“Lenna.” Laurent turned to face her, his features cold, his eyes dull. “Take Merrick’s hand.”
Lenna reached forward shakily, gripping onto the gargoyle. Merrick’s fingers laced through her own, squeezing tightly. Laurent gave Lenna a reassuring nod. Lenna took a deep breath, and before she had a chance to exhale, Merrick twisted around her body, his wings curling her into his chest, and launched them through the portal, Laurent a split second behind.
The last thing Lenna heard was Esmeray’s shriek of frustration before the portal enveloped them in a flash of bright light, leaving the murderous Queen of Nothing and Spinella far behind.
Chapter seventeen
Merrick
Merrickrolledoutofthe portal, meeting the hard stone beneath him with a grunt. Lenna let out a squeak as they crash landed, still nestled safely in his arms. His wings took the brunt of the force, protecting the Oracle from harm.
He gingerly unwrapped her from his wings, tentatively stretching them out to feel for sore spots. The jarring landing had knocked them against the rocky ground, but a quick assessment assured him no injuries would impact flight. Merrick slowly stood to face the silvery glow of the portal.
Lenna stayed curled up on the stony ground for a moment before letting out a curse and scrambling to her hands and knees, hefting herself up straight and dusting off her black pants with trembling hands.
Merrick didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until Laurent hurled through the portal a beat later, gracefully landing on his feet. He threw their packs on the ground before slashing his hands across the portal, cutting its power, and sealing them off from Spinella.
From Esmeray’s rage.
The portal dimmed and disappeared, the smoke listlessly billowing away–taking with it their only source of light. Darkness clung to the three of them, scrambling Merrick’s senses.
“How the fuck did she find us?” Merrick snarled, squinting his eyes against the night, grabbing his pack and Lenna’s.
Laurent let out a low growl, staring at the spot the portal had been moments before. “Esmeray cannot track magic. She may have been tipped off by someone who saw you. Maybe a fae spy that can sense the Oracle’s magical abilities? Or Esmeray isn’t as alone as we originally assumed and has another being at her disposal that can track magic. If she has spies of her own, there’s no telling what she does and does not already know.”
Merrick felt his temper rise. All that work finding and preparing Lenna for this task, building those damn wards, and they’d been caught off guard within two days of bringing Lenna to Spinella. “She cracked that last wardas we went through the portal. Like it waseasy.”
Laurent’s voice was icy compared to the heat and venom in Merrick’s. “We knew they wouldn’t hold forever. They gave us enough time to get here.” He picked up his own pack before sheathing the short sword still in his hand. “I got us as close as possible–look.”
Merrick whirled around. Darkness. The looming silence pressed in, causing a ringing to begin in Merrick’s ears. “I can’t see shit, Laurent.”
Laurent clicked his tongue in response. “Well, I can, and we’re a few miles deep in the canyon. I can see the tips of the Obsidian Palace. The portal got us all the way to the last stretch of Pyritee Pass.”
Merrick bit out a string of curses. Fucking fae with their stupid enhanced eyesight. Gods below, he was in a bad mood. They weren’t even lucky enough to have starlight on their side. He hated how vulnerable it made him feel not being able to see two feet in front of him.
“How long until we make it to the Palace?” Lenna asked from Merrick’s right.
“Half a day–tops.” Laurent opened his hand and held it at chest level. A small flame flickered to life in his palm, giving them enough light to make out each other’s faces. “But I think we should wait for the sun to rise before making the journey. That way, Merrick can fly ahead and keep watch for any threats.”
Merrick thought that was a shit idea before realizing why Laurent suggested they rest. Laurent had thrown a huge amount of his magic at the portal those last few minutes as Esmeray was cracking the wards to get them even this far, and his friend needed a bit of time to recharge.
“Can you see any place around here that has cover?” Merrick asked the fae.
“Yes, a couple hundred yards away, there is an overhang we can stay under.” Laurent motioned in the direction, before taking a few steps. Merrick watched the flame sputter–but hold–as Laurent led the way.
It had been decades since Merrick last walked Pyritee Pass, the canyon threading through the mountains surrounding the Obsidian Palace. He usually flew in over it, or if he was with a fighting unit, rode in on horseback.
With barely enough light to see anything, save for Laurent’s silhouette in front of him, Merrick steadied his breathing and slowly picked his way through the rocky path. The flat stones underneath his feet shifted haphazardly with each tentative step. Paranoia crept in, and Merrick kept a steady hand on his dagger, trying to breathe through the fear squeezing his lungs, vise-gripping his chest.
Merrick kept one eye on Lenna, who had ditched the hard-to-see-in-the-dark head scarf, her fluffy red curls reflecting the flame in Laurent’s palm. At least now Merrick could make out a few feetin each direction, even though his eyes strained against the crushing blackness outside of the firelight.
Not that there was anything to see except walls of black stone that came into view every so often as the light hit it just right, and flat black rocks beneath their feet.
They walked in silence, until Merrick could make out the overhang Laurent had spied. Underneath, a small alcove was carved into the canyon wall, no larger than the kitchen they’d abandoned back in Spinella.
Laurent reached the covered cave first, releasing the small flame from his palm. It settled onto the ground, casting a ball of light off glittering stone walls.
Merrick ushered Lenna in before following. He dropped his and Lenna’s packs to the floor and gestured to Laurent to do the same.
