He’s too far away to make eye contact with.
But close enough I know it’s him.
Nico marches up the walkway to the palace. A crowd of Bellonians shouts and cheers him on from the gate. The way he moves is steady but also like he’s not had a good night’s rest in weeks—determined and strong, yet also beaten down. Different from when I last saw him. Mostly, he’s alive. Thank the Moon he’s alive.
I want to scream at Raevald. Curse him and his lies. I want to toss the Offering medallion he threw at me bearing my name right through his window.
We’ve fallen in line behind a group of Bellonians who tried to sneak around the side of the palace and are now being escorted off the property.
Everyone’s attention is on Nico—heir of Bellona. So much so, and in all of the chaos, no one pays Imi and me any mind.
Nico’s quickly moving out of my line of sight, but when I stand up on my toes, I swear, for the briefest of seconds, he sees me. But then we’re moving and he’s turned to face the door and there are two guards suddenly blocking our way.
I skid to a stop, nearly plowing right into Imi.
The guards, a girl and a guy, wait for some sort of explanation. But Imi stands tall, doesn’t say a word, her hands folded at her waist, the rope tethering me to her wrapped several times around her palm.
I want to tell her to say something. Talk! Explain what we’re doing here! Because Moon knows I can’t.
The guards uncomfortably glance at each other.
Imi lifts her eyebrows.
Instantly, the soldiers stand at attention.
“Took you assholes long enough.” She tugs the rope, making me trip forward. As she walks by them she says, “Caught this one trying to scale the wall to get a better look. I’m taking him in.”
“Yes, officer,” they say in unison.
Then she slows, looks back over her shoulder. “For Sun’s sake … At ease.”
From there we easily leave through a back gate and head down the Hill toward the market.
“What the hell just happened?” I ask, not daring to look back but dying to know what’s going on and if we’re being followed.
“New recruits. One of their first posts is guarding the outer palace grounds. They’re like lost puppies: trying to establish some sort of authority but completely incompetent.”
“I thought we were done for.”
“No … But look sharp.”
I take in a deep breath, keep my head down.
BECAUSE IT’LL LOOK more suspicious to take the woods, we head to the main walkway. It’s nearly vesper bells and next to no one’s out.
Imi keeps checking her hourglass, reciting the time she believes we’ll be found out. “Twenty minutes.”
Simultaneously, we pick up our pace.
Imi and I enter the path to find more foot traffic than we expected. There’s a group of three Basso women behind us, an older Dogio couple ahead, Imperi soldiers sprinkled about.
“No one walks alone now,” Imi whispers back at me.
As we pass, not one party or soldier gives us a second glance.
Apparently, all I need to get around the island unscathed is a good haircut and an Imperi officer by my side.
My legs are heavy as stone and so very fatigued. Each step is weighted labor. My eyes are still adjusting to the unforgiving light of day. And my heart? Despite the fact that it raps from exhaustion, this heart of mine is in turmoil after seeing Nico … Not getting to say anything … Not being able to act on it … Being forced to pretend I don’t know him, that I don’t care he’s alive and well and somehow returned to Bellona and was marching his way up to the palace gates … To say it was torture would be too kind.
Imi drags me down the path behind her, but the adrenaline pumping through my veins gives me temporary bursts of strength. The grasp of hope, the maybe and what if of finally making my way home, balances precariously at the edge of my mind, gifting renewed motivation.
But as if it’s too good to be true, I catch someone staring as we pass. I tell myself they’re only curious and I do look a mess. Not only have I been in a prison for weeks, my body’s not moving as stealthily as it should, my muscles and bones long fatigued. And, well, Imi is being more forceful than need be, but I’m following her lead by struggling more than I must.
If we’re going to act the part, we’d best put in the effort.
We pass the last row of homes.
Then an electric fence. The sight stops me in my tracks, because it’s exactly like the one Dorian and I encountered what feels like years ago surrounding the Basso village. Now the Dogio village is locked in too?
Or, more plausibly, it’s protected from what, who might enter from the outside.
