Eyden took her hand, his eyes telling her he wouldn’t leave her out of this. He couldn’t anyway; only a human could remove the talisman.
Flashing Amira an encouraging smile, she nodded at Eyden.
Fucking showtime.
Eyden squeezed her hand, and the air around them engulfed her, lifting her up and pushing her forward. The feeling of floating in uncertainty only lasted a few seconds.
Almost stumbling, her feet landed on the stone ground again. When Elyssa opened her eyes, she found herself looking through the bars at Amira and Farren on the other side of the corridor. Tilting her head up, she made sure no arrows appeared out of thin air.
Then she turned to Eyden, a smile pulling at her lips. “I freaking love your power even if my stomach hates it.”
Eyden let out a short laugh, his gaze trained on the silver box beckoning them. Eyes on the prize.
Elyssa surveyed the room for possible traps, but came up empty. Taking a few slow steps forward, she stopped right at the podium. She carefully pulled the lid open, her eyes scanning her surroundings in preparation for a possible trap.
It opened with no trouble, revealing a beautiful talisman: an oval ruby crystal surrounded by deep gold, speckles of tiny rubies placed on the golden frame. The chain was gold too, catching the light as Elyssa pulled it from the box.
Although Elyssa didn’t put much faith into fae superstitions, holding the ruby crystal did feel strange. After the Dark King had been vanquished, the stone of his kingdom had been declared cursed, bringing bad luck to anyone holding it.
Moving her head, Elyssa could see every detail of Amira’s smile even with the distance between them. It was as if it was engraved in her mind.
Then a blaring noise broke the spell of accomplishment. Elyssa turned to Eyden, almost pulling a muscle in her neck. She rushed over to him. If she could hear the alarm this clear, it must be fucking loud.
Eyden’s eyes were wild with adrenaline as he grabbed her arm and threw them into nothingness. The air around her forced her forward, but unlike last time, she bounced against an invisible shield. Elyssa threw her free hand behind her just as she was thrown to the ground. Her wrist screamed in protest as she caught herself, barely stopping her head from hitting the ground.
When she looked up from her position on the ground, Elyssa met her brother’s shocked face across the hall. He had drifted out, but she was still here. As she took in the skeletons close to her, seemingly laughing at her, something dawned on her.
Eyden could leave because he was fae. She washuman.Only a human could remove the talisman, but no human could leave this cell. A loophole in their agreement. The fae wouldn’t have wanted a human to get their hands on something as powerful as this.
Immediate regret took over Eyden’s features. Elyssa shook her head.My decision.
Eyden opened his mouth as all hell broke loose. Guards stormed in from behind her friends, drawing arrows. Amira and Farren pulled back towards the spelled zone. Elyssa saw Eyden yell something just as the ceiling above them opened again, firing more arrows. Eyden threw a knife through the air, cutting off an arrow before it could strike Amira’s head.
It was impossible for her to make out how many guards were on their trail, but from the sweat glistening on Eyden’s forehead, the arrows streaming from the ceiling, and Farren’s panicked eyes, Elyssa knew the odds weren’t in their favour.
She sought out Amira’s face. Fear laced her pretty amethyst eyes, the brown speckles appearing darker in the dim light. They needed to get out of here.
Elyssa tilted her head to the doorway to their left. Following her gaze, Amira stared at her, confused. A small smile played on Elyssa’s lips even as tears burned behind her eyes.
Pulling her hand with the amulet back, Elyssa gathered momentum. Amira caught on just as Elyssa stuck her hand through the bars and threw the talisman into Amira’s trembling hands.
If Elyssa couldn’t leave, the talisman sure as hell would, and so would her friends.
Chapter56
Amira
The talisman was safe around Amira’s neck, yet she wouldn’t run even if fear gripped her heart. Eyden turned to the first guard to arrive in the corridor, ready to fight, while Amira looked at Elyssa trapped behind the cell bars. Amira would not give up on her.
“We have to do something,” Farren whisper-yelled as they moved away from Eyden’s fight. Elyssa’s brother struck the guard, inflicting deep cuts while avoiding the guard’s almandine sword.
More guards were coming. Amira wanted to use her powers, but she was unsure what to do. Farren had no such qualms. He took out a crystal and launched himself at a guard who was distracted by the traps of the temple. Farren pressed the crystal to the guard’s forehead, and their enemy collapsed, his sword dropping at his side.
“Get the sword,” she yelled at Farren. He grabbed the weapon, visibly unsure how to wield it. By Caelo, they were never going to win this fight. But they couldn’t retreat. Not without Elyssa.
Amira turned back to Elyssa who shook her head at her. Some of her red curls had come out of her high ponytail. She wanted them to leave her behind. But Amira was done not fighting back. Elyssa had done too much of the saving. It was time Amira saved her.
Taking a deep breath, Amira ran forward, her eyes trained on the ceiling. She thought back on their training sessions in the woods, on the arrows she had lifted with only her thoughts. Willing the arrows raining down on her to go past her, she felt her power following her command.
