Wolfsbane (14 page)

Shay’s voice was barely more than a breath of air.

“What did she do?”

“She was ambitious,” Silas said. “She claimed that the warriors could do more, not just protect the world, but rid the earth of the Nether once and for al .

Close the doors between our world and the other.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” I said.

“It is,” Silas replied. “But the road to hel is paved with good intentions.”

“Almost literal y in this case,” Connor muttered.

He’d thrown his arm over his eyes, but I could see muscles in his jaw and neck tighten.

Silas spared him a disdainful glance. “Eira decided she would lead the knights in this new mission. But in order to close the doors between the worlds, she needed to know how they had been opened. She sought knowledge of the Nether realm and it changed her.”

“Changed her how?” Some of the color had returned to Shay’s face.

“She found the source, the origin of the Nether’s path into earth. A being more powerful than any humankind had encountered in their brief touches of the dark realm. This creature sent its emissaries into our world to draw power and carry it back to him, making him ever stronger and widening the doors and al owing more of his creations to infiltrate the earth.”

I shuddered, feeling as though I were being pul ed into a tunnel, blindfolded and not wanting to see where I was once the cloth was removed.

“Eira was strong, but her ambition proved stronger. More than anything else, the creature hoped that eventual y he would open a path broad enough so that he could himself come into our world and make it his dominion. Lord of not one but two realms, both Nether and earth. He promised Eira a place at his side if she would aid him.”

“And she did.” Monroe stared at his hands, which were trembling.

“She wasn’t alone,” Silas said. “Too many of the warriors had tired of keeping the Nether at bay and sacrificing their own lives in exchange. The hunger for power among Eira’s peers proved too great. She had no trouble assembling a mass of loyal fol owers.”

“The Keepers,” Shay said.

“The name they gave themselves,” Silas said.

“Keepers of a power too great for most humans.

They considered themselves set apart, elite. Elected by fate to reign over the earth by harnessing the power of the Nether.”

“But it’s a lie,” Connor spat.

“Is it?” I murmured. “The Keepers do reign over the earth; they reap al the benefit of using their power.”

“They do,” Monroe replied, eyes distant and broken. “But the power doesn’t belong to them, and they live in fear of losing it. At the end of the day they are slaves to that same creature that seduced Eira.

Our histories name him the Harbinger. You know him as Bosque Mar.”

NINE

SHAY HAD FALLEN SILENT
as we left the room. I didn’t know whether I should talk to him, touch him.

How would I feel if I’d just found out my only living

“relative” was actual y some sort of demon lord?

My skin crawled. We’d learned too many truths, turned over rocks that I wished stil hid the ugliness beneath them. I’d known my masters were cruel, but now I had to face their real nature: the Keepers didn’t just use the forces of the Nether, they’d wil ingly bound themselves to its darkness. That shadowy world bore creatures that brought only suffering, and its horrors were the very source of the Keepers’

power. A power I’d spent my life fighting to protect.

I walked forward, forcing my stubborn body onward. I wanted to curl in on myself, close my eyes, and dream the truth away. I wished Bryn were here to talk about it—I was sure she’d find some way to tease me. Her jokes had always countered my doubts. Her bright laughter eased my tension when I had to make tough cal s as an alpha. The image of her smiling face sent guilt spiraling through me.

Where was she now? Had the Keepers hurt her?

“You should get some rest,” Connor said. “I’l take you back to your rooms.”

“I know the way,” Shay said, wrapping his fingers around my upper arm. “We don’t need an escort.”

“Hush, boy,” Connor said. “You’re stil our guest here. Show a little respect.”

“Boy?” Shay bristled; his grip on my arm verged on painful. “You’re only three years older than I am.”

Connor squared his shoulders, his hand resting on his sword hilt. “I’m betting I’ve seen a lot more than you could stomach. Scion or not.”

I could see where this was going. “Stop it, both of you.” We were al exhausted and on edge.

