Page 37

Chapter 36

Selestina

I t’s been a semi-normal day here at Obsidian. I mean, as normal as it can be. Professor Thalor teaching us about alchemy, saying it is a basic foundational knowledge that everyone should excel in. I mean, I don’t disagree with him.

I drop my bag on the floor, a flash of something peeking out of the zipper, something that wasn’t there before.

I frown, crouching down to get a better look. There’s a folded piece of paper, just barely visible.

Slowly, I pull the note out and unfold it. The handwriting is unmistakable and very familiar.

Alexander’s.

Quarter till midnight. Don’t be late. Use discretion. X -A

My stomach twists at the sight of his name. And when he says discretion, it means he’s about to ask me to do something dangerous. Something I can’t refuse. And in all seriousness, I’ve never refused him, that would mean death.

I crumple the note in my fist, already feeling the cold knot of dread forming in my chest. Whatever this is, it’s not going to be simple.

And it’s not going to be safe.

I pull the note closer, scanning the small writing at the bottom. There’s a time and a place: midnight, the western tower.

I glance at the clock. I’ve got a few hours until I have to meet him, but the weight of the task is already pressing down on me. I don’t even know what it is yet, but I can feel it. Whatever this task is, it’s going to test me. Test my loyalty to him.

I drop the note back into my backpack, my mind racing. I know it’s going to be bad. It always is.

That’s what he does, sends me into places no one else can get into. He trusts me for that, trusts my skill and my ability to blend in, to become invisible. But he also uses that trust to keep me close, to keep me tethered to him.

He’s going to ask about Etzli. I have my story prepared, but fuck, I hope he believes me.

I lay in my bed staring at the ceiling, waiting for my fate.

A few hours later, I sit up; the bed creaking beneath me, and pull my boots back on. Nasarea will be in the library studying tonight. So I don’t need to worry about explaining my behavior.

By the time I make it to the western tower, the moons are high and the air is cool, a soft breeze brushing against my skin. The tension rises with every step. I wait until nobody can see me before putting on my cloak and mask. As much as I hate my responsibility and duty to Alexander, there’s something comforting about putting on my other identity.

“Selestina,” he says, his voice low, smooth. “I’m glad my message made it to you safely.”

I nod, keeping my expression neutral. “Yes, of course, Alexander.” I touch my face to make sure my silk mask is in place.

“Tell me about Etzli Moreno,” he drawls, his voice as smooth as it is demanding.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself for this moment. “I followed him up until the night he went missing. I saw him at dinner, but afterward, I went to the library to study. That’s when he disappeared.” My tone is measured and calm, too calm, maybe, but I pray he doesn’t pick up on the subtle cracks in my story. He scowls at my admission to studying over watching Etzli, but in order for him to believe me, I couldn’t have done a perfect job. There needed to be one slight misstep that I could actually afford to take the consequence for. It’s better than the alternative.

What really happened.

“What did you find on him?” he asks, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, his sharp eyes never leaving mine.

“He is mostly a party boy,” I say, keeping my voice steady, my expression neutral. “Honestly, I don’t understand why he was chosen as the general in training. He tried to befriend Prince Kaelion, but it didn’t seem like Kaelion felt the same.”

“Hmm,” he murmurs, nodding slowly, as though turning over my words in his mind. His gaze is calculating, unreadable, and it takes everything in me to hold it without flinching.

“Well,” he says after a beat, “keep an eye out. If you hear or see anything, send word immediately.” That was too easy.

I nod, forcing myself to appear compliant and unbothered, even as my pulse races. “Of course.”

A small smile forms across his lips. He steps forward, pulling out a rolled up map from his coat. “There’s a meeting tonight. A secret gathering in the lower city on the road to Metztli. I want you to be there. I want you to listen. And then, I want you to bring me everything you hear.”

I stare at the map, the details etched into it, and I know I don’t have a choice. I never do.

“No problem,” I say, my voice steady, even though my heart is pounding.

He hands me the map, his fingers brushing against mine, and I have to fight the urge to pull away. “Don’t disappoint me,” he says, his voice soft but laced with warning.

I nod, slipping the map into my backpack, and turn to leave. But before I can walk away, he grabs my arm and pulls me so close I can feel his breath on my forehead. He uses his other hand to grip my chin and pull it up to face him. His mouth inches from mine. It makes me feel like my dinner is about to come back up.

