Page 17

17

T hey got breakfast from a food stall two floors up from the camp. It was busy, but the line moved fast, and soon Evelyn, Kirat, and Valen were carrying breakfast burritos and cups of coffee over to a nearby bench to sit and eat. Although she’d slept deeply, Evelyn felt slow and tired, and she blinked blearily at the people passing by as she sipped her coffee. Goddess, bless these magic beans .

Her burrito was Tex-Mex perfection filled with pan-fried potatoes, black beans, corn, shredded birria beef, cheese, sour cream, salsa verde, and chunks of avocado. She chewed slowly, fighting the urge to wolf it down. She’d been so afraid in the tunnels that she’d barely registered how little they’d had to eat. Now that she was relatively safe, her body was demanding penance in the form of calories. She took another sip of coffee and almost choked when she saw a familiar figure exiting the elevator.

“Granny Lucy!” Evelyn handed her half-eaten burrito to Valen and set her coffee on the ground by his boot before running over to her friend. “I was so worried about you when I went to your shop and you were gone,” she managed, panting. “Are you okay?”

Granny Lucy took Evelyn’s hands in both of hers. “Yes, I’m alright—but we should talk. Where are you staying?”

“I have a tent down on level five.”

“Good. Let’s go there as soon as I get some coffee. My old brain needs lubricating for this conversation.”

Evelyn retrieved her coffee and burrito while Granny Lucy went over to the food stall to order. “I need to speak with her alone for a few minutes. Kirat, you mentioned seeking out a contact this morning?”

“Yes. I can go do that while you talk to Granny. Valen, you want to tag along?”

“Thanks, but I think I’ll explore for a while. I can meet you two back at the tents in a couple of hours.”

Evelyn agreed to the plan, and the small party split once again. Granny Lucy made her way over to Evelyn’s bench shortly after, coffee in hand.

“I think I can manage two levels on the stairs,” she said. “The elevator takes too long.”

They didn’t talk much on the way down to level five—it’s difficult to make small talk when big talk is looming. Evelyn held open the door to her assigned tent so Granny Lucy could duck inside. They settled on opposite sides of the mattress, and Evelyn warded the door. Granny added a few words, unfamiliar to Evelyn.

“To discourage listening ears,” she explained. “Now, I think you should start by telling me why you’ve got a cursed book in your bag. It’s about as subtle as a clown at a funeral.”

Evelyn frowned. “I… what do you mean?”

Granny Lucy scoffed. “Don’t play dumb with me, child. You’re no good at it. You’ve got a cursed book on you. Death magic, if I had to guess. You’ve tried to hide it behind all kinds of protections, I’ll give you that, but it’s not enough. Not to fool me.”

Evelyn felt a mix of concern and relief. Concern that all the protections they’d applied weren’t enough and relief that she didn’t have to decide whether to tell Granny Lucy the truth because she already knew. She told Granny Lucy what she’d told Kirat—about the job, the strange library, her decision not to deliver the book to Denmark, and her failed efforts to get out of the city.

Granny Lucy patted her hand kindly. “You did the right thing keeping it away from that man. I don’t condone the thieving, but if it hadn’t been you, it would’ve been somebody else. And that somebody else likely would’ve chosen a payday.”

“Thank you.” Evelyn blinked back tears, clearing her throat to hide her emotion. “What happened before you disappeared? Lady Plumeria said something about an emissary from the Lybbestre snooping around your shop after you left.”

Granny Lucy’s expression darkened. “‘Emissary’ is too nice a term for the uppity git who interrogated me. In my own shop, mind you. No respect.” She shifted on the mattress. “I had just come downstairs from my apartment to open for the day when someone knocked at the back door. I didn’t think anything of it at first—the delivery man often parks back there when the street is busy. I thought maybe it was him. Instead, it was a rude woman from the Lybbestre.”

“How did you know she was from the coven?”

“She bore the mark, here.” Granny Lucy pointed to a spot below her left ear. “They all have it—a small circle with a cursive L inside it. It’s easily hidden by a shirt collar or adhesive bandage, and subtle enough to be missed or dismissed by nearly everyone. But once you know to look for it, it’s a dead giveaway.”

Evelyn searched her memory for anyone she’d seen in the past week who bore such a mark but came up empty. “What did she want?”

