Chapter 38- Fallen and Found

Sweet Dreams

Cyrus’s POV

The narrow passageway finally opened up into a vast hall, and I stumbled forward, my legs trembling with exhaustion. The sudden darkness was disorienting after the blinding brightness of the hourglass chamber. I blinked rapidly, trying to adjust my vision.

“What the hell?” I muttered, rubbing my eyes. “Is it… nighttime?”

Liam stepped up beside me, his usual grace noticeably absent as he swayed slightly on his feet. “It would appear so,” he said, his voice rough with fatigue. “Though I must say, my sense of time is rather… discombobulated at the moment.”

I frowned, trying to piece together our journey. “That can’t be right. We entered the cave around 5 PM yesterday and the stairs took about four hours…”

“Don’t forget our delightful boulder-bowling adventure,” Liam added. “Another five hours there, I’d wager.”

“And that damn hourglass…” I trailed off, the memory of suffocating heat and endless sand making me shudder.

“At least another three or four hours,” Liam finished. “By all accounts, it should be well past dawn by now.”

I nodded, a headache forming as I tried to make sense of it all. “Either we’ve lost more time than we thought, or…”

“Or this charming little funhouse is playing tricks with our perception,” Liam concluded. “How delightful.”

As my eyes adjusted to the dimness, I became aware of movement in the hall. Figures in flowing white robes milled about, their faces eerily beautiful in the soft candlelight. The air was thick with the aroma of roasted meats, fresh bread, and sweet wines.

My stomach growled loudly, reminding me how long it had been since we’d eaten anything substantial. The pemmican felt like a distant memory, barely a snack compared to the feast laid out before us.

“Is this… are they real?” I whispered, my hand instinctively moving to my weapon.

Liam squinted, his eyes scanning the crowd. “I don’t think so,” he murmured. “Look closely. Their movements… they’re too perfect. Too choreographed.”

He was right. As I watched, I noticed how the figures seemed to repeat the same actions, their movements fluid but oddly repetitive. “Illusions,” I breathed. “But the food…”

“Seems real enough,” Liam finished, his voice tight with longing.

The tables were laden with dishes that looked almost too perfect to be real. Glistening fruits, steaming platters of meat, and goblets filled with deep red wine that caught the candlelight like liquid rubies. My mouth watered, and I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me.

“We can’t,” I said, more to myself than to Liam. “This has to be part of the trial. Temperance, maybe?”

Liam nodded grimly. “Indeed. I’d wager consuming any of these delightful morsels would result in something far less pleasant than a satisfied appetite.”

“Great,” I groaned. “So we just… what? Sit here and watch while we die of thirst?”

“Oh, come now,” Liam said, his tone mockingly cheerful. “Where’s your sense of adventure? Perhaps we’ll waste away into desiccated husks before the night is through. Won’t that be exciting?”

I glared at him, too exhausted to appreciate his humor. “We need to rest,” I said. “We’re both dead on our feet. Maybe we can take turns keeping watch?”

Liam considered this for a moment, then nodded. “Not a bad idea, demon hunter. I suppose your training is good for something after all.”

We found a relatively secluded corner of the hall, far enough from the illusory revelers to avoid their uncanny movements, but close enough to keep an eye on any potential threats.

“I’m taking first sleep,” I announced, already sliding down the wall to sit.

Liam scoffed, crossing his arms. “Oh no, you don’t. I’m the one who needs rest first. I’ve been awake longer than you.”

I glared at him. “Are you kidding me? I’m the one who had to haul your fairy ass up that damn pillar in the hourglass. I deserve the first rest.”

“Please,” Liam rolled his eyes. “I was the one doing all the climbing. You just dug around in the sand like an oversized mole.”

“Yeah, finding the keys that saved our lives!” I shot back.

Liam’s expression suddenly turned serious. “Look, I didn’t want to bring this up, but I quite literally infiltrated the Seelie Court to get here. I think that earns me first sleep.”

