Chapter 14
I’D HAVE THOUGHT the idea of him being so close by would keep me up, but the second I crawled under the covers, I fell fast asleep.
I dreamed of a gentle hand stroking my hair sometime in the night. When I rolled over, it stopped, and when I glanced around, I didn’t see anyone. I’d probably been dreaming of Mom, missing her.
Morning came with cheerful sunlight. It woke me slowly, and I stretched in the cozy warmth.
Peeking through one eye, I tried to remember where I was, disoriented by the maze of tree roots across the ceiling.
The daylight confused me—wasn’t I underground?
—until I realized it poured in through dozens of tiny skylights all around the room, tucked in between the roots.
They probably looked like little mouse holes from the surface.
Despite the way they had to be letting in cold winter air, the fire below kept the whole space warm.
I pulled my phone out and gasped softly.
7:33 a.m.
Throwing the covers off, I sat up.
My battery blinked red for low. It was only at 18 percent now.
I’d been too scared to turn it off last night, on the tiniest chance that my family might try to reach me.
They hadn’t, obviously. And now I’d wasted so much battery that after opening the app in an attempt to check for their location—still no signal—I forced myself to power it down.
As the screen went dark, so did my emotions.
I wasn’t like the characters in my books who could just accept their fate and make something of it.
I wasn’t strong. I couldn’t handle all the impossibilities thrown my way.
I didn’t know what to do, where to go, who to trust. Someone else would step up in a situation like this.
Olive would think of a solution in two seconds flat.
Rissa for sure was brave enough to find a way. Mom always had the answers.
But not me. I wasn’t the strong female lead and never had been.
No. When put under pressure, I broke.
My face crumpled. I hid it in the pillow to muffle my sobs until my eyes burned.
Instead of releasing the emotions, though, the hot tears only amplified them.
Defeated thoughts played in my mind over and over: Mom’s trail is going cold.
Dad, Rissa, and Olive will be next. I can’t do anything.
I’m no one. Nothing. I’m going to lose them forever.
Every time I managed to dry my eyes, my mind pushed repeat, and it looped again. I couldn’t seem to stop it.
When I finally forced myself up, it wasn’t because I felt better—I just didn’t have a choice. If anything, I felt numb. Everything in me wanted to crawl back into bed.
But it was officially the tomorrow I’d been waiting for. Soren would have some deal for me, which I’d accept whether I wanted to or not, and then if a miracle happened, I’d find my family and get them out of here.
I sat on the edge of the daybed, spiraling, still wearing the dress from last night.
I’d been so tired that I hadn’t even tried to unwind the sandals to take them off.
My bangs were probably sticking up at all kinds of odd angles, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.
Hopefully the braids that Lore had woven into my hair had kept it mostly contained.
Murmuring came from the first floor.
I crouched down, feeling like an intruder, and crept to the railing to peek over.
Tea and pastries were laid out on the coffee table by the fire. Soren and his four friends lounged on the surrounding couches and chairs, chatting comfortably as they ate.
A few steps to the left and I could take the ladder down and join them.
Or . . .
My gaze drifted to the right, where Soren had disappeared last night.
His room.
I bit my lip.
If they were all downstairs, no one would know if I snooped. Though Soren had said he’d told me everything he knew, I still wanted a peek at his logbook.
Last night he’d put it into his jacket pocket before going to his room. If he’d left it there, I could finally confirm he’d told me everything.
More importantly, though, I could see if he’d written anything about Mom and maybe even where they’d taken her.
Either way, if I got a look at it, I might not have to make another ridiculous deal.
Sneaking back to the opposite wall, I slowly stood. They couldn’t see me from here. I slunk along the side of the balcony, keeping close enough to the shelves to brush against them until I reached the last one.
The hidden door.
If it was locked, this little mission of mine would be over before it even began.
Which book did Soren use as a doorknob?
My fingers brushed the cloth-covered spines. I pulled on the thick, deep green hardcover on the far left, and it rewarded me with a nearly silent click as the mechanism released.
The secret door swung open.
I slipped inside.
On the back of the bookshelf, there wasn’t a handle.
Would it open when I tried to leave?
There was always the normal-looking door across the room if it didn’t, but I didn’t know where that led.
To be safe, I left the secret door slightly open, just enough that I wouldn’t get locked in.
Satisfied, I turned to study Soren’s room. The lack of color struck me first. Though spacious enough to fit a large bed, the blankets were a simple gray. Only one pillow.
