Heir of Dust and Wind

Chapter 56 - Trap

Wondering what happened to chapter 55? Well, you might have noticed that there is a chapter lacking a number between 28 and 29 ( A result from editing, sorry, this story kind of evolves as I write). So I'm going to have some relabelling to do at some point. I figured I might as well start with proper numbers now. But don't worry, you're not going to miss a word of the story 😉.

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"Erm, hey!"

That was all Ava could muster. Pathetic, but she simply couldn't think of a proper greeting for a roommate who had believed her dead for months, only to find her kneeling in the dark hallway in front of her room, wearing her nightclothes and tending to a shirtless, semi-conscious Fae warrior.

"Shit." Ava watched the other woman's knees turn wobbly and as she staggered to the nearest wall, where she slid down until she sat on the floor, face pale, eyes wide and her knuckles white from clutching onto the vase for dear life. "This must be one of those dreams that feel too real," she mumbled. "I really need to talk to Margot about what kind of herbs she put into our meditation tea tonight."

Stars, poor Tina, Ava thought. She deserved an explanation for all this, one better than just the effect from whatever she had drunk the day before. But now was not the time, she reminded herself as another hoarse groan came from where Raban lay next to her. Plus, they needed to disappear before whoever Dunstan had sent on Tina's behalf would arrive, making their dire situation even more complicated and dangerous.

"I know this is hard to believe," Ava tried to sound as calm and reassuring as her racing pulse would let her, "but I'm going to explain everything once we're out of here and safe. I promise." As if on cue, Raban writhed and moaned, emphasising the hurry they were in. Ava had no idea how long her consort could survive the Nether Realm. She certainly would want to stay long enough to find out.

"Out of here?" Tina straightened a bit at that, some of her initial confusion leaving her gaze, eyes focusing. Her brow furrowed as she seemed to take in Raban for the first time.

"Who is that?" she asked curiously, indicating at the pale and sweating male on the floor. §I mean don't get me wrong, he is absolutely gorgeous, so gorgeous that I would normally ask no questions whatsoever, but ..."

As Tina started babbling, all hairs on Ava's body rose, and her skin ran cold as a horrifying, all too familiar sent filled the narrow hallway. She didn't need to turn around to confirm what the stench already told her: The Fallen One had found them. 

Shit.

Ava cursed inwardly, wondering what the odds were that Dunstan's minion had appeared at the same time she had. 

No. No, this was no coincidence, she realised. This had been a trap. 

Now that she was here, the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. 

Somehow, the Shadow Wielder had noticed her in Ferris's mind through whatever fucked-up magic he possessed. Without her even realising, the evil sorcerer hat snaked into her subconsciousness, no doubt planting the dream and luring her here, using her former flatmate as bait.

Shit, shit, shit. This was bad, really, and truly bad. 

Why, why in all three dimensions had she left so hastily? Why hadn't she asked any of hers for help or advice? How could she have been so stupid? she had played right into Dunstan's hands.

Tina, too, had realised that something was wrong because she stopped her babbling about men and how meditation had made her reach new levels of awareness and wrinkled her nose. "Gosh, what is that awful smell?" 

Ava swallowed, frantically wrecking mind what to do next, how to maneuver the three of them out of their misery, but her mind was completely blank, any sensible thought squashed by the panic that struck at the danger that was lurking in the shadows behind her,