Chapter Fifteen
It neared sunset as they crossed from the Wyanar Woods. Trackers fanned out ahead, making their progress slow. Vikter shielded his eyes, scanning the edge of the terrain. They’d skirted the Wyanar as Pollux instructed and approached the foothills of the Ice Mountains. Dragos trackers hadn’t picked up as much as a twig snap in miles. Arin and Xavier had to be somewhere. If they were in dragon form it would be hard to miss.
“There,” a tracker pointed toward a craggy path. “Ahead, to the left of the heavy brush.”
Ryker urged his horse to the edge of the scrubland and slid from his saddle to squat beside what the tracker saw. The marks were nearly imperceptible, but their scent confirmed it. Arin and Xavier had passed this way.
He slid his gaze to the foothills ahead, and the tracker nodded. “The only path they could take from here is that one. Narrow and steep, but because of the rough terrain, most likely the least fortified. Natural barriers do the work for you.”
“How can we be sure?” Vikter asked.
He pointed to the ground. “No perimeter footprints. Here…or there,” he paused. “The ground is undisturbed except for broken brush in that quadrant. Newly crushed scrub tells me someone passed not that long ago The Gemini alpha and omega would have used that to cover their tracks. To an untrained eye, they looked like natural breaks made by wind or random animal, but they’re distinct enough.” The tracker looked up. “If you want to continue, I suggest we move into the mountains at this point.”
“We’ll have to leave the horses.” Ryker nodded. “They’ll just slow us down.”
“Agreed.” Vikter nodded. “We go on from here. With this terrain and the Gemini lurking, we need all eyes we can get.”
Night set in and the temperature dropped. The path curved left, but was mostly obscured by sharp, rocky outcrops and overhanging branches. Pebbles crumbled from the crags above, and Vikter lifted a finger to his lips. An ambush was the last thing they needed in Gemini territory.
They kept moving, following the path as best they could as it turned sharply around a blind bend in the rock.
“Hello, ladies,” Arin said, jumping from an outcrop. “Fancy meeting you here.”
Vikter slid into a defensive stance, lifting a hand for the others to stop. “Arin, this is not what it looks like. We’ve been trying to find you.”
“Funny, because I thought we left our mate in your care,” Xavier said, dropping from a thick branch to land behind Vikter. “So which is it? Are you looking for us or are you watching over Valerie?”
Ryker growled from down the path, pushing past the trackers. “We’ve been looking for you because Valerie was taken, you asshole. Malus conjured a storm after we left the palace. Lightning broke our formation and the Gemini border guards ambushed Vikter.”
Arin’s eyes flashed and his hand shot for Vikter’s throat. Ryker vaulted over Xavier and knocked Arin back, pinning him to the ground. “You really are a stubborn, impulsive ass. We found out a lot, if you’d dial down that dragon fire for a moment and listen.”
“Found out what?” Xavier asked, pulling Ryker off Arin’s chest.
Vikter raked a hand through his hair. “Look, I’m sorry we were ambushed. It was as if they knew we were coming. Either there’s a mole in the palace or Malus is psychic. Anyway, I remembered one of our older elders was Castor’s half-brother. It was never spoken of, for obvious reasons, but I made him try to reach Castor. He was able to, and from there he found Castor’s link to you two. That’s how we knew how to find you. Castor is in a state of suspended animation. Pollux said he’s in a state of limbo, floating between life and death. While in that state, Malus can control Castor’s staff and channel both their powers. We found out afterwards Malus’s bond with Caster is reciprocal.”
“Reciprocal?” Arin grabbed Vikter’s shirt. “Are you telling us our mentor, our elder is in cahoots with that sorcerer asshole?”
Vikter shoved him off. “No, what I’m telling you is while the two are bound, Malus can’t be hurt, not without hurting Castor as well.”
“Fuck!” Arin ground out, kicking a rock. “We have to break that bond.” His gaze shot to Vikter. “Does Malus have Valerie?”
He returned Arin’s gaze, and shook his head. “Our best guess is yes. To be honest, you said it yourself. He wants your medallions. Once he has them he can rule the Gemini.”
“Yeah, but he’ll need us to claim Valerie first.” Xavier exhaled. “Without a completed triad the crystal cavern grotto can’t be opened.”
“Where would he keep her?” Ryker asked. “Malus knows you’ll come for Valerie, so it would have to be some place you’d think to look. Some place where he’ll feel safe from you shifting into dragon form.”
Arin looked at Ryker and nodded. “The caves.” He frowned, clenching his fists. “When I find Malus, I’m going to slit his throat.”
Xavier wrapped his hand over Arin’s shoulder. “Not if I get to him first.”
***
“Are you sure you remember where you’re going? It’s been a while,” Ryker asked. “I know from my own experience. Things don’t exactly stay the same after so much time.”
Xavier shot him a look that said shut up. “Your experience was of your own making, Dragos. Arin and I were collateral damage because of your insane father.”
“Point taken. I’ll shut up. Still, do you know where you’re going?” he asked, dodging a quick cuff.
The four waded through knee-deep water filling the mouth of an outer cave. “Fuck, this is cold,” Vikter said with a shiver.
“They’re called the Ice Mountains for a reason, Sherlock,” Arin chuckled back.
Xavier pushed ahead, climbing up on a rocky ledge with the mouth of another cave beyond. He turned with a skeptical look on his face. “Guys, I gotta ask. How’re you at holding your breath?”
