Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Almost there,” Eadric breathed to Nicole as he peered around the corner of the alleyway, the uneven wood slats of the Boar’s Head digging into his back. Glass shards crunched beneath the heel of his boot when he adjusted his footing, and the stink of stale beer, tobacco smoke, and piss pervaded his nostrils with every breath.

When they’d arrived at North Yard, Asterin had been nowhere in sight. One of the shipping container doors had been ripped violently off its hinges, however, and when they peeked inside, they discovered an icicle-ized Kane. So the Boar’s Head had been their next best bet.

Nicole braced her hand against the brick and recoiled, her palm glistening with some substance Eadric had absolutely no desire to identify. She wiped it off on her trousers with a grimace. “Nice part of town.”

Located on the Rust Road along a small inlet where the tide washed up all the rubbish and the recesses of Horn’s Bay, the Boar’s Head would have been the last place anyone would look for a queen.

It had been years since Eadric had used the safe house last, but the dingy tavern hadn’t changed one bit. With its sagging, woodworm-riddled roof, grime-caked windows, and crumbling facade, the shabby excuse for a structure truly did resemble a boar’s head—at least, maybe after it had lain rotting in the mud for a couple of days.

At Eadric’s signal, they crept toward the mouth of the alley. Just before they stepped out into the open, he threw an arm around Nicole. They slumped against one another and swayed toward the door, just two more stumbling drunkards searching for yet another keg to drown themselves in.

They staggered through the doors to the tavern. It took Eadric a few blinks to adjust his vision to the ghastly lighting. He waited for eyes to lift at newcomers, but all the patrons were so deep in their cups that he and Nicole might as well have been invisible.

Nicole knocked a mug of ale off a table as they squeezed between two stools on their way to the bar, spilling yellowish froth all over the floor. The woman slumped beside where it had teetered didn’t so much as twitch.

The barkeeper eyed them as they approached, scratching at his stubble and slinging a filthy rag over his shoulder. “What’ll it be?”

“Two absynthes,” Eadric grunted. Every inhalation of the muggy, repugnant air made his stomach turn. He almost preferred the alley.

The barkeeper snorted. “You’re in the wrong realm, pal.”

“Then take us to the underside,” he replied, sliding two silver notes across the counter.

The barkeeper smirked and the money vanished right before their eyes. “Come round the back, then.”

Eadric and Nicole exchanged a glance before following the man into the storage room tucked behind the bar.

The man pulled out an affinity stone with the illusion sigil carved into the surface. “Ovdekken.”

A trapdoor shimmered into existence at their feet.

“There are tunnels leading to each of the ports from the main chamber,” said the barkeeper. “Just follow the red markings. Your other two friends are already down there.”

Relief rushed through Eadric like a river undammed. So Asterin and Gino had made it here safely.

Eadric wrested the trapdoor open and peered into the shady gloom below. “Slight problem,” he said to the bartender, only to realize that he had already long departed. “The ladder is gone.”

“How far is the ground?” asked Nicole.

“Well—oh, I don’t remember,” Eadric dithered. “Maybe fifteen, twenty feet, I guess, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but—”

“Nice,” said Nicole right before she crossed her arms over her chest in an X and hopped arrow-straight into the darkness.

“Nicole Dwyer! ” Eadric exclaimed.

Boots slammed into stone, softened by a carrying wind. “It’s fine, Captain!” her voice echoed up to him. “Come on!”

Eadric rolled his eyes, ready to jump after the Elite when he looked down into the darkness and a memory devoured his mind like flame held to parchment.

You’ve been sitting on your ass too long, Cap!

He remembered glancing up at Orion’s voice. Remembered the lurch of his stomach as the toe of his boot snagged on something mere feet away from the edge of the roof . . . and the five-story drop below.

“I’ll catch you!” Nicole yelled, but he barely heard her, because in his mind, he was losing his balance, his eyes wide and arms flailing. He tumbled off the roof, heart hammering in his throat, the street rushing up to meet him, Luna’s scream ringing in his ears—

“Queen Asterin is waiting!”

Asterin. My queen, my duty.

The thought snapped him out of his daze. With his pulse still racing and his hands shaking, he lifted his left foot and forced himself to pitch his body into the oblivion.

Wind lashed upward at Nicole’s command, slowing his fall to a feather’s drift. His knees nearly buckled when his feet finally touched the blessed ground. “Th-thank you.”

Nicole’s hand gave his a reassuring brush. “Over there.” A faint, keyhole-shaped pinprick of light glowed about ten feet or so away. Before they could move closer, however, there was a click and a creeeak that raised the hairs on Eadric’s arms. Feeble golden light leaked across the cracked stone tiles.

Queen Asterin propped the door open with her hip. The tilt of her chin made it impossible to make out her expression in the gloom. “Thank the Immortals,” she whispered, the tension deflating out of her shoulders.

Eadric’s head spun from relief. “Asterin. Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

Asterin kept her face turned away. “I’m fine. Come inside.”

They followed her into the main underground chamber. It resembled a small dining room, with a long oak table and chairs lining both sides. The walls seemed to tremble from the guttering flames of rusty candelabras shoved into the four corners of the room.

