“We’re going to ride this for two more stops, and then my driver is going to pick us up and take you home,” he assured me.
“We lost it?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
“I think so.” He didn’t sound completely convinced. “I don’t see a reason for it to continue to follow us. You didn’t acknowledge it.”
I nodded, trying to find solace in the warmth of Alaric’s embrace and the dark and familiar scent that was Alaric—like old books and cedarwood.
We came to our stop, my breathing and pulse finally falling to a normal rhythm. Alaric took my hand and began to lead me out of the subway car once it stopped, the doors sliding open. We turned right, heading towards the stairs that would open up to 32nd and 7th streets when Alaric stopped suddenly. I looked up, mortified to find the Stonebound standing at the top of the steps, its head bent in that same curious tilt, its breathing becoming more and more labored with each moment.
“Shit,” Alaric swore, swinging us around to take the other set of steps that would lead us to the other side of the subway towards 33rd street.
I still hadn’t regained feeling in my right arm; the ring’s intense humming only the only indication that my arm was still in fact attached to my body. The cold began to seep further into me, up my shoulder, making its way to my neck and across my chest.
“Alaric.” My voice was tense, a warning that something was not right.
“I know,” he replied. “Just stay with me. I’m going to get you out of here.”
“I thought.” My breathing became labored. “I thought the ring was supposed to . . .”
“Me too,” he answered, almost carrying me up the stairs as we met the frigid open air. Alaric pulled his phone out again, this time making a call.
“I need to take her to you.” His voice was dark and threatening. “It’s following her.”
There was a muffled argument on the other end.
“Fuck that,” Alaric argued, his voice venom. “We’re coming. Get Nico ready. She’s going to need a healer.”
I wantedto argue, to ask questions, but the deep cold was settling deep into my bones, the rattling of my teeth making it clear that if I didn’t get help soon, it might be too late. I could feel my heart beating in my ears, the consistent rhythm slowing as my heart struggled to keep blood pumping.
Alaric turned us down street after street, half dragging, half carrying me. My vision blurred, but in the reflections of cars, taxis, and glass buildings, I could make out the Stonebound following relentlessly. It was slow, in no hurry, staying at its steady pace. It was as if it knew it could catch up easily enough, but was content to watch us, to see where we were heading first before going in for the kill.
Eventually, Alaric pulled me down a dark alley, the kind you see in movies and TV shows while screaming at the top of your lungs for the character to not go down, but to run away instead. But I had no real breath in my lungs to scream or strength in my legs to run away. I was slipping away. I could feel it.
“Come on, Mari.” Alaric was begging me to move. “Stay with me.”
The icy cold had spread from my chest to my right thigh and leg, making walking, let alone running, out of the question. I hobbled as best I could before Alaric scooped me into his arms and began to sprint down the alley. I looked over his shoulder, relieved to find no one behind us. But within the next blink, the Stonebound appeared, flexing its long talon-like fingers as it took its slow and purposeful steps. Again, it moved slowly, deliberately, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it was waiting for. It was the last thought I had before I blacked out completely.
There was a faint humming sound as I came to. A warm pile of blankets covered me so heavily, I felt like I couldn’t move. I fluttered my eyes, realizing I was lying on a small cot in a small stone chamber that smelled faintly of copper and herbs. I stretched out, relieved to find the feeling back in my right arm and my ring sitting quietly on my finger, not icy or burning with heat.
I sat up, pushing the blankets off me as I took in the small space. There were five other empty cots along with a divider between the cots and what looked like a work area for a doctor. This must be a medical bay or infirmary of some kind. I blinked, searching the dim chamber for Alaric.
“Hello?” I mumbled, my throat unbearably dry. I needed water badly.
“Ah,” an aged voice exclaimed from the other side of the divider. “You’re awake.”
I looked up to find a silver-haired woman with dark eyes and full red lips. She walked over to me, her floor-length red dress covered by a white doctor’s coat, gliding along the floor as her heels clicked against the stone. She smiled as she drew closer, her dark oliveskin illuminated by the candlelight.
“How are you feeling now, Mari?” She asked, pulling my right arm into her hands as she gently prodded and poked. “Got feeling back, right?”
I nodded dumbly, unsure of what else to say.
“Good.” She seemed satisfied with her cursory glance at me. Her eyes lingered on the golden sigil on my left arm; her brow narrowed in thought. “How long have you had that?”
I glanced down at my arm, the glow of the sigil seeming dulled in the darkness of the chamber.
“A few days,” I replied, the events of the past few days flooding back to me, making me feel dizzy.
“Interesting,” she murmured to herself. “I wonder why Alaric didn’t mention this.”
