Thankfully, Adrian didnt do anything violent, and we were finally allowed into the back of the castle. The narrow hallway looked more igloo-like than Icy Emerald City, but I guess fanciness wasnt required for the slave entrance, although the floor was a pretty shade of deep pink
Adrians grip on my arm tightened until it should have been painful, but I barely felt it. The floor of the room we entered resembled a layer of rubies. The reason for that became abhorrently clear as I saw a cloudy-eyed minion mop up a pool of blood, its crystallized stain adding another layer of red. The blood came from a nearby ice slab, where another leather-clad minion carved out sections from the body lying on it.
This wasnt the slave entrance. It was the slaughterhouse.
Mopping Minion said something in Demonish to Adrian. He responded in a harsh voice, dropping his hand from my arm, but I wasnt focused on him.
A bound, naked boy lay on the floor. At first, I thought he was dead, too. Then his gaze slid from the dripping slab to me, and the absolute hopelessness I saw in it shattered me. He wasnt silently begging for help. As he watched the butchering going on above him, his blank, empty stare said he knew nothing could save him from being next.
Without the slightest hesitation, I drew out the gun Adrian had given me and fired. The butcher went down, clutching his chest. I kept shooting as I advanced, part of me marveling at the quiet, cough-cough sounds the gun made. That silencer Adrian had screwed onto the end really worked as advertised.
I stopped shooting only when the butchers body turned into ash. Adrian looked at the black ashes on the ice, at the slack-jawed minion whod stopped mopping, and finally at me.
Shit, he said simply.
chapter twenty-one
Mopping Minion opened his mouth. Before he could scream, Adrians punch to the throat cut him off. Then Adrian gripped him in a brutal headlock that ended with a jerk, a snapping sound, and the minion dissolving into a pile of ashes on the floor.
Move, Ivy, Adrian ordered. We dont have long until someone finds them.
With the same eerie calm Id felt when I shot the butcher, I put my gun away and knelt next to the naked boy.
Give me your knife, I said to Adrian.
He frowned but passed it to me, and I cut through the plastic that bound the boys hands. He blinked once, but said nothing, even when I took off my parka and wrapped him in it.
Ivy, Adrian said in a warning tone.
Were taking him with us, I replied, kicking off my boots.
Pity creased Adrians expression. I wish we could, but
Were taking him with us, I repeated, almost spitting out the last two words. I dont care if its more dangerous. I dont care if hell slow us down. Hes coming or Im not.
Youd risk your sisters life to save him? Adrian asked harshly.
I shoved my boots onto the little boys feet. He couldnt have been more than twelve, so they were too big. Tightening the laces would have to do.
I cant save Jasmine right now, I said, my voice calm from the absolute certainty I felt that this was the right thing to do. But I can save him. Dont pretend you dont understand. Costa and Tomas are proof that you do.
Adrian muttered something in Demonish, but picked the boy up, throwing a hard glance at my now-bare feet.
Put the boots back on. Ill carry him.
Hes freezing and I can manage, I argued.
We do it your way, all of us die, Adrian said flatly. Put the boots back on, then shut up and do what I say.
I bristled, but our survival outweighed pride, so I took the boots off the boy and put them back on. He still didnt say anything. Maybe he was in a state of catatonic shock.
Now, activate your power and search the castle from right here, Adrian ordered.
I tried to clear my mind enough to concentrate. It didnt work, probably because I was in a small icebox with two piles of minion ash on the floor and a chopped-up body less than five feet away.
I need to get out of this room, I said.
Adrians sapphire gaze seemed to burn into mine. Not an option, and were running out of time.
I tried again, closing my eyes, but I still couldnt concentrate on anything except the carnage around me. I was standing on layers of frozen blood, for crying out loud.
Adrian, I started to say, but his sudden grip on my throat cut me off.
Maybe you dont understand, he said, fingers slowly tightening. You need to search this castle right now, and youre not moving from this spot to do it.
I grabbed his wrist, digging my nails into his skin. His hand only tightened more, until my throat burned from the pressure. He didnt even need to shift his grip on the boy to throttle me, and the child watched us with dull, empty eyes. Panic filled me as I couldnt get in more than a few thin, insufficient breaths. My chest started to heave in urgency, trying to force in air that Adrian wasnt allowing me to have.
Stop! I thought, unable to say anything. My nails ripped into Adrians wrist, yet that ironlike grip didnt lessen.
