My stomach dropped as I fell through the stadium floor. The delighted cheers of the spectators faded into black nothingness as I plunged down the seemingly-bottomless pit.
Beside me three other Guardians, all shifters of some sort were sucked into the ground as well. One disappeared into eruptions of flames. A skeletal figure lurched from out of nowhere, grabbing another one and sucking him back down into the earth. The Guardian dug his hands into the ground, trying to fight back and ultimately losing. I’d never forget the sheer look of horror on his round, chubby face for as long as I lived. Some competitors had hung on narrow shelves of rock in the cliff face. The steep rock faces crumbled onto them, crushing their bodies. All the while I continued to fall deeper into nothingness. The cannon boomed over and over again as one Knight hopeful after another fell victim to the elements of the underworld. Are they all dead? Will that be me?
I tucked Niche closer to my chest, knowing when I finally did stop falling it was going to hurt. My mind raced, trying to think of a way to save us both. At the bottom of the pit a dim red light warned me I was running out of time. The mark on my neck burned hotter than ever before. The warmth moved through my body and centered in my back.
I forced the flames out of my back, and my plummet slowed to a drift. Out of the corner of my eye I saw what looked like wings made of fire flapping behind me. My wings? What in the hell? My pulse raced in my veins. I’d never heard of any phoenix half-shifting to use wings of fire. This was something new for my race. Only the most powerful shifters could still hold their human forms while partially changing. They had all the benefits of being part animal, such as strength, agility, and power, with none of the disadvantages, like having to worry about a tail or paws. It was heard of among the larger shifters like wolves or tigers. But never with a phoenix, or any kind of bird for that matter.
How was I going to explain this to Blackwing?
I let the power soar through me and out toward my wings. The cavern was too narrow to fully extend them and fly back up. All I could do was hold them out just enough to drift downward in the hope of a soft landing.
Green smoke seeped up from the cracks in the ground and heat licked at my face as my feet roughly touched down. Not such a light landing. Where am I? I thought back to Nova’s power over death and Tabitha’s power over earth. This deep underground place seemed like a mix of their powers. There was only one place I could be, the underworld. Evermore was made up of many different Kingdoms and supernatural beings. As a child I learned of the underworld where the supernatural Greek, Hades prowled along side Lucifer. So much power, and so much history took place here. I wanted to explore to see if all the tales I’d heard were true, of the battles between the Fallen and Lucifer were true and if Hades was indeed working for Lucifer, but I didn’t have time for that. I had a task to complete and a Knighthood to obtain.
But how would I get her back to the surface? In the darkness I couldn’t spot a way out. Am I trapped? There had to be a way. As my eyes adjusted to the light I glanced around for a tunnel that would lead me somewhere. That’s when ice blue eyes caught my attention. I froze in place, listening to the deep growl that came next. A rumbling that came through sharpened clenched teeth, like a dog’s. I backed up to the cavern wall and gently placed Niche on the ground directly behind me. A calm washed over me, the kind of calm I got from training for situations like this. When I summoned my dual flaming swords to my hands the area around me lit up like midday.
There before me stood another competitor. His muscles bulged to an obscene degree beneath large veins. As I watched, thick hair sprang out all over his body. His fingers sharpened into claws and if it were possible he grew bigger. Fangs extended down past his lips. Half wolf, half man. His eyes were locked on one thing…Niche.
“Give her to me, bird.” He took a step toward me.
I held my swords loosely, letting my wrists move them as though they were an extension of my arms. “Not a chance in hell, dog.”
He lifted his arms wide and motioned to the cavern around us. “I believe we’re already there.”
Without another word the wolf took off, running at me at full speed. I stepped forward, wanting to get a safe distance between the wolf and Niche. But without leaving her open to be stolen from me. His loping stride ate up the distance between us. Halfway to me he leapt, bringing his claws straight down toward my throat. I lifted my sword meeting his downward swing. I stopped his claws a mere inch from slicing my throat. I threw my arms forward and forced him back. Blood welled across his hands. “Birdie has a sharp beak.”
“It’s our job to defend her, you heard the Queens. Protect her, not fight over her.” I kept my stance loose and ready for his next attack. He tried to circle around me, but I kept him back. I changed my footing each time he moved.
