Chapter 66
Fallowmoor had never felt so big. Marlow quickened her steps, head down, trying not to draw attention, but the four of them were hardly inconspicuous.
It felt like ages before they finally reached the edge of the darkness, and it was a miracle they made it without crossing paths with any ministry or City Watch. Their feigned attack must have worked. They were all chasing their tails across town.
This close to the tear, the streets were eerily still. There was no sign of Felix, so they followed the edge of the thing deeper into the city. When Marlow finally saw him, she let herself relax.
But where was August? Why hadn’t he closed the tear?
Felix reached out and touched the darkness, and Marlow’s heart sank.
What was he doing?
“Felix!” she called, but it was too late. He was already stepping through.
Marlow froze. This wasn’t part of the plan. Why would he go inside?
Gideon’s shout cut through her panic, and she turned just in time to see a ministry officer unleash a roaring fireball. Horror twisted in her chest as it struck Niall and sent him sprawling.
As the fire caught, a scream ripped from his throat.
No!
She peeled off her jacket and used it to smother the flames. Once she was certain the fire was out, she threw it aside. The burns on his face and arms were a shocking raw red, and the air was thick with the smell of charred flesh.
“You’re alright,” she told him. Her magic rushed forward as she touched a hand to his cheek. “Just hold on.”
A flash of pink sent Marlow’s heart into her throat. She dove out of the way, and the fireball narrowly missed, vanishing silently into the wall of darkness behind her.
She drew Felix’s gun, aimed at the nearest officer, and pulled the trigger. It responded with a click.
Solach.
Gideon appeared beside her, scooping Niall off the ground. “Get out of here, Mar.”
But she couldn’t leave without Felix.
Lark threw a handful of lead balls into the air and sent them off with a flare of magic, providing cover for Gideon as he carried Niall away. Three found their marks, and the officers dropped.
But there were more.
White-hot pain flared in Marlow’s side. She groaned, clutching the wound. A throwing knife. She spun just as the woman sent out another, this one aimed at her head.
Marlow staggered back. The blade jolted midair and veered suddenly off track, clattering harmlessly to the cobblestones.
With a sharp gasp of relief, she shot Lark a grateful look.
That was too close.
Gideon was right. They needed to run. She’d come back for Felix.
She put the gun away and followed Lark and Gideon, rounding the corner of a building. They stopped short as they faced down four more ministry officers.
At their centre was Ciaran.
He gave Marlow a warm smile. “Been a while, Mar.”
She glared back. Figures, now he gets the name right.
Lark stepped in front of Niall, blocking him protectively. She dug out another handful of lead balls, but an officer sent all three of them flying back with a violent gust of wind. Niall tumbled from Gideon’s grip, hitting the ground hard. Lark yelped and crawled to his side.
“You,” Ciaran said, shifting his gaze to Gideon. “Your little group has cost me a great deal of money.”
“Where’s the aesling?” Ciaran asked, his attention back on Marlow.
“Cop on, will ya,” she snapped. “Do I look like I rub shoulders with royalty?”
“You and Connolly were with him in Haverglen. Where are they?” When she didn’t answer, Ciaran gestured to the officer beside him, who stepped forward, forming a fiery sphere between his cupped hands.
“I wonder which would work faster,” Ciaran said, scratching his neat beard. “Wielder fire or a healer’s innate regeneration. Shall we test it?”
“They crossed into that,” Gideon said, gesturing to the tear. “You just gotta hang on. They’ll be back, somewhere close by, I’m sure of it.”
Marlow sent him a scowl. What was he doing?
“It’s the aesling you’re after, yeah? I’ll get Felix to stand down. You take the boy, and we walk.”
“Gideon,” Marlow warned. There was no way Felix would stand down and let Ciaran take August.
But Gideon ignored her. He rose slowly and lifted his hands in surrender.
The officer looked to Ciaran for orders, the fireball still writhing between his hands.
Ciaran opened his mouth to respond, but Gideon already had his saber drawn. He lurched forward, lobbing off the officer’s head. The fireball faded.
Relief burned sudden and bright through Marlow as she followed his lead and raced forward to grab hold of another. She flared her magic and focused on the beating of his heart, forcing it to an abrupt stop. The officer crumpled.
Ciaran’s whistle echoed down the street, and within seconds, more ministry flooded in around them.
Marlow retreated a step, her breathing ragged. They couldn’t handle this many.
“Run!” Gideon shouted, lifting Niall off the ground. Lark sent out a burst of lead balls, and the officers scattered to avoid the shots.
Something coiled around Marlow’s ankle. With a sharp tug, it yanked her leg out from under her, and the hard ground flew up to greet her. She writhed against the grip as the vine dragged her back.
Ciaran smiled down at her, then pain exploded through her skull, and the world plunged into darkness.