Page 38

Jude

I’ve spent my entire life seeking invaluable artifacts and treasures, hoping to fill a hole that can never be filled, and I’ve gone and screwed up the one thing I actually gave a damn about.

Note found in the desk of the notorious Fox, City of Fortuna

Beyond the looming gates was a set of double doors the size of ten men.

The smooth, silver sides were trimmed with diamonds, each striking gem perfect in cut and clarity. A copper moon hung over the apex where the doors joined, the metal hammered, the tiny dips and grooves reminiscent of crumpled parchment that had been unfurled.

“Who wants to go first?” Jake inquired, clearly not offering to do it himself.

Covered in blood and riddled with scrapes, we were all ragged and exhausted and in no mood to open a door that was guaranteed to lead to more misfortune.

Unsurprisingly, there weren’t any eager hands being raised.

The talisman we needed had to be hidden somewhere in this palace, the key to our salvation tauntingly within reach. We’d summon the god and be done with this. Whatever way it eventually ended.

No point in delaying fate.

I kicked open the doors with my boot.

Glittering white dust descended from above like falling snow. Bells chimed from somewhere deeper in the heart of the palace, a harp and lute joining together to form a disquieting melody.

I grasped Kiara’s wrist as she stepped forward to enter , and I shook my head. After I failed to save Dimitri, there’d be no argument that I was going in first. Still, I felt her glare burn the side of my face.

The luminous powder continued to fall, coating my entire body as I stepped through.

I saw nothing at all for horrifying seconds, my limbs numb as a whispering voice danced across my mind. It was muffled and tinny, but it sounded strangely familiar.

When the dust settled, so did the voice.

I’d entered a grand foyer, larger than the one in Sciona’s palace. Velvet loungers and fine chairs were dispersed without order, positioned beside tables covered in trinkets or dishes burdened with flaky pastries. The crystal glasses were filled with amber liquid, bubbles rising to the top with a soft hiss.

I craned my neck, taking in the carved walls, depictions of the stars and the constellations etched by an artist’s hand. Not one inch of the space had been left untouched. Yet even the walls couldn’t compete with the focal point of the room—the grand marble staircase.

Twisting metal vines formed a delicate banister winding up to the second-floor landing. I couldn’t make out much, a thick fog twirling playfully at the top of the steps, shielding my view of what lay ahead.

Moonlight touched my skin, prompting me to look up past the grandeur of the foyer. There was no roof to shield the open sky, the star-laden heavens clear and gleaming.

While stunning, a nearly perceptible air of dread smothered its beauty. I could taste it on the tip of my tongue, its bitterness a warning.

I reached for my blade…only to notice my clothing was not my own.

Luminous black boots rose to my calves, and my trousers were spun of the softest black fabric. A silver belt wound about my waist, and a crisp white shirt with mother-of-pearl buttons climbed to my throat. My weapons, along with all I’d brought with me into the temple, were on my person, but the sheath that carried my blade was a fine leather.

Footsteps pounded, the sound of others entering the palace causing eerie echoes to fill the cavernous space.

I spun around. Like mine, my companions’ filthy attire had been replaced, their faces wiped clean of grime. Yet the only one I noticed was Kiara. Everyone else blended into the background.

Her bright red hair shined, and intricate braids crowned her head. Kohl lined her eyes, bringing out the amber in them, her lips painted a deep plum.

My mouth parted when I took in her clothing. Silk trousers clung to her hips, showing off every curve perfectly. Her top was cinched, a seamless corset with a V neckline. A black ribbon was tied around her neck, securing a gauzy train that drifted behind her, the gentle wind picking up its ends. Her sheath shifted locations to her thigh, the Godslayer blade on proud display.

In the span of a second, I’d forgotten our mission, forgotten what I’d done these last weeks, and entirely failed to recall even my own name.

“Gods,” I breathed, entranced. “You look—”

“Ridiculous,” she huffed, her face scrunched in annoyance. I walked up to her and pressed my finger against her wrinkling nose.

“No, you look like a heartbreak waiting to happen.”

I traced her lower lip with my thumb, the plum shade garnering my entire focus. Her lips parted, warmth tickling my skin. She swallowed thickly, and my gaze fell to the delicate column of her throat.

“I think I look lovely , as well!”

I flinched at the sound of Jake’s voice. He shouldered between us, flashing his silver jacket, white threads spun decadently along the hem. His dark hair had been pushed back and styled, and a hint of kohl lined his lower lids, bringing out the intense blue of his irises.

“You would be prancing around and admiring your clothing at a time like this,” Kiara scolded, even as a gentle laugh escaped.

Liam walked into the center of the room, standing uncomfortably beside his sister, itching at the stiff material of his clothing. He wore something similar to Jake, although the top buttons of his shirt had been undone, his curls still effortlessly careless and grazing the collar’s high back. It lent him a roguish look that Jake seemed to appreciate. He couldn’t look away, and when Kiara groaned, shoving him closer to her brother, he happily obliged.

“If you insist,” Jake called over his shoulder.

Emelia and Finn came last, my mother wearing loose-fitting trousers and a white tunic, her short hair appearing wet, styled out of her face to expose all her sharp angles.

“As if this couldn’t get any worse,” she mumbled, brushing at her new clothing with a lethal scowl. That scowl deepened as she surveyed the luxurious foyer, her painted lips thinning. She clutched her bag, which had transformed into the color of midnight, the material a matching silk. Ripping it open, she rifled through, relaxing when she discovered all her possessions remained.

“What’s that?” Kiara rushed past, aiming for a glass side table positioned next to an elaborate lounger large enough to fit three. She picked up a single folded piece of parchment.

“You’ve made it this far. Dine and drink before we change the world,” she read aloud. “What does that mean?”

On cue, the music I’d heard when I first entered played a song too ethereal and airy to have been performed by mere mortals. The despondent chords of a harp descended from the second story, a lute soon joining in, both instruments creating a melody that reminded me of the sensation of free-falling.

Lovely. A welcome party to our own funeral.

“It’s obviously a trap,” Liam remarked drily. “I’ve read enough books to know a trap when I see it. The haunting music is a nice touch, though.”

Kiara made a face. “I thought you stuck to reading science and math texts?”

Liam’s brow furrowed. “I’d have thought you would’ve discovered my secret stash of adventure and romance books. I’m disappointed.”

The music swelled, compelling us toward the stairs and all the mysteries we sought. My heart pounded, my feet itching to move, to give in and feel the vibrations of the song.

“We left a world of ugly nightmares for one with beautiful lies.” Emelia shook her head. Her eyes were clouded, the same as the others. “I don’t see any choice but to head up, but be on your guard. This place has to be enchanted.” She frowned, looking at her fine clothing. “Well, obviously it’s enchanted. But more than that, it’s…”

“It makes me want to dance,” Kiara supplied with a grimace. “And drink and dine and smile .” She shuddered.

Jake’s expression sobered. “Definitely not good , then.”

Kiara glided to the stairs, her gauzy train rippling and moving with each step. She grasped the silver banister, her hands aglow with magic, light reaching out to brush against her onyx and navy scars. Peering over her shoulder, she asked, “Well, are you coming?”