Chapter 13
Chapter thirteen
Luna
“The Darién Gap?” Theo’s bushy eyebrows shot up as he peered at me over his spectacles. “You might as well be planning a holiday in hell.”
I sat in my boss’s cluttered office, surrounded by ancient texts, amulets hanging from the walls, and the faint smell of sage and leather that seemed to follow him everywhere.
A skull—probably human, knowing Theo—served as a paperweight on a stack of yellowing file folders labeled Pay Stubs.
Three different clocks on his wall all showed different times, none of them correct.
“Hell has better infrastructure,” I replied, scanning the weathered maps I’d borrowed from him. “At least according to the pamphlets.”
The Darién Gap—fifty miles of untamed jungle and swampland stretching between Panama and Colombia—was the only break in the 19,000-mile Pan-American Highway.
A breeding ground for malaria, crocodiles, pit vipers, and poison dart frogs.
A place so dangerous that even some cartels gave it a wide berth while some preferred to rampage right through it.
It was a perfect location for an ancient artifact.
“This is no joking matter, Luna.” Theo tapped the map with a gnarled finger, his nail clicking against a spot where the paper had been repaired with tape. “The Gap isn’t just physically perilous. It’s supernaturally volatile.”
“Well, I don’t have a choice,” I said. “The first piece of the Shadow Fang is there, and my new partner I didn’t want is paying me good money to help him retrieve it.”
Theo sighed, the sound whistling through his crooked teeth. “The Wolf Queen’s Crypt has remained hidden for centuries for good reason. Her power was…well, powerful.”
“Because she could control all were-creatures?” I asked, remembering the legends my dad used to tell during pack gatherings, stories meant to keep young wolves in line, like: Behave, or the Wolf Queen will call your beast out against your will and attack.
“You know the legends?”
“Some. My father used to talk about her at pack ceremonies.” I traced the serpentine river path on the map. “She united the were-clans during the first vampire wars, then she disappeared when the truce was established.”
“That’s the sanitized version they tell pups,” Theo muttered, rubbing the scar that bisected his left eyebrow. “The reality was far messier.”
I waited, but he simply shook his head and circled an area near the Panama-Colombia border in red ink that smelled metallic. Not regular ink, then.
“This region is your best entry point. The old magic is strongest here, which means the boundary protections will be as well.”
“Boundary protections?”
“The Wolf Queen wasn’t just powerful. She was paranoid.
” Theo pulled a small wooden box from beneath his desk, its surface carved with lunar phases.
“She surrounded her territories with layered magical defenses that are still active centuries later.” He placed the box between us, sliding it toward me with reverence. “You’ll need these.”
Inside were two amulets on leather cords, each containing a dark amber stone with what looked like a droplet of mercury suspended in the center. The amber caught the lamplight, creating the illusion of something moving within.
“Passage tokens,” he explained. “They won’t get you into the crypt itself, but they’ll help you navigate the boundary wards without triggering the more aggressive defenses. The Darién Gap has ways of isolating travelers. Not all barriers there are physical.”
I lifted one amulet, feeling an odd vibration as I held it, a gentle thrum that synchronized with my pulse. I secured it around my neck. “Meaning?”
“Meaning the Wolf Queen valued her privacy and had the magical means to ensure it.” Theo tapped the amulet around my neck. “Keep this on at all times and stay alert for signs of her influence.”
“Signs like what?”
His expression turned grave, the lines in his face deepening. “Changes in perception. Heightened emotions. Vivid memories you can’t distinguish from reality. For shifters, her influence manifests differently than for vampires. She may try to reach your wolf, even though you can no longer shift.”
The thought simmered around that aching, hollow feeling inside me. My connection to my wolf had been severed about three years ago in the pack-banishing ritual—a wound that had never fully healed.
“I don’t have a wolf anymore,” I reminded him. “My dad saw to that.”
“Your ability to shift was blocked, not erased,” Theo corrected, his voice gentler than usual. “The beast is still within you. It’s merely dormant. The Wolf Queen’s territory might…awaken things.”
I doubted it. I hadn’t felt any signs of my wolf. None. The silence where that primal connection should have been remained absolute.
“Where did you get these?” I asked, touching my amulet.
The stone felt warm against my skin now.
Kind of a stupid question since Theo was a retired tomb raider who now hired others to do the actual raiding. His collection of “souvenirs” was legendary.
“Around.” Theo’s mouth twitched, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Anyway, those tokens will mask your presence somewhat, but the vampire will have a harder time. The Queen’s magic was specifically designed to repel his kind.”
“What about infiltration? What’s the safest way in?”
Theo traced a route on the map, his finger leaving a faint phosphorescent trail that slowly faded. “This river offers your cleanest entrance, assuming you can find a guide willing to take you. Most locals won’t go near the old boundaries.”
I committed the route to memory. “Any suggestions for finding a guide?”
“There’s one man named Eduardo Vega. He operates a smuggling route near the border.” Theo scribbled an address in Panama City on a scrap of paper. “Tell him I sent you. And offer double his asking price.”
“That good, huh?”
“That dangerous,” he corrected, his voice heavy with implication. “If you run into trouble… Well, don’t run into trouble.”
“I won’t. I mean, I will, but it’s nothing for you to worry about.”
He snorted. “Right. Can I drive you back to the Repository?”
“Nah, I’ll just walk.”
I realized that I’d been followed and shot at just last night, so walking alone might not be the smartest thing to do, but this was New Orleans. If I stuck to the crowded streets, I’d never be alone.