Blood seeped from the wounds on his hands and dripped onto the cave floor. “I don’t care, it’s my job to protect her and I will.”
I motioned between the two of us. “It doesn’t have to be like this, wolf. But if you insist.”
I extinguished my swords, and gathered a ball of fire in the palm of my hand. I wound up and threw it at him, nailing the center of his chest. The ball exploded, covering his upper body in flames. The werewolf dropped to the ground, howling and rolling in the dirt. He tried to pat out the blaze clinging to his hairy body. I stood back to watch the flames continue to burn. “Enough of this. Do you concede?”
In his deep, gravelly voice he howled, “Yes! Yes!”
I raised my hand high above my head and opened it wide calling to the flames with my mind. As though I was sucking the ball back in reverse they left the smoking wolf and gathered into a sphere at the center of my palm. “If you come at me again I will not take them back next time.”
With heaving breaths he rose to his feet glowering at me from hooded eyes. Smoke billowed from his charred skin. “This isn’t over.”
“Oh, I bloody well think it is, lad.” Grayson, the vampire, melted out of the shadows. “I’d say the wittle wuppy got spanked.” Even with his thick British accent the taunting was clear.
The wolf turned toward him. “Stay out of this, leech.”
Grayson shook his head and gave him a toothy smile. “Words hurt, pup.”
I didn’t know what the hell was going on or who I could trust. I kept that swirling ball of fire in the palm of my hand ready to toss it at a moment’s notice. Then, to my left, the wall started shimmering. It looked like it consisted of a pool of water rather than hardened stone. A well-polished designer boot stepped through it, followed by tailored pants, and then Beckett popped his head in. “What’d I miss?”
His blond hair fell into his face as he unfolded himself to join the three of us in the cavern. “We’ve got a bird, a dog and a leech. Sounds like a bad joke waiting to happen.”
Not another one. I enhanced the flames in my hands making them grow brighter and bigger. “I think we had all better go our separate ways.”
“I disagree, Phoenix.” Grayson leapt up onto a small overhang about fifty feet above us all. “There is power in numbers. And who knows what obstacles you may face down here.” His eyes locked on Niche’s sleeping form. “Our priority ought to be her. Don’t you think?”
Yes, I do. I stepped to the side blocking his view of her. “And how do I know you won’t betray me the first chance you get?”
He shrugged. “You don’t.”
Directly behind the wolf a set of feline eyes appeared in the darkness. My flames reflected in the yellow of his eyes. Brax, the tiger shifter, slipped from the shadows. He was a staggering six and a half feet of pissed-off feline. He wore only a low-slung pair of camo pants, his bare feet dug into the ground beneath him. The faintest hint of stripes crossed his pale chest. “Yes, let us be done with this.”
Is that a Russian accent? “I think we’ve got enough contenders at this party.”
The wolf leapt forward once again, charging at me. “Mine.”
I stifled the urge to roll my eyes as I tossed another ball of fire in his direction. This time it caught his pants, lighting them on fire in mid-air. Yet he didn’t stop. He flew at me with his claws extended and fangs bared. Then right in front of me a portal opened up swallowing the wolf whole. He vanished from sight. Everyone froze, looking toward Beckett. He glanced around the cavern. “What? I was tired of dealing with him. Clearly, he didn’t listen to the rules of the game. The first challenge is to protect her not try to steal her from one another.”
Even I had to admit he had a point. “Then we are in agreement. No stealing the little witch from me until we figure out what exactly we are up against. Can you portal us to the top?”
He shook his head. “No go. My portals are being tampered with. The magic of the trials is severely limiting their capabilities. I was lucky to make it to you. And with Niche in tow I wouldn’t risk it. We could end up hanging over a lava pit.”
I looked up at the small opening at the top of the cavern. “Fair enough. Then we have to get out the old fashioned way.”
Once I got a nod from each of them I turned to scoop her into my arms. If I hadn’t known she was under the influence of a potion I might’ve thought she’d lost her life. Her head lolled back letting those long fire-engine red locks drape so low they almost touched the ground. Her features were elfin. With a tiny pert nose and overly full lips she looked more like a professor than a powerful witch. All my life I had older brothers, and now holding her in my arms I felt as though she were a little sister in need of protecting.
The wall behind Brax rumbled, sending small stones tumbling off of it and dust rising up around us. Brax turned and stumbled back to stand next to me. “What is this?”
