“Ever since you told me what he was up to, we’ve been scouting some of the factories he or a Leopold elite is linked to. There are so many, and we’ve only been able to cross off a few. Istvan is smart, and he will make sure it is hidden well.” Andris sat up in his chair, tapping the map. A few circles had Xs crossing them out, spread over the city. “We’ve been scouting various places, but all the leads have turned up dead ends. The places are empty or regular factory plants.”
A loud knock rattled the door, cutting off our conversation. Not waiting for a response, the door swung open.
“Lieutenant! Brexley has return—” Zander came to a stop, his huge brown eyes landing on me, his mouth dropping open in shock. “You’re here!” His face brightened. He galloped to me, gathering me into a hug, a neighing sound humming in his throat. “I am so happy you are all right.” He held me tight, his lips brushing my cheek and temple. I squeezed him back, glancing over his shoulder, the door still wide open.
Warwick leaned against the wall, one foot propped up, like he had been there for a while. Waiting. We watched each other, his expression unreadable, but I felt annoyance and anger ooze from him. Huffing through his nose, he wagged his head, pushing off the wall, and strolled down the passage. His barriers slammed up tight around him, cutting me off from even getting a sliver of his emotions.
“It killed me to stand there...” Zander brought my attention back to him. He leaned out to see me better, hands holding my arms, his deep brown eyes assessing me. “I can’t tell you how worried I have been when Lieutenant told me you disappeared. To see you tonight... I almost blew my cover.”
“I’m fine.” I stepped back, tugging on the backpack straps, Ash’s bag with the fae book still on my shoulders. “You guys all act like I’m a walking disaster.”
They both stared at me.
“Yeah, okay.”
“How did you know she was back?” Andris addressed Zander.
“Oh, I thought...” Zander’s regard bounced between us. “You would have told him.”
“Hadn’t gotten to that part yet.”
My uncle’s lids closed briefly, sensing there was much more story to come. And he would be right. I had so much to tell Andris: my time in Prague; finding my Uncle Mykel; Povstat; the nectar; Killian; the deal. It had been two weeks since we fled the old base, and a great deal had happened.
“Get the largest bottle of your Unicum.” I sighed, strolling back for the chair. “It’s gonna be a long night.”
“It’s morning.”
“Yeah, that too.”
By the time I exited Andris’s office a few hours later, my eyes were blurry. I was about to fall asleep on my feet, and my head pounded with fatigue.
Zander had made a quick exit, needing to get back to Killian. He had nothing new to report besides what I already knew, saying since my escape with Warwick weeks earlier, Killian had become obsessed with being down in the labs, which I figured meant he was testing the pills on more humans. He rarely checked on the opening of the new prison, and Zander backed up Killian’s claim suggesting it was impossible to break out of. The magic and security were top-notch with Goblin surety. It was designed deeper underground, in what used to be the Buda Landscape Protection area.
Killian was a puzzle to me. A part of me believed he was a decent guy, but then another part wondered if he was killing these people. He took Warwick’s sister and nephew prisoner, using them as leverage, but then I’d remember the look in his eyes the night on his balcony, the relaxed, kind side he showed me acting as my nurse, and I’d flip back to the idea he wouldn’t hurt them. He was probably housing them in the luxurious room he set out for me.
As much as I couldn’t deny I cared about him, he was someone I couldn’t allow myself to trust. At the end of the day, he was still the fae leader and would choose power and his own kind over anything else.
Stumbling down the hallway, I longed for sleep, but needed to check on everyone. The place was not even half the size of the last base, and I easily found the “clinic.” It was a windowless, dank, square room with a dozen foldout cots and minimal healing herbs. A healer moved through the room, checking on the handful of patients.
Near the back wall, Ash sat in a chair next to a cot, his clothes covered in blood, his wounded arm wrapped up and healing. His chin perched in his palm; lids lowered as if he were dozing off. Luk laid in the cot beside him, his skin gray and sweaty.
“How is he?”
Ash jolted at my voice, his lashes fluttering open. “Oh shit, did I fall asleep?”
“You need to rest.” I touched his arm where he had been shot. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Went right through.” He rubbed at his face, both of us peering down at Luk. His chest quivered with labored breath. “I don’t want to leave until I know he can get through the next twelve hours without assistance. We thought we lost him twice already.” Ash flicked his chin at the other healer. “She’s too busy to watch him properly.”
Tears burned the back of my lids. I threaded my fingers through Ash’s. “Thank you.” I couldn’t find the words for his kindness. He didn’t even know Luk, but he was a healer, and helping others was who Ash was.
He squeezed my hand, giving me a slight nod.
“At least pull up one of the extra cots and rest. Won’t be any use if you are collapsing too.”
“I will.” He rose, letting my hand go. He reached up, sliding the backpack from my shoulders, dropping it to my feet. My instant reaction was to take it back, like the book was mine, it wanted me, but I shook my head, pushing the feeling away. No one owned fae books.
“Caden and Kek okay?” I took a deep breath, distracting myself from this sensation.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “A good night’s sleep and Kek will pretty much be back to normal. We’ll have to watch Caden for a concussion, but otherwise, I think he’s fine.” He nodded to where my friend slept.
My shoulders sagged when I looked at Caden. He was handcuffed, a guard sitting in a chair next to him, watching over the hostage.
“I heard they have Hanna in a storage closet.” I turned back.
“Yeah,” Ash scoffed. “Scorpion is on watch. Guess she has given him hell.”
I grinned. “That’s Hanna.”
“Sounds like you.”
“Girls don’t make it in training at HDF unless they’re tough, and I don’t mean just physically. Hanna and I were the only two girls in my class. There’s a reason she lasted.” I massaged my burning eyes.
“Looks like you need some sleep too.”
“Have you seen Warwick?” His retreat earlier in the hallway still bothered me.
“No, sorry, I haven’t left this room or looked up since we got here.”
“Okay, I’m gonna go look for him. See if I can find you some tea and something to eat if you’re determined to stay here.” He nodded, lowering himself back down, tucking his bag between his feet.
I swore I felt the book calling me, yanking at my brain to come closer. To fall into its pages.
Trying to ignore the feeling, I moved toward the exit, my mind already weak and pliant with fatigue.