“Well, I would say it’s a good sign she hasn’t died yet.” He spoke like their entire predicament was something out of a story, that he could simply put down the book and walk away from it. Erinna supposed he had no obligation to care.
A warm liquid dripped from her nose and down her chin. The pain resided more, now a dull throb in her head, though her vision still blurred at the edges. She wiped the substance from her face, leaving a smear of near-black-red blood on her hand.
“What does this mean?” Her voice was hoarse but steady.
“Oh, good. You’ve been approved.” Afton stood up in one fluid movement and left his two companions in his wake.
“Give me a reason,” Erinna groaned, wondering how easy it would be to smack the mage over the head. Damien said that some powerful mages relied too heavily on magic and could quickly crumble beneath physical force. She wondered if Afton would fall into that category of arcanum user.
Kane let out a weak sigh and hauled Erinna to her feet. It was so quick, Erinna blinked through lightheadedness andstumbled slightly on her first step. She wiped the blood on her pants, grateful the dark color could hide the even darker stain. If Mistress Fate were on their side, this would be the most difficult part of the journey.
“Why didn’t it affect you?” She shot a pointed look at Kane.
“I’m not an aberrant. At least, not the kind the great Iprix Hagan wanted to ward his chamber against.”
“That seems like a remarkable oversight,” she grit out, wobbling slightly on her feet for her first few steps. Without thinking, she leaned against Kane’s sturdy form, grabbed his arm, and closed her eyes to let the rest of the dizziness fade. Kane leaned in closer to provide more support, and Erinna was grateful for the assistance.
“Ready?” he asked when she finally detached. The dizziness was gone, replaced by a respectful amount of fear for the rest of the area.
“Ready.”
The opening chamber was nothing but a spectacle compared to the next room. Rows of shelves lined the oddly shaped area. Small hallways had been carved through stacks of volumes and paper. A maze of information surrounded them. Artifacts dotted nooks and crannies, encased in glass or iron bars, or both. Witchstone lights sparked to life upon their entry.
“Careful with whatever you touch.” Afton deftly plucked papers and books from shelves as he moved further through the stacks. “There should be two more floors. One above, one below. Stairs in the back corners and on the sides.”
Afton disappeared into hastily organized rows of books. Erinna swore the shelves would topple with one strong push, but the mage continued into the eccentric darkness.
The place was packed with knowledge, scrolls, diaries, journals. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. Erinna had no idea where to start or what to look for. Afton and Kane,however, knew much more than she did. And one of them could be magically compelled not only to help, but to give her answers.
Kane pulled her father’s notes, the index, from his pocket. The paper thoroughly crumbled. “Don’t do anything dangerous while I’m gone,” he said over his shoulder.
“Wait,” Erinna called after him. Kane paused but didn’t turn. “I want your help. I want more answers.” She balled her hands into tight fists, trying to choke down the feeling of helplessness.
“I’ve given you everything I can, Yarrow.” He took another step forward, nearly encased in shadow.
Erinna could read between the lines. Kane had given her everything he was willing to part with for free. The rest would come at a price.
She swallowed hard. “I want to make a deal.” Her voice echoed off the walls and paused Kane in his tracks. Erinna knew a deal would be risky. A binding vow had consequences, but the arcanum would ensure she could trust Kane to uphold his end of the bargain.
He turned and sauntered back towards her.
“I want you to show me everything my father asked you to get, and I want your help finding the most useful information on this curse.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” He stopped a few inches in front of her, hands shoved into his pockets, a predatory gleam in his eye.
Erinna held her ground. She didn’t have the luxury of contemplation. It was here or now. “Yes. At least this way I can trust you won’t lie or withhold things from me.”
He let out a soft chuckle. “You’re nearly as bad as your father.” Kane wrapped his hand around hers, the ring on his index finger growing warm on her skin.
“Do you understand what I will take in return for this?”
She swallowed her nerves, and Kane took her silence for an answer. “For this, you will trade in magic, and a sliver of whatever it is that you are hiding will become mine until I decide to use it. Are you sure this is what you want?”
Erinna didn’t let herself succumb to doubt or second-guesses. “A deal’s a deal, Atwater. Let’s make it so.” It would be his problem then.
He pulled her even closer, turning her hand so that her palm faced up. In a swift motion, he used a small blade to create a slight cut in her skin and drew a single drop of crimson. He clasped her hand once again as if to shake on their contract. Instead, the embrace was covered in a flame that went from red to blue before vanishing in a matter of seconds.
Erinna didn’t need a magic lesson to understand what had transpired. This was more than a deal; it was a pact. A cosmic agreement with repercussions. She had made a deal with a half-demon, and there was no turning back.
