Blood Chained (Dark Siren Book 3) (19 page)

Chapter 26

The first thing Kali became aware of was the complete silence. Feeling in her arms and legs slowly followed as a carpet of pins and needles tingled through her extremities and finally into her chest. She sat up, inhaling deep breaths of air into dehydrated passages, letting her eyes gradually adjusted to the light. Ultimately, she noticed a motionless form slumped against the far wall.

Rhane.

An alarming amount of blood had pooled on the floor beneath him, and more of it was smeared across his cheek and forehead. His knees were drawn up, both wrists resting atop them as his hands hung limply. Heart lodged in her throat, Kali slid from the table. Her first few steps were a staggering mess. There seemed to be a disconnect between her brain and her legs. She tried to call his name, but the word became a harsh croak in her parched throat. Swallowing, Kali tried again.

“Rhane.”

She smiled as his head lifted and his eyes opened. But new shadows had formed there. Something horrible had touched Rhane and reconnected him to their terrible past. Kneeling next to him, Kali grasped his hand, swallowing as she studied the huge gash that dominated the left side of his chest, exposing muscle and tendon. She saw no other injury, and guessed most of the blood loss came from it. “What happened?” She tore her eyes from the ugly wound to meet his hollow stare.

“He’s gone, Kalista. He won’t ever hurt you again.”

Pain squeezed her chest. “You didn’t have to do that. I know how much he means to you.”

“It’s done.”

She touched the bruises on his wrist. “Did River do this to you?”

“Yes and no.” Sighing, Rhane rested his head against the wall. Kali brushed the hair from his eyes and waited. “I made it a lot worse,” he finally said, and his lopsided grin eased the ache in her heart. “Lost my temper.”

“Can you walk?”

He made a tiny shrug with his right shoulder. “Probably not. Take the statue and get out of here.”

Tears started at the very thought of losing him, and her voice fell to a shaky whisper. “Please don’t make me do that.”

“Don’t cry.” Rhane stroked her cheek. Even lifting his right arm seemed to take a great deal of effort. “Do you really not know him?”

Confused, she shook her head. “Know who?”

“The child.”

Kali hesitated. “Sometimes I think it could be Bailen. At least…I wish it were him.”

Rhane closed his eyes. “Bailen,” he whispered, but said nothing else.

Needing to fill the silence, she spoke again. “It would mean he lived and had found us.”

“Yes. It would.” His voice took on a distant quality. “You need to go. Now.”

“First promise me you’ll be okay.”

“I will be okay. But rogues cannot find you here with me.”

Still, Kali couldn’t bring herself to move. Rhane was hurt. What if the emotional and physical wounds he suffered were too great for him to heal?

“Rhane, I—I”

His smile was tortured. “You what, Kalista? Love me? It’s not enough anymore. People—humans—fall in and out of love all the time. What lies between us does not die. It doesn’t move on. You are mine,” he said, possessing her with the very word. “And I am yours. We are forever. Somewhere along the way—a long time ago—you became a part of me. I cannot exist without you. I will find you again. We will be together.” Lifting his chin, he released a howl. The sound was low but powerful. It rumbled through Kali to fill the room, and then ascended to the rallying call of a lone wolf. With one hand against her face, he drew her close and kissed her softly. Longing, urgent, and tender, it was a farewell kiss of unyielding devotion, and penetrated Kali’s very bones. She clutched him tighter as it ended, knowing she had no choice but to let go.

“Rogues have probably pinpointed exactly where we are, and are approaching from the east. But now York can also find you. Travel northwest and meet him. Continue until you reach pathways of pebbled stone. Choose the left tunnel. It ascends to the surface. Take the statue to Wesley and barter for our freedom. Go now.”

#

Things happened exactly as Rhane said they would. Following his instructions, she ran northwest and almost barreled into York and Cixi who were traveling at blurs of speed. Kali was gasping for air when York grasped her left arm. She clutched the Siren’s Heart firmly in the opposite hand.

His eyes searched briefly over her shoulder before falling back to her face. “Where’s Rhane?”

Kali shook her head. “He told me the way out but had to stay behind. That rally was for you to find me.”

York’s grip tightened. “Is he okay?”

“Yes and no.” She swallowed the rising lump in her throat. “I’ll explain it all later. I promise. Right now I think we should get out of here.”

“Agreed,” he said, nodding curtly. “It’s good to see you again, kiddo. Where do we go?”

Hurriedly rattling off Rhane’s instructions, Kali fell in step behind York while Cixi took up the rear. After what had to be three miles of swerving rock and winding conduits, pebbled pathways shifted and rolled beneath their feet. When the passageway split, they took the left arm which became an unrelenting climb upward without giving proper notice. Thighs burning and lungs starved for fresh air, Kali barely kept up with the near superhuman pace. York was the first to launch into the light, while Kali grasped the ledge only seconds later. He finished yanking her topside using only one hand. Cixi followed closely, actually accepting the boost, and the three clustered together on a dark green carpet of grass, blinking up into sunshine dissected by a canopy of broad-leaf trees. A new day had come.

