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“I’m trying to make this right,” she said. “But I’m curious—why Prince Hadeon? You could have gone anywhere in the mortal or fae realm. Why here? Why make a bargain withhim?”

More bickering echoed into the hallway, the sounds drawing closer.

Something sparked in Vorkle’s eyes, but he didn’t reply.

She crossed her arms. “He came to call in his bargain with me before yesterday, didn’t he? And you intercepted him.”

Vorkle shrugged. “I saw an opportunity and took it.”

Not for the first time, she wondered what arrangement the goblins had made with Hadeon, but she doubted Vorkle would tell her even if she asked outright. Either way, Vorkle had found a way to speak to Hadeon without her realizing he’d even come to the castle. But why had Hadeon left before speaking with her about the map?

Jessamine cleared her throat as she came to stand beside Arabella, apparently having tired of her verbal sparring with Waylen. The water fae turned and stormed off in the opposite direction without so much as a farewell.

Then Kazimir came into the hallway, satchels in his hands.

Breckett followed closely behind him.

Kazimir passed a satchel to each of them. “Be careful. Please keep the prince from doing anything too reckless.”

Arabella glanced inside.

Dried meats, a skin of water, a blanket, and various travel supplies. Given they had no notion what the underrealms were like outside of them being the home worlds to demons, it was smart to be prepared.

“You’re protective of Prince Hadeon,” she said, surprised that he inspired such loyalty. “I’ll see what I can do, but I doubt he’d heed my warning.”

Kazimir inclined his head to her. “You’re probably right.” Then he turned to Vorkle. “Take them to the western tundra. The prince should be there when you arrive.”

Distaste crossed Vorkle’s features—the first sign of emotion she’d seen from him that morning. “That is a cursed place.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but Jessamine spoke first. “Why?”

A slight stiffness lined Kazimir’s features as he said, “It’s where the last battle in the fae wars took place. It’s where most believe the shadow fae were wiped from existence. Even if it’s untrue, many died there.”

“Oh good,” Jessamine said, her tone dry. “I was hoping to piss off the dead today.”

Arabella pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. “I suppose a gateway to an underrealm was unlikely to be in a friendlier location.”

“That’s the spirit,” Breckett said beside her, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Turning to him, she said, “Are you sure you want to come? You can stay here.”

While his invisibility could be a useful tool, he’d been ill-equipped to face the ogres. She had a suspicion he’d be equally unadept at facing demons in an underrealm.

“Not with my knife in your possession, and not when there’s something I can do to help Elias,” the erox said.

She nodded before turning back to Vorkle.

With obvious distaste, the goblin extended a hand toward her. She took it, and Jessamine slipped a hand into hers.

Stepping forward, Breckett accepted Vorkle’s other hand, shifting his satchel over his shoulder.

“Stay alert, and trust nothing,” Kazimir said. “Anything that walks in the underrealms is deprived of life and light. They will try to take yours.”

“Are you quite finished?” Vorkle said.

There was a flash of movement in the trees’ shadows beyond the window, and she frowned. Her own shadows hummed at her feet, as though they, too, sensed the disturbance.

A sudden shouting sounded outside the house.