“You are not bad for an Initiate, but you are still an Initiate,” she said, barely a few inches from my ear, before thrusting me back by my fist. “You are in over your head,” she sneered. “And by the time you realize that it will be too late. How many of your little group that leaped into the falls have to vanish before you understand that?”
I was shaking.
Why were the Initiates that were missing all from our group? Did that mean they were coming for the rest of us? Riya, Eli, Ji-Han, Isabella and me?
I burned with fury, my hands shaking as I rounded the corner. The main meeting area in the catacombs was empty, and I grabbed one of the torches from the wall sconce. I was sick of this back-and-forth game of mind fuckery with these people. I wanted to know what the hell they knew and I wanted to know now. I had to find Malakai.
As I moved deeper and deeper into the dungeons, the air grew colder and damper.
Finally, I heard voices in the distance, and shadowy figures in the light flickered on the stone walls. I navigated the thick chains scattered across the floor and the twisted bars of old cells that looked as if someone had tried to pry their way out. The voices were getting louder, and when I rounded the next corner, I knew I was close.
I steeled my nerves, certain I was being reckless, but I was mad enough to be this foolish.
I took a deep breath and noticed an odd scent permeating the corridor. It was mingled with smoke, but oddly distinct, with a metallic edge and a cooling, almost mint-like quality. As I entered an open cavity of cells, I found the source of the smoke.
The chamber was vast—a deep, hidden space far from the oversight of the guard and staff at Nightfall above. Opulence gleamed as firelight danced across the chamber, a warm glow cast across the vaulted room that was bigger than any of the other chambers in the catacombs I’d seen. Goblets clinked in the distance as laughter and hushed secrets filled the air, along with a decadent scent of melted chocolate and herbal smoke. Centuries-old chandeliers hung high overhead, the glow of the candles doing little to penetrate the velvet shadows lurking in the chamber.
It was within one of those shadowy corners that I found Malakai lounging on a red velvet chaise lounge. He was near one of the fireplaces, drinking deeply from a goblet. His expression was commanding, his gaze unwavering as he watched me. Heat rose in my cheeks as that night in the Raven Room flashed through my mind. Annoyed, I shoved it away, refusing to think of it.
Several others around him took note of me, Adepts trying to get in with him. A woman was in his lap, her dark hair danglingdown as she was cradled against his body. A deep smirk spread across his face as he saw me.
“Anna, how surprising—and without Blake, interesting. Draknir, offer our guest a drink,” he said, speaking to the thick, scowling man beside him. He moved across the room and lifted a goblet into his hand, and brought it to me, holding it out for me to take.
I spied the silver goblet.
“I didn’t come here for drinks,” I snarled. “I came here to speak with you. Alone.”
Malakai cocked his head to the side. “Ah. Even better.”
He pushed the woman aside, and I was shocked to see Reece lying limp on the cushions, her eyes heavily lidded.
“Reece,” I cried, rushing forward, but Draknir blocked my path, spilling the drink on my shirt.
“Get out of my way,” I said, but I stayed focused on Malakai.
He got to his feet, taking his time, unbothered by my tone. “Oh, that is right, you went through the tasks with her, did you not?”
“I swear to god, Malakai, if you hurt her?—”
“What?” he said, his tone menacing and cutting me off. “What would you do?”
He moved closer, putting his hand up, signaling Draknir to move aside. He approached me head-on, unyielding in his silent assault on my space.
“What would you do, Anna?” he said, his voice low.
I didn’t move, watching the others out of the corner of my eye. I noticed Reece stir and saw a flash of blood.
“Something is happening at Nightfall,” he said. “I know you sense it.”
I scoffed. “Stop acting like you aren’t in the know. I saw you with Everson the other day. I know you're trying to keep him quiet.”
Malakai smirked. “Oh, did you, now. Everson is nothing. And while I appreciate your confidence in me, there is more going on here than even I am aware of. What is interesting about it is that, somehow, every time I get a piece of new information, you are involved.”
“What?” I asked. “What information?”
“I hear whispers, but despite that, your presence here is no less than the crashing of a tidal wave upon an ancient and long-standing society, which is not considered a good thing,” he said.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” I said. “I’m not anyone special.”
