Chapter 19 Aurora
The buzzing of the house woke me before sunset. I’d grown accustomed to waking in complete silence during our time in the Tenth Ward, so the scraping and murmur of voices filtering through the walls startled me awake.
For a heartbeat, I expected to see Mother rifling through my wardrobe again, or perhaps the world had finally ended. Not that they were mutually exclusive.
Then awareness crashed over me. I was in Radu’s bed at the Black Guild’s manor, with very warm arms wrapped around my waist and an even warmer zmeu curled against my chest.
It wouldn’t have been so bad if Shadow weren’t a smidgen colder than the flames of hell itself.
The ash-colored zmeu was barely a few months old, with wings to match her dusky hide.
Everyone in the guild called her different names, but I’d settled on Shadow because she had this habit of watching us from dark corners.
If it weren’t for those owlish yellow eyes glowing in the dark, you’d never know she was there.
Unfortunately, she also snored like a drunken sailor.
I nuzzled the rough skin between her tiny horns, then carefully wiggled free from under covers, arms, and paws.
I’d fallen asleep after Radu had insisted I replenish my blood reserves. And by insisted, I meant him parading around stark naked and wet from the shower, teasing me with superficial cuts until I gave in.
And I had.
Several times.
He lay sprawled among embroidered sheets and thick feather pillows, his face the picture of innocence.
True, it was a devastatingly sexy kind of innocence, but it did magical things to my nether regions all the same.
I wanted nothing more than to steal one last kiss before the night began, but I couldn’t risk waking him.
I needed him sharp and focused to portal us hundreds of miles through Souleater-infested territory.
My gaze drifted up the angles of his body. He had his arm thrown over his forehead, his right palm open and facing the ceiling. Coordinates and checkpoint markers scrolled in black ink across his skin. The route he’d memorized to avoid Republic scanners and stay invisible to projector surveillance.
Taking one last look at those strong features, I gathered my scattered clothes from the floor and slipped out into the hallway, then to my room.
After dressing quickly in fresh leathers and braiding my damp hair back, I slipped on my knee-high boots and made my way downstairs.
Voices carried from the back patio. Gale rushed out of the war room with a map rolled in her hands.
The same one that served as both tablecloth and reference for the outer wards during strategy meetings.
I wove between marble-topped tables and velvet settees lining the columns of the foyer and followed the earthy smell of freshly brewed kafea. Candlelight reflected in the countless faceted teardrops of the chandelier and scattered patterns across the papered walls.
Outside, the air smelled rich with damp earth and night-blooming flowers.
The stream burbled gently beyond the fence, mixing with the chirp of nightjars.
Paper lanterns hung from the gnarled branches of the old oak, swaying in the breeze and casting warm amber light over the guild members gathered around the dinner table.
Radu had arrived before me―via Chronoportal―and stood with one hand braced against the worn wood as he leaned forward. “—fallback position is the Sparrow’s base in the ninth ward. If the Shepherd breaks through our perimeter, you run there immediately. No heroics.”
When he saw me approaching, he fastened heated amber eyes on me until Terraknight’s gruff voice pulled his attention.
“We can traverse the river here,” the vice-captain said, pointing at the map spread between last night’s abandoned dinner plates. “But if it predicts our escape plan and ambushes us… we’re fucked.”
“Split into two groups to diminish the chance of being caught together.” Radu traced routes with his finger. “One takes the Ialomita River, the other the caves.”
“So, it’s a gamble who faces the Shepherd,” Ember said.
I stepped closer, studying the tactical positions on the map. The caves weren’t far from Sibiu. “What about a decoy route? Send a small group to the outskirts of the city to draw its attention while the others slip through the mountain.”
Radu’s eyes flicked to mine. “That puts whoever takes the decoy route in direct danger.”
“Everything we do puts us in danger. At least this way we control the risk instead of leaving it to chance.”
