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“You spent your childhood playing beneath this thing? That explains a lot, actually,” said Finndryl from where he stood by Grey.

Asher grinned at Finn. “Just wait until you see the passageway.”

Lore looked around at everyone. All her friends were here, risking their lives for people most of them had never met. “Thank you for coming with me.”

They met her eyes in turn, knowing that, although they were all going to crawl into that dark space willingly, they might not all be coming out.

***

The passage immediately opened onto a set of rusted stairs.

The farther down they went, the damper and mustier the air became. A glowrock balanced in Isla’s outstretched hand lit the way. The walls on either side of the passageway were slick with moisture and a thick layer of moss grew in the wettest spots. Lore couldn’t believe anything could grow here without light.

Soon, they were in a large cavern and walking on an old brick pathway. A roaring river rushed alongside the narrow path, andthe sound of the thunderous water made Lore want to faint. She held her breath and walked with her hand pressed to the wall. Slick or not, she needed to feel something solid to support her.

“We only have another hundred feet or so before we come to another staircase that will lead us to the abandoned wing.” Though Asher spoke in a quiet voice, his lilting words echoed back to them.

In all its multiplicity, the echo made it sound like there was an army of Ashers.

Lorewishedthey had an army.

She nearly jumped out of her skin every time they heard the slightest noise from farther down the tunnel.

Asher continued. “I heard a whisper a long time ago that the river beneath these grounds empties into the sea. We can lead your people here. If it doesn’t lead to the sea, we’ll see where it takes us and can come up with a plan from there.”

Grey spoke up. “Right. The most important thing is getting them away from this place. We’ve already taken so long.”

“I can’t shake the feeling that we’re walking toward our death with such a half-assed plan.” Finn’s voice was laced with annoyance.

“Well, if you can come up with a better one, please enlighten us, Finn,” Isla snapped.

Lore slowed until she was walking in step with Finn. “You know, you don’t have to do this. You can leave now and none of us will think any less of you.”

“Idohave to do this.” His tone was curt and clipped. Even in the dark, Lore could see his hands were clenched in tight fists.

She frowned. “If it’s because of Isla, I can talk to her. Maybe I can convince her not to come, either.”

Finn and Isla were both risking their lives for her. She had no right to ask them to do this and, even though they had come willingly, she couldn’t help but feel guilty.

“It’s not because of Isla,” Finn ground out. “As I’ve said before, she can take care of herself.”

“Then what is it?”

Finndryl stopped walking, letting the others continue down the path ahead of them. Lore waited until he was ready. “You know, if you had asked me to come with you to rescue Grey, I would have.”

“I—I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”

“If you don’t know that by now or why it is I’m here, then just drop it. It’s probably for the best, anyway.” His eyes flickered to Asher’s retreating form. Lore opened her mouth to ask again, but he interjected before she could. “Leave it, Lore.”

She would drop it for now. But only because Asher had turned around and was heading their way.

“We’ve reached the stairs,” Asher said as he jogged up to them.

The stairs leading up to the abandoned quarters were identical to the ones beneath the dark fae statue. But this time, instead of a crawl space, a door waited at the top and they were able to walk out from behind a threadbare tapestry.

The room they entered was completely bare, aside from the tapestry behind them. The floor and boarded-up windows were covered in a fine layer of dust that kicked up when they walked and bloomed around them.

Lore stifled a sneeze.