“This will do,” he said. “This will more than do. You have a good eye.”
The compliment made her flush with pleasure. “Go,” she ordered brusquely, to hide her reaction. “You don’t have much time.”
“Then come with us,” Shan said. “We’ll see you to safety once we kill the Mage.”
“I can’t. I’ve got things of my own to tend to.”
Shan nodded in understanding. “Good luck,kaidina,”he said. “I know you think the Fey would kill you, but you will always find welcome in the House of Celay.”
The woman, his mate, reached for Melliandra’s hands.“Miora felah, ajiana.Blessings of the Fey upon you, child, and may the gods grant you more joy than you ever thought possible.”
The soft words were accompanied by a rush of warmth so strong, and a feeling of such… such… Melliandra had no words to describe it. The closest she could compare it to was the dizzying pleasure when she’d called her magic that time in the refuse shaft. It was like freedom and Shia’s smile and sunlight and blue skies all wrapped up in a single moment that made her want to laugh and cry all at once. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself to hold the feeling to her for as long as she could.
When she opened her eyes again, Lord Death and his mate were gone.
Chained to the walls of a lightless cell in the bowels of Boura Fell, Bel, Gaelen, and the rest of Ellysetta’s quintet awaited their turn in the torture masters’ untender care. Since waking from their drugged sleep, gods knew how many bells ago, the screams of their blade brothers had not stopped. Those screams had been growing steadily louder, as the torture masters of Eld worked their way down the line of new prisoners.
A few chimes ago, however, the screams had fallen mysteriously silent.
“Do you think the torture masters have tired themselves out?” Gaelen pondered with black humor.
“More likely, we’re next, and they’ve just gone to sharpen their blades,” Tajik said.
Locked up in the room with them, Farel gave a grunting laugh of amusement. “Could be. They’ve been using them enough.”
“You know,” Gil announced, “as rescues go, I have to say, this one pretty much scorchesrultshartturds.”
About a man length from the source of Gil’s voice came Rijonn’s rumbling agreement. “Tairen turds.”
“I told you,” Gaelen said, “I had backups. I don’t know what happened to them.”
A metallic scraping sound came from the direction of the door, and they all fell silent. The scraping sound was followed by the distinctive click of the latch lifting free. The door swung inward, and a sliver of light—the first in bells—spilled into the cell, widening rapidly as the door opened more fully. Two armored silhouettes stood in the doorway.
“Well, aren’t you a sorry sight,” a familiar Fey voice drawled.
“Kieran?” Gaelen sat up straight. There wasn’t much in life that could surprise him, but the appearance of Kieran vel Solande in the heart of Boura Fell definitely did. “What are you doing here? “
“Apparently, uncle, I’m saving you from a very nasty demise, though gods know, I’m sure it won’t take me long to regret it.”
Gaelen grinned, too pleased to take offense at his nephew’s cheek.
“Well, it took you long enough,” Bel groused, holding up his hands as Kiel ran over with a key to unlock hissel’dormanacles. “I was starting to get worried.”
Gaelen turned on Bel in disbelief. “You knew they were coming? “
Bel arched a brow. “You think the High Mage is the only one who plans backups for his backups?” Rijonn laughed, slow and deep.
Bel jumped to his feet, rubbing his wrists where thesel’dorpiercings had chafed. “All right,kem’jetos.First we save Rain and Ellysetta, then we kick some Elden ass.”
***
«This way, shei’tani.»
Shrouded in blue Primage robes and guided by the information Shan had retrieved from theumagigirl’s mind, Shan and Elfeya made their way as quickly as they dared through the dark maze of Boura Fell. From the observation chambers, they had ascended several levels and crossed a wide common area filled with scores of Mages in green, red, and Primage blue. Though it cost Shan a great deal to keep his steel sheathed, they navigated thatlyrantnest without incident and slipped down a hallway to the more private area they were in now. As they approached the intersection of two wide corridors, their steps slowed.
«The girl’s map says there will be guards up ahead,»Shan said.«At least six of them.»
The plucky littleumagigirl had given Shan more than a simple map of the fortress and the path to the place Vadim Maur was holding their daughter. She’d given him all the details about all the rooms and wards and guard postings along the way, and identified spots where they would have to exercise extreme caution to avoid being caught.
