“Once you’ve lived to a certain age, you realize just how pointless relationships are.” Freia picks at her nails. “No matter who it is, they’ll always end up disappointing you.”
“Is that why you chose to murder innocents?” I ask coldly.
Freia looks up sharply, scowling. “His children were not innocent, and they certainly weren’t children.” She purses her lips. “But, yes, that is why. I had a little encouragement from our Dark friend over there.”
I study Sadal. Shadows pool under his eyes and he looks exhausted. "Why isn't he here? Trapped?"
"The Dark God and the God of Light have a special relationship. Without one, the other can't exist. Thus, the quick search for a replacement," Freia explains.
“Interesting,” I say, exhaustion weighing on my bones.
I crawl to my feet and set my eyes back on the prison. Freia wanders back to the center of the cage, conjuring butterflies to flutter around her, lighting up the darkness. I close my eyes and dive into the enchantment. It’s as difficult as it was before. The spell is hidden deep within the magic, elusive and mysterious. My brows knit together in concentration and the pounding begins behind my eyes again.
The spell feels like a silken thread buried within a pile of wool. I burrow through the coarse, nonsensical magic in search of that thread. When I find it, I pounce on it. Sweat beads on my forehead with the effort. I dig my nails into my palms as if I'm clutching the enchantment. I follow the spell to its core, to where the strings tangle together. The spell is convoluted, confusing, and massive. I pluck at it with my magic, hoping it will unravel for me. But the spell binds even tighter.
I exhale loudly in frustration. No one has taught me what to do with a spell like this. Like calls to like. Magic calls to magic. It should respond. But when I touch this enchantment with my magic, it recoils from me. As if it can’t stand me. Or as if it was designed to stop someone from unraveling it. I open my eyes and find Freia watching me with hungry eyes. I wonder how many times she has attempted to free herself.
I stagger away from the cage without a word to her. I can feel her eyes on my back, between my shoulder blades and I have to fight to stop myself from shuddering. I sit silently beside the fire, drawing my knees up to my chest. Thal looks at me curiously, but I know he won’t comfort me. He doesn’t even know who I am. Stress, fatigue, and sorrow hit me all at once and I sag. I rest my forehead on my knees, taking a shaky breath.
At least I found the spell, I tell myself. At least now, I’ve found what I’m looking for. But I have a feeling what comes next will be much more difficult. It may even be impossible. When I close my eyes, I picture Altair—and I know I won’t give up. Not if it will save him.
Chapter 13
Altair
I crouch beside Erzur, surveying her injuries. She’s healing nicely and judging by the sour look on her face, is gaining some of her strength back. The bruising on her face is a sickly green with splotches of yellow—but no purple. Her scratches have scabbed over, and I know they’ll be completely healed by the morning. Whatever internal bruising to her organs or bones she may have had will be mostly healed by then as well.
“I’m starving,” Erzur snaps, pushing herself up onto her elbows.
Gently, I urge her back down and brush the back of my hand over her forehead. She isn’t burning up. All is well. “Serus and I managed to find some food,” I say. I tilt my chin towards the carcass behind me. “Some kind of cougar, I think.”
“You think?” She wrinkles her nose.
“Well, I’m not exactly familiar with the flora and fauna of the Third Stratum.” I roll my eyes and rise.
Erzur lays her head back on the dusty earth and stares up at the black nothingness overhead. There are no stars to speak of here. Once the sun set hours ago, the sky became a matte, oppressive black. Only our fire and the strange glow of the cobweb cage lit the night for us. I glance over at the prison as I draw out my dagger and begin skinning the beast I dragged back after finding Serus. Verity is still beside the cage, eyes closed in concentration. Freia watches her hungrily, possessively.
I don’t trust this Goddess. I don’t like Verity near her alone. And I certainly don’t like the way she watches her the way Sadal used to eye Verity. Frowning, I slice my blade beneath the creature’s skin and drag it over its flesh, loosening the skin and fur from the meat beneath. I tug it back, revealing red meat. The sickly sweet scent of raw meat fills the air. I work quickly, cutting open its innards and tossing them aside. I roast as much of the meat as I can. The cooking is careless, but it doesn’t matter.
I give the meat to Sadal first, cutting pieces from each part of the carcass. He eats them all ravenously. “If it’s poisonous, I guess we’ll know soon enough,” Thal murmurs, watching Sadal eat.
“It isn’t poisonous,” Sadal says through a mouthful of meat.
“And we should take your word for it?” Thal cocks a brow.
“More meat for me.” Sadal shrugs.
“Just give me the meat,” Erzur growls. “Poison be damned.”
I hand her a large piece of meat and she takes a large bite. Juices flow down her chin and hands, but she ignores it. Thal and I exchange a glance and my stomach rumbles audibly. I take a piece and sniff. It smells
