Chapter Twenty-One #2
Commander Maitoza opened the door, motioning for us to go first. Reluctantly, we did, waiting for her to enter before moving through the bare, short hall. She led us to the only other door, unlocking it with a large, iron key. This time, she went first.
When we walked through, a putrid, stomach-turning smell barreled into us. I grimaced, holding my hand to my nose. Altair gagged at my side, probably the least used to any unseemly scents. Surprisingly, the commander didn’t so much as flinch.
“Apologies for the smell, our guests admittedly haven’t been given great amenities.”
“Guests?” I asked, nearly choking on the smell as it hit the back of my tongue.
She motioned down the hall to the right, walking before we could even look down it. When we followed, I realized exactly why the building was ragged and the smell foul. This was a prison.
Iron bars lined the walls, cut into sections by columns of brick.
We passed by only empty cells as we walked, the smell growing in intensity the farther we walked.
Though it was early in the day, no light shone inside, because there were no windows.
Instead, torches were placed periodically, casting deep, flickering shadows.
We arrived at the end, where the commander waved a hand towards the cell on the right. Altair tucked me behind him as we approached, annoying me to no end. Clearly, he had a problem. Maybe he thought I was weaker than him or something, but—
My thoughts were cut off by a cough from whoever was inside the cell. I approached it hesitantly, catching sight of Altair’s slack jaw and wide eyes before my gaze landed on the couple.
They were coated in dirt from the dingy limestone floors, but I could still make out their features and clothes. In fact, I knew the clothes intimately. They wore elite leathers.
Beyond that, the man and woman were clearly well built before.
They still had muscled bodies that the fabric clung to, though their malnutrition showed in their gaunt faces and the way their tan skin had taken on a grey hue.
Their hair was both dark, with the woman’s being nearly black and the man’s more of a dusty brown.
“Do you know these people, Azazel?” Commander Maitoza asked. Based on her sure tone, she knew his answer before he gave it.
“Yes.” He was stiff, his hands at his side and his face stern.
Were they important to him?
“Good. Nova, let me introduce you to Adam and Jenna Harmen. They’re both elite soldiers who are quite close to the core families. Often, they attend elite events, such as balls.”
Neither of the Harmens spoke, though they glared openly as Altair. Traitor, their eyes seemed to say. But it wasn’t them that had Altair and I both deflating. No, it was the realization that did it.
“You want us to impersonate this couple at an elite ball.” It wasn’t a question. It didn’t need to be. I knew I was right.
“Precisely.”
“What information are you hoping we’ll glean?”
Altair still hadn’t spoken, his eyes not leaving the couple in the cell.
“I need to know their plans for the rebellion. Do they know where we are? Have they captured any high ranking rebels? Do they have a grasp of our numbers? I believe they are aware the movement is larger and more dangerous than they previously believed, but what knowledge do they really have?”
“They think you’re a handful of eadi who aren’t worth their time. They delegate it to the officials.” Altair didn’t seem to believe his own words, his voice hoarse.
“You and I both know that isn’t true, Azazel.” The commander waved to the Harmens. “Right, Adam? Jenna?”
Neither responded, but I could tell by their almost smirks that she was right. The core leaders knew more than they’d let on. Didn’t we know that already? Hadn’t Mihaley told us as much the day before?
“They’ll know it’s us,” I cut in. “How are we supposed to pretend to be a couple they know so well? I’m sure they’re already on edge.”
“That’s why you two are the perfect pair to do this. One of you knows the Harmens personally, as well as the etiquette and standards for such an event. The other is capable of brewing shift. Plus, you have three days to ready yourselves. That’s enough time.”
I opened my mouth to argue. To fight. To say anything that would prevent us from being forced to walk into the lion’s den, but Altair’s hand met my back once again.
“We best go get started then,” he growled. Turning us, he began guiding me back down the hall of cells, not saying a word. Neither of us looked back, and the commander said nothing as we left.
The moment the fresh, icy air met my face, I sucked in desperate gulps.
How sickening to make them sit in their own filth.
That must have been the smell—shit and piss.
I knew what Commander Maitoza likely thought.
They were elites, they deserved to suffer.
Maybe Altair and I deserved it too. Or maybe nothing would ever get better when all either side did was torture the other.
“She’s going to get us fucking killed,” Altair hissed, picking up his pace. I tried to keep up, stumbling a few times. Eventually, I had to start jogging to stay at his side,
“Altair, why are you walking so fast?”
“We need off this damn island!” he yelled. I knew the moment we passed through the wards, because Altair turned and wrapped his arms around me, shadow walking us directly into the cottage.
I stumbled when he let me go, watching as he stormed outside.
“Well, aren’t you going to chase after him?”
Smacking my forehead—as if that’d help—I tried to will the stars out of my mind.
“Are you attempting to knock yourself unconscious so you don’t have to follow?”
Why would I follow him? Clearly he needs space.
“Or maybe he needs you.”
What could I do?
“Be there.”
I hated it when they were right. Sighing, I chased after him through the door, not seeing him anywhere on the clifftop.
Ideally, he hadn’t jumped off the edge into the water.
With that in mind, I jogged over to the edge of the hillside, where I spotted Altair standing in the center of the ruins at the bottom, shadow tendrils clinging to the air around him.
“Altair! Wait!” Right as I willed myself to the bottom of the hill, Altair bent down, grabbed a chunk of rubble, and threw it. Now concerned, I jogged towards him.
Then he yelled. Stopping a few feet away, I watched as he screamed and screamed, throwing pieces of the ruins as he did. Silently, I sat down, letting him get it all out. I knew what it felt like to be hopeless.