“She’s right,” Adne said. “We’ve had a rough enough time as it is. We don’t need you bloodying each other up as the grand finale to a sucky day.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” Connor’s hand hadn’t left his sword hilt.

I tried to quel my own irritation by examining the crystal veins that rippled through the wal s. Even in the hal s, now lit only by the gentle flicker of sconces at regular intervals, the patterns gave off a subtle gleam. As we walked, the colors of Tordis, like icy spiderwebs covering the wal s, became rose and pale yel ow. The intricate weave of multi-hued lights began to twitch and shudder. Soon scarlet and blazing orange were jumping along the wal s around us as if we’d walked into a furnace.

The colors weren’t the only thing that had changed.

The air around us warmed, but rather than comforting me, it made me uneasy. I sneezed, shaking my head to ward off a new, strange odor at the same moment that Shay’s nose wrinkled.

“What
is
that?” he asked.

The invisible concoction assaulting my nostrils had familiar components—black pepper, sage, clove, and cedar—but the combination of scents was overwhelming. My eyes burned and watered. The warmth pouring over my skin began to itch—an unpleasant sensation like tiny gnats were biting me.

Shay growled, scratching at his arms.

“Oh.” Connor cast a sidelong glance at us. “We probably should have cut back through the courtyard.”

Shay began to cough and glared accusingly at Connor.

“Don’t worry,” Adne said. “We’re almost past it.”

“Past what?” I cupped my hands over my nose and mouth, but I was coughing too, as if I’d inhaled smoke.

“This is Pyralis, and we’re passing their Apothecary,” Adne said, gesturing to a set of double doors that resembled those of Haldis Tactical, only the triangles carved into the Apothecary’s doors were plain, with their tips pointing upward.

“Sorry,” Connor muttered. “I didn’t realize it would affect you.”

“Why isn’t it bothering you two?” I asked, taking shal ow breaths though since we’d passed the doors, the acrid scents had begun to fade.

“The Apothecary creates our enchantments—the compounds we use to make our weapons more effective against . . .” Adne winced when she looked at me.

“Guardians.”

I ran my tongue along sharpening canines.

“Enchanted bolts; hope you’re enjoying the ride.”

It was a good thing Ethan had stayed at Purgatory.

Had he been walking alongside me, when memories of the Searchers’ venom snaking through my veins made my chest throb, I wouldn’t have been able to resist ripping a chunk out of his arm.

“Yeah,” Connor added. “You should steer clear of Pyralis. It’s never going to be a pleasant place for you to visit.”

“Thanks for the tip,” Shay muttered, releasing the col ar of his shirt, which he’d pul ed up like a tent over his nose.

I knew we’d reached Haldis when the fiery shades ceased flickering in the wal s and became the gently waving dark hues found only deep in the soil. The burning fumes of Pyralis had vanished. I took deep breaths, enjoying the way the clear air soothed my stinging chest. The itchiness subsided, though both Shay and I had red scratches running up and down our arms as souvenirs from our brief trip past the Apothecary.

“So each of the wings reflects its elemental source?” I asked. “Earth, air, fire, and water?”

Having seen the other three wings, I wondered what the water section of the Academy was like.

“Yep,” Adne said.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” Connor asked. “Nice place to cal home.”

“Thank you.” Adne grinned at him over her shoulder.

“Huh?” I frowned.

Connor laughed. “The Weavers pul the threads through the building. But Adne just decided to take al the credit.”

The tension in my shoulders eased a bit at the sound of his laughter; I knew that Connor was returning to himself. The instant effect of his teasing made it obvious how much his fatalistic humor could be an asset to his al ies. Even if it was often irritating.

“Threads?” Shay asked.

“It’s the key to how we move the Academy,” she said, rubbing her temples. “But honestly, my head is just pounding. Can I awe you with my mad skil s another time?”

She’d come to a stop in front of a door. “This is you, Cal a.”