I frowned, caught off guard by this information. “Wait, what? You mentioned that before. What do you mean you had to infiltrate the Seelie Court? Why would you need to do that?”

Liam’s expression closed off, his usual smirk fading. “It’s… complicated. Let’s just say I’m not exactly welcome there at the moment.”

“But why? What happened?” I pressed, sensing there was more to this story.

Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, it’s a long and rather unpleasant tale. One I’d rather not get into right now. Perhaps I’ll regale you with the sordid details if we survive this little adventure.”

I wanted to push further, but the exhaustion in Liam’s eyes stopped me. “Fine,” I conceded. “But don’t think I’m going to forget about this. You owe me an explanation when this is over.”

“Fair enough,” Liam said, then smirked. “So, about that first sleep…”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I groaned. “Fine. Take the first rest. But if you don’t shut up right now, I might just let whatever comes next eat you in your sleep.”

Liam grinned triumphantly. “Your generosity knows no bounds, demon hunter. I promise to dream of only the most pleasant things… like Kate in that lovely little outfit she wore during our last encounter.”

Before I could retort, Liam had already closed his eyes, his breathing evening out almost instantly. I sighed, resigning myself to the first watch. The scent of food and wine seemed to intensify, as if taunting me with its proximity. My throat felt like sandpaper, and my stomach cramped painfully. Focus, I told myself. You’ve endured worse than this.

As the hours dragged on, staying awake became increasingly difficult. My eyelids felt like lead weights, and more than once I caught myself nodding off. Liam’s occasional mumbling didn’t help matters.

“Mmm, Kate,” he murmured in his sleep, a smile playing on his lips. “You’re insatiable, aren’t you?”

I gritted my teeth, fighting the urge to kick him awake. Even unconscious, the Fae couldn’t shut up about Kate. The jealousy that flared in my chest was almost enough to keep me alert… almost.

My eyes had just started to close when a gentle touch on my arm jolted me awake. I blinked rapidly, my hand flying to my weapon as I looked up.

And there she was. Kate.

She stood before me, a vision in a nearly see-through white dress that left little to the imagination. The fabric clung to her curves, revealing tantalizing glimpses of skin beneath. Her hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, and her eyes… God, her eyes seemed to glow in the dim light.

“K-Kate?” I stammered, my mouth suddenly dry for reasons that had nothing to do with thirst. “What are you doing here?”

She pressed a finger to her lips, glancing at the still-sleeping Liam. “Shh,” she whispered, her voice like honey. “Follow me.”

Before I could protest, she was moving away, her hips swaying hypnotically. I glanced at Liam, torn between my duty to keep watch and the overwhelming urge to follow Kate. In the end, there was no real choice. I followed.

She led me to a spot not far from where Liam slept – close enough that I could keep an eye on him if needed, but far enough for privacy. My heart pounded in my chest as she turned to face me.

“Kate,” I said again, my voice hoarse. “How did you get here? What’s going on?”

She smiled, the expression sending a shiver down my spine. “We don’t need the artifact anymore, Cyrus,” she said, her voice soft and alluring. “I’ve realized… I like it with the Iele. And I want you to join me.”

I blinked, trying to process her words. “Join you? But… the demons, the organization…”

“Forget about them,” she said, stepping closer. Her scent enveloped me – a intoxicating mix of wildflowers and something deeper, more primal. “We could be free, Cyrus. No more fighting, no more duty. Just pleasure, forever.”

My head swam, her words painting a tempting picture. A life without the constant threat of demons, without the weight of responsibility… with Kate…

“I…” I hesitated, my resolve wavering.

Kate’s hand came up to cup my cheek, her touch sending electricity coursing through me. “I know you have feelings for me,” she murmured, her eyes locked on mine. “I feel the same way. I want to be with you, Cyrus.”

Before I could respond, she was leaning in, her lips meeting mine in a kiss that stole my breath away. It was everything I’d imagined and more – soft yet passionate, sweet yet demanding. Her tongue teased at the seam of my lips, and I opened for her with a groan.

