“Does that feel good?” whispered Rose.
“Does this?” Malcolm planted a kiss on one of her nipples and felt her shiver in response.
“Oh!” moaned Rose. “That feels so-”
The door opened. Shield Maiden stepped into the room in midconversation with Rain Dancer, only realizing her intrusive mistake after it was too late.
“Sorry, bad timing!” she said quickly. “Rain Dancer just had a question for Rose. We didn’t realize…”
Rain Dancer leaned against the room’s doorframe with a smile on his face that Malcolm didn’t like the look of.
“My question has already been answered, you know?” He stared at Rose, who brought an arm up to cover her breasts. “I’ll see you both tomorrow. Ms. Shadow Spryte… Wind Runner.”
Rain Dancer and Shield Maiden left the room. Malcolm sighed and looked up at Rose, who was blushing fiercely.
“What was that about?” asked Malcolm.
Rose leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.
“Does it matter?” she whispered. “How about you let me finish what I started?”
Malcolm gave her butt a squeeze, and felt her slowly grind herself up to speed.
CHAPTER 18
Malcolm awoke the next morning to the sound of chanting coming from down the hall. Rose was asleep against him in bed, and he gently jostled her awake.
“Hey,” he whispered. “Wake up time.”
Rose groaned.
“Please tell me we’re in your apartment, and all of yesterday was just a dream,” she said, voice groggy.
“Unfortunately not,” said Malcolm. “But if we stay on guard, we’ll be out of here soon enough.”
She nodded, and the two of them dressed quickly. Malcolm decided that there was no point in waiting for Shield Maiden or Rain Dancer to come to their room to summon them. Instead they both headed out of their room and down the hall, towards the commotion.
The Awakened Children were gathered for breakfast, but it looked like they were chanting some kind of hymn before digging in. Malcolm recognized the tune of it immediately, and almost couldn’t believe it.
“What?” asked Rose, noticing his smile. “I take it you find this funny.
“The song,” said Malcolm. “That’s Drive, by Incubus. 90s rock.”
“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried, you know?” Rain Dancer walked up behind him and Rose, with Shield Maiden following not far behind.
“That’s… my line,” said Malcolm. He didn’t elaborate any more than that.
It’s probably better if I don’t let them know that their cult is serenading me with the music of my focus activity.
“Wind Runner,” said Shield Maiden. “I’d like to spend some time with you alone today, if you don’t mind.”
“Uh…” Malcolm glanced over at Rose. “Can you elaborate on that, a little? You’ve got some vague phrasing going on.”
Shield Maiden looked unamused.
“I wish to get a better sense of the extent of your powers,” said Shield Maiden. “And also to speak with you about a few… serious matters. We’ll be going outside Underworld. Rain, can you help with that?”
Rain Dancer grinned. He walked over to Malcolm and extended his hand as though to shake his. Instead of making contact with his palm, he gripped Malcolm’s stabilizer and sent a quick, electric pulse through it.
“There,” said Rain Dancer. “Now it will stay cooked even when you’re out of my range. Probably for the best, ya?”
Malcolm stared at him in stunned silence. He wasn’t interested in giving Rain Dancer and the Awakened Children any inside, champion only information, but the urge to tear the demon down for what he’d just done was near overwhelming.
There is a bomb inside my stabilizer. A bomb that he very well could have just set off.
“Oh, thanks,” said Malcolm, flatly. “Is Rose coming along, too?”
“Rain and I spoke about it last night,” said Shield Maiden. “We think it would be prudent of us to allow her some… personal time. With her sister.”
Malcolm nodded, though on the inside, his stomach twisted a little. He still hadn’t forgotten that they were prisoners. Shield Maiden and Rain Dancer’s strategy seemed to involve getting them emotionally invested in the cult, until neither of them had any choice but to become their allies.
I know it won’t work on me. But Rose…?
Rose was already staring at Leah across the room. Malcolm set a hand on her shoulder, feeling incredibly awkward and struggling to find the right words to say.
“Hey,” he said. “Are you okay with that?”
Rose shrugged.
“I’m alright with it,” she said, quietly. “I’d like to spend some more time with Leah, it’s just…”
She met Malcolm’s eye, and he instantly knew they were on the same page. She could see the emotional triggers they were trying to pull to get her into line, and she didn’t like it.
“I’d also like to spend some time with you, Rose,” said Rain Dancer. “And I apologize for last night. Didn’t realize the two of you would be going to work like rabbits, you know?”
Rain Dancer had a smug smile on his face. Malcolm made a point to ignore it, instead squeezing Rose’s shoulder and walking with her over toward an empty table for breakfast.
I trust Rose. I’ve essentially trusted her from the very beginning.
The two of them ate a quick breakfast of fruit salad and toast, and then Malcolm was on his way with Shield Maiden. She led him down one of the tunnels, into another section of Underworld, less well-lit than other rooms and hallways he’d seen.
“From this point on, you’re not going to be able to travel on foot,” said Shield Maiden.
“I’m not exactly a master when it comes to flying,” said Malcolm. “But sure, I’ll give it a shot.”
Shield Maiden smiled at him and waved her hand. A bubble burst into existence around Malcolm, hampering his view of their surroundings and suspending him in the air.
“Sorry,” she said. “I can’t have you knowing the exact locations of Underworld’s entrances.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that would really burst your bubble,” said Malcolm. “Guess you guys have to go through a lot to keep your location shielded.”
“You’re not funny.”
“I bet you’re at least smiling right now,” said Malcolm. “I can’t see your face, but I bet you are.”
Malcolm lounged in the bubble while Shield Maiden navigated a long series of twists and turns. The tunnels that connected Underworld to the surface felt needlessly complex. Malcolm was certain that he wouldn’t have been able to find his way back, even if he’d been on foot and paying attention.
After about an hour, they came out into the open. The sunlight made the inside of the bubble almost feel like the inside of a prism. Light shimmered in odd ways, splitting into pure colors, and giving Malcolm the dizzying feeling of being submerged in a rainbow.
Shield Maiden kept walking, traversing a couple of grassy hills. Malcolm was positive that they were outside Halter City and Vanderbrook, though exactly where, he couldn’t guess. Finally, they came to a stop. Shield Maiden waved her hand, and Malcolm fell to the dirt in a heap.
“We’ve arrived,” said Shield Maiden.
Malcolm blinked his eyes as he looked around.
“The sand cliffs?” he asked. “If you were trying to confuse my sense of direction, you’ve done a pretty poor job at it. I know exactly where we are now in relation to Vanderbrook.”
“I just don’t want you knowing how to get to and from Underworld,” said Shield Maiden. “And I think that has been accomplished.”
The sand cliffs were misnamed. They were a more of a ridge made of dry dirt, running a half mile or so along the hills to the far west of Vanderbrook. It was an area that was commonly rumored to be a popular place for criminal activity, especially dumping bodies.