Bound by Darkness - Alexandra Ivy [119]
When the evil fey had first charged out of the caves, Styx had commanded his Ravens to stand aside. As much pleasure as it might give him to drain a few of the rare creatures, he had given his word to Ariyal.
But astonishingly, the bedraggled fairies hadn’t bolted for safety as he’d been expecting. Instead they had informed Styx that the mage was already in the caves, and that Ariyal and Jaelyn had been determined to rescue Tearloch as well as the babe.
They’d also insisted on returning to the caverns after the massive explosion had revealed something bad was happening below.
Styx had grudgingly given in to their demands, only because he was incapable of detecting magic.
There was every likelihood that he would need their talent.
And if they hoped to lead him into a trap ... well, there was still the option of draining them.
His decision turned out to be a sound one as they reached the lower cavern to discover it empty.
It had been Elwin who’d discovered the markings on the rock and had been able to sense that there had been a temporary opening through the barrier to another dimension.
He’d also offered the services of his men to try and reach through the barrier to return Ariyal and Jaelyn.
Not that they’d managed anything more than a shimmer in the air that led to precisely nowhere.
Pacing the floor, Styx’s mood took a dip toward foul.
He didn’t like feeling helpless.
Especially when the entire world was hanging in the balance.
At last he gestured toward the Sylvermyst with long amber hair and pewter eyes.
“Elwin.”
With a grimace of impatience the Sylvermyst rose to his feet and moved to stand in front of Styx.
“Yes?”
“How much longer?”
“It’s impossible to say.” The fey gave a lift of his hands. “None of us have ever tried to use a portal to reach through dimensions.”
Styx scowled. “Can it be done?”
“We can only pray.”
Pray? That wasn’t what Styx wanted to hear.
He was a vampire who expected results, not vague promises.
And he didn’t give a damn whether or not he was being fair.
“Not good enough.”
The Sylvermyst clenched his hands, his eyes flashing with fury.
“No one wants to rescue our prince more than I do.”
Styx folded his arms over his massive chest. It was a gesture that he had discovered could make many demons piss their pants on the spot.
“You’ll forgive me if I find that a little hard to believe,” he drawled. “You did, after all, choose to betray him.”
Clearly made of sterner stuff than most fairies, Elwin met Styx’s condemning stare with a grim expression.
“We were fools to have been swayed by Tearloch’s promises, but I intend to devote the rest of my life to earning Ariyal’s forgiveness.”
“Or to taking his place.”
Elwin hissed at the low words. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Tell me, Elwin, who becomes prince if Ariyal doesn’t return?” Styx asked, his gaze shifting to the Sylvermysts who remained kneeling beside the stone, their hands held toward the shimmer in the air as they chanted in low tones.
Elwin’s anger tinted the air with a warm scent of herbs, but it was no match for the brutal chill of Styx’s power.
“You son of a bitch,” the Sylvermyst muttered.
A low chuckle announced the arrival of Salvatore, who managed to look GQ ready in his black Armani suit and pale blue shirt with a yellow silk tie.
Styx shook his head.
How did the damned dog manage to remain pristine when climbing through the rubble? There wasn’t so much as a speck of dirt on the handmade Italian leather shoes.
It was ... unnatural.
“Trouble in paradise?” the dog mocked.
Styx shrugged, biting back his sarcastic comment.
Behind Salvatore’s taunting smile was a haunting memory of his near-death experience in the caves. He understood the toll it was taking on the Were to help in the search for the child, and of course, Jaelyn.
And while he might never admit his gratitude (it just wasn’t done between natural enemies) it wouldn’t be forgotten.
Instead he nodded toward the glowering Elwin.
“Just trying to make certain that the Sylvermysts are giving a hundred percent