He considered this, then nodded slowly. “Hummingbird and Ember could handle the decoy. Their magic creates enough chaos to draw the Shepherd’s focus, and he can fly her to safety before the Souleaters close in.”
I swept my gaze over Radu’s trademark black leather pants that hugged his firm ass and powerful thighs.
A loose black t-shirt stretched across his broad chest, the opal pendant resting between his pectorals and catching the soft glow from the paper lanterns.
Scuffed combat boots—the kind that had seen real action—completed the look.
But the sunsteel blade sheathed around his forearm made me pause.
A lump longed in my throat.
He never went anywhere without it, but bringing it to the Republic…
The only weapon that could kill an immortal.
I didn’t know how to react to that. Then again, if the worst happened and the guards caught us, did I want him defenseless?
I hadn’t sugarcoated the truth about the Nightwatch; they would act first and ask questions later if they considered either of us a threat.
I swallowed the ball of dread and dropped onto the stone balustrade, leaning back against a pillar.
Above, the night sky stretched endlessly, uncaring of my earthbound problems. I tried not to feel bitter.
Not very hard, but I did give it an ounce of effort before I gave up and let myself resent the hell out of the entire pureblood establishment.
Stress and fear were eating me alive. Especially when our entire plan balanced on one single variable—Dracula. One ancient, unpredictable Creator who might decide we weren’t worth his time. One being who could crush us all if the mood struck him.
Just perfect.
Despite being only half full, the moon blazed with unusual brightness through the gray clouds drifting overhead. Even the damn sky was conspiring against me.
Another reason for my spectacular mood.
The Red Moon crept closer each night, already making the moon appear nearly double its normal size. It would continue to swell as it drew nearer than it had in five hundred years. Closer meant wilder magic, purebloods losing their minds to bloodlust, and originals vulnerable to eternal bonds.
The bane of my existence.
At least one good thing had come from the chaos my life had become since my hundredth birthday. I wouldn’t have to bind myself to that vicious bastard who had stolen my throne. Though at this rate, there might not be a throne left to fight over.
A boot scuffed the ground, and I startled. The familiar scent of jasmine reached my nostrils before Selena’s voice came over my shoulder.
“You ready for this?” she asked, clamping her fingers around my forearm.
Her grip felt like a vice, knuckles white with tension.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said, forcing what I hoped passed for a confident smile.
Her dark brows drew together as she pulled me down closer to her height.
“Listen to me carefully,” she demanded in a hushed tone.
“No detours. No side trips. And whatever you do, don’t even think about checking on Commander Enescu while you’re there.
” Her eyes narrowed. “You have your whole immortal life ahead of you to confront him. It’s too risky. ”
“I’m not stupid, Sel. I’ll be careful—”
“Projector!” Gale called from the roof, drawing everyone’s attention.
She launched herself into the air with a flourish of bronze wings and mahogany braids, landing in the ankle-high grass. Dressed in form-fitting black clothes, Gale looked ready to pull off the heist of the century rather than like someone who’d just woken up.
She climbed the three stairs to the patio and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “Both Hummingbird and I wish you good luck tonight. He said he would have walked you to the portal if the lieutenant hadn’t threatened to rip him a new one for leaving his bed.”
“Damn right I would,” Selena said with fierce pride, making us all laugh despite the tension.
“Projector, come see what Cap brought for your disguises,” Pearl called from the doorway.
The varva wasn’t heavily built—none of the guild women were—but her arm muscles strained under the weight of the garments.
A longer black piece spilled from the crook of her elbow, nearly reaching her studded boots.
She wore a simple white tank and midnight silk shorts, her turquoise hair cascading in loose waves around her shoulders.
I jumped down and walked over to her. “Let me see,” I said, reaching for the bundle with violet silk lining.
I slipped on the velvet robe, expecting its weight to drag at my shoulders. Instead, the supposedly full-length cloak barely reached mid-thigh, leaving the bottom half of my projector uniform completely exposed.
“Ah, Harbinger?” I croaked, flapping the oversized sleeves. “What exactly is this supposed to be?”