“Why?” Vikter asked, climbing up ahead of the others. He walked to the inside cave’s mouth and whistled low. “Jeez Loueez. That’s deep.”
Xavier nodded. “And long. Who knows if there are air pockets once you get past that far point.”
Arin and Ryker brought up the rear, dripping with the others as they looked across the expansive underground lake.
“Well, it’s certainly pretty,” Arin said. “The water’s Gemini green.” He pointed toward a flicker of color reflected off the far surface. “We must be close, because those have to be crystals. If I remember what Castor taught, the outer crystals feed the grotto, giving it life where there otherwise is none.”
Vikter looked at him, curious. “A self-sustaining power source?”
“Yes, but don’t get any ideas. Once tapped, everything goes dark. The Gemini tried that eons ago and nearly razed the Ice Mountains in the process.”
Vikter snorted. “Good to know.”
“Enough talk. We need to get from here to past that far point and whatever’s beyond.” Xavier extended an arm. “We’ve got four pretty smart heads, let’s put them together and figure this out before Malus kills Valerie.”
Ryker looked at Xavier, nodding.
“What?”
He lifted a shoulder, supposing. “You said you and Castor had a tighter bond that Arin because he chose you for the omega.”
“Yeah, and?”
Ryker tapped the side of his head. “Did you ever think to try that link? Maybe you could reach him in a way Malus hasn’t thought of.”
“No,” Arin shook his head. “That’s the first thing Malus would expect. The bond with your elder he’d have no way of knowing, but our bond? He’d have learned that from Castor without even trying.”
The water dripped from the stalactites on the cave ceiling and the sound echoed. All at once, one cracked and fell to the green water, sending glistening waves cresting their way. The water dipped in places, and drew in a quick breath.
“There!” He pointed to one of the cave walls. “There’s something carved into the rock.”
Xavier didn’t wait. He dove into the cold emerald water and swam out to the far wall. Diving under, he disappeared from sight.
“It might be nothing, but at least he can peek at whether or not the lake stays below ceiling level or if the cave is completely submerged,” Ryker added.
Xavier’s head broke the water. Before they could call out to him, he dove back under.
“Jesus, what’s under there, a manuscript?” Vikter said.
Arin shot them a look. “Cork it. That water’s so cold Xavier’s nuts have probably retreated up. I didn’t see you offering to go spelunking.”
Xavier’s blond hair floated on the water’s surface, but he didn’t resurface. Arin curled his toes over the edge, ready to jump when Xavier shot up, dragging in a ragged breath.
“Loser! I thought you drowned!” Arin kicked a huge splash at the man as he swam back. He held his hand out and Xavier grabbed it, climbing onto the ledge.
Ryker smirked. “Aw, man, I would have so yanked him in with me.”
“Another time, definitely,” Xavier said. “But we don’t have time for games now. I got our answer. The water goes all the way to the ceiling beyond that ridge. The only way to lower the water level enough for us to breathe is to evaporate enough for us to pass.”
Arin looked at him for explanation. “How? What did the carving say? Was it just graffiti?”
“No,” he shook his head. “It was a message. From Castor. He saw this coming right after he chose me. It’s like a prophecy.”
Arin shook his head. “It’s too convenient. If Malus is in Castor’s head, then he knows everything.”
“Not this. Not from my private link with him. What did Castor call me when we were little? Only the three of us know.” Xavier raised an eyebrow, nodding.
“The carving is addressed that way?” Arin asked, doubtful.
Xavier nodded.
“So what’s the message, then?” Vikter asked. “What are we to do?”
Xavier closed his eyes, remembering. “Four bellies of flame. Four bringers of right. When fires converge, no power can fight. Enemy mine. Enemy thine. Set fire to the rain, so none can confine.”
“Well at least it rhymes” Ryker replied. “But what the hell does it mean?”
“It means we need to combine our fire and set fire to the rain,” Xavier answered. He threw his hand out. “The water. We need to heat the water. Maybe it’ll evaporate enough to give us air pockets or maybe something else will happen.”
Ryker snorted. “Like the ceiling collapsing.”
“Are you in or not?” Arin folded his arms. “The message said four bellies of flame, not a belly full of hot air.”
“I’m in. Camille will kill me if I don’t help save her best friend.” He shrugged. “Besides that, after this is all over we’re going to be family.”
Xavier rubbed his hands together. “Then let’s do this. On three?”
The each sucked in a breath and linking hands, they closed their eyes to channel their inner dragons, Dragos and Gemini alike. Fire boiled in their bellies and without pain or injury, they opened their mouths and flames blew across the surface.
The water steamed and condensation formed as the green surface bubbled and churned. Their eyes snapped open at the sound of cracks and splits in the rock, only to see the cave walls widened as the liquid expanded. Water levels dropped, and beyond the far edge of the cave they saw a previously submerged cove.
“Natural barriers. Isn’t that what our tracker said earlier? They mind the perimeter for you,” Ryker said, awed.
Arin nodded. “Now only if Malus didn’t see this coming.”
“We can’t worry about that now. Let’s go get our girl,” Xavier said. “Anyone for a dip in a hot spring?” He dove in with a sharp yelp before breaking the surface with a grin on his face. “Thank God we’re dragons, because it’s hotter than a wet pussy. Feels good after being so cold, though.” He backstroked, kicking a splash their way. “Coming, ladies?”