Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 108376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Gio’s expression flattened. Clearly, the use of warlock magic was something demons feared in this realm.
“Fine, get out of my sight,” Gio spat.
Vas gripped my elbow and led me away, Ren following just behind us.
“You’re full of surprises,” Vas growled in my ear. “Enlighten me. When did you have time to learn our tongue?”
“My great grandfather is a sorcerer. He’s spent time in Oreylia so he gifted me the language through a spell before I came here.”
“Do you mean to tell me you had your family’s approval to travel?”
I chewed my lip. “Not quite. I figured that if I could get you and Sven out in less than five days then my parents wouldn’t notice I was missing.”
He stopped walking then, turning to look down at me like I was insane. “You really came thinking you could save us?”
“Yes, I told you this already. I’ve been worried sick about you,” I confessed, though I could tell from his expression that he was trying to decide if he believed me. He wasn’t giving much away. Then his eyes hardened.
“You came on a fool’s errand, and I fear you won’t be getting out of here any time soon, never mind in five days’ time.”
He turned and stalked away from me, his broad shoulders tense. I glanced at Ren, “Let me talk to him some more. I’ll meet you back at the pod.”
I started walking again, so intent on following Vas that I walked right into a brick wall. At least that’s what it felt like. I looked up and found Sven glaring down at me. “I thought he was lying when he said you’d come.”
“Sven, it’s so good to see you all in one piece. I’ve been so worried.”
“Cut the crap. Why are you here? The truth, please.”
Other miners milled around us, shooting us curious glances since we were speaking in a language they’d never heard before.
“I’m here to help. I can take away the tattoos blocking Vas’ magic. Then he might grow powerful enough to…” I trailed off before I whispered meaningfully, “To teleport.”
At this, there was a brief flicker of hope in his eyes. “I can’t tell if you’re serious.”
“Of course I’m serious. Look, I’ll go to him right now and cast the spell. I’ll prove I’m on your side.”
I made to leave but he reached out, grabbing my arm as he assessed me. I swallowed, intimidated under his cool stare. “He’s weak when it comes to you. If you hurt him again I’ll never forgive you.”
I gripped his hand that was on my arm. “I won’t hurt him, never again. You have my word.” A pause as I wrestled with my feelings. “I’m weak when it comes to him, too.”
I was the stark truth. Whatever I felt for Vas had me travelling through dimensions to find him. Sven continued to eye me. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking but then finally he replied, “Let’s hope that together you’ll be strong.”
“We will be,” I promised, then lowered my voice in case any demons were listening. “And I’m going to get us all out of here.”
With that I marched to the ladder and climbed all the way to Vasilios’ pod. He lay inside, staring at the ceiling.
“What do you want, Darya?” His voice was so…cold.
I frowned, scraping my teeth across my bottom lip. “You haven’t been taking that drug everyone seems to be hooked on, have you?”
“Lava dust? Of course not. I kicked that habit decades ago.”
I was startled by his revelation and it must’ve been written on my face because he laughed joylessly. “Does it surprise you to hear I was a junkie once upon a time? Believe me, you would’ve turned to drugs, too, if you’d grown up in Treyu.”
“Maybe,” I allowed, my attention wandering to the flask tucked away in the far corner of his pod. He saw where I was looking and picked it up before shoving it my way. “Drink your fill,” he said gruffly.
I took the flask, unscrewing the cap and taking an eager swig. I was so eager, in fact, that water dribbled from my lips and down my chin while I put the cap back on. When I handed the flask back to Vas he was focused on the water that was now slowly trickling down my neck. He tore his gaze away, like he resented himself for getting distracted. A moment of quiet elapsed.
“I’ve never experienced such heat,” I said, breaking the silence between us. “How do people survive?”
“Most don’t,” he answered and my blood ran cold.
“Do you mean to tell me they work people to death?”
“What you think they do? Let us retire once our bodies are no longer fit to work? This is hell, Darya. Best you don’t forget it. I told you I’d rather spend a century in one of your prisons than a single day back here.”