Connor spared me a sly smile. “I’m right down the hal if you have nightmares, she-wolf. Bed’s big enough to share as long as you don’t bite . . . hard.”

I grabbed Shay before he could lunge at Connor.

“You real y need to lighten up,” Connor growled, shaking his head at Shay’s bal ed fists.

“God, Connor,” Adne groaned. “Headache, remember? Could you put the commentary on hold for tonight?”

“Sorry.”

I was stunned. He’d never apologized for his jokes before. Connor went to her, pushing wisps of hair away from her eyes. “You should get some sleep.”

“It’s not late enough to go to bed.” I thought I saw her shudder. “Even if it was, I don’t know if I’l be able to sleep tonight.”

“We can talk, then,” he said. Al evidence of his puckish humor had vanished.

She looked up at him, silent for several heartbeats, and then nodded.

“You can find your room, Shay?” Connor asked, not taking his eyes off Adne.

“I’m pretty sure I already said that,” Shay said.

“Like ten minutes ago.”

“Uh-huh.” Connor put his arm around Adne’s shoulders, leading her farther down the hal .

I watched them walk away, puzzling over the rol er-coaster ride of their interactions.

The sound of Shay clearing his throat pul ed my thoughts away from Connor and Adne’s strange relationship.

“Where’s your room?” I asked.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing down the hal but not meeting my gaze. “It’s just next door, but I thought maybe . . .”

My pulse jumped and then my cheeks flamed as Connor’s comment replayed in my head.

“You want to come in?” I asked.

He smiled, raising hopeful eyes to meet mine.

I took his hand, knowing he could feel my heartbeat racing through my veins the moment our fingers touched. My bedroom was dark, but I could make out the bed, a writing desk, and a few upholstered chairs. The room looked like a cross between a dormitory and a luxury hotel. Not bad.

But where should I go? I’d stumbled into unfamiliar territory. Shay and I were alone and we didn’t have to hide. In this place there was no one to catch us. We were safe . . . in theory. My limbs were trembling, ful of desire and the freedom of possibility.

Do I lead him to the bed? Is that too fast? Should
I be coy? Man, I suck at this.

Shay stepped behind me. His arms encircled my waist and he drew me back against the curve of his body.

The warmth that fil ed me when his kiss moved along my neck sent silken tendrils through my limbs. I leaned back against him, relief flooding me. My body eased, each muscle relaxing. We were alone, no longer under the scrutiny of the Searchers—who despite their welcome stil left me uneasy. Even if I wasn’t completely comfortable with this new arrangement, at least I was stil alive. Shay was stil alive. I breathed in the realization that we were safe, for now.

I closed my eyes as his hands moved slowly over my body. Even through his clothes I could feel the warmth of his skin. It was incredibly soothing.

“So what do you think?” he asked. “About the Searchers? They’re the good guys from what I can tel .”

“Looks like.” I shifted slightly in his arms. “It’s weird

—but they kind of remind me of Guardians.”

“That makes sense to me. You’re both warriors.

And you make sacrifices because of the war.” He pul ed back the col ar of my shirt, and his lips touched the top of my shoulder.

“Sacrifices.” I shivered at the light brush of his mouth on my skin, suddenly thinking of Lydia. Of Mr.

Selby. What did they think they’d given their lives for? There was stil so much I didn’t know about the Searchers.

“They’re incredible fighters,” I said, my mind flashing back to the eastern slope. “Even if they aren’t wolves.”

“Sometimes being human has advantages,” Shay said.

“Like when?”

“Like if we were both wolves right now, I’d only be able to lick you.”

I laughed, trying to turn to face him, but he held me stil .

He kissed the underside of my jaw. “See, much better than licking.” The sudden speed of my heart and flood of heat through my veins told me it was much, much better.

His lips brushed my ear once again while his hands slid over my hips, molding me against him.

“I’m sure we could come up with other things that would be better too.”