Chapter 585: Stronghold
The stronghold seemed to be a maze of endless stone corridors, punctuated by the occasional giant room with towering ceilings. Everything was arched, fitted columns sweeping overhead, reminding me of a medieval cathedral. What few windows we encountered showed a barren landscape, the sky that same dark cloud cover I'd first seen, uniform and dull, as bleak as the browned earth, empty and flat of vegetation or anything else living for what looked like miles.
The stronghold itself felt endless, engulfing us as we walked, the vastness making me hunch my shoulders, tiny and inconsequential. What were we doing again? And why did I care so much? A heavy apathy rode my back, slowing me down until only prodding from Charlotte behind me kept me moving.
Gram finally turned to find we'd fallen behind and frowned. Her fingers touched my cheek again, Enforcer magic sparking my own power.
"Sorry," Gram said. "I forgot about the warding. Any normal magic user would be weeping on her knees by now."
I glanced at Charlotte, caught the tightness of her jaw, the way her lower lip trembled and nudged Gram. She squeezed my bodywere's hand. The change in her was miraculous. Charlotte shook herself, wolf flaring in her eyes under the shade of her black hood before she snarled and bobbed a nod of thanks.
"Now, keep up." Gram spun, setting a wicked pace. I used to run regularly, loved to play soccer. Had fallen out of the habit. I never expected to wish I'd kept it up so I could keep stride with my frail, old grandmother.
Frail. Yeah.
Snort.
Now that Gram's magic had freed me from the gloom, I actually started to pay attention. And feel my confidence rise. We'd been walking for at least fifteen minutes and, despite passing several Enforcers in their own robes, hadn't had one moment of trouble. Not even a sniff.
Maybe this would work out after all.
I increased my pace, driving myself to keep up with Gram. In and out, chat with Ameline. Easy peasy lemon squeez-
I rounded the corner and almost meeped in shocked. Almost. Only my surprise itself kept me quiet. My head dropped immediately, though I knew I was too late.
Quaid must have seen me.
Damn it, why did he have to be here? Striding down the corridor with three other Enforcers, trainees like him with their blue piping around their hoods and sleeves? I turned my head to the side, heart racing, knowing I was totally and utterly screwed.
Came level with him, caught his scent as he brushed against me, the tingle of his power, so familiar, so welcoming.
Passed him.
Kept walking.
No. Way. Did we really just get away with it?
I glanced back quickly just as we rounded another corner to see he'd stopped. Had turned to watch us go with a frown tightening his brows.
And then we were out of sight as the stone corner cut him off.
I held my breath while Gram cursed softly, but kept moving.
No shout.
No pounding feet in pursuit.
"Damned lucky," Gram grunted.
She wasn't kidding.
"That boy is no fool," Gram said. "We have to hurry."
Hurry I could do. All of a sudden, I felt like my feet had wings, like I could fly, adrenaline flooding my system. But Gram kept to the same deliberate, if rapid, pace and I was now forced to stay behind her, almost stepping on the backs of her fuzzy socks, an insane giggle rising inside me as I realized if anyone saw her feet they would know.
And the jig would be up.
Gram rounded one last corner and jerked open a large wooden door at the end. I looked up the narrow spiral staircase built from thick iron on the other side, feeling Enforcer magic sweep over me as I passed through the door. It paused a moment before moving on.
Still good.
"Back entry to the prison tower," Gram said. "Hope you like stairs."
I sighed and started to climb.
My thighs began to ache after twenty steps and I marveled at how agile Gram seemed to be. I reached for my magic, to make my job easier, only to have Gram's slam down over me.
"They'll know you're here the moment you tap in," she said.
Gook to know. Instead, I was forced to use my own steam. I kept my eyes locked on her socks, falling into a rhythm behind her, panting through my mouth as we made that endless climb.
I was so focused on staying in beat with her steps, I ran right into her back when she stopped. Gram spun on me with a hiss, her cheeks pink from exertion before one of her hands clamped over my arm.
"Pay attention," she said.
Her favorite chastisement. And she was right.
"This place has its own protections." Gram gestured at a second wooden door, where the stairs ended. Another window, this one gaping and wide open to the elements, allowed in a whistling breeze, the scent of desolation so powerful I almost sneezed. "It was built specifically for the Enforcers to train and to hold our most dangerous criminals. It has no desire to prevent us from entering. You understand?"
Did I ever. "Getting out might be another matter."
Gram's grim expression didn't make me feel any better.
"Stay with me," she said. "My power will protect you. But if either of you wander off, the fragments I gave you won't last long."
She might have told us that earlier. Charlotte didn't comment, face blank. I wished I was fearless like she was. But I nodded and squared myself.
Gram opened the door, the two of us right on her heels. The corridor beyond wasn't anything special to look at, more of the same, to be honest. But the feel of the place was completely different. Clingy. Challenging. As though it weighed us and judged who we were and why we were there. I felt the power Gram gave me stir and push against the old magic embedded in the prison tower, an almost arrogant flare driving the questing magic away. I held my own energy quiet, letting Gram do what she needed to, knowing one false move would mean staying here much longer than I intended.
She moved on, the circular top of the tower bending to our right as Gram continued with purpose. She stopped so suddenly I almost ran into her again, Charlotte's hand catching me and pulling me back.
"Two guards." Gram breathed the words. Why was she risking talking? I tried to reach for her with my mind only to have her snap her finger against my wrist and shake her head.
Mental contact equaled power usage. Right.
Gotcha.
"Now what?" No way they would just let us wander in and talk to Ameline.
Gram made a face, an unhappy grimace. "I was expecting this," she said. "Just give me a second."
The wave of distaste I felt through her power told me she was about to do something neither of us would be happy about. But before I could ask her what she planned, her magic, mine tied to her, reached out to the two Enforcers around the bend.
I felt them, saw them as she did, as her power eased around the stone wall and slid forward, tucked against the floor. It slid under their feet, winding with such subtlety if I hadn't been with her I would never have known she acted. Both Enforcers stopped moving, bodies going rigid as Gram's power took them over and held them in a soft, warm thrall.
Nothing overt. Not enough to trigger the protections of the tower. Just enough to blind them to our presence.
I could see through their eyes as Gram eased forward, knew she was in their range of sight. But all they saw was blank corridor. She turned to me, the vision snapping as she jerked me toward the door.
"You don't have long," she said. "I can't hold them forever."
Charlotte chuffed, tried to follow me to the dark metal door the two guards flanked, but Gram held her back.
"Hurry, girl," Gram said. "And you," she pulled Charlotte tight against her side, "use that nose of yours to make sure no one's coming."
Charlotte looked unhappy, but I shook my head at her before turning and touching the cold metal handle. The door sighed, magic parting under the touch of Gram's power in my fingers, the seal easing open. I drew a sharp breath, sliding inside, pushing the door closed behind me, my body registering the chill of the metal even through the thickness of the Enforcer robe and my jeans and T-shirt.
Ameline sat on a low chair next to a small table, a smile on her stunning face.
"Took you long enough," she said.
***