“Don’t forget your anti-venom kit. The Gap has fifty-three species of venomous snakes, including several with supernatural properties.”
“Wonderful,” I muttered.
“Bring two kits in case you want to save your new partner.” He shrugged, his weathered face neutral. “Or don’t.”
I grinned as I folded up the map and stuffed it into my pocket. “I’ll see you on the other side, Theo.”
“Be safe.” His hand caught mine, a rare display of affection from the usually gruff old man. “There are all sorts of things hidden where you’re going. I’ve lost enough good people to that damned jungle.”
With a nod, I stepped out into the early morning air of New Orleans.
Wrought-iron balconies caught the first golden rays of sunlight, casting intricate shadows on the faded pastel buildings.
Street vendors began setting up their carts, the scent of fresh beignets and chicory coffee mingling with the lingering fishy scent of the Mississippi.
In the distance, a lone saxophone played, its mournful notes floating through the humid air as the city stirred to life.
On my trek home, I touched my earpiece. “Jade, party of one?”
My earpiece crackled with static before her voice came through. “That’s all the party I need. What’s up, troublemaker?”
“Just checking to see if you’re still alive.”
“I just had coffee, so things are looking better in that department.”
“Where are you?”
“In the sky. On my way to the next party. Theo told me you’re headed to The Darién Gap. Gotta say, I’m not really a fan of that idea.”
“Desperate times.” I sidestepped a tourist who’d stopped abruptly to photograph the sunrise.
“Well, just know that I’m rolling my eyes at you for partnering with a vampire.”
I laughed. “I get it, but did you see that selfie I sent you last night?”
She whistled much too dramatically. “Not only did I see it, but I’m also wagering that every single person at that masquerade last night wants to ‘partner’ with my girl. Seriously, how did you get so hot?”
“Right. Please.”
My best friend, always making me feel like a supermodel.
I rubbed my knuckles together, feeling my stubborn engagement ring, underneath my leather climbing gloves. Not all that strange of an item to wear during my visit with Theo, and they covered the piece of jewelry I didn’t want to explain.
Should I tell Jade? I bit my tongue and decided not to.
“Are you going to be all right, Luna?” she asked, her voice serious, like she was mistaking my thoughts for hesitancy.
“Of course.” I cleared my throat of a sudden snag. “Are you?”
“Obviously. Now, don’t forget that I’ve got you covered over on this side.”
“I won’t forget. Bye, Jade. Love you.”
“I love you too, but I won’t if you die. Remember that.”
“Got it.” I tapped the button on my earpiece and sighed.
Back at the Repository, I ran up to my apartment and then found Felix.
“If anything changes, anything at all, contact me immediately.” I pressed a satellite phone into his hand, a chunky model that looked like it belonged in a military operation. “This works anywhere. I don’t care if I’m hanging off a cliff or swimming through piranha-infested waters.”
“Of course.” Dr. Felix pocketed the phone in his cardigan, which he wore over his I Got Circumcised in New Orleans! T-shirt. Strange, slightly cringey shirts were kind of his thing. “You’re sure you trust Damien?”
A knock sounded at the front door, and before I could answer, Felix rushed to answer it and ushered Damien inside. He wore his pristine expedition gear—khaki pants with multiple pockets, a moisture-wicking shirt, and a light jacket—the fabric hugging the sculpted muscles of his body.
Did I trust him fully? No. Was I beginning to? Yes. Was that smart? Well…
Damien nodded toward me. “Our transportation is arranged. We leave in an hour.”
“I’ll just grab my bag,” I said, heading upstairs.
If Damien didn’t notice my bag already by the door, he didn’t say anything. I took a small detour to the infirmary part of the Repository, said my goodbyes, wiped my tears, and then joined Damien downstairs once again.
He took a step toward me, his blue eyes lit with genuine empathy that made it harder to breathe.
“Are you all right, Luna?” he asked softly.
“Just saying goodbye.” Averting my gaze, I bent to retrieve my bag, but Damien was faster.
Of course he was.
As he loaded my bag into the waiting car, Damien received a call. His expression darkened as he listened, his jaw tightening.
“We’ll be airborne within the hour,” Damien said. “Yes, I understand the risks. No, I won’t be dissuaded.”
He hung up with visible frustration, his thumb pressing the end button with unnecessary force.
“Your maker?” I guessed.
“No,” he growled.
All righty, then.
The car—a different car than last night, this one a nondescript black sedan—pulled away from the curb, carrying us toward the private airfield where Damien’s jet waited. I watched Felix, one arm raised in farewell, and the Repository recede in the back window, taking a piece of my heart.
“Someone wants you to stay with your maker instead of chasing a legend,” I guessed.
It’s what I would want if I were dying—loved ones near, not risking their lives on a desperate quest.
Damien’s gaze remained fixed out the side window. “Elliot wants me to find the cure. He’s not one for deathbed sentimentality.”
Something in his tone suggested a complicated relationship, like respect and duty mingled with something less easily defined.
“What will you do if we don’t find the Shadow Fang in time?” I asked.
“That’s not an option.” His fingers tightened on his phone until I heard the plastic case creak in protest. “For either of us.”
He was right.
Hours later, as Panama City appeared several thousand feet below, Felix’s question echoed in my mind. Do you trust him?
I glanced at Damien’s profile, his features carved in stone as he stared into the gathering clouds below the plane.
Whether I trusted him or not, we were two desperate people heading into one of the most dangerous places on Earth, guided by fragmented legends and driven by the imminent loss of those we loved.
What could possibly go wrong?