Page 125 of The Secrets of Jane: Reborn

Moving quicker, I’m upon the stairwell that will take me down. I decide then and there that if I come acrossanyone, I’m maiming them. There’s no way to do this without leaving a trail of blood, and I need to commit to violencenow.

The world blurs around me until I come across a guard on the stairwell. A split second is nearly too long as guilt claws at me, but when his gaze trails up and then down my body, anger flashing through his expression as he’s about to shout something, I stab the poker right through his throat to close off any ability to scream for help. As I pin him against the stone, he reaches for the metal rod as blood pours out like he’s a barrel of wine with a hole in it.

ForAnya.

She’s counting on me, too.

Once the life is gone from him, I use my foot to push on his stomach and pull the poker out, slowing him down as he collapses and bleeds all over me.

I hurry down the remainder of the stairs, cursing myself for not grabbing one of his blades instead, but there’s no time. I nearly trip with shaky legs and come across twomore, wearing black tabards with a flame sigil. Leaping down two stairs to ram the poker into one, I immediately release and catch my balance, my gaze latching on the blade at his hip as I channeleverythinginto ensuring I grab it—light fingers—as I spin to stab him in the mouth that almost screams out.

Myonlyadvantage—and the only one I’ve ever had—is no one really expects me to attack like this. Just as Bones said, and these two seemed more ceremonial than worth their armor.

This will only work until I come across someone like Soren or Bones, who knows how to fight. Who doesn’t get lost in a wave of shock, and will know how to pin me down as they ask questions later.

I don’t even bother to be quiet as I continue to run down the stairs, leaving three bodies behind me already. “I’m coming, Melona,” I mutter.

I focus every bit of mental energy I have into my wrists, thinking of the goddess that’s supposed to give me powers, and beg inside of my mind for the keys to the cells to be hanging up on the wall, just like they were when Jesper escorted me down here. Surely a healing goddess won’t be overly fond of a God of Misery, right?

Howcan I use her?

I beg even more once I’m down on the level that Jesper took me to, pleading that this isn’t for me and it’s to save others. Aren’t other lives worth this stroke of luck?If this goddess can only be summoned with a blue candle, I can understand why Mom thought she was rather worthless.

I nearly shudder when I see the keysare there. No fucking way. Darting to them, I grasp them quickly and hurry along the water, everything just as it was when Jesper took me down here:dark lighting, candles everywhere, the water calm and gently flowing.

This tension between being so close to success, and yet it hasn’t happened yet, is something I’ve never enjoyed. It’s a high that was only fun when it was sneaking around, but when lives are on the line—numb it.

I focus on nothing but the next foot in front of me, keeping every eye and ear peeled. When I round the corner, my gaze affixes to the cell where I can see sirens who look weak, slumped over, or leaning against the wall. I move as swiftly as possible, trying not to fall or trip, when one of them notices me, silently waking the others.

I don’t say a word as I immediately begin trying different keys as each one clinks down against the rest when it’s not it, knowing to think of nothing other than dexterity to try as many as possible?—

Click.

The lock to the cell opens, and I swing the loud, rusty door out as wide as it can go, immediately leaning down to Melona to start the process of trying different keys again, her dark eyes wide as she pants through cracked lips, the smell of rotting scales enraging my blood. My heart races so fast I feel as if I’m in a fever dream, especially once the metal choker around her neck clicks open, Melona pulling away from the confines.

It’s as if I’ve been doused in cold water, gooseflesh rising all over.

I did it.

“Go, Jane. Leave the keys so we can unlock the rest ourselves,” Melona says through a hoarse voice, coughing as she does.

The one that has to be Moriganna leans forward. “We already know the way out.Flee.”

They start to murmur among each other in some kind of clicking, high-pitched whining sound. I watch as Melona works, rather than get moving. “There’s nowhere to flee,” I say. A part of me didn’t even expect to succeed here, and what about the keys? How can I free Anya without them? “I need to wait, so I can unlock the cell door for my friend. Can we,” I begin thinking out loud more than anything. “Can we come with you at all?”

Moriganna shakes her head. “We don’t have marrowkelp on us, or we would take you with us and into the water. It’s too cold without it; you’ll last maybe an hour, but we’d need more than that. The closest growth of it ismilesaway, and if you have to remain above water, they could always spot us before we get you safely on a shore.” Moriganna coughs through a dry voice.

“I’m willing to risk it,” I press.

Melona glances at me. “Jane, it would kill you. This time of year, humans can last about one or two hours in the water. It will take an hour alone just to swim around the peninsula. There’s a great chance you won’t make it to shore, and even then, you’d need to be rewarmed immediately.” She presses her dried lips together, motioning where I came from. “Another guard is down the opposite way. He always carries keys when checking in on us. They’re different looking than this set. We will need these as there are iron bars at the end of these tunnels. It’ll be faster to steal the others.”

“What about if guards come upon you?”

“We can use the sunder if necessary.”

“Why didn't you use that already?” I ask so fast the words nearly blur.

Moriganna leans forward as Melona works on her chains. “That is how one of us has been killed, already,” the siren princess answers. “It won’t matter if we can actually escape.”