Nether

13. His Light

We wait until night time to put our plan into action. I take the hidden staircase at the bookcase, but instead of going into the library, I walk down a long hall. With a flashlight now, I follow the tunnel for what seems the length of the estate. Down a few flights of stairs, I make it to the ground level—the dungeons. Caleb and Vale take the long way, forming alibis with every person they see. I wait just behind a square exit that Caleb said is a shield on the other side.

Hearing two knocks, I push open to find Caleb and Vale waiting. He helps me out and I jump down a few feet to the stone floor. Two patrol guards stand by the dungeon stairs, but their heads are downcast as if sleeping.

"Nice touch," I say as Caleb closes the shield.

Vale smiles, seeming very proud of herself.

"What about the cameras?"

Caleb points to the small cameras whose little red lights are off. "They've been disabled. It seems my Uncle doesn't want anyone to know who's down here or what they're doing."

I scoff. "Like smuggling non-magics?"

Caleb nods, and the flicker of pain in his eyes hurts me. I can imagine it's hard to believe his own uncle has something to do with his mother's death, with the death of so many non-magics.

"I found a cell with tracks heading toward a wall," he says. "I think this is the path they take."

Gia, one of the non-magics Roane and I saved, mentioned she had smelled sewage. Hauling in a breath, I nearly choke on the same smell.

Caleb leads us down another set of stairs and a long hall lined with cells. It's cooler here and darker, the stone walls damp. We reach the last cell and I cup my mouth, stifling a sob. The floor is covered in mud and straw, and in the middle of it is Roane, curled into himself. Black and blue marks cover his skin, coalescing with his tattoos. His eyes are closed and he shivers as if stranded in the middle of a winter storm.

I clutch the door, desperate for Caleb to open it. He flicks through the keys, testing out each one.

My heart hammers with each failed lock. "Can't you just use magic?"

"The cells are protected," he says, jamming another key inside.

I look back to Roane. The key has to be in there. We can't be so close only to have him die on us. A click finally rights my heart; Caleb turns the key and opens the cell door.

We rush inside. I fall down at Roane's side and roll him over, cradling his head in my lap. Black strands cling to his forehead, damp with sweat and blood. I brush them away and he leans into my touch.

"Roane," I call to him. His face is much paler, and blood seeps from his lips. My tears fall onto his cheeks as if to wash it away. "Vale, you need to Share with him now."

She nods and drops down opposite him. Knotting her auburn hair on top of her head, she reaches out her hand to take him from me. I hesitate and look her straight in the eyes with a look warning that I will break her if she hurts him. My threat made, I let her slip his head onto her lap.

Nearing his mouth, she parts his lips a slight and exhales onto his mouth. Her breath leaves her as white, sparkling whirls that glitter between them. That's pure magic, and it flows into his mouth continuously.

Roane flinches, his chest arching up. His eyes snap open as he sucks in a desperate gasp. His irises have faded to a murky gray, but he inhales Vale's breath, and they slowly regain their color. Vale presses him down and lets her exhale run dry before scuttering back against the wall. I can tell it's the first time she's Shared. Her eyes are open wide, her chest heaving. She looks just as needing and confused as I felt the first time.