This idea is further hammered in by the row of Night posters lining the metal barricade. Posters painted in black and gold: THE NIGHT HAS RISEN! and JOIN THE REVOLUTION! Both clad with crescent moons and Lunalette stars.
“Keep walking,” Imi warns under her breath, yanking the rope forward.
We trudge down a ravine, then back up a decent hill. From the top, I get a better view, am able to see a clearer image of the island.
Bellona is far worse a sight than I imagined from inside my cell. Fields are burned. Homes destroyed. Trees blown to splinters. An open space near the canal is littered with fresh metal grave markings left to symbolize fallen soldiers. There are too many to count, but there are no dead souls resting in that field. I can only assume their bodies, both Night and Imperi, were sent adrift out into the Great Sea—returned to the sacred place where the Sun’s child, Bellona, originally fell from the heavens.
It’s all in homage to the Sun, blessings of “We fight in your name!” and “See what we sacrifice for you!” Prayers to help the Imperi win this fight.
I force my eyes away before I can make out the markers, see how many are hammered into Suns and how many are Moons. I can’t face the dead. Not yet. Not in this moment.
At the bottom of the hill we meet two Imperi soldiers who clearly aren’t officers, more of Imi’s subordinates. They stop before us, hands behind their backs, and bid her, “Blessed be the light.” She gives a curt nod, a quick “Blessed be the light” back. One is holding a stack of postings, the other a hammer and box of nails.
“What’s this?” Imi asks.
The soldier’s face goes ashen. “Have you not heard?”
“Of what?”
He hands one of the papers to Imi. “Bellonians get to choose her fate.”
An image of my own face flashes before my eyes. I cough, completely choke on the dryness in my mouth.
Imi tugs at the rope to shut me up, eyes the soldiers. “Of course I know about it, and thank the Sun.” She crumples the posting and shoves it in her pocket. “Good work spreading the word, soldiers.”
They nod proudly, turn on their heels, and head up the hill.
I glance over my shoulder where the two soldiers have stopped and stare ahead at us. I begin walking faster, and she follows, doubling my pace.
“We’ve got to get down there. This can’t go wrong,” Imi hisses under her breath.
“I won’t let it go wrong.” I mean it, but I am not at all sure I can guarantee it.
She catches my eye and it’s clear, we’re all the other has at this moment: Imperi prisoner number one and her personal prison guard.
We take the edge of the forest—a shortcut—but one that isn’t overly obvious. Once we clear the tree line, walk through one of the piazzas, I whisper, “Almost there.”
Imi turns her head to the side and mumbles into her neck. “Good.” Pretty sure she’s saying it to herself as well. But then her eyes push past me and zero in on something behind us. A gasp escapes just under her breath.
It takes everything I have not to look back as well. It’s not what a prisoner would do so I force my head farther down, stare at the ground, the dying, frozen grass.
But something’s not right.
And I’m the one with her hands tied walking into what could easily be the beginning of the end with nothing but an Offering medallion in my pocket for a weapon. But I’m not prepared to fight. My legs are heavy, my focus fuzzy. In an attempt to force myself into the moment, wake up my senses, I bite the inside of my cheek. I cannot afford to miss even the tiniest gnat flying past my face.
I’ve got to be fully aware of everything that’s going on around me. Each wisp of wind. Every shadow. The slightest movement.
It works.
Metallic blood blooms within my mouth. I’m pulled out of my fatigue, the fog of my brain clearing.
Nerves on edge. Body in pure survival mode. I’m going to get us down to the Lower.
Or be captured trying.
Because I’m pretty sure whatever or whoever’s behind us isn’t friendly.
And if we’re caught, there’ll be worse to come.
Even now, near rock bottom, there’s still always worse.
And worse stops us before we round the boulders that mark freedom.
“Where are you headed, officer?” someone calls from a ways behind us.
We stop. Imi gives me a look, clearly conveying don’t say a word.
When we turn to face the voice, I see another officer’s quickly headed toward us.
We walk toward him, and the closer we get, based on the highly decorated sash adorning his uniform, it’s safe to assume he outranks Imi by years of service and then some. He’s stopped under an umbrella of trees and waits for us to come to him.