Kate’s hands slid under my shirt, her fingers tracing patterns on my skin that left trails of fire in their wake. She pressed her body against mine, the thin fabric of her dress doing little to hide the heat of her skin. I could feel every curve, every soft swell pressing against me, igniting a desire so intense it made me dizzy.

She moaned softly against my mouth, the sound sending a jolt of pleasure straight through me. Her hips rocked against mine, creating a friction that had me biting back a groan. Kate’s lips left mine, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses along my jaw and down my neck. Her teeth grazed my pulse point, and I shuddered, my hands instinctively moving to her waist.

“Kate,” I gasped, my voice rough with desire. “We shouldn’t…”

She pulled back slightly, her eyes dark with want. “Why not?” she whispered, her breath hot against my ear. “I want you, Cyrus. All of you.”

Her hand slid down my chest, over my stomach, coming to rest tantalizingly close to where I ached for her touch. “Don’t you want me too?” she asked, her voice a seductive purr.

I swallowed hard, my resolve crumbling. Kate seemed to sense my weakening willpower. She grabbed my hand, placing it on her chest. Through the thin fabric of her dress, I could feel the rapid beat of her heart, the soft swell of her breast. “Feel how much I want you,” she breathed, her eyes never leaving mine.

I was wavering, my body screaming at me to take what was being offered so freely. But somewhere in the back of my mind, a small voice was shouting that this was wrong, that something wasn’t right. The timing, the suddenness of it all…

Just as I was about to give in, to throw caution to the wind and lose myself in Kate, a voice cut through the haze of desire.

“Get away from him!”

Liam’s shout was followed by a sharp shove that sent me stumbling backward. I blinked, disoriented, as Liam positioned himself between me and Kate.

Rage, hot and sudden, flared within me. “What the hell, Liam?” I snarled, my fists clenching at my sides. “You jealous little bitch! Are you so desperate to keep Kate to yourself that you’d cockblock me like this?”

Liam’s eyes flashed dangerously. “You idiot,” he hissed. “This isn’t Kate!”

“Bullshit,” I spat, my patience finally snapping. “I’m sick and tired of your stupid comments about Kate. She’d never sleep with someone like you. I know her-“

“Clearly you don’t,” Liam interrupted, his voice cold. “Because she did sleep with me. Multiple times, in fact. And I didn’t force her to do anything. She came to me willingly, eagerly even.”

The words hit me like a physical blow. I lunged at Liam, my fist connecting solidly with his jaw. He staggered back but recovered quickly, retaliating with a swift uppercut that sent me reeling.

“You moronic, horny imbecile!” Liam growled, his voice dripping with venom. “Your lust-filled brain has completely clouded your judgment. You’re so desperate to get into her pants that you can’t even tell the difference between Kate and a goddamn monster! Is your pathetic little demon hunter ego so fragile that you’d risk all of our lives just to score with her? Grow up and use that tiny, shriveled thing you call a brain before it’s too late!”

We grappled, trading blows and insults, our earlier camaraderie forgotten in the heat of jealousy and anger. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kate watching us, her expression unnaturally blank.

Confusion started to seep through the red haze of anger. Kate wouldn’t just stand there while we fought. She’d be yelling at us, trying to break it up. Something was wrong.

Liam must have sensed my moment of doubt. He used my distraction to land a solid punch to my face, sending me stumbling back. “Wake up, you fool,” he panted, wiping blood from his split lip. “This isn’t Kate. It’s an illusion, part of the chastity trial. You were about to get us both killed.”

I wanted to argue, to deny his words, but doubt had taken root. I turned to look at Kate, really look at her. Her teeth… were they always that sharp? And her eyes… there was something off about them, something inhuman.

As the realization dawned on me, the illusion of Kate began to shift and warp. Her beautiful face contorted, her skin taking on a greenish hue. Where her hair had been, writhing snakes now hissed and snapped.

