Free Web NovelChapter 146: Chapter 146 Out of the Shadows
Chase’s POV
We followed my father through the hallway behind the dining room, and into corridors stretching through the rest of the castle. Daron, Mesus, Ezra, Blaze, and I are trying to be as quiet as we possibly can. Behind us guards are tracking the way, moving slower than us, and making sure we can find our way back.
We move down stairsteps made into the rocky ground. Down and down, until it evens out and then further away from the castle. We keep a distance, using our enhanced hearing to follow him, but keeping ourselves out of hearing reach. After what felt like hours, the corridor comes to a new staircase, going up into unfamiliar territory. I stop my group, turning around and looking at them. The other Kings followed me blindly here only based on the information of Helenius. He looks uneasy at the stairs, and I have a feeling he knows where we are, and he may have been here before. This is out of our land. I felt the barrier slide through me, recognizing me as a citizen of the lands - as it did with the others. Blaze was pardoned and made a fully fledged citizen of the lands again when I crowned him Prince.
"We need some sort of plan, other than just charge in and go on a killing spree." Blaze looks utterly crushed by the prospect of not going on a killing spree with this unknown enemy.
"Well, if we just wait here we will eventually have someone walk down here, and then we can capture them and get information?" Daron suggests. It is not a bad thought, but it will take a long time. Time Amber and our girls don’t have. I am not willing to waste time, as it may cost my mate her life.
"We could also just ask our initial guide?" Mesus says, dragging Helenius forward. My cousin trembles at the prospect of betraying someone, but he has to make a choice. Which side will he be on? Ours or our enemies?
"Cousin? You’ll have to make the choice right here and now. Will you follow my father into death, or will you help the Queen who has been nothing but good to you?" Helenius looks around at all the faces. They are all in and out of darkness, as we are trying to not light up the whole thing with the small globes of light we took with us. They are also magical, as are all lights in the castle, and can be turned off in one word.
"I... I... He’ll kill me."
"And what do you think we will do to you if you don’t help us?" Blaze threatens. He is more worried than angry at this point. He just wants Amber and the girls to be okay, and this will not help with that.
"We..."
I’m interrupted by a cry of surprise and feet running from behind us. Everyone spins around, ready for an attack and surprise when one of the guards runs up to us. He’s deadly pale and heaving for air as if he has seen a ghost. freёwebnoѵel.com
"M. My King. They came out of nowhere. They were just there all of a sudden. They are looking for you. I don’t know how, but.."
"Easy, James. Who are they?"
"They. Them... The little ones. You children, sir." He stammers, and points behind him where Melody and Elina come running with Tristan hot on their heels.
"Daddy, papa! We know where mommy is. She’s trapped." Melody yells. Both me and Blaze kneel down, arms open, and smiles on our faces. The sight of our girls running towards us has me forgetting momentarily what we are here for. Then Melody’s words hit. Amber is a prisoner. The girls run to one each, burrowing their heads in our chest and crying. I flinch at the contact of something cold and burning at the same time. Out of my eye, I see Blaze do the same.
I hold Melody at arm’s length, and that’s when I see it. A small ring around her neck, although it doesn’t seem to bother her, I know it must be insanely irritating.
"Mel, who did that?" I ask, pointing to the ring.
"The bad man, papa. He locked one on Ella and mommy as well." Melody points to her sister, who tries to hide in Blaze’s chest. Outrage courses through my body! They did this to my girls - all three of them.
"Do you know what it does, sweetheart?"
"The bad man said it will turn our magic off, but it didn’t. We can still do magic. Still go into the shadow." Her smile is radiant, and it is apparent she’s very proud of herself.
"The shadows?"
Mesus takes a step forward.
"King Chase, may I?" He asks, pointing at Melody and the neck ring. I narrow my eyes at him, not sure what he has in mind with my daughter. She smiles at me.
"He is good, papa. No shadow in him." I lift an eyebrow, as Mesus chuckles.
"She’s special alright. She can see one’s soul as clearly as you and I can see each other. I want to remove the ring - we are not allergic to the metal in the North as it is our main source of income and work, we have developed a tolerance to it." I look at Melody, the decision is her’s. She walks to Mesus, her eyes full of the childish trust we adults lack. Mesus put his hands on the metal, and his eyes widened.
"This has been made from a goddess. I’m not sure I can.."
"You may not be able to, King of the North. But I can!" A voice says, as the corridor brightens with silver and golden light. Out of the light walks Selene and Solei. They are just as beautiful as the last time I saw them, but they seem more angry this time.
"We will keep the children safe, while you and your friends go free Amber! It is important you get her out immediately before Ezekiel discovers she’s the Queen and not the Princess. Callus has not revealed this secret yet, as it has not been to his advantage - but soon the tide will turn and her destiny is in your hands, boys." Selene says, as Solei picks up both Melody and Elina. Both girls look at them in awe, and as do the rest of our group. freewebnσvel.cøm
"King Chase, you didn’t say you are on friendly terms with the goddesses?" Mesus says, bowing deeply. The others follow suit, but my mind is not on the formalities as of now. It’s on the mission at hand.
"My King, the guards at the western border have just mind-linked me. The former Queen and King of the Silver Moon pack have arrived and demand to be let in. They say they are here to help. I lift an eyebrow, a thought settling in my mind.
"Helenius! Do you know where we are?" Helenius looks like someone just shot him. I think he had hoped to stay in the background for the rest of this mission. He sighs.
"We are at the western border, my King. Underground, but still. We are going into the mountain, where people have lived for the last 18 years."
"They live inside the mountain?"
"Yes."
"Can you get in from above ground?"
"You can, yes." I nod, my mind working a mile a minute.
"Tristan, mind-link the guards. Let them in, and have them wait. Take Helenius with you, and he will show you how to get in from above the ground. We will attack from here, and you will be our backup with Abigail and Matthew." Tristan bows his head, putting cuffs on Helenius and taking him with him.
Time is of the essence here.
"We will attack in an hour. Make sure to get something to eat. The guards behind us have food and drinks for everyone, and that will give Tristan time to get to the border in his dragon form." Everyone nods, and Blaze grabs my shoulder.
"We’ll get her back!" He says, and I know he is right.
Selene and Solei say they’ll wait in the girl’s room for us to come back, and then vanish into another bright silver and golden light.
