Chapter Thirty-six

Ravi flew backward from the force of the Star Elf’s magic and landed with a bone-jarring thud on the floor. He rolled to his stomach and got to his feet. His fingers tightened on the pommel of his sword as he glared at his enemy. The Star Elf’s purple gaze remained locked on Ravi as he strode forward.

“Gita wants your head on a spike,” the elf stated.

Ravi shrugged a shoulder as they circled each other. “I’d like hers on one myself.”

“You have no idea what you’ve done, do you?”

“I know I’m stopping evil. So, which one are you? Three?”

“One.”

The Star Elf was dressed in finery with his long, silver hair in a queue at the base of his neck. One might appear noble, but Ravi saw the truth behind the façade. He was a fighter, an elf who lived and breathed conflict.

Ravi blinked the sweat and blood out of his eyes and sought his magic. It flared briefly but fizzled quickly. He needed the sun. It had been too long since he had felt it upon his skin, and he’d sucked the amulet dry. If he was going to get out of this alive, Ravi would have to use his other skills.

“What’s the matter?” One asked with a smirk. “Having a hard time with your magic? You Sun Elves always think you’re better than the rest.”

“I don’t think I’m better than others. I just think I’m better than you.”

“By the time I’m done with you, you will beg for death.”

“You’ve spent too much time tormenting humans who don’t stand up to you. It’s time you’re reminded where you belong.”

One smiled. “On top.”

The words were barely out of his mouth before One raised his hand, and a coil of purple magic shot forward. Ravi moved his foot to the side and leaned away, rotating to watch as the magic slid mere breaths from his chest to hit something behind him. Ravi straightened and lunged as he thrust his blade at One. The Star Elf spun away and brought his hands up, his magic making a shield around him just as Ravi leaped into the air, his sword over his head.

He landed, and the tip of the blade pierced the barrier. Ravi grinned. “It’s an Asavori sword.”

Rage simmered in One’s purple eyes. The elf brought the backs of his hands toward his chest and then shoved out with a bellow. Ravi didn’t have time to move or get his sword free. He was flung, his body twisting in the air. His head slammed against the stone, and he slid a short distance.

Fingers wrapped around his throat a heartbeat before magic followed. Ravi opened his eyes to find One above him. Ravi curled his fingers, looking for the sword, but his weapon was gone. One’s hand tightened painfully. The magic circling him constricted, choking him.

One leaned down, his lip curled in a sneer. “Take the back road and cut across the Cauthon Pass. It’s the only way you’ll get to the device in time.”

Ravi blinked in surprise. Then, One was gone. Ravi coughed as his hand went to his throat. He sat up to find Dain using a wall to get to his feet. Three lay dead behind him.

“Where did he go?” Dain asked as he moved his gaze about them.

Ravi’s body protested as he once more climbed to his feet. “Is One working with you?”

“I would’ve told you if he was.”

“Nay, you wouldn’t have.”

Dain shrugged. “Probably not. But nay. He isn’t. Where is he?”

Shaldorn might appear empty, but that didn’t mean others weren’t listening. Ravi walked to Dain and whispered, “He told me where to find the device.”

“You believe him?” Dain asked.

Ravi shrugged. “Why tell me?”

“Because we were winning.”

“I wasn’t.”

Dain shrugged. “Maybe to throw us off where the device really is?”

“Maybe. We won’t know until we look.” Ravi wiped blood from his eye.

Dain ran the back of his arm across his mouth to swipe away the blood there. “Where did he say it was?”

“He said to take the back road and cut across Cauthon Pass. Can you get us there?”

“I know less about these mountains than you. But I know someone who does. I’ll be back.”

Ravi was once more left on his own. He found his sword and a dagger before limping his way down the corridor. There was no exit in sight. This was where Yaz had said to get out, and she wouldn’t steer him wrong.

He was glad she was safe now. It was the only reason he could keep his mind on his mission. Ravi paused and leaned a shoulder against the wall as he rubbed his injured leg, suddenly so weary it took every ounce of his strength to stay on his feet.

The only things left for him to do were to find the device and Gita. He’d added her to his mission because she had to be stopped. She couldn’t be allowed to continue this operation.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and flashes of Yaz’s bruised and bloodied body filled his mind. Ravi jerked open his eyes and tried to shake the images from his head. One had taken part in hurting Yaz. It didn’t matter if he had told Ravi where the device was. Ravi was going to hunt him down for his role in Shaldorn.

He inhaled deeply before pushing away from the wall. He only made it a few steps before Dain appeared with another elf covered in furs. Ravi took in the dark brown hair, black eyes, and pale skin of the new arrival.

“No one knows these mountains like Manu,” Dain said.

Manu looked Ravi up and down. “I know how to get to the pass. We’re going to need to move fast.” He tossed something at Ravi. “Put that on.”

Ravi’s hands closed around the soft white and gray fur. He was staring at an actual Mountain Elf. He could hardly believe it. Ravi had so many questions, but he saved them as he slid the coat on and fastened the closures.

“I hope you two can keep up,” Manu said before he turned and ran.

