"Walter, are you okay?" Melody places her hand on top of his.
"Yes." He sucks in a deep breath and opens the door.
Holy shit, we're in.
23
We step into a dark hallway, and there is no one to be seen. Our distraction must be working, and everyone is focused on our guys outside.
"Where do we go now?" The old man looks at me, his eyes full of worry.
I'm about to answer ‘how the hell would I know,’ when something comes over me. It's a pull that can't be ignored. I don't know what it is, but I'm at its mercy. I follow it and find that it's leading me toward stairs. There is a ghost of light there and something damp; almost as if the water is thicker here than the rest of the island.
"Where are you going?" Dax follows close behind me, holding two knives in his hands now.
"I'm not sure." The steps are made of a brown tile, and the railings are metal. Intricate circles weave in and out of the railing giving it an elegant feel. This fortress reminds me of the mansion back on Earth. I take each step slow, making sure that I'm as quiet as possible.
"Dammit, Chris." Dax glances behind us and huffs out a sigh. "We've lost everyone."
That might be a good thing. That way, they can all deny helping us if caught even though they'd have to explain why they're here. But those answers would be easier to come up with when I'm nowhere in sight.
When we reach the top of the stairs, the tugging becomes more of a jerk, leading me down the hallway on the side that has three doors. The room at the end of the hall stands wide open. There is a soft turquoise glow shining out of the room.
Holy shit, it's the artifact. My heart skips a beat. There is where she's kept it all along. The light begins to pulse just like a strobe light, and my feet begin moving faster.
"Stop. This could be a trap." Dax's tone is harsh and full of frustration.
If I could, I would, but there is no turning back now. "I can't." It's so hard to even get those two words out let alone anything else.
He turns to watch my back. "I'll be glad when this whole thing is over. Protecting you is a full-time job."
Even being preoccupied with the artifact, I find his lame attempt at humor irks me. When I get to the doorway, I discover the three bubbles of water hovering in the air, being held in a glass container. It's similar to how the Angel's Breath was held, but for some reason, this artifact radiates the most power. It slams into me so hard I almost lose my balance.
"Something strange is going on." Ria's voice is so loud I can clearly hear her upstairs. "The water isn't responding to me like it normally does. Go check the house, and leave no stone unturned."
Oh no. I better get the damn artifact before she gets up here. As I approach it, something slams into me, and my brain goes hazy and off balance.
"Come on, we need to hide." Dax scans the area, but her footsteps are already echoing up the stairs.
"Huh?" What is he talking about? Why would we need to hide, and for that matter, where are we? "How did we get here?"
Dax stills then turns to face me. "Are you playing some kind of joke?"
Why would I be joking? "Uh... no." I glance around the room and take in the crystal cylinder hanging in the middle of the room and the decadent crown molding that sets this room apart from anything else I've ever seen.
"Is it possible?" Dax grabs my arm and pulls me close to him.
"What the..." Then everything crashes back in. I had the artifact within grabbing distance, and I didn't take it. What the hell’s wrong with me? "I couldn't remember why we were here or even about the artifact."
"She must have traps spelled around the artifact so no one can get to it." Dax shakes his head and then scans the room. "We've got to hide before it's too late."
"Well, well." Ria enters the room. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail which makes her lavender eyes stand out more. Blood stains cover her clothing, and she stands in the doorway. "Look what we have here."
"I thought you were better than this." When I first met her, she seemed sane. Now she's unhinged.
"Oh, I tried the nice way, but that didn't work." She glances at the artifact and then back at me. "And now you've been able to cause havoc because of the present I gave you. I should have let you combust."
Talking her down won't be possible. She's ready for blood. The amulet warms on my chest and my magic begins moving. Adrenaline courses through me, but I won't be the first one moving.
"That was you being nice?" Dax moves so he's in between us. "You killed someone in cold blood."
Charlie pops to the forefront of my mind even though he didn't say the name. He's right, there is no redemption for her. She manipulates just like most everyone I've had in my life. "You didn't have to do that. I was going to leave." My voice almost cracks at the end, but somehow, I keep it together.
"Oh, please. Like he would have let you give up on the artifact knowing you'd die without it." Ria lifts her hand so fast it almost blurs, and suddenly the air in the room becomes thick with moisture.
"What the hell is happening?" Dax begins sweating, and wipes the back of his hand against his forehead.
"She's using her connection." What is she trying to do? The air is thick but doesn't bother me like it does him. "You're going to make all of us uncomfortable."
"No, just him."
