Chapter Twenty-Six - Wilder
Leigh and I go back to the party. She mingles with the spirits, trying to gather information about Fynn’s whereabouts. Kosac probably has him locked away somewhere. But where and why? Does he have some sinister reason for wanting an orphan boy? We need to find Fynn before anything happens to him.
While Leigh works the room, I keep a low profile. Kosac still hasn’t arrived, but when he does, I don’t want him to see me. He told me to leave Mictlan. I’m sure he’ll have zero remorse when he has his Dullahan finish what they started earlier.
Talk to that one, I say to Leigh through our strange telepathic bond, indicating to a blonde ghost with a tan complexion.
She wears a black domino mask and flicks her frayed fan in sharp, restless motions.
Unlike the others, she stands a little apart, shoulders tense, on edge.
Her eyes behind the mask are restless, constantly scanning the room like a thief choosing her target.
Why her? Leigh asks, unconvinced.
Trust me.
Leigh saunters over to the ghost. “You look familiar,” she says.
The ghost smiles. It’s guarded yet interested. “Do I? I assure you we’ve never met, Your Majesty, but I do have a face that’s hard to forget.”
Leigh’s smile wavers. She clearly doesn’t recognize the ghost and is searching for the right words, her hesitation lingering a moment too long.
I can see her trying to come up with questions that won’t send the ghost straight to Kosac.
The ghost’s eyes flick toward the empty throne, impatience showing in her rigid posture.
Say something, I urge.
“Are you famous? How do you seem so familiar?” Leigh asks.
Good, now work Fynn into the conversation.
Easier said than done is Leigh’s bratty reply.
“Not famous for anything good,” the ghost replies darkly.
“So, infamous then?” Leigh asks. I drift to the side, pretending to inspect the food spread, which I suspect is meant more for Leigh than for the ghosts. He wants her fed and happy. For what?
Leigh hesitates, then tries again. “Did you do something you shouldn’t have?”
The ghost chuckles. “If spending five years robbing banks to give the money to the Nebula in the BOD counts as bad, then I suppose I’m guilty.”
Ha—I knew she was a thief, even if she stole for a worthy cause.
I clear my throat and catch Leigh’s eye.
Keep the conversation going, I tell Leigh.
You need to connect with this ghost. Talk about your work on repealing the Labor Laws.
Your common ground is that you’re both fighters for the Nebula, then you can steer the conversation toward Fynn.
If Kosac brought you here, chances are Fynn is here, too.
She may bring you to him if she thinks you are an ally.
Leigh’s jaw tightens as the woman shifts uneasily. Leigh can’t let her slip away—this bank robber and dedicated Nebula supporter could be the ally we need to find Fynn. She has morals and cares about justice, which sets her apart from the aristocrats in the room.
How do I even start a conversation like that without it seeming fishy? Leigh huffs.
You’re not talking to her at all, which isn’t helping.
Feel free to step in at any time.
Leigh. You’ve got this.
The woman looks back and forth between us. “You two seem busy. Enjoy the party, Your Majesty. We’ll meet again soon.” She slips into the crowd.
With a groan, Leigh joins me at the concession table. She idly examines the food while I pretend to watch the dancers. “You’re better at interrogations than I am,” she mutters. “You could have had her talking faster than me. Maybe you should talk while I coach from the sidelines.”
“You were doing fine,” I lie.
She gives a wry smile. “Hardly. What would you have said to her?”
I keep my eyes on our surroundings; Kosac isn’t here, but other ghosts hover with predatory curiosity.
“She stole from the rich to help the poor. She knows how to bend the rules. All the ghosts here are Kosac’s lackeys.
And they share a psychic connection, like we do, which means that if a mortal boy were being held prisoner somewhere, it would be hard to keep it a secret.
We have to find her angle, appeal to her curiosity, or get her to trust us. ”
Leigh groans. “This is why you should be doing the talking. You do this professionally.”
I frown. “No, I don’t.” Not anymore.
She snorts. “Denial is the first stage of grief. I bet if you went home right now, Soter would give you your job back.”
“I don’t want it back.”
“Why? You love it, and you’re good at it, too. I don’t want you to quit something because of me. I want you to have everything you want.”
Longing tightens my stomach. “I want you,” I mutter.
Leigh’s gaze lingers on me. “I think you miss it.”
I’ve never been able to lie well to Leigh. I do miss it. I loved being a Blade, but my parents … “Desiree and I paid the price for my parents’ selfishness. I don’t want that for you.”
A flush rises in Leigh’s cheeks. “Wilder, I think you’re making a mistake.”
No. Losing her would be a mistake.
“Come on, princess, let’s try someone else—” My words die as I see Leigh lift a glass of sparkling liquid. Starlight flickers in the drink. Before I can stop her, she takes a sip.
“What are you doing?” I hiss.
She shrugs. “I’m thirsty.”
I scan her for any signs she’s been enchanted or worse. Stories about people losing their minds to fairy wine or spirit drinks flash through my mind. Why should Mictlan be any different?
“How do you feel?”
She smiles, unbothered. “You worry too much.”
“You shouldn’t be so careless.”
Leigh takes another sip, keeping her eyes locked on mine.
“Don’t,” I warn softly.
She groans. “We’re no closer to finding Fynn. Aradia isn’t here—what else am I supposed to do?” She lifts her glass. “I had something profound and meaningful to say at our wedding, but all I can say right now is ‘bottoms up.’”
“That sounds a hell of a lot like giving up,” I say under my breath.
With heavy shoulders, Leigh sets her drink down. “I don’t know what else to do.”
Neither do I but getting drunk will only weaken us. Fynn is somewhere in this realm—maybe even this castle. “You said you tried exploring earlier. What did you find?”
“Empty rooms.”
“Upstairs?”
She nods, catching my urgency. “What are you thinking?”
“Does this place have a dungeon? Kosac doesn’t want us to find Fynn. I say we tear this castle apart until we do, starting from the ground up.”
A gleam of resolve sparks in Leigh’s eyes. “Then we’d better hurry before he gets here.”