Kali didn’t recognize any of the jungle-like surroundings and thought they must have emerged in an entirely different land. “Where are we?”

“In one of many urban forests,” Cixi answered. She was already disappearing into the trees. “These manmade woodlands have been planted throughout the city in order to combat pollution and improve the air supply.”

Kali eyed York, waiting for some sort of cue. He eventually strode in the same direction the leggy redhead had gone, encouraging Kali to follow. When even her ears picked up sounds of traffic and people moving throughout the city, their pace slowed to an almost relaxed effort. At least the immediate danger was over.

York touched her shoulder. “What happened to River?”

Unable to look into the intensity of his gaze, Kali averted her eyes and fought to keep her voice steady as she answered. “He’s gone.”

“What do you mean, he’s gone?”

“Rhane sent him away.” Holding her breath, she waited.

“You okay?” he finally said.

Kali nodded and felt a jolt of surprise when York placed an arm around her. “Then I’m glad it’s handled.”

A cinderblock of weight left her body. She exhaled her thanks, but York wasn’t done.

“I know things have been rough lately, but if you need anything—anything at all, I’m here for you.”

“That really means a lot.” Slipping her arm around his waist, Kali leaned into him as they walked.

Cixi’s disapproving groan cut across the morning chorus of local wildlife. Arms folded impatiently, she waited ahead on an intersecting part of the trail. “If you two are done with this pathetically sappy reunion, perhaps you’ll care to note that we’ve got company.”

York shrugged. “It’s just Bailen and our new pal, Dmiri.”

Cixi’s almond shaped eyes briefly widened in surprise. Slender nostrils flared as she sniffed the dawn again. “If three is a crowd, then what is five?”

York grinned. “Hey, you can leave if you like. We got what we came for.”

“That wasn’t the deal.”

“Then play nice. That constant frown is only giving you more wrinkles.”

“Asshole.”

“Wench.”

“Bailen!” Kali practically yelled, seeing his furry head crest the horizon. She kneeled down as he raced toward her and almost fell backward when his shivering body crashed into her arms. Wagging his tail excitedly, he licked her cheeks in a very dog-like manner. Kali buried her face into the silky fur of his shoulder, drying tears she didn’t realize had come. Bailen reciprocated the hug. Nuzzling her neck, he rested his large head on top of her shoulder and sighed. That was very un-doglike. Enough happiness filled her heart to burst it.

“How did you find us?” she whispered.

“Ah, see now, little one? There was nothing to fear.”

Kali’s gaze roamed until she spotted from where the voice had come. She located him leaning against an impressively sized evergreen, probably as ancient as the old kindred. “Hi, Dmiri.”

“Hello.” The kindred left his post, smiling wide in greeting. The green cargos and beige polo he wore offset his dark skin, nearly camouflaging him in the shadows of the forest. “I am glad to find you well. Though I suspected you would be so.” With a casually lifted brow, he considered the statue at her feet. Its ivory tones were much brighter by sunlight, but the onyx appeared even darker. “Did you find all you came for?”

Kali grimaced. “Almost.” Trailing her fingers through Bailen’s fur once more, she stood, retrieving the Heart from the ground as she did so. “We’ve got to get this thing stateside. If Builders want to get their hands on this, they’ll have to help us get Rhane and Warren back first.”

Squirming, Bailen pressed against Kali’s leg and gave a short whine. Dmiri nodded. “We should leave this place, return to the hotel. Collect our things.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” York started walking, and Cixi immediately fell in step beside him. 

“Would you share with me how you found the Heart?” Shortening his significantly longer stride, Dmiri seemed determined to keep pace with Kali. Not that she minded.

“We guessed right about the vault. There are catacombs beneath it, and those tunnels stretch on for miles. The Heart was submerged beneath a lake and locked in a secret chamber. Without diving equipment, no human could have made that swim. Rha—” She stopped, unsure how much more to reveal. How far could she trust Dmiri?

“It’s alright.” Dmiri flashed two stark white rows of slightly too pointy teeth. The expression of intended reassurance fell somewhat short, but his kind words and gentle demeanor made up for any limitations set by his chilling appearance. “River’s absence confirms much of what you wish not to say.”

“So you know about Rhane, then?”

“I know many things,” he replied gently. “The chamber in which you found the Heart, was it blood sealed?”

“Yes. Only someone descended directly from a royal bloodline of the Warekin could open it.”

“So even Builders themselves could not retrieve the Heart. And nor could the Faction.” Dmiri fell into a thoughtful silence. “I suppose it makes sense. After the Builders fractured into two sides, a race must have ensued to gain possession of the one key to two very different ambitions. In the wrong hands, the Heart could be a powerful tool for wealth or power. So the statue was hidden, safeguarded by a lock only a select few could open.” Dmiri stopped walking and grew more solemn than Kali had ever seen him. “Dark one, you are on the cusp of an incredible choice, one that could affect generations to come. Heed these words.”