The barrier was his. Hidden crimson in the dark, climbing in the passageway like a vine, and mere cracks in the rock. Camouflaged.Lethal.I’d never seen a demonmakea barrier, but perhaps I could thank myself for inspiring Carmine to do so. He’d watched me make barriers time and again, though mine were weak single-affinity barriers compared to those of other magus.
Carmine’s barrier.My magic warned against touching the barrier with my magic or body. Those instincts warned against walking any further, and there was no tug in any other direction.
I considered the gem in my boot that the mother gifted me through Adeuto. Reaching down, I worked the gem free and held it tight in both hands. I got the sense of warmth and reassurance again, but nothing more. I tucked the gem away.
Looked like I’d made it to the end of the road.
My chest rose and fell as I stared down the passage. The prisoners must be close—or just the single prisoner. My twin could be around the corner.
I licked my lips and looked at the barrier. My voice wasn’t frozen. There was no vise around my throat.
“Tempest,” I croaked.
I winced as my voice echoed forward, and no doubtup.The new guards must be on their way down. I had to return to the branching passage to await them going past. So many people relied on me not getting caught.
I was surely pushing fate in the wrong direction.
“Tempest,” I whispered louder. “It’s me. I’m here, and you’re going to be okay.”
It’s me.
Did she recognize my voice?Hervoice filled the longing and grieving dreams and nightmares of my heart.
A shuffle and a scrape.
I lifted my head, feeling the desperate honing of my senses on the sound. “Tempest.”Mother be, I wanted to charge through this barrier. I wanted to scream. I wanted to ask so many questions.
“Are you okay?” I sobbed and pressed a hand against my mouth.
Crying?I hadn’t cried over anyone other than Adeuto in years.
Another scrape and shuffle, a clank of chains.
There was someone down there. Those weren’t the sounds of scratching and slithering dungeon critters.
A thin voice rasped, “Not.”
I gasped at the word. Was that her? The voice was female but nothing like I recalled. But she could be sick. Five years in this place… She could be starving and exhausted and torn apart. Unused to talking too. This could be the voice of her demon side.
Or I could be speaking to a complete stranger.
A stranger that Carmine found important enough to lock away. I shook my head as panic crowded me. No.No.There was only one person important enough to lock away. Make that two, butIwas mated to him. My twin was the only other threat to his throne.
“I have a plan,” I called. “You’re going to be okay, but there’s a barrier here. I need to figure it out. I’ll be back. I promise you.”
I had no idea how to unlock this barrier without alerting Carmine, but I’d get to Tempest even if I had to tear this fucking realm apart.
A minute passed with no reply. I really had to get out of here.
I turned to leave.
“Sister.” She sounded so frail. So tired.
Tears flowed down my cheeks, and I clenched my shaking hands into fists. “Please hold on.”
With that, I finally obeyed the frantic tugging in my gut to leave. To somehow, despite the fury and desperation in me, turn away from my hurt and trapped twin.
But as I blurred up the passage toward the hidden nook where I’d await the new guards to pass, each step brought me fresh confidence. More and more until I was as strong as the woman who had first entered Tiers.
