Page 70 of Thorn & Ash
Several minutes of blissful silence passed between them as their bodies cooled. Mona’s stomach growled, her limbs aching with fatigue. She didn’t want to think about how long it had been since she’d eaten.
“I’m sorry I don’t have food for you,” Evander lamented. “We don’t eat much down here.”
“It’s all right.” Mona closed her eyes and summoned her magic. From the cracks of the earth grew a vine of grapes. Mona slid off Evander’s lap and popped a few grapes in her mouth.
Evander raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed. Mona bit back a smile, trying to ignore how drained she felt from using so much magic without resting.
But she didn’t have time to rest. Who knew what Prue was enduring all this time? Mona had to find her.
She gestured to the mist. “So Prue isn’t in there?”
Evander shook his head, grabbing his trousers before pulling them on. “When I was being dragged in there, I caught a whiff of Cyrus, too. It mingled with Prue’s scent. I have a feeling whatever power is lurking inside was using Prue and Cyrus’s scents to lure us in. To trap us.”
Mona shuddered. What dark and dangerous thing lived in the fog? And why did it want to lure them in?
“So, what do we do?” Mona asked. “Do you think it’s possible Prue is in Tartarus? Like Trivia said?” She found her shift, which was too torn for her to reuse, but her dress only had a few small rips in it, so she slid it on.
Evander was silent for so long that Mona turned to look at him, apprehension rising in her chest. After a moment, he said, “Mona, if that… thing has your sister’s scent, it probably has her, too.”
Dread coiled inside her, and she found herself shaking her head. “No. It can’t be.”
“I need to go to Tartarus. Even if Prue isn’t there, this darkness is taking over the realm, and it originated from Tartarus. Perhaps if I can find the source, I can destroy it and free us all.”
“Then, I’m coming with you.”
Evander drew closer to her, alarm flaring in his gaze. “Mona, you can’t. It isn’t safe.”
“You think I’m just going to sit here while you go to Tartarus? While my sister is probably suffering? Forget it.” When Evander opened his mouth to object, Mona added, “Besides, I have my magic to protect me. I’m not helpless.”
Half Evander’s mouth quirked in a smile. “No, you aren’t.” He sighed, running his hands up and down her arms. “All right. We’ll go to Tartarus together.”
Mona grinned, standing on her toes to press a kiss to his mouth.
Evander’s eyes shone with affection, but he gazed down at her somberly. “But you must be careful. And let me lead the way.”
Mona nodded. “I promise.”
Evander stepped back, then opened his arms. Mona stepped into them, wrapping her arms securely around his torso. His wings spread wide, and Mona braced herself as they took off into the sky.
TARTARUS
PRUE
Prue suppressed a shiver as Lagos led her through the network of caves, her mind returning to those awful days when she’d been chained as a prisoner. And that whole time, she’d never realized Tartarus was so close…
Lagos seemed to know exactly where he was going, so Prue stayed close to him, knowing she could easily get lost in this labyrinth if she were on her own.
“How long were you a warden here?” Prue asked, her voice echoing in the caves.
“I lost count of the days.” Lagos’s tone was low and rough with emotion. “It helps if I lose myself down there. Detach myself from the tasks and from any concept of humanity. I simply… existed.”
Prue’s chest tightened, her stomach coiling with dread. What horrors had her friend faced down here? “I’m sorry you had to endure that for so long.”
“I wasn’t the only one. The area has to be guarded by someone. If it wasn’t me, it would’ve been someone else.” The edge in his voice told her all she needed to know: all the people here were suffering.
Prue thought of the villagers of Erebos, poor and starving. If Lagos hadn’t served in Tartarus, would he have lived in Erebos? Would he have been suffering no matter where he resided?
“We’ll trap Kronos,” Prue vowed. “Heal this realm. And start anew. I swear things will be different, Lagos.”