“Another thief,” Imi says, giving him a flippant wave like it’s so annoying to deal with Basso thieves when a war’s waging. “Caught him with a pocketful of apples from the market.” I assume she abandons the climbing the palace wall story since we’re nowhere near it.
The officer doesn’t respond. Despite my better judgment, the suspense killing me, I allow my eyes to strain upward. Just below the rim of my hat, the officer stares back at me.
Damn it.
I quickly veer my sight toward the ground.
“Why’s he wearing black pants?”
Double damn it. Basso rarely wear black. It’s part of the Dogio dress of richly dyed garments in black, red, and gold. Basso are always in earthen colors.
“Who knows…” She snorts. “Probably stole those too.”
“And why are you out here in the middle of nowhere? The prison’s that way.” He nudges his head back the way we came.
“Right. I got information that he’d stolen and hidden more in the woods, but the ass can’t remember where he hid it.”
More silence from the guard, like he’s trying to decide whether we’re suspicious enough to waste his time on or not.
Finally, “Get back to your post, officer,” he says, voice gruff. “I’ll take care of the boy.” He grasps his blade, then smiles in a way that leaves zero interpretation as to how exactly he plans to take care of me.
“No. It’s fine. I won’t burden you with him. I’ll take him right in, then head to—”
“I said: report back.” The officer’s voice drops an octave lower. “And be quick about it.”
Imi slowly hands over the rope.
As she gives him her end, she pauses, flashes me a quick yet serious look.
I jerk the rope from his grasp.
We take off running.
“Hey!” he shouts, blowing his whistle. “Stop!”
We bound toward the woods.
This is not ideal. This is not us being discreet. This is us making a huge scene and having to fight our way out.
Vesper bells ring.
Imi reaches into her jacket, grips a small, metal explosive similar to the hundreds I’ve seen the Night use. She pulls a pin away from it. There’s a spark.
I veer to the side when she tosses the explosive. It’s small, sparks crackling out of the top, and flies past with a quick zipping sound through the air.
There’s a low rumble, a small flash, and a billowing rush of smoke and sulfur.
I’ve heard that rumble every so often from my cell. Always from a great distance away but loud enough, I recognize it. It’s from the memory I relive every night before falling into restless sleep: the Coliseum erupting in chaos, a bleeding Nico pulled away from me, then a low rumble, a flash, and darkness.
Again, it’s effective. The explosion stops the officer. He’s nowhere to be seen.
“This way!” I say. “Other side of the boulders.”
I’m out of breath, dragging, running on pure adrenaline and survival. Barely managing to keep the forest floor and the sky from flipping on end as my eyes go in and out of focus.
We round the boulders, and I spot the entrance to the den as Imi’s eyes search back and forth over the ground, toward the rocks, the trees.
I quickly brush away the moss and leaves, open the wooden slat hiding the metal ring, and then open it up.
Imi swears and tumbles in.
I pray she landed in the net as I hastily gather the moss and leaves back up, hide the metal pull back under the wood, then climb in. I cover, then close the hatch, make sure it’s secure. But when I move to climb down the ladder, jump onto the net, my foot misses the rung and I fall.
I don’t make the net.
The last thing I remember is landing flat on my back and hearing my name.
Then darkness.
I STRAIN TO open my eyes, but everything’s a blur.
I missed the net. Probably hit my head. Definitely knocked the wind out of my lungs. That much I know.
THERE’S AN ORB of light coming in and out of focus, and the brightness isn’t helping the aching in my head. Just above the annoying flickering I can make out a silhouette, but outside of that it’s all darkness.
“Veda…” The voice instantly brings me around to where I am. Who it is. “V, can you hear me?” His hands graze my cheek and the touch is familiar too. I hadn’t realized it, but I’ve longed for this, to be near him, for some time.
Dorian.
I mean to say his name out loud, but it’s like I can’t work my voice. I try to sit up, try to use my eyes, all at the same time.
“Careful,” he says, gently helping me up. “How do you feel? Are you hurt?”