“She started off on my bad side, forcing her way inside without waiting for an invitation. Then she asked me all kind of things—about my shop, my permits, my profit margins—but what she really wanted to know about was you.”

“Me?”

“That’s right. She said you were a ‘person of interest’ like she was conducting some kind of investigation. I told her I hadn’t seen you since you stopped by the shop previously. She didn’t believe me.”

“But that was true.”

“She wouldn’t hear it. Once it became clear to me that she wasn’t looking for the truth—at least not the truth I had to tell—I told her I was done speaking with her and that she needed to leave. At first, she acted like she wouldn’t, but when I threatened to name and shame her to everyone in the street outside, she left. They don’t like too much attention, you know.”

“I don’t know much about them,” Evelyn admitted. “Mostly just rumors.”

“The rumors are usually true enough. The Coven functions a lot like the mafia. They keep their own secrets and follow their own agendas, by force if necessary. Only the lower-level emissaries bear the mark. A witch with any actual authority within the coven will be marked only by a terrifying degree of power and questionable fashion sense.”

“I’m just so glad you’re okay. I’ve heard bad things about people who’ve come in contact with them before.”

“I’m glad I’m okay too.” Granny Lucy shook her head ruefully. “It’s never a good thing to be noticed—not by them—so I started packing the moment she was gone and left for the Dark City that same day. I’d been here before and knew if I could reach the central zone, I’d have a chance at avoiding notice for a while.”

“Have you dealt with the Lybbestre before?” It was awkward saying the name so much. There was a certain discomfort in it, like discussing the tooth fairy with a dentist. For so long, the Lybbestre had been a boogeyman, more legend than reality, but they were becoming more real to her with each passing hour.

“Here and there,” Granny Lucy said. “They keep to their own. Nobody really knows much about the inner workings. I’ve never met a witch who joined them. They’re a closed coven, yet their numbers never seem to dwindle. Their reach, neither. It’s like they’re immortal.”

“But they can’t be… right? Immortal witches aren’t a thing.”

“Not that we know of, but who knows. If anyone was going to discover the secret to eternal life, it might just be an ancient group of bitter old women.”

Evelyn chuckled at that, and Granny Lucy looked pleased to have lightened her mood. She patted Evelyn’s hand again. “You shouldn’t feel bad, you know.”

Evelyn felt the smile fade from her face. “How can I not? You, Valen, Kirat… you’ve all been pulled into this mess because of me. You’re all in danger because of my choices. When I decided to keep the book and try to get it out of the city, I was only thinking about the risk it posed to me. I never stopped to think about anyone else who might be impacted.”

“Ah, but not for lack of caring, child. It wasn’t selfishness that blinded you, but the opposite. You thought you could do it alone, and you planned to, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did,” Evelyn admitted.

“Except nobody ever does anything alone. Not really. There’s always been help at some point in the journey, whether they like to admit it or not. The older you get, the more you realize how precious your community is and how much you need it.”

Evelyn took a deep breath. She knew Granny Lucy was right, but it didn’t make her feel any less responsible for the danger they were all in. If not for her, Granny would be puttering around her shop right now. Kirat would be sleeping the day away in her apartment in preparation for her night shift in the Antechamber. Valen would be stalking the grounds of Denmark’s estate, keeping it safe and secure. Instead, they were all here, hiding from some of the most powerful witches in existence.

“Knock knock!” Kirat’s voice sounded muffled through the nearly soundproof barrier Granny Lucy had constructed around the tent. They stepped out to find Kirat and Valen looking worried and pissed, respectively.

“What’s going on?” Evelyn asked.

“There’s trouble.” Valen’s hand strayed to the gun on his belt. “They found us.”

“What? Who?”

Kirat huffed in frustration. “They haven’t found us, not yet. But they’re close. My friend in the entry guards left a message for me at the level five guard post. Several witches from the coven entered the central zone this morning, including at least one high-ranking member.”

Granny Lucy uttered a string of profanities under her breath.

“We can’t stay here,” Valen said, his hand suddenly warm on Evelyn’s back.

She looked up at him. “I don’t disagree, but do we know where we’re going? Kirat, were you able to reach your contact in the upper levels?”

“Yeah. He knows the door we’re looking for, just like I thought. He said he’ll take us there, but he needed to get some supplies together first. He’ll meet us at the level twenty-seven exit in thirty minutes.”

