The Dragon's Rogue

Chapter 26

Cillumn stilled at the sound as well, his head whipped toward it. Some of the anger fled from his expression. His lips pursed and a crinkle formed between his eyebrows. Any other moment the surge of attraction I felt just then might have concerned me. I wanted this man, despite all reason telling me why I shouldn't.

The new development seemed to set off a decision for him. He nodded once, and then, like Scet, began creeping along the cavern walls, gesturing for me to follow. I didn't know whether to feel relieved or terrified. There was a part of me, one that I was not very proud of, that told me if Cillumn forced me physically from the situation then its failure would not be my fault. That part of me was a coward. I stomped it down ruthlessly and took to the cavern wall, careful not to lose my footing among the weird undulations there.

My mind kept trying to pull my thoughts toward the Master, the mangled dragon that I was moving toward instead of away from. My heart beat increased to a rapid flutter.

Hold it together. For Adda.

It was all a matter of focus. I diverted my thoughts, working them toward the structure of the cavern. Why was it lit? The Quatori that did not inhabit a body couldn't enter such light--and there was plenty of it too. Which basically split their forces.

Unless that was the point, to keep the more primitive Quatori out.

Cillumn dodged between fat wooden supports. The ones used to hold up the various walkways. The shadows behind them allowed us to slip, unseen, toward the area where the structures..and the possessed...concentrated.

I thought I would see the form of a dragon among the others, but there was nothing but long jagged lines of mutilated men and women. Their ability to remain scentless, or leave no trail was somehow lost within the confines of stone, so that the smell of rotting flesh became nearly overwhelming. My stomach rioted, and it took great effort to keep it under control. Vomiting beneath the pillars would most definitely draw unwanted attention.

In front of them, facing them, stood a man. Or what once was a man, his skin had been torn, like the others. I noticed tattered wings stretching from his shoulder blades and his eye sockets seemed to scan his surroundings, his gathering. A nightmare of a sight.

"They were supposed to be distracting him, what is he doing down here?" Cillumn cursed softly.

I flinched at the sound after so long of maintaining silence, but there was nothing close enough to hear the whisper.

"He is the Master?" I ventured. Cillumn nodded, but he did not take his eyes from the man, who began to pace the ranks. He raised a fist, and I caught a glimmer from within it. The glyph? It was a triumphant gesture, like the general of an army announcing victory. And the ranks rose a howl in response. An eerie devastating sound. An evil sound.

"Bring them," the Master commanded.

I stood behind my pillar, daring not to move. Somehow we had happened upon some sort of plot. I felt like a small child creeping into an Alpha's counsel. The lines of mutilated men and women moved, creating a channel between them. From deeper within the cavern, around an outcropping I couldn't see past, eight bodies were led along. They were thin bodies, naked and starved looking. Bruises marred most of them, but there were none of the telltale lacerations of a possession. But one in particular caught my attention.

Cillumn sucked in a sharp breath. "You didn't tell me that you were twins."

I shrugged, ignoring him, it was hardly important, Adda was down there, right there. I knew it, I knew she was alive. But whatever this ceremony was it couldn't be good. I could read nothing through the link only a deep certainty of doom.