I whisper the word no, but at the same time, I gingerly touch the top of my head where I find a decent bump and the slight slick of blood. As my vision clears and the swimming in my brain calms, I regain my bearings. Every detail floods back.
“Imi?” I say, confused. She was with me when we came down the den, but I don’t see her now. Maybe she went to find help? But …
“No, it’s Dorian.”
“I know it’s you—” My smile’s inescapable and as if of their own accord, my arms reach up and around Dorian’s shoulders. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever make it back here,” I breathe into his neck.
He smells of dirt and minerals and underground and sighs deeply into my hair. “We worried you were dead.”
“Nearly.” I don’t want to, but I pull away. Then, “Wait—” I shove both my fists into his shoulders.
He furrows his brow but somehow still looks pleased with himself. “I missed you too, V.”
“You let them execute Arlen … the other soldier … possibly Nico!” This wipes the smile off his face.
“No. I mean, yes, it happened. I tried to stop it … but I was too late.” He glances away, then back. “The Sindaco wouldn’t have hurt Nico. Besides, he escaped before anything got out of hand.”
“And what if he hadn’t escaped?” Slowly, I get to my feet, Dorian watchful. “I’m fine. I have to find my friend.” I know he’s thinking I look weak … Fragile … When I glare at him across the short, dark distance—still angry over the Settlings, still confused over what the hell’s been going on the mere fourteen days I was gone—that’s when I spot her. “Imi?”
“What?” Dorian follows my gaze. “Oh…”
Imi’s tied up, mouth covered, sitting on the ground within the shadows. She gives an angry whimper the moment we make eye contact.
I march full speed toward her. Nearly fall right on top of her, but am able to halt just in time, landing in a sort of crouched position. Furiously, I begin untying the rope, remove the bindings over her mouth.
But before I can free her fully, Dorian’s bent down next to me. Helping. “I assume you’re going to explain.”
“I was going to say the same to you,” I snap back.
He gives me a signature Dorian look—apologetic, yet somehow innocent and authoritative at once. “What was I to think? I was doing a perimeter check and stumbled upon an Imperi officer standing over you at the bottom of a den.”
“She saved my life.”
“Well, I didn’t know that.”
Imi’s only watching, listening, probably cursing the Sun she got herself mixed up in all this. Once her mouth is free, she speaks. “He wasn’t cruel, Veda. Just cautious. I’d have done the same.”
“Thank goodness for that. I owe Imi my life. In exchange, I’ve promised to have her sister released.”
“Madelina Rossi is her name,” Imi adds, brushing dust and dirt off her uniform. “She’s an officer as well. Taken prisoner the night before last at the battle in the south Basso village field.”
Dorian nods.
“You know her?”
“Not specifically, but I know a female officer was brought in with the others.”
“Is she alive? Have any other Imperi officers been executed?” Imi blurts out.
But when Dorian answers, he’s staring at me. “No. Just the two.”
“More are planned? For tonight?”
“Yes.” Dorian’s still gazing into my eyes. “Seven in all.” He pauses, pushes what’s left of my hair away from my eyes, is barely able to tuck it behind my ear.
“My Moon…” My voice wavers slightly with emotion. I can’t help but think of Arlen. As cruel as Arlen was to me, he didn’t deserve such a fate. And Imi’s sister … If we hadn’t been able to escape …
Imi stands. “My sister?”
“Right,” I say.
Stepping closer toward Dorian, grabbing both his hands in mine, I know he’s not quite sure how to act, how to reciprocate or if he even should. That’s when I pull his blade from his belt.
“I’m borrowing this.”
“Veda…” Dorian pleads in that way only he can, his eyes—crystal-blue agate—cast down on me like he’s somewhere among amused, pleased, and senselessly angry.
“What am I to think?” I repeat his words from earlier. “I finally make my way back down here and stumble upon you standing idle as the Sindaco executes Imperi soldiers.”
