know where he is?"
:Let…go!: The thing squirmed back and forth. :Of course I do. But I'm not gonna tell you anything if you don't…let…GO!:
I released Medbh and she stumbled back a few steps and landed on her butt. When I reached out to help her, she slapped my hand away. :I'm fine! I don't need your help. I think you've done enough!:
Nothing was going to stop the ping of guilt that statement brought to the surface. Medbh's separation from her body wasn't my fault. That was all on her. But her being tossed into the body of a doll? Well, that was partially me. I was tricked by my "not aunt" to tempt Medbh with a necklace apparently spelled to snatch up souls. Or essences. Or whatever the hell she was now.
I put my hands on my thighs and pushed myself back up. "Okay. You're right. Lead on."
Medbh tilted that mask up to me, nodded and pivoted. When she started walking around the corner, Bastien and I followed. As we walked, I touched the Lycan's arm. "Don't think I've forgotten what you did. You're going to tell me what you traded to help Ivan."
He didn't say anything. Didn't even nod. Just kept looking straight ahead.
Great…now I felt worse than before. My stomach twisted with guilt and I was insanely worried about Ivan and Crwys.
And now Bastien.
The dungeon turned out to be a maze of corridors and endless cages. Some were occupied with living things. Others…not living. After the third turn, I stopped looking inside of them.
Cool air brushed against my face as I kept an eye on Ivan in Bastien's arms. He looked so much smaller like that, curled up and unmoving. His eyes remained closed and he was quiet. Ivan was never quiet, unless he was sleeping.
Finally we reached a dead end with no cell, just a stone wall. Or so I thought, until the little doll walked right through it. I motioned for Bastien to follow and I brought up the back this time, my hands loaded and ready with energy. I nudged my Elementals and they were ready to make a quick appearance if I needed them. Even the Arcane's voice was ready and felt…eager.
Passing through the fake wall gave me a bit of vertigo and I reached out to grab a hold of something before I fell. My hand touched Bastien and I felt him jump. It was dark and though I had my eyes open, I couldn't see anything. "Medbh?"
:Give it a minute.:
I waited and kept my hand on Bastien's arm. After a few more seconds, I called my Salamander and he was ready to strike a flame.
But then a subtle light grew from the walls, the ceiling and the floor. Symbols that had no meaning to me glowed in soft aquamarine. The light gave contour to the room. It was round, with a darker center. I could see Medbh climbing up on a round, raised dais and I walked toward her. The dais was three tiered in decreasing size, the third tier level with my chest. I heard a dripping noise the closer I got to the dais. Not a steady stream but a constant tap of water.
The air temperature lowered and I shivered inside my damp clothing. The wind came from above. As Medbh made it to the top dais, I stepped on the first tier, looked down and touched the sides. The tier was made of solid dark marble in the green and blue light. The center of it sloped down to form a basin, half filled with something dark. I could see the ripples as the water dripped in. "What is that?"
Medbh pointed at it. :That is what Tzariene knew about. The Machine Witch drinks this and he'll be good as new. And then some.:
I stared into the basin. "But what is it?"
Bastien came forward and carefully sat Ivan on the lower tier. He waited for Ivan to half wake and then told him in a hushed voice to sit up. When Ivan slowly complied, Bastien straightened and leaned over the tier next to me. "Do we have a cup?"
Medbh looked around and pointed behind us. :There. This is where the Queen's sycophants come to drink. Should be a cup in that alcove.:
Sycophants come to drink? What for? What are they drinking? Is this some kind of magic potion that comes from the rocks? I leaned over the basin and looked up. I could see a pinpoint of light above, but