Bat Out of Hell (Promised to the Demons #2) - Lidiya Foxglove Page 0,70

damp, ancient smell greeted my nose and it made me think of a tomb. It was quiet and still.

"This place...," Piers said. "Talk about bad energy...and yet, it's beautiful."

"It is beautiful," I said. The building itself was magnificent the way an old cathedral was--full of majesty and a certain sadness. I had seen the basilica in St. Augustine with all of its mournful saints and glowing candles. I treasured the memory, like all memories of leaving the house, but I also recalled that it made me think of death.

"Bevan!"

He was collapsed on the cold stone before the altar, just outside of the light.

I ran for him, and Piers kept up with me. We both tried to rouse him, calling his name. His hands were icy cold.

"Bevan! Oh, no...oh, please..."

"He has a pulse," Piers said, steadying me with his other hand, as he pressed his fingers to Bevan's neck.

I was reaching for the potions when Bevan's eyes opened very slowly.

"Jenny..."

"You can call me Celeste now," I said. "Are you okay?"

A weird smile twisted his face and a chill hit me, not for the first time with Bevan, but worse than before.

"I'm fine," he said, in a guarded tone. "I'm just fine. But...they got here first. The wizards of St. Augustine." He lifted up a small piece of jewelry. "They took the cloak of the first familiar." He sat up a little and reached for me. "You came for me, ginger snap. You couldn’t wait at all, huh? How did you get here so fast?"

I put my arms around him. "Variel flew! Piers helped steer the wind. But Variel's hurt. I'm so glad you're all right, I only brought a little bit of healing potions, and...I've been so scared."

"I told you I'd come back to you," he said. "But I'm glad you get to see the temple. It's something worth remembering. Celeste, it’s just as we thought. This temple held the cloaks of hundreds of shifters who were trapped by wizards, unable to escape the bonds. I can’t even imagine how it must have felt for them, to be forced into marriages or servitude, and to see the men who trapped them taking the cloaks away, to be locked up in this remote place so that they could never find them…” Bevan’s voice held a deep anger, as if it had just been awakened in him.

I looked around at the empty vaults, and I felt their pain. I could imagine them, watching their warlock sailing off with their cloak in hand. I wondered what despair they must have felt to spend the rest of their lives with someone who took their freedom.

I swallowed. I couldn’t stand this place for too long. ”I just hope we can get back. Variel's really banged up and it's harder to get off the ground than to ride a wind you've already caught."

"Let's start a fire and get back to Variel," Piers said. "Then we'll discuss it. You're as cold as ice. How long were you laying there?"

"Not too long," Bevan said. "But it is freezing in here."

He did seem to be just fine, his steps as spry as ever as we went back to Variel. The demon had sunk onto the stones and looked like he was close to losing consciousness.

"That does look bad," Bevan said. "Let's get you off temple grounds," he told Variel, helping him up.

"I don't need help from you, I can get up.”

"Don't give me that. I'd rather get you under the trees, out of this stark wind. Did you bring something for starting a fire?"

"No!" I gasped. "I thought magic--"

"I did, in my kit,” Piers said. "I knew what we might be in for, although I wish I'd been wrong..."

Soon we had Variel resting with the pack as a pillow and a fire going strong with all the dead wood and leaves scattered around. I tended to every wound and scrape with the medicines I brought with me, although wings weren't easy to bandage.

"I heal quickly," Variel said, once I got him all patched up. "Don't worry over me too much. I think I might need a day or two to rest, however. I'm sure Cash wouldn't abandon us that quickly.”

“I fear it will take longer than that,” Piers said. “You need to be very strong to fight that wind coming back.”

“The wind is blowing toward the island,” Bevan said. “I’m not sure we can make it back at all.”

I stiffened. “Not at all? Then what would we do?”

"Hmm," Bevan said.

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