“It’s a body,” Scarlett said.“Or what remains of one.The box isn’t big.A child?”
Ransom lifted it out of the way, and they moved onward, following a lit path through the warren of stacked boxes.In the distance, a faint light glowed.
“Where is the prince’s security force?”Scarlett asked.
“Don’t jinx us.They might spring at us from the next corner.”
“Hmm, an excellent point.”
They slowed their pace and trod with caution.Heat still radiated through the chamber but not as bad as it had been near the wall of lava.Scarlett’s gaze traveled back and forth, each of her senses attuned to her surroundings.A faint hum sounded.Scarlett grasped Ransom’s forearm and squeezed.
“I hear it,” he murmured.“How is your head?”
“The pressure at my temples is increasing.”
“Mine too,” Ransom whispered.
The area between the stacks of boxes—coffins—widened, and she stepped up beside Ransom.Talon pushed between them, his clawed hands gripping both their legs.
One box sat on a raised dais.This one was clear, and she glimpsed something purple inside.
“What do we do?”Scarlett asked, studying the buttons on the box’s side.
Before Ransom could answer or they’d discussed the situation, Talon darted forward and clambered up a set of steps she hadn’t noticed.
“Talon, no!”Ransom shouted.
Ransom took half a step forward as did she, but it was too late.Talon’s clawed hands slapped buttons, and the lid of the box lifted.
Scarlett shared a glance with Ransom, and he shrugged.
“Might as well see what’s inside,” he said.
Talon growled and jumped back.He sidled up to Scarlett and clung to her leg.Funny, the wee monster snapped and snarled and teased her, yet expected protection in return.
Before they could peer into the box, a purple form sat up.He was bald with a delicate nose and ears.Silvery whorls and a design of snaking curves covered half of his face.A wide yawn displayed a set of pointy teeth, much like the ones of the Elevenoss race.The man wore a purple cloak trimmed with what appeared white feathers.Apart from that, he was naked.He stretched and turned to glare at them.
“You took long enough!”
The imperious voice was one she’d heard before.The time he’d tried to force his way into her head and failed.
Skinny purple arms raised, stretched, and the prince stabbed another button.The side lowered, and shiny steps emerged with a whirr.He plopped a glittering crown on his head, then stood and wobbled a fraction before he gained his balance.He lifted his head and descended the stairs to stand before them.
“You brought the woman.Excellent.”His gaze raked her, and he sniffed.“She will do to restart my population.”
“I refuse to let that little dick near me.”The purple prince didn’t even come up to her hip.
“Scarlett,” Ransom warned.
She sent him a side-eye.No way!She leaped at the prince and had a moment of satisfaction as the purple being’s eyes widened.He raised his hands as if to hold her off, and in the next instant, she froze in position, unable to move her limbs.“Let me go, you purple moron.”
“Ah, excellent.A feisty one.The crying females are no fun.”
“Release her,” Ransom thundered, taking a giant, intimidating step forward.“Grata!”The prince had frozen him too.“This is the way you treat those who’ve come to release you from your prison?”
Scarlett forced back her panic.At least Talon couldn’t growl at her for scratching.A thought occurred.“Where are your people?”
“All gone,” the prince said without a trace of concern.
