“I just… I spent so much of my life at the whims of others. For once I wanted the chance to control my own destiny.”
Adriana was silent for a long moment. He looked over at her, finding the dragonkin’s gaze on him once more.
“Sometimes it’s about more than destiny.”
Reaching out, she touched his face, the softest stroke over his cheek before she pulled away. Keaton watched as she stood, distancing herself from him.
“I should rest,” she managed in a small voice. “Wake me if you need me?”
Keaton gave her a soft smile. “I will.”
As she settled down on the clump of straw that served as a bedroll, Keaton fed the fire a few more sticks, watching the blaze dance in the twilight. With only the sound of insects chirping in chorus, he was left with his thoughts once more, and they all pointed him toward one inevitable outcome:
When they broke camp in the morning, Keaton was going back to that crypt. With or without his companions.
24
No one questioned him when he said they were going back to The Slithering Crypt in the morning.
No one seemed all that gung-ho about it, either. He’d expected Cassia to at least show some excitement, some eagerness to get in there and bust some skulls, but she was almost pensive as they packed up camp. It wasn’t until after they departed that she pulled him aside and let him know why.
“You should not cave to a position just because your lieutenants think it is a good one.”
Keaton stared at her incredulously, stopping in his tracks and holding up their mini caravan. “Are you serious right now? You wanted me to go challenge this dungeon lord. You said it’s either her or us. So I’m doing it.”
“Because it is tactically sound, or because it is what I told you to do?”
“Because I made the decision,” he snapped. “And I don’t appreciate the fact that you keep challenging my authority at every turn.”
“You didn’t mind it so much when I was riding your cock,” she hissed in return.
Keaton had the grace to blush, though he wasn’t sure if it was redness from embarrassment or anger. He shouldn’t feel angry. He’d known what he was getting from her. Yet there was this niggling voice in the back of his head that said she was undermining him on purpose; that she didn’t respect him and would jump at the chance to usurp him. He found himself listening to that voice, leaving her side mid conversation and heading onward, ahead of the party.
No one disturbed him. They trekked back through the desert in near silence. Only once they reached the crypt did Keaton give any further instruction on the matter.
“Yurgetse, Ankhaga, Vrishta, you know the layout of this place?’
“Yesss,” Vrishta said. “The passage I showed you is but one of many. It will take ussss to the lower chambers, if you are looking to reach our former mistressss as quickly as possible.”
“I’d rather not kill any more snakekin if I can help it. Though I realize they’ll probably rush to defend her,” he said before Cassia could point out the obvious.
“If we can reach her chambers, I will post my warriors as sentries to watch for more snakekin while I distract the dungeon lady.”
Right. He’d need to pierce the crystal before he had any hope of killing her. He’d forgotten about that. Or rather, there seemed to be a fog in his mind that obscured it. It was a strange feeling, but when Keaton thought on it for more than a moment, things were clear again.
“Orbon no match for dungeon lady,” the hobgoblin said. “Help warriors kill hissers.”
“My boy and I have ssssome sssskill with weaponsss, but we will be no help against our former mistressss. We are technically ssstill her minions, and she can command usss if she wishesss,” Yurgetse said.
Shit. That was going to pose a problem.
“Maybe it’s best for you two to stay topside, then. Vrishta can show us the way, then I want you to join the others,” he said, nodding to her. “If you’ve got any spare potions, we’ll probably need them once this is over.”
“Yesss, masssster,” she said, her tongue flicking out in what looked like an anxious gesture.
“I do not think I will be much help in a fight, either, but I do not wish to stay with the others,” Adriana put in. “I belong at your side, my lord.”
Cassia let out a soft snort that Keaton chose to ignore. Whatever rivalry was happening there, he wanted no part in it. And he refused to feel bad about enjoying the dragonkin’s company and her loyalty to him.
“I don’t like the thought of you being in danger, but maybe you can act as our eyes down there. Point out things we can’t see.”
“I will do as you wish,” she said with a determined nod.
“Alright. I think we have a plan. Let’s head down and see what we’re up against. We can adjust things if we need to, but I think this will be a good start.”
Confidence surged in Keaton; more than he had any right to feel. That and a desperate need to get to the bottom of that crypt as quickly as possible.
Vrishta led them through the tunnels, her tongue continuing to dart in and out of her mouth, the rattle on her tail making a racket until Cassia barked at her to stop.
“I am ssssorry, but even now I can feel the mistressss’ influence,” she whimpered, ducking her head.
“How far is it from here?” Keaton asked, resting a palm against the cool stone passage.
“Continue along this path, then take the firsssst right you see. Thisss will take you to the ssstaging room, which is closssse to the Crystal Chamber where you will likely find the mistressss.”
He nodded, offering her a sympathetic smile. “Go. We’ll make it from here.”
“Thank you, masssster,” she hissed, turning quickly in the cramped space.
“I told you I don’t want you calling me—”
His words trailed off as he watched the snakekin’s retreating form. She was as fast as the guards they’d fought earlier, her tail pulling her along with ease. In just a few moments, she disappeared from Keaton’s view.
“Alright then,” he muttered to himself. “Let’s keep moving.”
They continued as instructed, with Keaton stopping the party to listen for the sound of movement beyond. There was none. Every step of the way, all he heard was the echo of their footsteps. It was eerily quiet, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
“This is a trap,” Cassia said, gripping her halberd tightly. “She knows we’re coming.”
Keaton opened his mouth to agree, every shred of common sense telling him to turn back around. But that fog returned to his mind, and what came out of his mouth was, “Are you questioning my orders, lieutenant?”
Cassia squared her jaw, her nostrils flaring as she settled a firm glower on Keaton. “No, my lord. As you command, my lord.”
“Now I wish I had just let you lay there,” he said with a sneer. “At least then you’d know your place.”
He heard Adriana gasp, and even Cassia’s eyes widened, a flash of hurt in them. It wasn’t regret that Keaton felt, though. It was horror, because those words weren’t any he would have ever said. They just sprung from his mouth unbidden, like something was controlling him from afar.
Or someone.
Keaton opened his mouth again to let the others know, but his jaw snapped shut. He was forced to move, his limbs operating independent of what his mind wanted. It was a terrifying feeling, being trapped in the prison of his own body, but there was no fighting it. For all that he tried, it was as if a massive, impossible weight fought against him. It pulled him onward, kept him silent, and dragged Keaton and his party into the bowels of the crypt.