When I caught myself thinking he must be lonely, I frowned. He’s fae. And he may still be involved with those who took Dad, Rissa, and Olive. Maybe Mom too. Stop worrying about his stupid feelings.
A soft off-white carpet covered most of the dark wood floor. Two chocolate-colored bookcases on either side of the bed held books that seemed much more worn than those in the library, like they were well loved. A sizable stack rested on his bedside table as well, alongside a cozy reading lamp.
The one touch of color in the room besides the books came from a single painting on the wall.
The artwork held seven fae posed on the edge of a mountain with a vivid sunset in the background. It looked like a family portrait. All of them had enormous wings. The only other fae I’d seen with wings, besides Soren, was the one who’d abducted my family.
Some kept their wings contained while others spread them out, almost like they were bragging. In the center of the group, a man—or fae—wrapped his arm around who I guessed might be his wife. He had pale blond hair, while hers was dark.
The first three fae were an exact replicate of him but younger, down to the pale white wings—his sons, maybe? If so, that might make the other two brother and sister. They both had darker hair and deep black wings like the woman—female? Whatever she was called here.
On closer look, I inhaled sharply. That was Soren, before he’d lost his wings. So, that was what they’d looked like. Was this his family?
His sharp blue eyes matched what I assumed were his mother’s. But he and the other female stood ever so slightly apart from the rest of the family.
Soft laughter trickled from downstairs. Though instinct made me want to run, the part of me that wanted answers started digging.
I started with his bookshelves, then the books on his bedside table, trying not to get distracted by titles. Not a single one was brown leather.
I pried open the drawers of his dresser next, making quick work of my search.
Spinning to look around the room, I didn’t see many other hiding places. Under the rug? Nope. Behind the mirror? No. On the small desk? Uh-uh. My eyes fell on the tall wardrobe on the other side of the bed. Worth checking, I supposed.
I felt around the wooden interior of the base, opening the boxes there, which only held shoes. I even brushed a hand through the hanging clothes.
A soft crinkle came from a pair of pants.
Curious, I reached into the pocket and tugged the paper out. In a cursive script that looped wildly, it said, Acquire another four dozen mortals before the end of solstice.
I recoiled.
That was almost fifty people. I could only assume “acquire” meant putting them into contracts like Dad, Rissa, and Olive. Probably Mom too.
Did Soren write this?
Though I’d been ready to consider his innocence, this was evidence of the opposite. Even if he hadn’t written it, he was obviously complicit in stealing people into the fae world.
Struggling to wrap my mind around the note, I put it back, staring hopelessly into the wardrobe. I’d just started to think maybe he wasn’t that bad. My mind tried to find excuses for him, like maybe he didn’t want to do it. But did that matter? If he was involved, he needed to be stopped.
Returning to my hunt with new energy, I searched every nook and cranny. But the notebook didn’t turn up.
With a sigh, I prepared to admit defeat.
The doorknob of the regular door jiggled as someone turned it.
I sucked in a breath.
I hadn’t heard anyone coming!
The hidden doorway to the balcony was all the way across the room.
Without thinking, I jumped inside the wardrobe and yanked the door closed behind me, leaving a slight crack.
At first, I couldn’t see anything.
Then Soren entered the room.
He sank down onto the bed with his back to me, putting his head in his hands. The posture seemed almost . . . hopeless? How strange.
I held my breath when he stood.
Had he heard me?
But he just lifted the mattress and pulled something from beneath that I couldn’t quite see. I should’ve checked there!
Too late now.
Whatever it was, it was too small to be the notebook, because he tucked it into his pants pocket.
When he moved out of view, I started to panic. If he needed clothes, I’d chosen the worst-possible hiding place. I should’ve rolled under the bed.
But then I heard a door click softly shut.
I blew out a relieved breath.
Time to get out of here before he came back and caught me snooping. Climbing out of the wardrobe, I shut it behind me and dashed across the room. The hidden door had fallen shut at some point.
I searched for the seam in the wall.
There.
Pushing on the back of the shelf that led to the balcony, I slipped through.
And crashed straight into a solid chest.
Soren.
I’d landed in his arms.
He’d raised them by default to catch me.
I backed up so fast that I tripped.
He pulled me upright before I could fall, swinging me right back into his arms. This time they curled around me, holding me in place.
“I was coming to check on you,” he said in a low tone, his face inches from mine, “when I remembered that I always close this door.”
Crap.
“What were you doing in my room?”
“I was . . . looking for you?” I said weakly.