Ravi and Dain exchanged a look and raced after him. Manu moved through the hallways as if he knew Shaldorn. There were no more guards to come for them, and Ravi only glimpsed a few staff before Manu led them to the back exit. They left the warmth of the fortress and ran into the ice and snow.

Ravi expected to feel the cold as before, but the fur kept him warm. He glanced into the gray sky, hoping the clouds would part so he could see the sun. At least, it was daytime, which gave him a slim chance of the sunlight peeking through. Ravi groaned in annoyance when he realized he had fallen behind. He pushed himself harder, forcing his legs to move faster to catch up to Dain. Manu was up ahead and getting even farther away.

“How bad are you injured?” Dain asked.

Ravi shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Before Ravi knew it, Dain’s shadows engulfed them as he ran. When they parted, he would’ve fallen on his face had Dain not grabbed him. They were now ahead of Manu, but the elf was catching up quickly.

“Rest while you can,” Dain said.

Ravi looked at the Dark. “You should go on without me. I won’t be able to keep up.”

“I fucking hate the cold.”

Ravi looked back at Shaldorn. “There are other staff who could be rescued.”

“Shut up and move,” Manu said as he neared.

Dain grabbed Ravi and shoved him as they began running again. It wasn’t long before Manu passed them. Ravi couldn’t believe how quickly the Mountain Elf moved. There wasn’t a path to follow. Just raw land and unforgiving mountains. Neither he nor Dain could keep up with Manu, but Dain didn’t leave Ravi’s side. When they fell behind too much, Dain used his shadows to get them ahead so they could rest for a moment, only to do it all again.

When they reached a mountainside, and Manu scaled it as if it were nothing more than a hill, Dain looked up and snorted. Ravi understood. There was no way he could follow. The Dark was tiring, and Ravi wouldn’t ask Dain to haul him to the top. Yet Dain did it anyway.

There wasn’t much time to rest with how swiftly Manu climbed. Ravi wondered if all Mountain Elves were like that.

“Get to the bottom,” Manu told them as he launched himself over the top of the mountain and began jumping down vast sections onto narrow rocks that shouldn’t hold him.

Dain said something under his breath that Ravi didn’t catch. Ravi was mesmerized by Manu but didn’t get to watch for long as Dain’s shadows cut off his view. Once in the valley, Ravi turned to look for Manu.

“How long have you known him?” Ravi asked.

Dain grunted as Manu overbalanced but caught himself in time. “A few years. He doesn’t talk much.”

“So you two must get along great.”

Dain chuckled. “He tolerates me.”

“I know the feeling,” Ravi replied.

Manu reached them, his breathing only slightly elevated. He nodded at the mountain in front of them. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

“Hold on,” Dain said.

But Manu kept going.

Each time a Dark traveled by shadows, it drained them. The longer distances and having a passenger greatly increased that. But even if he hadn’t sustained injuries, Ravi wouldn’t have been able to keep up with Manu. If Dain wasn’t here, Manu would be forced to slow his progress to wait for Ravi.

Or leave him.

Ravi knew the Mountain Elf would’ve left him. He didn’t take it personally. Not when their mission was so critical.

Dain paused momentarily at the top of the next mountain before moving them to the snow-topped forest. There was a river nearby. Ravi hurried to it, lying flat on his stomach near the edge and cupping his hand into the freezing water to drink. He didn’t rise until Dain called his name. Ravi was next to the Dark by the time Manu reached them.

Manu didn’t stop jogging. “The pass is this way,” he said as he moved to the right.

“Are we ahead of whoever has the device?” Ravi asked as he and Dain fell into step behind the Mountain Elf.

Manu shrugged. “Won’t know that until we get through the pass.”

“We don’t know where the carrier will go after that,” Dain said. “We need to beat them to it.”

“I know where they’ll go,” Manu replied.

Ravi waited for him to elaborate, but the discussion ended. Which was for the best since Manu began running again.

It didn’t take long for every breath that filled Ravi’s lungs to feel like ice crystals stabbing him. Dain continued to get them ahead of Manu, but it was tiring the Dark Elf. Manu wasn’t fazed at all. He kept a constant pace the entire time.

Cauthon Pass seemed to go on forever. Peaks towered on either side of them. In the distance, an animal released a loud roar. Ravi looked around for it, but Manu didn’t seem to hear it. There was a brief respite for Ravi when the clouds broke for a moment, allowing the sun’s rays to reach him.

Ravi wished he could stop and soak it all in, but it was enough that he felt his magic responding to the sunlight. Unfortunately, clouds soon blocked the sun again. They grew thicker as they traveled, denying the light.

Finally, Manu halted.

Ravi and Dain came up on either side of him, both of them breathing hard.

The Mountain Elf pointed ahead of them. “There’s the road.”

“I see only snow,” Dain said as he squinted into the distance.

Manu grunted. “It’s there. For now, we wait.”

“Thank the gods,” Dain murmured.

The three stood in silence, waiting. Ravi was about to say they needed to move on when he heard the jingle of a harness. They ducked as the sleigh came into view around the mountain bend.