Chapter 35
Elysia hurried along the cobblestone streets. She was a void, a vacuum, and she needed to see the one person who would always tell her to save herself. She needed to see a Parker.
Sooty muck kicked up with every step, hitting the back of her trousers.
Early spring was such a disgusting time of year.
The snow, the rain, the soot—nothing escaped the decay.
Eyes fixed on the poison green door of the House, she walked even faster, shoulder checking strangers and not giving a damn that she was wanted dead or alive by the Crown.
Pounding on the door, she stepped back half a step, impatient and ready to bust her way in. An unfamiliar face opened the door, and Elysia shoved inside.
“Where’s Beatriz?” She’d decided it wasn’t safe to travel immediately to her sister. Not with her sister’s new ventures.
The woman who’d answered the door pulled her plush robe closer. “She’s with the Doorman. They left about an hour ago.”
“And where did they go?” Elysia bit off the words like the woman was stupid.
“Why in the realms should I tell you?”
The sharp end of Elysia’s dagger went to the woman’s throat. “Because I have this. Now where are they?”
“You’re her sister, aren’t you? The one with the massive bounty?”
“And you’re the one who’ll be dead if you don’t answer my question.”
Blood dribbled down the blade, and the woman flinched.
“They’re at the Nightshade Market. Down in the tunnels.”
Elysia was gone in an instant, traveling away.
Plodding down the time-worn steps, she wrinkled her nose immediately.
Still smelled like rat shit. Hustling through the tunnels, she let the scraps of her magic loose.
A slinky tune drew her in, and she shook her head.
Fucking Beatriz. Holding a godsdamn underground market, literally underground.
Not only underground, but beneath the fucking castle. She hated how much she loved it.
Skidding around a corner, she came to a stop, her mind going blank in disbelief.
Sensual and mysterious, the market glowed with lanterns.
Delicious scents drifted in the air, and small wooden booths lined one side of the tunnel while market goers glided past, sampling and examining the goods.
Everyone wore veils or masks with dark cloaks hiding their bodies.
In the distance, a silver head bobbed above the others, her long thin fingers pointing and directing newcomers into the Nightshade Market’s throng. Tempted as she was to take a look at the booths herself, she kept her gaze on her sister as she went against the crowd’s current.
She tapped two fingers on her sister’s shoulder, grinning darkly when Beatriz let out an unholy shriek at the sight of her.
“I needed a sisterly chat.”
Nails digging into her arm, Beatriz dragged her away from the market into the familiar dark of the tunnels.
“What are you doing here?” she spat through tight lips. “You can’t be here. We’ve talked about this.”
Alone, Elysia leaned against the crumbly wall of the tunnel. “If you had to choose between your life or Lily's, what would it be?” She played with her dagger as she stared unflinchingly at her older sister. “Love or survival?”
Beatriz drew back. “What’s this about?”
“Just answer the question, for fuck’s sake.”
Beatriz looked at her in bewilderment, running silver-ringed fingers through her matching hair.
Uncharacteristic vulnerability washed over the harsh lines of her face as she looked up out of gray eyes.
“I’d choose Lily. She’s a better person a thousand times over than me, and I wouldn’t want to be without her. ”
Elysia slammed the dagger back into its sheath, her mouth pursed.
“That wasn’t the answer you wanted.”
She shook her head, staring at the top of the tunnel. “I don’t know what I wanted.” She gave Beatriz a tight, unconvincing semblance of a smile. “Sorry I bothered you.” Stalking off, she had no idea where to go, only that she couldn’t go to the death realm. Not yet.
“Wait, you annoying shit,” Beatriz called out to her back, jogging to catch up. “Why are you wearing this face again?”
Elysia scoffed, pushing away Triz’s reaching fingers. “What kind of stupid comment is that?”
“You look like you used to after meeting with Father.”
A terrible burning ache filled Elysia’s eyes as she looked away. “The market is incredible. You should be proud of yourself.” She paused. “And I don’t care if Lily is better than you. I’d pick you.”
Concern crossed Beatriz’s face, but then the yelling began.
Side by side, Beatriz and Elysia raced back to the market, but the calm, sensual evening market was gone. Smoke wafted through the air, but every booth, lantern, and person was nowhere to be seen.
Beatriz went pale. “We need to get out of here.”
Elysia grabbed her hand, turning them around, already breaking into a run. “Don’t worry, I know how to get out.”
Soon she was nearly dragging Beatriz. “It’s not much further. We’ll exit into the main square. I used to do it all the time.”
Staggering to a halt, Beatriz put one hand on the tunnel wall, dark specks dotting her lips. Chest heaving, she closed her eyes. “Just need a moment.”
“The guards are coming. We can’t stop yet. Come on, you can make it.” Fear tightened Elysia’s lungs. She couldn’t leave her sister, but she could already hear the guards clanking and stomping in the distance.
Beatriz nodded, and relief coursed through Elysia as she grabbed her sister’s hand again and took off.
Two more tunnels and they were slipping out into an old shut-down eatery and then into the square.
Laughter tumbled freely out of both their mouths, and Elysia grinned, mirroring the wide curve lighting up Beatriz’s face.
She squeezed her sister’s hand. “We made it.”
“That’s her!” a male voice shouted from behind her back.
Twisting to look, she never saw it coming.
But Beatriz did. Beatriz, who tackled her to the ground without a second thought. Elysia groaned, rolling over only to see a cracked, wooden hilt protruding from Beatriz’s chest. An unskilled, lucky shot straight through her ribs to the heart.
“No, no.” Tears were already spilling as her hands frantically pulled her sister closer.
Ripping her own dagger from its sheath, she returned fire at the man who approached.
He wasn’t even a guard. Merely a hungry commoner who had seen the notorious Parker girl emerge and wanted his chance at the prize.
Her dagger stuck out of his eye socket, his body hitting the ground hard.
Elysia clutched her sister’s too-thin body closer. “Beatriz, you can’t. You’re all I have.”
A strange, murky mix of blood and soot spilled out of the cavity in Beatriz’s chest, but her fingers weakly grasped at Elysia, her gray eyes straining to focus. “I pick you too.”
Sobs wracked her as the sharp, ever-present light in her big sister’s eyes went out.
Someone let out a blood-curdling scream and through blurry vision, the familiar shape of the Doorman hurdled closer.
Her sister’s body was torn from her arms as the Doorman poured herself out over it, rocking and murmuring agonizing pleas.
Makeup smeared, she pierced Elysia with a look she would never forget. “You were supposed to stay away. We told you to stay away.” The Doorman stroked Beatriz’s smooth, silver hair, whispering something in her native language that sounded like a blessing or prayer.
Endless silent guilt claimed its home in Elysia as she slowly backed away.
It was another death in the square, and for the first time in years, she was unable to tear her eyes from the sight.
A crow flew past, its wing knocking into her face, and then she was running, throwing herself into the ether, traveling to the only other person she could think of to see because now, more than ever, she couldn’t go home.