Definitely Russian. I took a step back and felt the cool press of the stone against my skin. We were between a rock and a hard place. Grayson hoped down to join us and Beckett came to stand beside Brax. In a straight line with our backs to a cave wall we faced whatever was about to come at us.
The walls exploded inward sending boulders, dust and shards of rock flying at us. I turned away throwing my body over Niche’s to protect her from the debris. Rocks pelted my back and bare arms giving me cuts and scrapes. When it settled an eerie silence fell over us. I glanced at the hole opposite us, wonder what would come next. “Is that—?”
A deafening roar echoed through the tunnel. I fought the urge to cover my ears. The mark on my neck smoldered warning me of what was to come. My pulse raced and I summoned my sword. Pounding footsteps surged forward. I held my ground and sucked in a deep breath.
A tide of bodies swarmed forward. Each of them reached out their decaying hands ready to grab at whoever or whatever they could. I gritted my teeth. “I hate reanimats!”
Each corpse was more disgusting than the next and we were surrounded by dozens. Their skin hung loose from their bodies, limbs and facial features were missing. Their grotesque frames were barely concealed by strips of dirty cloth. A low hum of muted groaning hung in the air. And the stench of rotting flesh was something I’d never get out of my mind.
“Bloody zombie-looking bastards.” Grayson reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out two ninja throwing stars. He gave me a sideways glance. “You ready, Phoenix?”
I nodded. “I’m ready, Vamp.” I gestured with my chin at the stars. “Those only good for one throw?”
“Do I look like an amateur?” He held one of them up and the flames from my sword glinting in the shiny metal. “Mystically-enforced to return when I command it.”
“Very nice.”
On the other side of me, Brax, the tiger shifter, grew incredibly bigger. His muscles filled out and a coat of striped orange-and-black fur covered his body. The claws tipping his fingers lengthened to long black daggers. “I am in.”
As the tide of reanimats came closer, I held my sword up. Out of the corner of my eye I saw blue light gathering in Beckett’s palms. With the flick of his wrist he threw the sphere at the first reanimat. It burst into glittering dust which floated to the ground. I looked on in shock for a moment. “That work on other supernaturals too?”
He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.”
Scary.
Like a burst dam the reanimats surged forward. Brax leapt into the fray slashing with his claws. Dark brown globs of our attackers scattered all over the floor. One came toward me with his hands extended toward Niche. I swung my sword and two hands dropped to the ground. But he didn’t stop. With what was left of his arms he charged forward. I spun out of his path slashing upward and slicing his body clean through. His torso slid off his legs and both pieces collapsed in a heap of decaying body parts. When I moved to attack from another angle the throng all turned toward me. Something strange was going on here. I ducked to the other side and again they turned with me. “They’re locked on to her.”
Grayson stood next to me tossing and catching those stars as though they were frisbees rather than sharp blades. “What’s your plan?”
I quickly surveyed the cave. My eyes landed on the small hole of light at the top of it. “Up and out.”
“What about those fire wings I just saw? Can you fly out?” Beckett threw sphere after sphere of magic in all directions. Still they poured in, so many that they crowded themselves. They knew that they had us cornered and every one that we took down was replaced by a new one running through the opening.
With our team surrounded, they crept closer.
I saw that the higher the cave went the narrower it became. “Not sure there’s enough room for my wings to flap that high up. Gliding down was easy, but up? Not so much.”
“Then we climb.” Brax leapt to my side completely covered in gore.
“Agreed. I’ll need cover fire.”
Just as the words left my mouth a volley of arrows took down the reanimats closest to me. Hanging over my head I saw a being I never thought I’d see, a noble elf. I’d always pictured them in tights and thatched vests. I knew I was wrong the second I saw her skinny jeans and black long sleeved shirt. Though I hadn’t seen her in the competition before there she was. Her long, sandy blond hair was plated into braids that hung beside her pointed ears. She drew her bow back and fired off the arrows so quickly that her hands were a blur of action. “You said you needed cover fire. Move.”
I leapt up and joined her on the rocky overhang. “My thanks.” I adjusted Niche in my arms. Though she was slight the muscles in my arms were tense with the effort of holding her for such a long period of time.
