the two men and one woman who sat across from us, frowns on their weathered faces. The man who'd spoken, middle-aged and balding, sighed as he leaned forward.
“There's so much you don't know and I’m afraid we don’t have time to explain,” he said. “Not yet. We must get to safety first. Then, I swear, we'll answer your questions.”
“Safety?”Zyaquestioned, giving a pointed glance to the warriors who surrounded us. “Are we not safe in your camp?”