“Remember, you are still mine .” His breath smells like sardines and literal pig shit, and it takes everything in me not to puke in his mouth. “Nobody is allowed to touch what is mine. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” I say robotically.

He uses one hand to hold my throat. Not tight enough to kill me, but tight enough to remind me that he is in control of my life. Not me. Not anyone else. Him.

He sniffs my hair before pulling back.

“You’re dismissed,” he says, lazily. Tossing his hand in the direction of the academy.

I give a sharp nod before turning my back to him. I feel his eyes watching me as I head toward the main road leading to Metztli.

The night is pretty quiet, except for the sound of my boots crunching on the dirt road and the occasional chirp from sprites or Alebrije’s in the distance. The moons hang low, casting long shadows over the winding path ahead of me. I pull my hood tighter against the chill in the air, trying to focus on the steady rhythm of my feet. My brain is racing with the expectations, as usual before going into the unknown, but I push the thoughts down, focusing on what I'm about to do.

The village of Quetla lies five hours away, nestled between the academy and the Kingdom of Metztli, a place I’ve passed by a few times but never had a reason to stop in. It’s a small place, barely more than a handful of buildings and market stalls. People don’t go to Quetla unless they need something. It's a pit stop for travelers, for merchants who pass through with their goods, and for people running errands between the kingdoms. But it's not a place to linger. It's temporary. A crossroads.

I step off the main road, enchanted to get me there quicker, the path narrowing as it curves around a small ridge. The air grows cooler as I move deeper into the night, and question the unknown. Alexander wants me to infiltrate a secret meeting, listen in on whatever whispers might come from the shadows, and report back to him. Simple enough in theory, but nothing Alexander asks is ever simple.

It's wide enough for carts to get through, and during the day, it's always busy with people traveling between kingdoms, for goods and livestock, but by night, it's dead.

Just the way I like it.

Just as it’s been the few times I passed through. Cataloging, everything, of course, but never staying long enough to be seen.

On either side of the road stand the houses belonging to the owners of the stalls, inns, and taverns. Some of them have spent, and will spend, their whole lives here, working behind the scenes while the rest of the world rushes by. It is so peculiar to think of a life like that, while others wander between the kingdoms with news, trade, and power. I might like the chaos during the day and the quiet of the night.

I keep my eyes on the horizon, where the outline of Quetla is just barely visible in the distance. The journey is uneventful, the silence around me stretching for miles.

I keep my pace steady, not wanting to rush and risk exhausting myself before I even reach the village. Five hours isn't long, but it's enough to let my thoughts spiral if I'm not careful. I glance up at the sky again, the familiar sight of Tonalli's moons hovering just above the horizon. They remind me of Metztli, the night kingdom where the moons reign supreme. There's always something eerie about traveling toward that kingdom, like the night itself is watching.

I reach the first signs of Quetla, a small outpost, little more than a shack where guards used to stand watch over the road, though it's empty now.

Most of these outposts have been abandoned for years, since the alliance between all kingdoms was formed, but they still mark the way, relics of a time when the kingdoms were at war with one another. Now, the wars have shifted to whispers, paper thin alliances, and power plays.

I can already smell the scent of smoke from the chimneys, mixed with the earthy smell of wet dirt from a recent rain. The village itself is quiet at this hour, most of the people already asleep, and will wake within a few hours.

There's a tavern near the center, the only building with lights shining through the windows. I know that's where I need to be. The secret meeting is to be held in one of the back rooms, not visible and tucked away behind the guise of a simple traveler's stop.

The buildings draw in closer and closer until I near the tavern. A few horses are hitched up outside, and I can make out the low hum of voices inside, though the streets themselves are empty. I take a deep breath, steadying myself.

I reach the door to the tavern, my hand hovering over the rough, cut wood a second before I push it open and step inside.

The warmth of the fire hits me right away, the smell of ale and roasted meat mingling in the air. A few people sit at the tables, all of them with the look of worn out travelers, paying attention to little else beyond their meals and ale.

Good. That means fewer eyes on me.

I glance around the room quickly, peering for any signs of the meeting. There's nothing overt, just a barkeep cleaning glasses, a few patrons, and a fire crackling in the hearth. But I know the real business is happening behind the scenes .

I slide to the back, disappearing into the shadows of the darkly lit room, making myself as invisible as possible. I find a door tucked into the corner, partly concealed by a heavy curtain. There it is. That's where I need to be.

I step closer, heart pounding in my chest, and reach for the handle.

This is where it begins.