He covered the ten feet between us. “It’s not exactly a buyer’s market out there, princess,” he drawled. “But it serves its purpose.” He reached over and pulled the large hood up over my head. “See? It’s doing exactly what it’s meant to do.”
I batted his hands away, catching a hint of his addictive scent. “What about my legs?”
“Pearl?” he called without taking his eyes off me.
Both dimples made an appearance alongside his grin. I couldn’t decide if that smug expression made me want to slap him or grab his face and kiss him senseless.
Probably both.
“Here.” Pearl passed him the black garment, and he held it up for me to see.
A strong whiff of mothballs wafted from the fabric, making me wrinkle my nose. I examined the long skirt with a critical eye. Layer upon layer of black lace spiraled down from the waistband, with a dark slip underneath providing decent coverage that trailed almost to the ground.
I shrugged and snatched the garment from his hands. “I suppose it’s not terrible.”
“Not terrible?” he scoffed. “It’s perfect! You have no idea how long it took me to find something in your size.”
“It’s not—” I started to protest, then choked on the words as I cinched the waistband and found it was indeed a perfect match. The bottom layer of lace pooled slightly around my feet.
“What were you saying?” Radu wasn’t looking at me directly, too busy securing his own heavy cloak at the base of his neck, but sarcasm dripped from every word.
His cloak was made of thick wool, dyed deep brown, with a silver trim that caught the moonlight when he moved. The oversized hood fell in a stiff triangle to his shoulders, and it reeked of mothballs just as badly as mine.
“Well look at that…” Terraknight’s deep chuckle carried over the murmurs around us. He circled us like a predator, rubbing the dark stubble on his chin. “Cap looks like he’s snagged himself a wealthy—”
“Widow?” I said, kicking one leg forward and rustling the layers of fabric.
“More like a rich man’s mistress,” Gale corrected with a grin.
Selena nodded approvingly. “Perfect. No one will give you a second glance.”
She was right. The longer I studied our disguises, the more confident I felt. What we looked like now—a well-dressed gentleman with his expensive companion—was common enough to be invisible.
“Time to go,” Radu announced, clapping Terraknight on the shoulder. His other hand began rotating in slow circles at his side. “We’ll see you before sunrise.”
The air sizzled and thundered behind me. My hair whipped across my face as his cloak fluttered about him. I didn’t need to turn around to recognize the signs of his portal opening—I’d felt his Chronoportal enough times to know it anywhere.
Terraknight stepped forward and crushed me in what might have been an embrace or a wrestling hold. “You watch yourself out there,” he growled in my ear, and I nodded quickly, eager to escape with my ribs intact.
We all exchanged farewells like we’d never see each other again, and the hollow ache in my chest expanded until it felt like it might swallow me whole. Strange how much it hurt to leave them, even for just a few hours. The bonds I’d formed with them had become stronger than I’d realized.
How everything had changed since that first day at the Initiation ceremony.
Selena hugged me next, then Gale, and finally Pearl. A few tears were shed, though I wouldn’t name names. I didn’t expect any show of affection from Ember, and wasn’t surprised when she simply nodded curtly.
Selena caught my hand one last time, her grip fierce. “In and out,” she said, echoing my earlier words. She forced a smile that couldn’t quite hide the worry in her dark eyes. “Just like you promised.”
“In and out,” I agreed.
“Come on, Projector,” Radu called, his hand extended toward me in front of the swirling portal.
I bent forward, gathered the folds of my skirt around my knees, and hurried to join him. My heart hammered against my ribs.
He took my hand, stroking my knuckles. “Don’t be afraid,” he whispered, pulling me closer to him. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
The portal writhed like a living being, ice-cold air bleeding from its edges. Static electricity raised the hair on my arms. The void beyond looked hungry, patient.
And despite everything—despite not knowing what we’d find in the Republic, despite the growing dread that this mission might be our last together—I believed him.
Together, we stepped into the swirling darkness.