I grab the bars, watching as she uses all her strength to sit up. She crawls toward me with great effort. When she collapses, I gasp, but she’s up again. When she finally makes it to the bars, I reach for her hand. She’s ice-cold.
“What are you doing here?” she asks in a dry whisper.
“I came to save you,” I say, a sorrowful laugh bubbling out of me.
She doesn’t smile. I don’t think she has the energy to.
She’s so thin now, her face hollow, dark circles surrounding her eyes. Purplish bruises the shape of fingerprints encircle her neck. I cringe at the sight of them, hating the thought that she may have been abused and tortured down here. Fortunately, her eyes still have a bit of warmth. The same beautiful brown.
I glance at the liphanet crystal in the corner, the one containing the wretched curse Seferin placed on her. I stare at it for so long, my bottom lip begins to quiver.
“I tried to get a prosperity stone, but they were long gone.” My voice breaks as I look down at our hands. Hers lies limp in mine. Tears start to fall as I feel the weight of her hand in mine while remembering everything that happened at the temple. “I thought it would work out. I was a hopeful fool.”
“Hey. No.” She swallows hard. “Don’t you cry.” She whimpers a bit as she reaches through the bars with both hands to clasp my face. “I should’ve just quit my job like you said, right?” She laughs, but it’s dry, humorless. Her lips tremble as she drops her hands, losing strength. “It isn’t your job to save me. It’s just my time to go.”
“Ican’tlose you, too.” I cling to her arm. “I’ll have no one.”
“That won’t matter when you have a bright spirit like yours. Many people will flock to you.” She gives me a weak smile. “You’re the kindest, smartest little sister ever. Even during the times when you’re a pain in my ass.”
I hiccup a laugh, pressing my forehead to the bars as she does. We’re quiet a moment, minus my sniffling.
When the plan settles back in like an anchor, I swipe my tears away. “Like I said, I can’t lose you. I promised I’d get you out of this, and I never break a promise.”
Her brows knit together as I stand and back away.
“What are you talking about?” she rasps. “There’s nothing you can do anymore, Z. This is it.”
“No.” I look at one end of the dungeon. I think I can find the red door again and sneak inside that way. I dig in my satchel and take out the vial Thane worked his magic on. Removing the cork, I chug the liquid inside. It’s disgusting and thick as it goes down.
When I look at Analla, she’s confused for a split second. “What did you just take?” she asks. Then her eyes widen with terror. “No. What did you just do?” she croaks.
“I have a plan to get you out, but not enough time to explain. You’ll just have to trust me.”
“What plan?” she counters, eyes glistening. “Please don’t do anything rash! I need you, too!”
“Just trust me,” I insist.
“Zaira, listen to me,please,” she begs, using the last bit of strength she has to reach through the bars for my pant leg. I refuse to hear her.
Pulling away, I run to the end of the dungeon as she rasps my name again. I find the stairs, and my pulse skitters as I take them up by twos. I move quickly because if I don’t, the fear will kick in and I’ll lose faith in myself.
I’m doing this.
We’redoing this.
I grab the handle to the red door and push it open. It groans on the hinges, and I brace myself as I enter the hallway. Sultry music snakes through the air, but this area is clear. After my heart settles, I sneak through the hallway and make my way toward the music.
The atmosphere grows heavy, and a strange sensation wraps around me as I proceed. It’s almost like someone is controlling the energy in the room, pushing me further away from consciousness. I squeeze my eyes shut and open them again, clinging to focus.
The first room I pass is dim, flickering with weak candlelight, and clouded with smoke. Nightmaidens wearing black or red silk masks dance over half-naked men lying flat on richly colored rugs. Their movements graze the men, setting off their arousal. It’s slow, deliberate—seductive.
All of them seem to be in a trance…or under a spell.
I saunter past the next room, where two naked acrobats dangle from the ceiling while a cluster of people sitting on the floor snort kopa. Their eyes are dilated, and ridiculous smiles spread across their faces as they look at one another.
I notice a spiral staircase ahead and scurry up. On the landing, two guards stand before tall double doors at the end of the corridor, and when they notice me, they grimace and solidify their stance.
“You’re not supposed to be up here,” one of them bellows. “Get back where you belong.”
