Shadows of Ash and Gold

Chapter twenty three

I stared at her lifeless body, feeling nothing but a cold numbness that had spread through my chest. Hands clasped my cheeks turning my face towards them. My eyes were met with sky black ones, so black they were almost blue, they had concern swirling through their dark gaze. "I need you to listen to me," Raiden said in a calm manner even though I could tell that was the opposite of what he was feeling. It was for my benefit. "We need to get out of here, right now."

I instantly shook my head fiercely and looked back to Nisha.

I couldn't leave her. I wouldn't leave her.

Raiden's hands pulled my face back to him. "Look at me," he growled, frustrated. "I need you to focus, I realize you're hurt, but be hurt after we're out of here, okay? I need you here, all of you."

My brain suddenly registered his words.

We?

What did that mean? Was he-? Was he going to help me escape-? No. No, he couldn't. It was a lie. This was a mind trick that his father had him play on me. I was sure of it. He couldn't help me, he hated me. But as I looked into his eyes all I saw was the truth. It was genuine and real.

He did want to help me.

I nodded my head, numbly, agreeing to his words.

"Good, let's go." He grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the gallery and I was grateful for it. I didn't think I had the strength to do it myself. As I was being pulled behind Raiden, I saw that he had changed from his suit and was now in his usual uniform, his signature weapons draped across his body. As we rushed through the halls it was then I realized there was some kind of alarm going off. I suddenly understood why Raiden was in such a hurry. They were searching for me.

Us.

As we turned down another corridor Raiden suddenly stopped, causing me to run into his back, he turned us so the wall was blocking us from view. I saw guards on the other side. At least ten or twelve. "Shit," Raiden exclaimed and then turned us in the other direction.

"But the passage is that-"

"I know, we're going to have to go a different way." Raiden led us through numerous halls, left and right. There was a part of me wondering if this was a trick. If this was all supposed to be a joke, or a game. That Raiden was supposed to give me hope only to take it away. I shook those thoughts from my head. I couldn't think like that right now. I had to have hope. I had to have hope for Nisha.

"Can't you do that cool disappearing thingy and get us out of here?"

"It doesn't work like that. I can't take anyone but myself," he explained as we rushed through halls.

We finally reached a staircase that was hidden by a bookshelf.

I wanted to roll my eyes. Very original.

The steps were stone and it was pitch black throughout it. I clung on to Raiden's arm praying I didn't fall or trip. After what felt like ten minutes we reached the bottom. Our footsteps echoed as we moved forward. Dust and the smell of old wood crowded my senses and the temperature dropped at least ten degrees. Raiden grabbed a torch from the wall and lit it, light filled through, bouncing off the stone walls. I looked around, my heart stuttering.

"Raiden?"

"Mmh?"

"Tell me these aren't catacombs."

He looked over his shoulder at me and smiled. "These aren't catacombs."

My heart sunk.

The stone ceiling was high, covered in spiderwebs and dust, and the walls ... the walls were lined with tombed caskets. Horror filled my veins, this was like a scary movie.
Raiden walked first, which I was glad for. It seems like nobody had been down here for a while. The giant halls were empty and quiet, but I felt like we were being watched. It was the paranoia of being surrounded by dead people.