Eadric scanned the space and frowned. “Where’s Gino?” When Asterin looked up, his breath hitched. Red rimmed her emerald eyes, still puffy from tears. “Immortals. What happened?”

Asterin’s entire body locked up. “Gino’s dead,” she choked out.

Her words sucked the air from Eadric’s lungs. “No. No—I don’t understand. The barkeeper said there were two of you—”

At that moment, a black blur knocked Nicole sideways. Eadric caught sight of a smudge of shadow, and between one blink and the next, there stood Harry.

The anygné staggered forward, borne down with extra weight, hunching over it protectively. Eadric rushed to help him, but his steps stuttered when he realized what it was Harry held in his arms.

Gino’s body.

Bluish-white frost tinged Gino’s near-translucent skin, his veins a stark web of purple just beneath. Glazed brown eyes stared skyward, ghostly pale lips slightly parted. Frozen clumps of congealed blood ringed the knife embedded in the Elite’s chest like an icy wreath of rubies.

Together, the four of them laid Gino across the table in solemn silence.

The despair struck first, like a punch to Eadric’s gut. And then came the fury. “How did this happen?”

“Harry found me in North Yard,” Asterin replied in a hoarse whisper, “before shadow jumping me here. Then he went back for Gino.”

Eadric gripped the edge of the table hard enough for his nails to dig crescents into the wood. “But how did he get stabbed, for Immortals’ sake—”

A tremor shook the queen’s voice. “Kane,” she said. “It was Kane.”

Lightning scorched the table beneath his fingertips. He gritted his teeth and exhaled shakily. “I’m going to kill that bastard. I’m going to fry him.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Asterin snapped. “You know why they didn’t lay a finger on me? Because they didn’t need to. Because they’re here to kill you, Eadric. Your death—all of your deaths—are meant to warn me away from Eradore.”

“How can you be sure that their minds won’t change? Or their employer’s?”

Harry slammed his hands on the table and stood. “We’re wasting time.” He fiddled with the unfamiliar black pendant around his neck. “My jumping abilities have strengthened, but I don’t know how much distance I have left in me. Eradore isn’t exactly next door. I can only take two of you at most.”

Asterin shook her head. “No. We’re not splitting up again—”

“Your Majesty,” said Nicole. “Shadow jumping is the only safety-­guaranteed method of travel. You and Captain Covington need to get to the safety of Eradore. And besides . . .” The Elite scuffed the floor with her toe. “Someone should bring Gino home.”

“Whatever you decide,” Harry added quietly, “decide quickly. You’ll find no sanctuary here. If Killian is still on the hunt, all of Axaria will be a deathtrap until she gets the job done.”

“Gets the job done,” Asterin repeated, disgust dripping from her tone. “She mentioned an employer. Someone who ordered her to assassinate Eadric and confine me to Axaria. Someone like . . .” The queen raised her gaze to meet Harry’s dead on. “King Eoin?”

But the anygné simply waved her off. “Trust me, Eoin doesn’t waste time with restraining orders. He only bestows death sentences upon targets. And no offense, but if Killian actually tried to kill you . . .”

“I’m sick of this,” Eadric suddenly spat. “The lies, the doubt, the uncertainty . . . it’s the Woman all over again.” The faceless Woman, who had summoned Harry from the depths of the Immortal Realm, who had commanded the anygné to kill Asterin in the Aswiyre Forest . . . Back then, they’d pinned their suspicions on General Garringsford so easily, when the true villain had turned out to be Priscilla Montcroix all along.

Harry made a noise of frustration. “I wish I could tell you more. Eoin just doles us anygnés out to the highest bidder. We’re forbidden from discussing who we’re working for amongst ourselves.”

“Kane and Killian will be waiting for my departure,” Asterin muttered. She chewed her lip. “Nicole. You must pose as me.” The Elite frowned. “It’s the only way you’ll make it out of Orielle alive,” the queen went on. “We both have black hair and the same build. With your hood up, it will be difficult to tell the difference from afar.” She took a deep breath. “Ride swiftly and stop for nothing. Bring Gino home.”

Nicole took a knee in salute before Asterin, crossing one arm across her chest and clasping her shoulder. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Gino’s and Casper’s families must be contacted upon your return as well,” said Eadric, thinking of Casper’s younger sister and mother and Gino’s four siblings.

Nicole nodded. “May the Immortals guide you all safely to Eradore.” She stood. “I need to find some rope.”

“I’ll help you get Gino upstairs,” said Harry. The pair hefted Gino out of the room, leaving Asterin and Eadric to stew in strained silence until the anygné slipped back inside. He held out his hands. “Don’t forget to hold your breath.”

“Are you certain you can manage jumping two people at once?” Asterin asked.

“Most likely,” Harry replied.

“Most likely?” Eadric squawked. “What do you mean, most—”

A crash from above cut him off. Angry shouting and a high-pitched cackle followed.

Harry’s eyes widened. “Killian is here. We’re out of time.”

Boots slammed into the ground outside the door. The doorknob began to turn, but by then Harry had grabbed their hands and sucked them into an infinitely dark void.