Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 93948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
“ ‘Should’ is not a guarantee,” Evelyn counters.
“It’s not. But it’s an educated guess and you’re an excellent witch. I have faith in your abilities.”
Evelyn blushes a little, and though it seems like she still wants to argue, we really have reached the point of no return. I motion to Bastian. “Can you hold the glamour over that many people?” When he hid us on First Sister, they were all on my back, which essentially made us one figure—if a large one.
“As long as everyone is within my eyesight, yes.” His jaw is set, his eyes harder than I’ve ever seen them. He’s shown what he’s capable of, time and time again. I believe him when he says he can do it.
“Let’s go. We’re wasting time.” I head for the door, moving slowly enough that I’m sure they’re all following by the time I press the creaking wood open to the outside. It’s significantly cooler here than on Yoth, but we’re still well into the summer in this part of Threshold. I tilt my head back and study the stars.
When I’m among the Wild Hunt, will I be able to take moments like this to appreciate the beauty all around me? Or will it be an eternity of constant, churning motion? Of never-ending hunger? I shiver.
“Siobhan?”
I drag my eyes from the sky to Nox. The others have passed us by, following Bastian. I’m proud of him for his initiative here. He’s shown plenty of leadership qualities over the years, but he’s always been content to hold a second-in-command position. It’s a good sign that he’s evolving; I won’t be around to take a lead from in the future. Someone has to ensure Lyari doesn’t set up another Council to replace the first and perpetuate the harm done by past generations. Bastian will do right by the people and the mission. He’ll be a good leader.
I wish I could be there to see it.
“Siobhan.” Nox slips their hand into mine and pulls me to a stop. “This will work.”
Ironic that they’re trying to comfort me when I should be doing it for them. “I know.” I survey the sky one last time and then let Nox tug me into the trees after the others.
We stick to the trees where we can, and utilize a combination of Bastian’s glamour and the dark where we can’t. The trip is unremarkable, which is exactly as we’d hoped. The city is too perfectly placed to worry about a large attack from the land side. There’s cover for a small group like ours, but not for an army. And who has a standing army in Threshold, realm of the seas? Any attack would be from a navy, and Lyari is well protected against that. They have a stranglehold on the bay the city squats in the center of, massive forts on either side of the mouth that ensure only those who are invited successfully enter their waters.
Even slipping into the city itself is easy enough. We scale the short wall in the darkest section we can find. Nox scrunches their nose when we land in an alley filled with refuse and things best left unexamined. “I hate cities.”
“We all do,” Bowen murmurs.
“Speak for yourself.” Lizzie lifts one foot and squints at it. “Though I prefer to hunt in cleaner areas.” She turns and sweeps Maeve into her arms. “No point in getting your feet dirty. You’ll never clean the stench off.”
Maeve murmurs something into Lizzie’s ear that I do my very best not to hear. The dark covers my blush as I weave through our small group to come even with Bastian. “Let’s keep moving.”
“A moment.” He closes his eyes, breathes deep, and exhales on a cough. “Right, that was a mistake. Give me a second to get the glamour in place. It will cover the sounds of our walking as long as no one makes too much noise. You’ll be able to see through the glamour, but no one will see you.”
“Nifty,” Evelyn murmurs. “That’s a trick I’d love to learn.”
“Sorry, love. He’s one of a kind,” Nox answers just as quietly. They’re smiling, but their gray eyes are serious. “Ready?”
“Ready,” Bastian confirms.
Then we’re off again, slipping through the dark streets with an ease that sets my teeth on edge. There are guards patrolling here and there, but they never realize how close we are. I know Bastian’s magic is formidable, but this feels too damned easy. Right as the horologists are calling one in the morning, we reach the Council’s seat of power.
A couple generations ago, it was a normal-sized building. Now it’s a monstrosity, bulging oddly and stretching strangely with new additions. Whatever beauty there was in its construction has long since been perverted with the need for more. I shudder at the sight, just like I always did as a child being forced to visit this place.