“V—”
But I’m already knotting the same rope he used on Imi to tie up his hands and ankles. I then bind his mouth for good measure. I know it won’t hold him long and part of me realizes he knows this as well, because he’s being all too cooperative about it. If it wasn’t for the loathsome way he glares up at me, I’d think he was almost enjoying it. And if his mouth wasn’t bound I’d expect to hear as much.
I will not allow Dorian to sweet-talk me out of anything.
Mostly, he won’t like what I have planned and I won’t have him getting in my and Imi’s way after all we’ve been through to make it down here.
“Ready, Imi?” But I’m already walking toward the main tunnel.
“Yep.” Imi sidles up next to me. “You’re in charge down here.”
As much as I’m dying to look back, I don’t.
IMI AND I follow the caves deeper into the Lower and toward the prison tunnel.
It feels like a lifetime ago that I was here, but I remember my way as if I never left.
Nothing’s changed. We’re still underground with the damp and the dirt, the spiders and beetles. The quiet trickle of whatever constantly trickles down here. There’s that intermittent cool gust of a breeze that comes from who knows where sending chills down my arms.
Also, it’s not the same.
There’s a heaviness. A somber reality that wasn’t here before. It’s thick with doubt, weighing down the already stale air. Only fourteen days ago there was an air of hope, of new beginnings, of justice being had.
I don’t feel that now.
Everything’s cloaked in sadness. Death. Lies. Betrayal.
“Do you think she’s been well taken care of?” Imi asks as we near the prison—a tight, single tunnel deep below the Crag. The two of us barely fit walking side by side.
“Well…” But I finish the sentence in my mind: Do the Imperi take good care of Night prisoners?
Imi worries her lip.
“It’s not even been two full days,” I say. “I’m sure she’s fine. Maybe a bit hungry. Probably dirty. Definitely scared after last night’s disgusting display.”
“And Dorian?”
My jaw tenses. “What about him?”
“There was … something there.”
I sigh, catch her eye from my periphery. “We’ve got a … history.” She quirks an eyebrow. “We’re good friends but he’s let me down, and I couldn’t fathom dealing with him back there. He’ll be fine. Probably already one tunnel behind us.”
“Will he report us to the Sindaco?”
I shake my head, mostly sure of my answer. “He won’t like what we’re doing, but no, he won’t report us.” I hope.
“Here we are.” I stop, take in the row of metal doors flanking each side of the tunnel, then pull a ring of keys out of my pocket.
“When did you—”
“I pulled them off Dorian’s belt when I took his knife.”
“Nice.”
I smile. “You pick up certain skills when food’s scarce.”
Lifting a lantern off a hook, I hold it up to each door, whispering Madelina’s name as Imi does the same down the other side. Just when I’m starting to truly get nervous, my stomach in knots because what if she’s not down here after all? Finally, at the second-to-last cell Imi whispers into, there’s a reply.
“Over here, Veda,” Imi calls me over.
I try several keys before I find the right one. It’s large and brass and slides into the lock with ease. I turn it, and the lock clicks then pops and unlatches. The cell door moans as I open it to reveal a dark square of cave, a small, dark figure curled up on the floor on the other side.
“Madelina?!” Imi cries, rushing into the cell.
The figure looks up. At first, she looks confused, like she’s not sure whether to believe the sight. “Is it really you?” she says.
Then, when Imi wraps her arms around her sister, folds her into a tight embrace, I see the moment Madelina succumbs. Sometimes reality and fantasy don’t matter so much when you’re gifted exactly what you need. I know this.
“Imi,” Madelina rasps. “Am I dreaming?”
“No.” Imi shakes her head into her sister’s hair.
“But how?”
Imi pulls away. “It’s a long story.”
That’s about the time Madelina spots me hovering in the doorway. She startles. Begins scuttling backward.
“It’s okay, Mads.” Imi has her hands out, tentative, like she’s approaching a frightened animal. “Veda helped me find you.” She gets closer. “You’re getting out. Being set free.”
But Madelina’s shaking her head. “It’s a trap. A lie. They’ll lock you up too.” Her eyes dart to the door. “You’ve gotta get out, Imi.” She shoves her sister. “Get out of here!”
