Slaves of the Night

Chapter 23

Kaisa

Breaking out of the cage takes entirely too long, and by the time we're out Rax is nearly unconscious. I pick him up mostly, he's about the same size as me but thicker, and soaked in his own blood. I'm weak and near fainting myself from the effort of splintering. I let the splinters come back into me once they've tugged the bars enough for us to get out. I feel a bit more whole, but not much. Not near enough.

I pull Rax over my back and drag us both into the back of atrium. From there there are doors leading to the small courtyard, in the middle of which are steaming hot springs.

I drag Rax over to them, they're just a natural pit in the ground, with slick algae covered rock. They smell strongly of sulfur.

"You'd better be right about this," I mutter, as I wade into the surprisingly hot water. Oh he is right. Oh this is better.

Magic rushes through me, healing me lovingly and restoring my strength. Fully clothed as I am, I slump into the deliciously warm water, hot steam surrounding me even as my hair and eyebrows freeze in the sub-zero temperatures.

"Better, eh?" Rax asks, glancing over at me as he now is able to pull himself up in the water.

"Yeah much, you were right," I say, feeling lightheaded. That's enough, more than enough. I stand up, dripping, in the freezing air.

"If you ever meet my mother in reality—don't tell her about this, specifically the getting stabbed while kissing someone part. I mean it's entirely in character but still—"

"I won't," I laugh, "All right, you good to stand?"

"Just, yes," he says, standing unsteadily on the slick rock, "Let's go find the others."

We hurry inside, him slipping twice and still a bit unsteady. He's still covered in blood but I think he managed to stop the bleeding. Finding the others proves to be easier than I imagined.

"You're okay! Where've you been?" Essie runs up and hugs me, soaking as I am.

"Kidnapped actually," I say, hugging her back.

"Mmm that's better," Rax took no chances and kissed Eero upon seeing him. This time with much better results apparently.

"We are finding a more scientific way of identifying shape-shifters," I say, only amused now as Eero turns eighteen shades of red and sputters.

"Ah, this works fine, that and I'm never leaving your side," Rax says, inspecting the Prince for injury despite being the one who looks like he took a bath in his own blood.

"What happened to you!!?? Someone tied me up," I feel like Eero is really behind here.

"Maku is alive," Rax says.

"Maku is alive and he's smarter than all of you," we whip around to see Maku standing near the entrance to the atrium. He's changed into a green shirt and his hair is damp and slicked back. He was in the springs as well.

"What? I thought you died," Like I said Eero's a little behind.

"He's the shape shifter," I explain, standing at ready. He's not attacking though. Just leaning there lazily.

"Yeah you really need to come up with a better way to identify me than sticking your mouth in mine like---really?" Maku asks, spitting at the memory.

"Or you could---I don't know---not shape shift into people???" Rax asks, annoyed.

"Are you the one who's causing the hauntings? Is the ghost another one of your shape shifts?" I ask.

"No," he says, glaring a little at me for interrupting his argument with Rax, "You're welcome by the way faerie child, I've spent half the night making sure everybody's memory is scrambling so nobody knows you kissed and stabbed the prince," Maku growls.