Page 80 of Sands of Atonement

“You incompetent bastards!” Another voice shouted.

I peered into the chamber, and there were a few low, burnt-orange couches in the far corner. It was dark, with only a few long candles flickering atop a wooden table.

How was I going to get out of here with no light and no sense of direction? My nose turned cold, like it did during the winter in Mongah. I smelled the smoke that came from the candles, but other than that, there was no warmth to this place.

If I had to pick a color to resemble this place, it would be gray.

No emotion, no color, just cold gray.

A shiver ran down my spine, knowing I was in the darkest pits of earthly hell. I quickened my steps through the chamber and ran down the tunnel that veered to the right, the exact opposite of where the men had just run down. I must have been walking for a while and lost my sense of direction because this place was massive. The tunnel went on and on and on. I was beginning to wonder if I was going in circles.

I hadn’t heard any voices nearby, so that was a good sign I must be going in the right direction, right?

I continued to creep forward.

Hearing the sound of dripping water was like finally breathing fresh air. I wasn’t going deeper into hell—there was water.

There wouldn’t be water in hell, right?

The end of the tunnel finally illuminated in white and blue waves reflecting against the wet limestone walls. It felt ethereal, the glow on the wall, and I caught my breath.

The opening appeared, and a dark blue pool lay before me with large gray rocks surrounding the depths of the water. On the limestone ceiling, I could barely make out several drips of water coming through the ceiling and creating the dripping vibration sounds in the cave. There was another tunnel across from the one I had come through. I silently tiptoed my way there, although I would have liked to dip my toe into the blue water just to test the temperature. It looked divine and magical. Down the tunnel and around, I came to a halt in front of a large wooden door.

I tilted my head.

It was tempting to open the door and see what was on the other side. I hadn’t seen another door as intimidating in this barbarous place. Most of the chambers were open or had thin coverings overhead.

It was wiser to keep walking. I felt the heat of the surface, the sun beckoning me as if I were getting closer. I wondered if anyone had ever escaped from this place.

But why did this dwelling feel so exclusive and hidden from the rest? I couldn’t help but feel there was something on the other side of this door that had to be known.

With clammy hands, I wrapped them around the metal doorknob and silently pulled it toward me. It barely creaked. I peered through the threshold, and my heart tripped. It was a chamber.

It was that leader’s chamber, the one that was angry my brother had not been captured. I knew it was. He was important. Maybe the most important man of the Atrove.

I swallowed dryly and walked into the chamber, gently closing the door behind me.

I shouldn’t… But there was something that called me, that wanted, and begged to be found here. It felt similar to when the winds in the desert told me something would happen before it happened. I obliged.

Maybe I would find something about my family or information on Zyriah. Or something that would lead me to the ones responsible for the explosion.

The bed was simple but large, placed on the left side of the dark chamber. The chamber had a small opening toward the pool with a thin linen drapery covering the inside, and it created a soft blue glow in the room. Other than that, there were no candles lit. The sheets were neatly placed, as if they had hardly been slept in. On the other side of the dark blue room was a wooden chest spilling out white cloths. Browsing through, I lifted and observed the white robe. My fingers tingled, knowing that what I held was truly the Atrovian wardrobe. They were all the same exact cut and color.

I was in the lair of the devil and lurked inside his own chambers.

I placed the linen cloths back into the chest and peered over at the wooden desk nearby. Something caught my eye—I frowned. Walking over, I picked up the small vase of jasmine flowers.

The world suddenly stopped spinning.

My eyes skimmed over the white flowers.

I couldn’t believe it.

No.

It couldn’t be.

My heart began beating again, and it beat violently. Pounding against my ribcage and vibrating against my throat.