When she looked at me with those knowing forest green eyes I felt as though she was seeing straight down into my soul. She canted her head to the side in a small bow. “A pleasure, Prince.”
Prince? I hadn’t been called a prince in over ten years. Especially after the Trials became a priority. “Call me Tuck.”
“Well, Tuck. I am Ashryn.” She motioned to the reanimats which were crawling on top of each other to form a pile to get to me. “And I think it’s time to go.”
Grayson leapt up onto a shelf only five feet higher than ours and pointed. “Look, they’re struggling.”
Brax and Beckett were falling back from the mountain of scrambling undead. In seconds they were pinned to the walls with hands tearing at their throats. People die in the Trials. Beckett’s hands were pinned to his sides, not letting him create a portal or any magic. These two helped me. I’d be damned before I left them to die under a mound of bodies. Smothered to death. I shot to my feet. “Gray! Catch!”
I leapt forward tossing Niche into his waiting arms. I twisted my body in mid-flight, extending my arm to shoot flames at the corpses pinning down Beckett. They disintegrated to piles of ash around him. Beckett shot up and created a portal at his feet. With a single step he dropped through and was gone. “Over here.” He called out from another ledge ten feet higher than Grayson.
“I thought you didn’t want to portal?” I shouted.
He threw his hands up. “I don’t mind risking myself!”
The pile shifted toward Gray, each stinking reanimate tried to claw its way to Niche. “I can’t leap with her!”
I caught myself on the shelf just below him hanging by my finger tips. I planted my feet against the wall and shoved back, leaping over the cavern once more. “This way!”
He threw her toward me and I snatched her out of the air. One reanimat jumped up with its hand extended toward my shirt. Its fingers brushed against me. Before it could take hold an arrow protruded through its head. The shot came from the other side of the cavern and knocked the reanimat back. I landed on a ledge just above the noble elf. “Thanks, Elf.”
She pulled her bowstring taut and let another arrow fly. “It’s Ashryn or Ash, whatever you like.”
Beckett was just above Gray, yet still higher than me. He waved his arm to draw my attention. “This way.”
I froze. “We can’t keep doing it this way. We’ve got to have a plan.” I glanced around. Small shelves in the rock face stuck out from the walls. If we climbed them it would bring us closer to the top. “Beckett, I’ll toss her to you first, then I’ll get Brax. You three leap as high as you can, passing her back and forth until we reach that hole up there. Keep the reanimats from building up too high at any particular point. That way they can’t make progress so quickly.”
I pointed to the small beacon of light at the top of the cave then glanced down to where Brax was trapped from the waist down by a pile of severed limbs. Even now he struggled to keep the corpses at bay. “Ready and go.”
I hoisted Niche higher in my arms and then hurled myself forward. At the last second, I tossed Niche into Beckett’s waiting arms. Then leapt forward as I forced the blazing wings from my back and drifted down toward Brax. I flung balls of fire all around him taking care not to burn him. When his legs were freed I landed next to him. “You ready? Can you jump?”
He gave me a wide-eyed nod then tensed his muscles the way a house cat might, a second before he shot up into the air. Above me the others were leaping from one side of the cave to the other weaving their way to the top. I smiled to myself knowing I’d saved Niche from these reanimats. The Trial no longer mattered, I’d done what I was trained to do and it felt amazing. I leapt up behind Brax following him quickly toward the group. Soon we were all at the top clinging to the edge of the hole. Grayson cradled Niche in his arms and peered down at her, then to me. “You take her through.”
Before I could protest he tossed her to me. I caught her with one arm and cradled her to me. When I looked down at the reanimats they appeared to be ants swarming over each other still trying to claw their way up the walls. But they were nowhere near us. I was about to climb through when the rocks gave out under my grip. A hand shot out from the top of the opening catching me under my arm. I tilted my head up meeting eyes with one of the rarest beings in Evermore, a Demi-Greek. A child of one of the most powerful supernaturals to ever walk the earth. When she smiled down at me her ebony skin seemed to illuminate from with in. Her long thin braids hung down past her shoulders nearly hitting my face. “Thought you could use some help.”
Shocked I nodded. “Indeed.”
She swung me toward a smaller ledge where I could catch my feet. She grunted. “Just push up I’ve got you.”
With a last glance to my team I jumped through the hole into blinding light.