Evelyn turned to Granny Lucy. “I think you should come with us. The only reason you came out of that initial interrogation unscathed is because you genuinely knew nothing about what was going on. Now you know everything. If they have any insight at all, they’ll know immediately, and that puts you in so much more danger.”

“I’ll need my things. I’m staying with a friend on level twenty.”

Evelyn was relieved she didn’t argue. She wasn’t above kidnapping an old woman, but it wasn’t something she actively wanted to add to her criminal resume.

“Okay, Valen and I can go with Granny. We’ll meet you and your friend on level twenty-seven as soon as we can.”

“Hurry. The longer we’re here, the more people the witches will question, and the more the noose will tighten,” Kirat warned.

The elevator took forever to arrive, but they’d decided fifteen floors would take too long to go via the spiral staircase, especially given Granny Lucy’s relative frailty and unwillingness for Valen to carry her. It was too undignified to be tolerated, she said.

By the time they reached the place Granny Lucy was staying, it was nearly time to meet up with Kirat’s contact. Evelyn helped her pack while Granny wrote a note for her friend to explain her sudden absence. After some negotiations, Granny agreed to let Valen carry her bags and assist her up the stairs rather than waiting for the elevator again. He looped one strong arm around her back to hold her firmly yet gently under her ribcage. She in turn gripped him tightly around the waist. He supported most of her weight, but she kept both feet on the ground, one of her requirements for maintaining her dignity.

Together, they made good time up the final seven levels to find Kirat waiting for them, an unfamiliar man by her side.

“Hello, I’m Armand.”

The man smiled widely. He was a little shorter than Evelyn and handsome, with broad shoulders and a lean, sinewy build. His hand, when he reached out to shake hers, was surprisingly large with pronounced veins winding up into his forearm. He looked like a man who worked with his hands. “I am glad to meet any friend of Kirat.”

Evelyn shook his hand. “Thank you for helping us.”

His brown eyes twinkled. “Of course. I like adventure, and I’m very good at the sneaky-sneaky, which Kirat,” he looked at her with clear admiration, “tells me will be needed.”

“Yes, lots of the sneaky-sneaky.” Evelyn returned his smile. He was impossible not to like. Kirat had so far proven herself to be an excellent judge of people—every ally she’d introduced them to had been great. “Are we ready?”

Together, they made their way out of the central zone via the level twenty-seven exit. At first it seemed like there might be an issue, but Kirat spoke quietly to one of the guards, and he waved them through.

“What was that?” Evelyn whispered when they were a safe distance from the guard post.

Kirat shook her head. “The coven had put a hold on people leaving the central zone. They’re trying to fence us in.”

“Why did they let us through?” Evelyn asked.

“A friend made an exception.”

“You seem to have a lot of friendly connections down here.”

A ghost of a smile flitted across Kirat’s otherwise stern face. “I am lucky.”

Armand and Valen led the way, their low voices echoing off the tunnel walls as they conversed. Granny Lucy followed behind them with Kirat and Evelyn staying close and ready to help her if needed. The first leg of their journey was well lit by the now-familiar torches in iron wall sconces, but after a couple of hours, they took a side tunnel that didn’t have any. Although this tunnel was just as dark and isolated as the one Evelyn and Kirat had wandered in for days, the presence of the others and their torches made it feel much safer.

Armand stopped next to dim entry rune. “This zone is unfinished but largely stable. It is nicknamed ‘the midnight forest.’ Be prepared—it will be very dark, and you might hear noises that will frighten you.”

“Like we’ve done before, stay close and stay quiet. As long as we stay on the path, we should be fine,” Kirat added.

“Should be?” Valen’s hand strayed to the weapon on his belt.

“Yes,” Armand said. “There are no guarantees down here. That goes double for an unfinished zone. Please stay on your guard and stick together. These are the most important things, yes?”

“Understood.” Evelyn pulled the ritual knife from her bag and stepped up beside Granny Lucy. They would need to change their formation when crossing the zone. “I’ll stay with Granny. Valen, can you watch our backs?”

He nodded and moved into position behind her. Kirat moved a few steps ahead to stand beside Armand.

“Ready?” she asked.

“Ready,” Evelyn confirmed.

