“She is already safe. She is with Malakai,” Melanie muttered.
“Malakai!”
“Shut up,” she snapped. “Now let us go.”
I followed through the dark corridor. The sconces had been extinguished. I couldn’t tell where we were in the castle in such darkness. There was enough light to make out the bodies on the ground, but I didn’t see every one, sometimes finding them by stepping on something that was clearly not the floor.
I felt nauseous as we slipped through one of the halls and into another corridor. I swore as I nearly fell over a blood mage in the middle of the corridor when a light flickered ahead of us. Melanie grabbed me so fast that panic flicked through my nerves like lightning. She pulled me behind a pillar and into the shadows, grasping me tightly against her with my back to her chest, and her hand clasped over my mouth.
“Shhh! Hold still unless you want to die.”
She didn’t have to tell me to be still, but for the first time, I didn’t care that she was telling me what to do.
Her grasp on my mouth was tight and I felt her pulse quicken on my lips. Moments later, I realized why.
A presence like I’d never felt before was approaching. It was loud, as if it were screaming. It made my own everi rescind deep within, hiding and cowering from whatever was nearing.
I tried to still myself, but my heart was thundering against my chest. I willed it to stop, as if the sound of it would alert them to my presence. As it passed, I could feel the air in my lungs thinning as I held my breath.
Who was this? Not that it mattered. I hoped I would never come face-to-face with them.
We stood there, unmoving, long after the presence passed and vanished down the hall. When Melanie finally let go of me, I was paralyzed. My everi reaction was so violent, it felt like I’d never move again.
Melanie grasped my upper arm and jerked, “Come on!”
Her hand was charged and sent waves of everi through me, awakening my own. My eyes snapped to hers, and I saw fear there—palpable, unshielded, and in tune with mine.
“Who was that?” I whispered.
“Someone that you do not ever want to meet,” she whispered.
We carefully made our way to the rift, its swirling black and purple layers melting together like liquid metal. My nerves were fraying and I glanced nervously at Melanie. The last time I went through here, Blake was supporting me like a newborn baby deer. I had my doubts Melanie would be so generous.
“Go,” she said. “Calm your mind and walk through. Do not stop until you are fully out of the rift.”
I took a deep breath and did as she said.
It was the oddest sensation. It felt as if every part of my body was everywhere all at once. I could see everything, heareverything, but despite feeling weightless, I could keep moving if I willed myself to. And as I did, the feeling in my body returned to me, and my back was to the rift.
The weight of Valendial’s power was upon me immediately. I fell to my knees, catching myself with my hand flat on the marble floor. I labored to catch my breath, the cool touch of the floor soothing as my skin flushed under the new pressure. Slowly, I rose, forcing my body to adjust. Melanie appeared at my side, only pausing briefly to adjust.
“Come on,” Melanie said.
I summoned my strength and moved to follow her when I felt a shift around me.
My feet left the ground as I flew through the air, smacking against the stone wall. Shocked, I saw Melanie before me. Beyond her, having stepped through the rift, was Ezreal Kalmont.
“You are quite the expert in clandestine affairs, are you not, Melanie?” he asked.
Chapter 51
Departure
ANNA
Ezreal stood, his stoic, patient demeanor gone.
He was watching Melanie with a hint of glee as she crept back.
