“Dacia”—Cash’s voice was strained—“these passageways are too enclosed for so many emotions.”
Standing up, I pushed the sleeves of my hoodie up and narrowed my eyes at him. “What do you want me to do? I can’t turn them off.”
He laughed. “Anger is good. Hold onto that. It doesn’t make you smell like prey.”
As he walked past me, I flipped him off. Cody and I followed behind him. My anger simmered. It was too easy for me to embrace it. Everything about the Nephilim annoyed me.
When we walked into the chamber where I’d seen the fairies, I held onto Cody’s hand, hoping he would guide me while I watched the ceiling for any sign of them. I saw no flashes of silver light. I climbed over and around stalagmites, searching every corner for them.
There was no sign that they’d ever been here, no footprints in the dust, no treasure hoards, no food stores, no messes.
I sat down and bowed my head. The Nephilim would never believe anything I said. They wouldn’t trust the dragons. As far as I could tell, the fairies were my only hope. “If you don’t want evil to prevail, I need you,” I whispered.
Cash turned his head, looking at me from about twenty feet away. “What did you say?”
“Just talking to myself.” I shrugged, then shoved my hands into my pouch. “They’re not here.”
“We’ll search the next chamber and the next until we find them.” He walked toward me, and tiny pinpricks of light illuminated the darkness behind him.
The ball of anger in the pit of my stomach loosened, and I breathed easier. “No need.” I pointed behind Cash’s back.
He looked over his shoulder, and his posture relaxed. They landed on the stalagmites and stalactites. In a shrill voice, one asked, “Why do you despair?”
I traipsed toward them. “The Nephilim believe I have fallen to darkness. They are hunting me with the help of the dragons and the demon, Mavros.”
As one, they turned to stare at Cash. “Where does your loyalty lie?”
“With Dacia.” He bowed to them. “She saved me from Draconian and has proven to be honorable.”
My heart tingled and warmth spread through my chest. I couldn’t stop the stupid grin from lifting my lips. I walked back to him and squeezed his forearm. “At least one other dragon is on my side.”
“Two.” Cody held up two fingers. “Malcolm and Aurelia.”
I bit my lip. “I don’t know for sure where Aurelia stands.”
“By your side, with me.” Cash smiled down at me.
“Arianna and Russ are on my side, too—” I dragged my hand through my hair “—but I don’t know if they’ll fight by my side. The elder dragons threatened to renounce any dragons that stand with me.”
One of the fairies flew toward me. I held my hand up so she could land on it. “What is it that you need from us?”
“You are undoubtedly creatures of light.” Cash leaned closer, and the fairy backed away from him, pinching her lips together. “If you could vouch for Dacia, maybe they would believe you. We cannot allow Dacia to be imprisoned or killed.”
The fairy flew away to join the others. They gathered together. Hundreds of tiny shrill voices filled the cavern with a language I couldn’t understand. Their iridescent wings fluttered like hummingbirds’, sending a breeze through the chamber.
The tiny fairy flew back over to me. Her silver hair was windblown. Her purple eyes sparkled. “We have never left the cave.”
“Maybe …” I walked toward a stalagmite, then turned around and walked back. “What is your name?” Realizing she could be offended by that, I quickly said, “Not your true name. I didn’t mean that.”
“You may call me Rayne.” She bowed slightly.
“I’m Dacia. This is Cody, and that is Cash.” They both nodded at her. “Your help has been invaluable. I would not have defeated Nefarious without being healed by you, and I couldn’t have removed Mavros’ taint on my own. If you don’t want to leave the cave, maybe we could lure the Nephilim here and you could confront them for me.”
She tilted her head and looked up at me. “What is it that you fear?”
I laughed, and the sound bounced through the cavern, echoing back to me, sounding more humorless with each reverberation. “Everything.” I pulled my hand through my hair. “I fear everything these days. Being caged, being captured, being killed, having my powers controlled by somebody else, having my powers stripped. I fear for Cody and my other friends. I fear that someone close to me has betrayed me. I fear sending Mavros back to the Abyss again and losing another piece of my soul. I fear what will happen if I don’t. I fear hurting people close to me either through my actions or inactions.” I swallowed over a lump in my throat. “Most of all, I fear I’m losing myself.”
Rayne flew off my hand and hovered by my face, staring into my eyes. Then she placed her palm on my cheek.
Strength and peace flowed through me, staunching my fears.
She pulled her hand back. “Those fears are what keep you true to yourself. They will keep you from turning to darkness. They will make you strive to be better.” She flew back to the other fairies. “We will help you. Bring them to this cavern, and we will watch for them. If you need us, just ask for help. We hear everything that happens in this cave system.”
“Thank you.” Cody stepped up to my side.
“Do you want us to let you know when we have a plan?” Cash asked her.
All at once, the fairies lifted into the air. “We will know.”
Chapter 24
Taken
Stepping outside the cave, I look up, hoping to see the stars. I’ve been stuck inside for too long, but it’s nearly as dark outside as it was inside. I inhale the fresh air, filling
