Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
What is this place, Gaia?
She would expect us to follow the route I took you on, Siv. I cast an illusion that we went that way, but I am taking us on an alternate course. It is a maze down here. This track loops around the arena and begins a steep climb to a portal that is closed. Mostly closed. I have seen cracks in it. I think, with help, Vasilisa can open it for you.
Afanasiv sighed. That didn’t sound as if she intended to leave with them. Why do you persist in staying?
Gaia was silent as she hurried as fast as possible while still studying the walls and flooring before her. If I were to leave, who would come to the aid of those the evil one targets? And who would ensure the beast held captive behind the four gates remains a beast and doesn’t fully commit to the demon in him? I will stay until I feel there is a better solution.
Afanasiv knew from his past experience with her that Gaia wasn’t going to budge. This beast, Justice, is not your lifemate.
No, he is not. Her response was clipped. In all his dealings with her, Gaia was always calm, gentle and sweet. She sounded irritated, as if she knew her lifemate might be looking for her and was having none of it.
It is possible your lifemate cannot find you where you are. He took a stab at finding out if she was hiding from her lifemate.
That could be the point. Perhaps he shouldn’t have overlooked me so dismissively when he had the chance those years ago.
The corridor turned even narrower. The ceiling above was dirt, as were the walls and floor. The air was musty and it was much harder to breathe. Automatically, he provided better air for the Lycans.
Gaia, you were taken as a child and brought to the evil one by Xavier. You have been down here since.
Have I? I know every escape route. Do you think I can’t come and go as I please? she countered. In any case, we should drop the subject, as I need to concentrate on this next passage.
Gaia hadn’t been raised by Carpathians. She was totally independent of them. In some ways, she ran wild and free. Lilith most likely didn’t pay that much attention to her.
Who raised you, Gaia?
She was silent for a long time, her head going back and forth between the walls before she stepped forward into the next section. Mostly, it was Justice. Some of the demons would poke at him with sharp sticks and throw fiery rocks at him. They had these really long spears, and they’d jab him with them. I was really little, but I didn’t like it, so I would throw rocks at the demons to try to make them leave him alone. They would chase me and say they were going to eat me. I had hiding places I could fold myself into that they couldn’t, but one day I wasn’t fast enough. I ducked into Justice’s pen to keep from getting eaten. As it was, they scraped the skin off my legs. She gave a delicate shudder at the memory.
Afanasiv had his own memories of the cannibals. He could well understand a child living with the nightmares of a terrifying band of demons pursuing her, yelling that they were going to eat her. She would probably have a difficult time getting over that trauma.
Justice caught me up before they could drag me out from under the gate, and he protected me. After that, I stayed with him most of the time. None of the demons dared to come inside his territory. He was too fast. He was deadly. And he was my friend. She said the last defiantly, as though she thought he would ridicule her.
I’m thankful you had him, Afanasiv said sincerely. He is a legend in our world. His sacrifices for his family and his people are incomparable. Clearly, he has passed that same code of honor on to you.
Gaia suddenly held up her hand, and everyone halted instantly. Siv, take a look at this and tell me what it is.
Afanasiv quickly moved ahead to look at the spot where Gaia indicated. The passageway was extremely narrow and angled up toward the surface. The dirt walls had crumbled away in places, leaving little stacks of debris on the ground. Above their heads, roots hung from the ceiling. Rust-colored water dripped down one wall, falling from one of the many shoots hanging from above them. As he neared the dangling roots, the smell hit him. It wasn’t water. This was blood, leaking from some chamber above them.
Not just any blood, Siv. That’s Dragonseeker blood. It’s been tainted. Compromised in some way, Vasilisa told him. Have there been other Dragonseekers that the evil one has had down here?