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No. Don’t let them find out.
Brand resisted the urge to curl in on himself and waved a hand. “Right. Of course it is.” He loosed a light laugh. “Hit my head too hard. I’m sorry, I meant to ask why the bloody thing is still alive.”
Fake it. Hide it. Act normal.
“Because it’ll explode as soon as we kill it.” Faldir flicked a chunk of grey flesh from his shoulder. “You don’t remember, but you have intimate knowledge with that particular quirk of theirs. Not fun.”
“So we just leave it?”
“You leave it to us, Highness,” Hedda answered, appeased with his performance. “We’ll see it done once you’re in there.”
There was a craggy fissure that dropped into the earth. It was a mess, easily missed if one didn’t know what to look for.
Thad pointed to a spot beside the small entrance. “That’s where we found Bal’s sword.”
Sure enough, the convex shape of a wide, fullered blade was packed into the dirt, half the hilt and handle details there as well. Across it, the outline of a large boot print, like someone stomped the sword down.
It didn’t seem unnatural per se, but something about it didn’t sit quite right with Brand. Since he couldn’t say exactly why, he decided to keep it to himself.
Lunara and Fern sidled up to the group, the Sorcerit looking healthier than before they left Straelon—thank the Sisters he remembered that much.
“Has anyone ventured in?” she asked.
“Ach, no. When would we have done that?” Mag chuckled, the sound forced.
Thad sighed. “Da forbade me, and most of the others are useless trying to fight without their wolves. Since we can’t fit down there while shifted and the Demons are all too big…” He shrugged.
Wait. Once you’re in there.
Brand whipped around and pinned a glare on his twin shadows, both towering above him in their rage. “You aren’t coming.”
Hedda cringed ever so slightly. “No.”
Brand narrowed his eyes on her. “You already knew you weren’t going to fit.”
She and Faldir both nodded, confirming his suspicion—they hid this plan from him for some reason.
They’re all in on it.
No. It wasn’t like that. Surely. Even if they were, he was the reason. And he already proved them right for doing so.
“Our job is to get you here safe and stand guard at the entrance.” Faldir glanced in Lunara’s direction. “But no worries, Highness. You’ll be just fine without us.”
“Yes, well…” Lunara cleared her throat and tugged on her high collar. “I think that’s enough dallying. I’ll go first, shall I?”
Brand lunged on pure instinct when she jumped, trying to stop her, but he missed.
Fern drove the point of Brand’s sword into the ground at his feet. “Blimmin’ pollen-headed, piss for brains…” The latest string of her outrageous expletives faded as she disappeared down the hole too.
“You’re next, you wee bastard,” Mag encouraged. “I’ll bring up the rear, aye?”
Faint golden light flickered up from the depths. It should’ve been a comfort, but unease slithered down his spine. “Thad isn’t coming either?”
He most certainly was not stalling.
His cousin scoffed at that. “Da would strangle me with his own two hands if I did. No, I’m off to Fanghold as soon as you’re down, to give my report to the Chieftains.”
Brand couldn’t help it. “When did you grow up?”
