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I’m about to give up and cut the call when Malia’s sweet voice comes down the line and I almost crash the car when I close my eyes in relief.
“Professor?” She sounds sleepy. Possibly drugged.
“Malia,” I breathe. “Are you okay?”
“Tired. My head hurts.”
I grind my teeth. If he’s hurt her, there won’t be a blade lethal enough for what I’m going to do to him.
“Malia, I’m coming for you okay.”
“It’s okay. I’m sorry,” she says in a small, dejected voice. “You don’t have to.”
She’s already given up.
The urge to swear is compelling. “You havenothingto apologise for, Malia, nothing. Where are you?” I ask urgently. I fear that Tanimola will take the phone from her and cut the call.
“I don’t know.”
“Are there any windows? Anything you can see outside that might give me a clue?”
“No. There’s no windows. It’s just stone.”
“Okay. Stone is good. Is it sandstone?”
“No. It’s grey.”
“Is it cold to the touch?”
“Yeah. And it feels damp. There’s an eerie green light through the cracks and it feels like I’m under—”
“That’s all we’ve got time for. Say goodbye. Even if you’ve figured it out, you’ll never get here in time to save her.”
I refuse to say goodbye to Malia. I won’t let her think I’ve given up on her. And, beautiful, clever girl that she is, she gave me the exact clues I needed to know where to find them.
There’s an underwater holding cell just off the ruins on the northwestern side of the island. The portal to Aerwyna is located within the ruins themselves, and although the wards to repel unwanted explorers stretch along a large section of that coastline, there’s a deadzone about half a mile out to sea where the wards have deliberately been dropped so that the council of elders can hold prisoners awaiting trial in Aerwyna without the magic of the wards driving them insane or killing them while they wait.
As a member of the council, Tanimola would know this, and I’m willing to bet anything that it’s where he’s holding Malia.
I take the turning that signposts Iron Bound Cove and Eagle Rock, but I’m not heading for either of those beaches. The secret beach, Starlight Cove, is my best bet for getting out to the prison the fastest, and it’s not on any street signs. I’m relying on the fact that Tanimola has probably overlooked my authority clearance as the head of the Queen’s Guard and won’t be expecting me to actually be able to access the holding cell. I’m relying on my position to ensure that I can.
Speeding down the winding road, I mentally prepare myself for what might come next. Tanimola is powerful and an influential member of the council. He’ll not make it easy for me to rescue Malia. But I have to try. I won’t let him get away with this.
As I approach the hidden entrance to Starlight Cove, I slow down and turn off the headlights. The last thing I need is to draw attention to myself. I park the car behind some bushes and get out. The night is pitch-black, but I can see the faint outline of the rock formations that hide the cove from prying eyes. I take a deep breath and start to climb down.
The rocks are slippery and jagged, and I cut myself more than once. But I don’t care. I have to keep going.
When I finally reach the bottom, I’m standing on the small, sandy beach that leads to the water. The moon is high in the sky, and its light reflects off the waves, creating a beautiful, eerie glow. But I don’t have time to admire the view. I have to find Malia before it’s too late.
I scan the beach and the surrounding area, searching for any sign of Tanimola or his henchmen. But the beach is deserted, and the only sound that breaks the silence is the soft crashing of the waves. I take a few steps forward.
That’s when I see it.
A flicker of light in the water, just beyond the deadzone. It’s small, almost imperceptible, but I know it’s there. It has to be the holding cell.
Without hesitation, I wade into the water. The coldness of it is a shock to my system, but I push through it, determined to reach Malia.
As I approach the deadzone, there’s a sudden shift in the air, a prickling at the back of my neck. The wards are strong here, and I can feel their power trying to repel me because I haven’t paid the blood sacrifice to enter the portal. I force my way past it, drawing on my own magic to counteract the feelings of repulsion compelling me to turn around and leave.