“You listen to me.” Imi regains her balance, steps closer, and crouches in front of her sister. “I know it’s been hard … Terrifying … But you have to trust me.” She takes both of Madelina’s hands in her own. “Do you see that girl behind me?” Madelina nods. “That’s Veda—the Lunalette.”
“The one you’ve been keeping watch over?”
“Yes.”
“The one in charge of the Night? The one we were told to keep locked up at all costs?”
“Same one.” Imi blows the hair off her forehead, then continues. “I helped her escape, and she brought me here to find you.”
Madelina seems to consider this new information along with a thick braid of her own hair she’s stroking between her fingers. Her hair is a touch lighter than Imi’s, much longer, but they bear a strong resemblance.
“You ready, Imi?” I call lightly into the cell. “I’m worried we don’t have a whole lot of time.” I glance over my shoulder, expecting Dorian to come marching down the tunnel any minute.
Imi doesn’t look up at me but responds still staring at her sister. “Yes, let’s get out of here.” She’s rubbing her hands over Madelina’s arms as if she’s cold. I quickly take off the oversized sweater I’m wearing and give it to Imi, who helps Madelina put it on. “Ready?” Imi asks her sister.
Madelina gives a quick nod and stands.
When we leave the cell, Imi starts leading Madelina the way we came, but I stop before I pass the threshold into the tunnel. When Imi realizes I’m not behind her, she stops too.
I hold up the keys.
She nods.
I turn and begin unlocking the cells. One by one, I pull the doors open. The Imperi soldiers inside are confused, unsure whether they should leave their cells, probably worried it’s some sort of trap.
Six Imperi soldiers wander out of their cells, dazed.
“I’m getting you out of here,” I say. From what I can tell, none are too injured and, thankfully, they all have the ability to stand up and walk. I back out of the tunnel. “Follow me and be fast about it.” But I stop, stare ahead at them. “If any of you try anything, I’ll sound the alarm and two hundred Night soldiers will surround us before you can pray to the sun for help.” I glare at each of them. “Understand?”
Imi adds, “If you want to get out of here alive, you’d better listen to her.” I nod.
They nod back.
My loose plan is to lead them up through the den next to the Crag. It’s doubtful that they’d ever find it again, and if they did, it only leads to the prison. As we walk, I make it clear that if they ever try to return here, they’ll earn the fate they escaped and then some.
When we reach the ladder, I stop. “You’ll go up one by one. March straight to Imperi Palace. And tell the High Regent the Lunalette freed you.” They only nod. One thanks me.
Imi and I wait at the bottom as they ascend from the Lower one after the other back up onto Bellona. When it’s Madelina’s turn, she hesitates, knowing Imi can’t go up with her.
“You have to go, Madelina,” Imi demands.
“I can’t leave you here. What if they execute you?”
“I won’t let them,” I say. “They’ll have to kill me first.”
Imi takes her sister’s hands in hers. “An officer—one I probably injured—and several soldiers saw me with Veda. No doubt Veda escaping, me helping her … it’s all out in the open. I’m more likely to be executed up there now than down here.”
This seems to convince her. Madelina takes in a deep breath and then leans in closer to me. “Thank you.”
“Thank you,” I say. “If it wasn’t for you and your sister, I’d be on my way to Offering or execution.”
Madelina gives me a slight smile, nods to herself, then faces the ladder. Climbing halfway up, Madelina’s eyes brim with tears as she looks back. “I’m pretty sure I broke a soldier’s nose when I was captured.” She smiles.
“That’s my girl.” Imi grins back, beaming with genuine pride.
Then, without looking back, Madelina scales the rest of the ladder and disappears.
I close and latch the den door.
Imi sniffs, roughly rubs the emotion from her eyes with her fists.
“I’m so sorry,” I say to Imi, starting back down the tunnel.
“No … don’t apologize, Veda. She’s safe now, that’s what matters. We’ll be together again.”
I’m about to assure her that I truly believe that to be true when—
“Where are my keys, V?”
Imi and I both quickly turn around.
Dorian stands a few feet away, utterly pissed, hands shoved in his pockets.