Chapter Sixteen
They made it to the previously submerged cove, following a path carved by eons of erosion. The crystals were sparse at first, but then grew in number. They glowed as they passed, as if the presence of the Gemini alpha and omega released an inner power in them.
Arin closed his eyes, and when he opened them again they were more yellow than green. Ryker looked at him and then at Xavier. “Your eyes,” he said, gesturing with his hand.
“What about them?” Arin asked.
Ryker looked at Vikter, unsure. “They’re yellowish. I don’t know what that means for a Gemini. Dragos eyes are only gold when aroused.”
Vikter took a step back.
“Oh, dude. You wish.” Xavier snorted. “It must mean we’re close and that Valerie is nearby.”
Arin nodded. “I feel her.” He touched Xavier’s arm. “Don’t you?”
“How? You haven’t claimed her yet,” Vikter asked.
Shrugging, Xavier shook his head. “I don’t know. She’s destined to be ours, so maybe that’s it.”
“I shouldn’t be telling you this, but Camille got her to admit her feelings for you two.” He nodded. “From what she’s told me, Val is pretty hard-headed and snarky, so for what it’s worth right now, it says a lot.”
Arin and Xavier shared a look and the crystals glowed even brighter.
“C’mon,” Arin said, breaking a crystal off the wall. “I think I know where to go from here.”
The passageway was a maze of twists and turns, each one dripping with water and covered with a moss that seemed to crawl along with them. The crystal glowed in Arin’s hand, and he seemed to take on a luminescence of his own, holding it.
“Are you sure you should have taken that from the mountain?” Vikter asked. “We have superstitions about that.”
Xavier nodded. “The Ice Mountains are part of us. If it wasn’t permitted or we broke a compact with the living energy in the crystals, they would have dimmed completely, leaving us trapped in total darkness.”
The path widened, big enough for a dragon’s wings and another cave mouth opened at its end. They followed Arin and the aperture led to a huge inner cavern alight with crystals of every color, shape and size. Another underground lake, smaller than the one they evaporated lay at the center one hundred yards below.
Vikter inhaled. “Other shifters have been here.”
“I know.” Arin nodded. “This isn’t our sacred grotto, but it is close. I feel it.”
Laugher echoed from below, and the four glanced down. Valerie was tied to an X-shaped post like something out of an S&M movie. Her arms and legs were spread, but at least she was clothed.
Arin’s body tensed and his back hunched, ready to shift. Xavier grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “Arin, no! That’s what he wants. Don’t give it to him.” He leaned over the edge. “And speaking of giving…hey, asshole! The medallions aren’t here. You’re plan failed.”
Malus lifted the staff and pointed it at Valerie. With an evil smile, he brought the shaft down in single sweep. The shaft didn’t touch her, but a welt formed across her face and chest nonetheless. He laughed again. “You see, I don’t have to lift a finger to hurt her, and I’ll keep hurting her until you give me those medallions willingly.”
“Fuck Castor! I’ll kill this son of a bitch with my bare hands!” Arin growled, jerking from Xavier’s grip.
He grabbed his arm again. “Right. Malus is one hundred yards down. Val will be dead before we even get to her.”
“Okay, then what?” he asked. “Any bright ideas of your own or you just going shoot mine down?”
Vikter angled his head with a thought. “We have to bargain with him. Let him think he’s won so we can get him off guard.”
“I didn’t mean what I said about Castor. He’d know what to do,” Arin muttered.
Xavier’s head popped up. “That’s it. Like the message in the lake.” He whirled around to Vikter. “Your elder had a connection to Castor that Malus didn’t know about. Is there any way you could contact him? Do the Dragos have telepathy?”
Vikter shook his head. “Not outside our mates…” His eyes lit up. “Becca. I could get her to speak to Pollux.”
“Camille, too. She’ll throttle the old bastard if he refuses.” Ryker nodded as well.
Vikter moved to the wall and squatted down, closing his eyes.
“What are you doing? Taking a nap?” Arin asked.
Ryker did the same, but on the opposite wall. “We need calm and quiet. This kind of connection isn’t easy, so shut up.” He closed his eyes. “Why don’t you two keep the happy Houdini talking? Preferably from one level down. If Vikter can’t reach Becca, then I need to be ready to jump in with Camille.”
“Stay here in case they need help or answers or something. I’ll backtrack and find a way down.” Xavier leaned over the chasm edge. “We’re coming down, Malus. We need to talk.”
“You can talk all you want,” the sorcerer laughed. “It won’t do you any good. You’re fate is sealed.”
Vikter shook his head. “That’s his fatal flaw. Hubris. Foolish overconfidence.” He cracked an eye open and looked at Arin. “This will work. Just give us a sec.”
Becca…babe, it’s me. I need you.
Vikter, now is not the time for interstellar phone sex.
He chuckled. I wish. No, we need you and Camille to find Pollux. We need him and his secret connection to his brother.
Why?
Woman! For once, please just do what I ask. You’ll understand soon enough.
Jeez Loueez, okay.
Vikter took deep breaths, his focus solely on keeping the mental link with Becca clear and free of distraction. His thighs burned, but it was too late to think his wall sit position.
Vikter…I’m in the elders’ sanctuary. Pollux is very weak.
Panic sluiced through him. This was the only way to make it right with the Gemini for losing Valerie in the first place. Pollux had to help make this happen.
Why? What happened?
He must have had the same thought as you. He’s traded his mind for Castor’s.
What? No! I won’t allow it.
The acolytes say he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Listen to me, love. This is very important.
What?
Tell the acolytes they have to break the bond Pollux has with Malus at the moment I say. Not a moment before or after. If we time this right, we might be able to save both elders.
But Castor is already free of Malus. Pollux completed the link just minutes ago.
Minutes?
Yes.
Okay, love. Stay there and when I link with you again, have them break his connection with Malus. Even if it means bashing the poor old guy over the head.
Vikter severed the link with Becca. He straightened, wincing at the burn in his thighs. “I gotta get more exercise. Married life is making me soft.”
“What happened?” Arin asked.
He filled the two of them in, and the three went to find Xavier.
It was go time.