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  Allette was not cowed, but she could no longer hold them in stasis. Applying her will, Catrin's spirit merged with Kyrien's, his bright light adding to the texture and beauty of their interwoven souls. Allette's sense of wonder was palpable, and her resistance lessened. Across the waves, their spirits soared, and Kyrien helped Catrin find their way. Disoriented, only her dragon's ability to know his location no matter the circumstances kept them on the correct trajectory.

  The Black Spike finally came into view. Engulfed in darkness, it was as if the storm clouds had gathered there to torture the ancient stone structure jutting from the deepest and most solitary waters on Godsland. The Black Spike should not exist, yet it did. Catrin had lived in this strange place, and she still had no idea how it had been constructed, although she had serious suspicions about exactly who had built this improbable structure.

  No one could enter this mighty fortress in the way Catrin and Kyrien did since it required such a tremendous amount of power, along with the knowledge of where the entrance was. It didn't help Catrin's anxiety when she heard Allette's thoughts. Now there were two people powerful enough to enter the Black Spike.

  Catrin also knew there was no hiding what she was about to do, and Allette would know even more secrets surrounding this most mysterious and dangerous place. Having slept within, Catrin knew dark powers waited in the depths, even if she didn't know the exact form they took. Still, she directed their energies to the top of the mighty fortress and did the very thing her spirit urged her not to do.

  * * *

  Sleep had come in fits, dreams melding with reality to create a waking nightmare. Darkness enshrouded the Black Spike, as if it were a magnet for storm clouds. It was unclear if the structure created the storms or attracted them, but it was unnatural and made Durin's skin crawl. Strom and Osbourne did their best to remain positive and optimistic but he despaired. Here there was only darkness, and his spirit could no longer find the light. The blackness crept into him, seeping into his bones from the cold obsidian stone. It was as if the keep itself were drawing the life from him.

  In many ways, it didn't matter. A quick death would be preferable to a slow one, and Durin once again considered throwing himself from the heights and ending it all. Something deep within him, though, knew these thoughts were not his own. It was as if the keep were defending itself by fostering these ideas. There wasn't much need to defend against them since they were stuck on top this boiling rock pile with no way to go anywhere else. Durin wasn't certain what he'd done to offend the gods, but it was clear he'd done so. To add insult, the wind cast sand into his eyes.

  Holding up his arm, he was buffeted by powerful winds, which threatened to send him toppling over the edge even if he didn't go willingly. Burying his head in his arms, he hoped to wait out the winds, but they were insistent and pushed on him with relentless fury, somehow finding a way to blow sand into his shielded eyes. There was no shelter atop this abomination and he stood. Moving with the wind afforded him at least a small amount of relief. To his surprise, the buffeting air grew more gentle as he went, as if caressing rather than assaulting him. Not wanting to go any closer to the edge, he slowed and stopped. The gusts grew fierce, propelling him forward. Part of him feared the wind was trying to get him into a better position from which to hurl him to his death, but there was something else there, something familiar, and Durin allowed himself to be pushed.

  Once again, as he moved in the direction the wind blew, it lessened but did not go away. When he was only a few paces from the structure's edge, Durin began to resist. The air grew still. The darkness drew closer as the storm clouds brooded above. Subtle at first but growing stronger and brighter, a faint orange glow outlined rocks not far from the edge.

  Strom and Osbourne must have been watching, and they saw it as well, both coming to stand by his side. No one spoke; there was no need. As a team, they cleared away the rocks from atop the glow, finding a chamber within. Sitting within an alcove carved into a stone taller than a man, sat a wonder. An amber statuette in the shape of a woman emitted a ruddy glow. With a sudden wind gust, the glow brightened.

  In the chamber floor was an ancient hatchway made of wood and metal, which somehow retained its luster after withstanding the elements. Strom spent a few moments examining the metal before shaking his head. Applying his muscles, the smith opened the hatch.

  Durin, Strom, and Osbourne descended into darkness.

  Be sure to check out the rest of the Godsland books!