Chapter Thirty-Three #2
“And we’re lost without you,” I say. “You’re the only one who knows the way through the High Court.”
“It’s not hard. And with Raph’s keen sense of direction, you’ll have no trouble at all.” Shaye nods at Raph. “You can do it, right?”
“I…”
“I know you can.” Shaye blows over his hesitation with her fierce determination. “And just because I’m going to create a distraction doesn’t mean they’re going to catch me. I think I’ve proved by now that I can be pretty slippery, especially when it comes to Boltov’s clutches.”
“I don’t want you to use yourself as bait.” Giles still clings to her. “There’s another way.”
“Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t. We can’t risk spending all night debating it.
The autumn’s-end celebrations are coming to a finale, and if I know Boltov at all, he’s going to use their culmination as his platform to show everyone that the last Aviness has finally died by his hand.
” Shaye shakes her head. “We don’t have time to look for better plans or second-guess ourselves.
We move forward with what the world has given us and make the rest up as we go. ”
“You’re sounding like me, and I don’t think I like it,” Raph says.
Shaye grins. “You’re not the only one who knows how to make trouble.”
“Fine.” Giles resigns himself to the idea, running a hand through his golden hair and over one horn. “But I’m going to help you create the distraction.”
“You should stay with them,” Shaye insists. “If they run into more trouble along the way, you might be needed to combat it.”
“Or maybe Raph and I will be able to move faster with one less person,” I say. “The two of us look pretty nonthreatening.”
“Are you saying I look intimidating? No one has ever called me intimidating before.” Giles seems oddly pleased.
“I was pretty intimidated by you when I met you.” I grin. The expression quickly falls from my face as my tone turns serious once more. “Two of you will create a better distraction than one. And you can look after each other. So, hopefully, you can meet up with Raph and me again.”
Shaye locks eyes with Giles. I get the sense that there are unspoken conversations happening between them. She frowns. He nods. She shakes her head; he sticks out his tongue; she rolls her eyes.
“Fine,” Shaye says finally. “Can’t exactly go against my own advice and spend too long debating this.
Now, you two, listen up. It’s not hard to get to the castle from anywhere in the High Court.
” She tells us the best route to take as we finish our walk through the tunnel, the water masking our words.
When she’s finished, she doesn’t even bother looking my way. “Did you get all that?”
Raph gives a confident nod. “Leave it to me.”
“How do we get into the castle?” As the light at the end of the tunnel draws nearer, the reality of our plan dawns on me. I’m about to go into enemy fae territory without magic and with a child as my only ally.
“Unfortunately, that’s not something I can help you with.
” Shaye frowns. “It’s been so long since I was in the High Court.
And I left before I was at a high enough rank in the Butchers to know the ins and outs of Boltov’s personal guards.
Plus, I’m sure he’s changed it by now. You’re just going to have to adapt to whatever you run into. ”
“I’ll do my best. One last thing: Do you have any idea where they might be holding Davien?”
“If I had to guess, it’d be somewhere deep within the castle and hard to get to.
The power of the hill becomes stronger—making all fae but the king weaker—the deeper you go.
” Shaye comes to stop. Raph does too while Giles slinks toward the bars that cover the entrance of the city.
I see him moving around, readying whatever ritual he’s going to use.
“Listen to me, Katria. You’re only going to have one shot at this.
As soon as Boltov knows that you are in the city, he’s going to do everything he can to hunt you.
They already know that there’s some kind of trespasser via the wards on the outer wall.
Once he knows it’s the human who’s thwarting him, nothing will stop him from exacting vengeance.
“As hard as it will be to stomach, don’t take the first opportunity you have, not unless it’s the right one.
If you’re clever and careful, you’ll both be able to hide in plain sight.
But the second you’re identified, well, you’d better move very quickly from then on.
Treat every action as though it might be your last, because it very well could be. ”
“I understand.” I nod and grab the pendant around my neck.
“Good.” Shaye claps my shoulder once. “I don’t know if you humans believe in the great Beyond across the Veil, but if this should all end badly, I hope to see you there.”
“I hope so too, assuming the old gods or whoever the rulers of that world are let humans in.”
Shaye chuckles. “If they don’t, given all you’ve done for the fae, I’ll ask them to make an exception for you.”
A smile crosses my lips.
Giles returns. “All right, I’m ready. You three?”
I look at Raph, who says, “Ready. Stay close to me, Katria.”
“I will.”
“You sure you want to do this?” Shaye asks Giles. “You could go with them.”
“You’re not the only one who wants to cause Boltov a little bit of pain.” Giles smirks. “I’ve been waiting for this moment since he murdered my whole court. Don’t deny me my opportunity to wreak havoc now.”
“Never would dream of it.” In the most bold, outward display of affection I’ve seen from her so far, Shaye takes his hand and brings it to her lips. Her eyes flutter closed and she kisses each of his knuckles. “It has been my honor to be by your side.”
“You shall always have a place there.” Giles looks back at the exit. “On the count of three, then. One.”
“Two,” Raph says. I see him sink low in his stance. I do the same after I shuffle off to the side to have a clear path to run.
“Three,” Shaye finishes for all of us.
Giles slams his palm against the tunnel and a rumble vibrates from the heart of the wall.
The ground beneath the exit falls out, and I watch as the grate and half the wall crumbles with it.
Shaye doesn’t waste a second. She bolts out into the city beyond and waves a hand.
Dark shadows pour from her fingertips, clotting in the air. I hear shouts.
“That’s our cue,” Raph says with a glance toward me. I nod. He sprints ahead and I’m close on his heels as we emerge into the High Court.