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Either we’re lucky, or the enchantments are doing their job.

I can feel the spells clinging to my skin, the magic insulating me like a coat. Before we left, several of Des’s men warded Temper, Malaki, Des, and I against enemy magic. Among other things, these enchantments hide us from our opponents’ view, rendering us all but invisible to fairies like Galleghar.

As we fly inland, the city gives way to dense jungle. Here and there the trees are illuminated by the glowing lights of various fae. It doesn’t look like a frightening place, and yet somewhere in there lurks a killer king.

Can’t believe we’re doing this.All because I gave Des the go-ahead. I still expect Galleghar to manifest in front of us, or for the Thief’s sleeping soldiers to close in from all sides. Nothing ever goes according to plan; why should this?

Yet it doesn’t happen. Galleghar and what’s left of the Thief’s army stay away, and the group of us fly sedately on, the only sound the whistle of the wind against our ears.

Des begins to dive towards the land, though this patch of jungle looks like all the others. I follow his lead, descending on the thick, dark foliage until my hands and feet skim the treetops, the leaves rustling against my skin.

The tangle of dense shrubbery doesn’t leave much room to land. I watch Des, seeing the way his wings tilt around trees, and I think I get it … until my wing clips a tree branch I didn’t see.

I yelp at the sting of pain, and my wing closes up reflexively. I tumble through the trees, hitting every branch that’s ever existed. I fall to the forest floor with a plop.

Motherfuckingow.

In an instant, the Bargainer appears at my side. “You’re still the clumsiest siren I’ve ever met,” he says, extending a hand to help me up.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I mutter, taking his hand and letting him help me up

Malaki drops down next to me, Temper in his arms.

“Why don’t you wake up the entire jungle while you’re at it,” my best friend says when she steps out of the fairy’s arms.

Giving Temper an annoyed glare, I dust off my battle leathers, picking branches out of my hair. At least I didn’t lose my daggers; the twin blades remain strapped to my sides, their stone hilts gleaming.

I pat a back pocket. All four of us were given a pair of iron shackles, in case we happened to get in range of Galleghar. Like my knives, my set of handcuffs is right where it ought to be.

Des’s eyes sweep over the thick foliage. “Follow me,” he says to the group.

We walk for fifteen minutes, our footsteps silent. Around us, the jungle seems to be holding its breath.

It feels like the four of us are wandering aimlessly until Des stops. He toes the earth in front of him, then with a wave of his hand, the earth in front of him clears, revealing a flat, circular stone carved with symbols in Old Fae.

He glances up at me. “We’re here.”

Turning his attentionback to the stone, the King of the Night whispers an incantation under his breath. The Old Fae symbols glow emerald for a moment, then the stone slides aside, revealing another freaking hole in the ground.

What is it with this dude and holes?

“Nuh uh,” Temper says, eyeing it the same way I am. “No one said anything about a tunnel. I got claustrophobia.”

Des’s eyes briefly flick to her before landing on mine. “You can opt out too,” he tells me.

I shake my head. “I’m coming with you.”

I go where Des goes.

His eyes glitter. “Then I’ll be waiting for you at the bottom.” With that, he takes a step and drops into the earth.

“Shiit,” Temper swears behind me.

I glance at her, then Malaki. The general looks menacing in the darkness. He’s not too pleased that Temper and I are here, putting ourselves in the line of fire, but he hasn’t tried to stop either of us the way he tried last time.

Taking a breath, I sit down at the edge of the hole, dipping my feet into the darkness. My boot bangs against a ladder set into the side of the hole, and I slide my body down until I can grab the handholds.

And then I begin to descend.