Still cant utilize your power? he asked, staring into my eyes with pitiless determination. Then Im going to choke you unconscious and leave this kid behind while I carry you out instead. You cant look for the weapon anyway, or can you?
My gasp of horror caught in my throat. He wouldnt do that...would he? Had I been wrong about him? Was he every bit the monster hed warned me about?
The only way youll stop me is to access your power and search this place, he went on. And, Ivy? I can feel it when you do, so dont bother trying to fake it.
Ill never forgive you! my gaze swore, but then his grip loosened and air rushed into my lungs, claiming all my attention. My second deep breath was ambrosia, quelling the frantic clenching in my chest. The third took away my panic, and the fourth had me closing my eyes as I sagged with relief
An invisible flare ripped out of me, like Id fired off a sonar ping that somehow made no sound. With it, I felt the castle and nearby grounds as though Id managed to scour them in an instant. At the end of it, I knew, with a certainty as strong as my decision to take the boy, that the weapon wasnt here. Nothing hallowed was. This was a frozen wasteland of evil.
An invisible flare ripped out of me, like Id fired off a sonar ping that somehow made no sound. With it, I felt the castle and nearby grounds as though Id managed to scour them in an instant. At the end of it, I knew, with a certainty as strong as my decision to take the boy, that the weapon wasnt here. Nothing hallowed was. This was a frozen wasteland of evil.
With a measured look, Adrian let me go. Red drops blended into the ruby-colored floor as blood dripped from his wrist where my nails had ripped into it.
Im sorry, he said stonily. We couldnt take the boy into the castle without getting caught, so I had to do something extreme to make you access your power from here.
Hows this...for extreme? I rasped, then slapped him as hard as I could, anger tapping into strength I normally didnt have. Adrians head rocked sideways, and when he turned to face me, a red handprint was already swelling along his cheek.
I deserved that, he said, still in that flinty voice. Now, lets get out of here.
I was furious at him for choking me into near-unconsciousness and threatening to leave the boy, but I filed that away under a rapidly growing list titled Paybacks To Come. I did shake his hand off when he led me toward the exit, and my glare warned him not to touch me again as I followed him down the pink-floored hallway.
Before we reached the door, Adrian took my gun out of my parka, replaced the empty clip with a full one, and then handed it back to me.
We might have to shoot our way out, he said, mouth curling with the dark anticipation he always showed before a fight. But this time, dont fire unless I do.
I bit back my caustic reply because talking made my throat hurt more. Besides, we might not live through this. If we did, though...Paybacks.
Dont fall behind, Adrian warned, and then exited the castle, running at a crouch in the opposite direction from where wed come in.
I followed, keeping low like he did. As soon as I was outside, glacial air seemed to pummel my upper body, my thin sweater no protection against the realms frigid temperatures. At once, my teeth began to chatter, the wind making it worse as I ran as fast as I could to keep up with Adrians form-blurring sprint. Even as I shook, I comforted myself by thinking of how warm the boy would be in my parka. It was made to withstand subzero temperatures, and right now, that was what it felt like outside.
No guards chased us, which was a happy surprise. Maybe it was because wed run right into the wall of darkness that bordered the rear of the castle. Nothing and no one seemed to be out this way, and as I abruptly fell on the hard, slick surface, I realized why. Adrian had led us out onto the islands frozen coastline.
I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the jabs of pain from whatever Id bruised. At least I hadnt lost the gun or shot myself from the impact. I couldnt see in front of me, but the glittering castle behind me was all the motivation I needed to keep running toward where Id last spotted Adrian. Despite my best efforts, I fell again, cutting my elbows and forearms on the uneven ice. Grudgingly, I had to acknowledge that Adrian had been right. I wouldnt have been able to run ten feet on this without boots. My feet wouldve been cut to ribbons.
Something large and dark rushed out of the blackness toward me. I lifted the gun, only to hear a familiar voice growl, I told you not to fall behind! before Adrian grasped my arm.
This time, I welcomed his grip as he propelled us farther onto the ice. If the town was close enough for me to use its light to see, then we were close enough for the guards to spot us. Adrian didnt have my visual handicap, of course. He drew me next to him while he moved with his usual breakneck speed, keeping us well inside the blackness while we ran parallel to the coast. By the time he slowed to a stop, I was gasping so hard that I was almost hyperventilating, and icy trails had frozen on my cheeks from wind-induced tears.
Be very quiet, he ordered. We have to go back on the island to reach the gateway.