Hallow's: Witch's Brew

Forty-Six

Nero- Crush On You

Getting out of the vents was difficult. We had to jump down onto the ice. So that it didn't break under our weight, I had to harden it more than before. Yet when Noah landed on it, it cracked down to the bottom floor. I glare at him. He looks back apologetically. Thankfully the ice is dry enough for us not to be sliding around. 

"Let's hope we didn't crack any of the inmates below," I whisper. 

I think I prefer compact spaces to quiet isolated areas. Even with Noah at my back, the lower levels are eerie. Any shadow or creek of the ice has my heart racing. I reach under my coat for the Damascus Carson gave me just in case we ran into trouble. The sound of my blade sliding out of its sheath is loud in these high ceiling hallways. 

"What the fuck?" Noah grabs my arm. I put my hand to his lips and use the side of the blade to push him against the wall. I place my index finger to my lips to keep him quiet. 

"I can hear you," her sweet voice calls out from one of the cells just up ahead. They're right over the wraith's position. "Why don't you come out?" 

"You okay?" I ask Lily. 

"She cut my left foot off," she groans. A foot cut at the ankle slides across the ice right over the wraith leaving a trail of hot blood. 

"I thought you were some kind of demonic badass, Lils," I laugh. 

"Fuck off. I underestimated this fucking thing. She's older now. A big girl," she defends herself. 

"The sound of your blade," the princess says. "Valkaryan steel. Where did you get it?" 

"Your father granted it to Belladonna Blackstone. Your people await your demise. You have a lot to answer for, Princess. Death is not going to be kind to you, I'm afraid," 

"My father," she scoffs. "Do you know what he did to me?" 

"I don't care. I'm not here to sympathize with you. I'm here under orders. Reasons are for the weak," 

"I love you a whole lot more, little mouse," Lily laughs. 

"You'd kill me under orders," 

"It's me or you, Princess. I've lived my life choosing myself and it's not about to change over a fucking monster like you," 

I sweep my hand to reach over the ice where the blood is with the storm. I expand the trail with the blood coming out of the severed foot. I use the blood to slide across to the other side. Two bursts of white energy are shot out of the cell room to hit the wall across. I got a small glimpse of their surroundings. I can feel around the room with Noah's spirit affinity. He looks over at me and nods. 

The princess has gotten older. She looks like a teenager now. Somewhere between fourteen and eighteen. She's got on a guard's uniform and a wand in her left hand. 

"How did she get the wand?" I ask. 

"No fucking clue. That's how she got the upper hand," Lily says. 

"Who's armor is that?" her silence is more than enough. "Is Raen dead?" 

"No, but she won't be waking up any time soon," the princess laughs. "I've met plenty of storm riders in my lifetime. What would they think of you working for the Hallows?"

"They're all dead now," I scoff. "What they think doesn't matter anymore. The dead hold no place in this realm. No power those of us who live. Lily, take a deep breath," 

"Don't-" the princess growls. 

I pull the weight of the storm to me. This fucking thing isn't the first to question my decision to serve the Belladonna Blackstone. She's not going to be the last. The cold air cuts through the hallway and slams into the room. I step into it watching as the princess tries to cover the small shards of ice cutting to her. I toss the blade to Lily who smiles and catches it with ease.