“Gorgon,” I breathed, horror and disgust washing over me.

Liam wasted no time. He unleashed a blast of Fae magic at the creature, sending it flying backward. It hit the ground hard, its form flickering between Kate and the monstrous Gorgon.

I stood frozen, my hand on my sword but unable to draw it. Even knowing it wasn’t real, the thought of attacking something that looked like Kate, even for a moment, made my stomach turn.

Liam turned to me, frustration evident on his face. “Cyrus, snap out of it! We need to-“

His words cut off abruptly as movement caught my eye. The Gorgon, which we’d thought defeated, was rising behind Liam. Its snakes coiled, ready to strike.

Time seemed to slow. I saw the creature lunging forward, saw Liam beginning to turn, too late to defend himself. Without conscious thought, I drew my sword and charged.

The blade slid into the Gorgon’s chest with sickening ease. For a moment, Kate’s face flickered before me, her eyes wide with shock and betrayal. Then the illusion shattered completely, and the monster crumbled to dust.

Silence fell over the hall. Liam and I stood there, chests heaving, covered in sweat and grime and the remnants of the Gorgon. The exhaustion I’d been fighting came crashing back, nearly driving me to my knees.

“Well,” Liam said finally, his voice rough. “That was… something else.”

I laughed, the sound bordering on hysterical. “That’s one word for it.”

We looked at each other, the weight of our earlier fight hanging between us. Liam sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

“I… may have said some things in the heat of the moment,” he began.

“Yeah,” I cut him off. “Me too. Let’s just… agree that we both said shit we shouldn’t have and leave it at that.”

Liam nodded, a wry smile tugging at his lips. “Agreed. Though I meant what I said about Kate. She did choose to be with me, Cyrus. I won’t apologize for that.”

I gritted my teeth, pushing down the surge of jealousy his words provoked. “Fine. But this isn’t over. When we get out of here, when we find Kate… we’ll let her decide.”

“Fair enough,” Liam said. He glanced around the hall, which was still filled with illusory revelers and tempting food. “I suppose it’s your turn to rest now. You look like you’re about to keel over.”

I wanted to argue, but exhaustion was quickly overriding everything else. “Wake me if anything else tries to kill us,” I muttered, already sinking to the ground.

As I drifted off, I heard Liam’s quiet reply. “Sweet dreams, demon hunter. Try not to drool too much, won’t you?”

The rest of the night passed in a blur of fitful sleep and half-formed dreams. When I finally woke, the false night was giving way to true dawn. The illusory feast faded away, revealing an empty hall scattered with ancient, dusty skeletons.

Liam looked as exhausted as I felt, dark circles under his eyes and his usual perfect hair a tangled mess. “Rough night?” I asked, stretching out my stiff muscles.

He snorted. “You have no idea. Apparently, our beloved hosts thought it would be amusing to tempt me with an endless parade of beautiful women offering food, drink, and… other delights.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And you resisted all of that?”

A shadow passed over Liam’s face. “It wasn’t easy,” he admitted. “Especially when they started using Kate’s form. But I managed.”

I nodded, impressed despite myself. As much as I hated to admit it, Liam had probably saved both our lives last night.

A grinding noise drew our attention to the far end of the hall. A new doorway was opening, revealing the path to our next trial.

“Shall we?” Liam asked, gesturing grandly towards the opening. “I’m simply dying to see what delightful torments await us next.”

I groaned, hauling myself to my feet. “At least we’re halfway done now, right? Only three more to go.”

Liam’s laughter echoed through the empty hall as we made our way towards the next challenge. “Oh, my dear Cyrus,” he said, clapping me on the shoulder. “Your optimism is truly adorable. I’m sure the remaining trials will be an absolute cakewalk.”

As we stepped through the doorway, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come. But with Kate waiting for us, failure wasn’t an option. Whatever lay ahead, we’d face it together – demon hunter and Fae, united in our goal.

For now, at least.