“Weird weather today, children,” Ms. Jackson said, on the radio perched on the table between us. “Might want to bundle up after all, wear a sweater or two under your Unmasking Day disguise.”
I opened my eyes. Maraud’s face was inches from my own, staring at me with great concern. Her real face, not that pathetic rusty thing she had been in—wherever that horrible place was.
“Hey, girl!” I said, with a laugh, and hugged her huge snout. “I went away for a second. But I’m really happy to be back.”
Pterodactyls squawked in the dockside air overhead. The smell of the riversea was strong. I breathed it in deep. I’d never have imagined I could be so happy to smell kraken ink.
Ash asked, “What happened to you?”
“I went somewhere,” I said. “Somewhere horrible. What about you?”
“I just saw a lot of weird shit.”
“Nothing that could help us find Niv and Connor?”
“A couple things might be clues. I have to go back under.”
Ms. Jackson continued: “News now on the story that has the whole city talking—the abduction of the Refugee Princess.”
“Shit,” Ash and I said at the same time.
“With no word yet on her whereabouts—and in light of recent violent incidents all over the city—the Darkside Police Department has been conducting raids on known othersider gathering places.” Ms. Jackson sounded as unhappy as we were, about this abuse of authority. “Queen Carmen has so far not responded to Commissioner Bahrr’s call for a sunset curfew on all othersiders, and while the police department has no power to take a step like that without royal approval, the commissioner maintains that the city charter does grant him full authority to ask all uniformed officers to conduct random stops of Darkside citizens, and detain any othersiders for further questioning—”
Ash switched the radio off.
“He can’t do that,” I whispered.
“He’s doing it,” she said. “He’s been waiting for this moment for a long time, and the Shield finally handed it to him. If I hadn’t—”
“Stop saying that this is your fault,” I said. “This city was full of hate and fear long before the Night of Red Diamonds.”
She did not look convinced.
“We have to get in touch with your mother,” I said.