“If someone needs to be eaten, don’t y’all be thinking I volunteer just because I’m old,” Granny Lucy quipped. “Valen would take the longest to eat. Let’s all remember that.”

The passageway opened with a whoosh, and a cold wind rushed out to meet them. They stepped through into a wooded area. The ground was packed dirt and covered with pine needles. Tall trees rose high all around them. A purple-black sky could be glimpsed through the branches, dotted with bright stars and an oversized full moon. A wolf’s eerie howl in the distance sent fresh chills down Evelyn’s spine. There are no actual sniffers down here , she told herself. It’s all a construct. The product of a someone’s imagination.

She focused on the sigil imbedded in her wrist and watched it glow red as it activated. Better safe than sorry. She thought she saw Granny Lucy eyeing the sigil but when she turned to look at her the old woman’s gaze was fixed straight ahead.

The cold settled into her bones within minutes, her breath coming out in white clouds. They moved along the worn path in silence. Evelyn checked over her shoulder to make sure Valen was still there, and he winked at her. No more wandering off, big guy , she thought. Once was enough.

A twig cracked off to her left, and she turned her head, listening. Another howl, this one closer than the first, came from the right. Her pulse quickened. Were they being hunted? Their torches suddenly felt like beacons of light announcing the presence of prey in the dark forest. Evelyn the checked the sigil on her wrist. Still red. Still active. Granny Lucy was slowing down, more affected by the cold in her frail state. Her expression was grim.

More twigs cracked off to the left and out of sight in the trees. A low growl sent Evelyn’s heart racing, and she tightened her grip on the ritual knife. A glance at Valen told her he’d heard it too. He’d drawn his firearm and was holding it low, watching. We’re too focused on the left side. What if it’s a distraction? The thought seemed to hit Valen at the same time, and they both turned back to the right just in time to see a massive wolf leap out of the tree line. Valen fired off several rounds, hitting the wolf midair. It struck Kirat and knocked her to the ground.

Evelyn rushed forward and shoved the wolf off her friend. There was blood everywhere and for several tense seconds Evelyn couldn’t tell whose it was. The wolf wasn’t moving.

“I’m okay,” Kirat whispered. The blood soaking the front of her clothes wasn’t hers. “But we should run now.”

Valen holstered his weapon and wrapped his arm around Granny Lucy like he’d done before. She accepted his help without a word. Evelyn fell back to watch the rear. They rushed through the woods, all hope of a stealthy exit lost now due the loud gunfire. Valen’s quick action had likely saved Kirat’s life, but it had also announced to any and all interested parties that there were strangers in this zone. Tasty strangers.

There were half a dozen of them now, maybe more. Evelyn could hear them growling and panting just outside the flickering torchlight. She walked backward, watching directly behind them as well as on either side of the path. Why had the wolf gone for Kirat instead of Granny Lucy? Wouldn’t the instinct be to target the most vulnerable member of the party? Every nature show she’d ever watched had shown predators picking off the old, the sick, and the very young first. Kirat was none of those things.

It’s not a real wolf , she reminded herself. Maybe the normal rules don’t apply.

“I see the exit sigil,” Armand called back. “We’re almost there.”

Evelyn kept her eyes on the path behind them. She heard the passageway open and continued to back up. Three wolves stepped onto the path, heads low, snarling growls revealing sharp white teeth. Evelyn felt a strong arm wrap around her and pulled her straight back through the passageway. It slid shut before the wolves reached her, leaving them in a dark tunnel once again. Valen set her down gently.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I am. Thanks for the help.” Evelyn went to kneel by Granny Lucy who was sitting slumped against the wall. The old woman waved her off.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. I just need a minute to catch my breath. It’s been a few decades since I was last manhandled like that.” She scowled playfully up at Valen. “I still think we should feed him to the wolves.”

“Maybe next time,” he said.

Armand and Kirat stood together a few feet away, Armand holding his torch up to illuminate the map Kirat was holding.

“Good news, friends!” Armand announced. “We are nearly halfway there, and the brilliant Kirat has discovered a path that will avoid all remaining zones. It will take a little longer, but I think we all agree that it will be worth it.”

Granny Lucy struggled to her feet with Evelyn’s help. “Yes, I’m done with zones. Mad houses, the whole lot of them. Lead the way, Armand. I’m ready to see daylight again.”