I close my eyes, and I have to remind myself why I’m doing this. Why I’m going through with taking out the Exanimator and waking Mourdyn, a Divine I’m not even sure I’m going to be able to kill.
Fear has a way of erasing rationality.
To save Jaxen’s family from ever having to experience the curse again. To avenge the deaths of all those I love. To protect my Coven from the Darkyns. And to finish what I’ve started.
I turn this into a chant I repeat in my head, burning it into my brain until faint light shines in through the hole in the roof above me and Weldon is shaking my shoulder with a glass in his other hand.
“Morning,” he says, pressing the cup to his lips. “Did you know you snore?”
I sit up, rubbing my raw, tired eyes. “No, I don’t.”
He’s smirking. “You totally do. And you drool.” He’s rubbing at his cheek, insinuating there’s something I need to get off mine.
I give him a warning glare. He knows I’m not a morning person, though this knowledge does nothing to stop him. It only feeds his smile.
Jaxen stirs at his feet, stretches, and then sits up. He looks just as tired as I feel. I don’t think any of us slept well, if at all.
I check to make sure the picture of my parents is still tucked into the secret pocket on the inside of my suit, something I’ve come to habitually do. I see the tip of the aged corner sticking out from the pocket resting over my heart and breathe a little easier.
“It’s such a beautiful morning, isn’t it? So much to look forward to,” Weldon continues, his voice unnaturally bright. “There’s Evangeline and her pack out hunting for breakfast. There are the Rebellions, scowling at our very dear, and very Darkyn Meredith, and then there’s you… the Everlasting… looking like your average, run-of-the-mill ass-kicker.”
I wipe at the side of my mouth and growl at him when he laughs. “Yeah, I’m about to kick this foot up your—
“Hey, hey, hey. No need to get all violent on me,” Weldon says, snickering. “You don’t want to get bad juju for thinking negative thoughts.”
“Then go away and my thoughts will be happy again,” I retort, turning to look for Katie. She’s over near Gavin, picking at the fruit he’s laid out for everyone.
My stomach grumbles.
Jaxen stands and stretches, his shirt riding up over the complex plain of abs. “You’re awfully chipper.” He leans down and plants a small kiss on my lips, warming me through.
Weldon takes another sip from his cup. “I’m fed.”
“And to think you say that Darkyns are savages,” Meredith says, fastening the last button on her Darkyn robe.
“You kill your own to steal their powers,” Weldon points out as if it was an obvious reason.
“And you take blood from innocents to feed yourself. Where’s the difference?” Meredith prompts. By the looks of her, she’s been up for hours. She’s dressed the part should something go wrong while we’re there. I can’t keep my eyes from staring at the beaked mask resting on the table between us. The same mask every other Darkyn wears that’s haunted more of my dreams than I can count.
“The blood I take does not come from innocents,” Weldon corrects. He finishes off his cup, and then sets it down. “Murderers, rapists, abusers… they taste the best. Like sweet, sweet revenge.” He licks the tips of his fingers in memory of his kills.
Jezi slaps her forehead, shaking her head.
Meredith purses her lips. “You tell yourself whatever you need to justify it, but a cat is a cat and a dog is a dog.”
Weldon’s shoulders draw back as Gavin moves between them. “When are we leaving?” he asks, not looking the least bit impressed with the way they’re acting.
“As soon as you’re ready,” Meredith says, turning her attention to him. She gives him a once over, looks at Jaxen, and then softens her stance. “You two look like twins.”
“We get that a lot,” Jaxen says from beside me. He’s got his hand on the small of my back.
A slick smile spreads across her lips. “You’re single, aren’t you?” She’s looking at Gavin like he’s a bowl of chocolate she wants to dive into.
My jaw drops somewhere on the floor below me.
Jaxen quickly intercedes before Gavin can respond, moving in front of his brother. “No,” he says, “he’s not. And we can go whenever. Our team’s ready,” he adds.
“Good,” she says, almost with a bit of shock to her tone. Like she didn’t expect someone to step in for Gavin. “I’ll wear this uniform in case we run into trouble. You will need to do your best to cloak who you are with magic. The longer you go undetected, the better chance you have at doing what you need to do.”
“Got it.”
“It took almost a year to make it to the surface between walking, resting, and hiding, but with my extensive knowledge of the unused tunnels in the Underground, it shouldn’t take more than a few days to get to her, a week at the most depending on how quickly and easily Weldon can get us through the shadows undetected.”
“Let’s plan for the rest, because everything I’ve heard on my demondar has told me I’m on the top of the wanted list right along with this one,” Weldon says, pointing to me with his thumb, “so shadow walking will have to be used only when necessary since it leaves a trace behind.”
“Fine, then we will plan on a week,” Meredith says, though she doesn’t sound happy about it.
“I’ll summon food and provisions for our bags,” Jezi says, pulling the banshee bags we took with us toward me. After they’re filled with everything I think we’ll need, we meet outside the theater.
“We need to check in with your dad and Sterling before we take off with her,” Gavin says, turning his earpiece on. “Jezi and Katie, can you round everyone up and get them in the vans?”
They nod, heading back into the theater.
He checks his watch. “Evangeline and her pack should be back any minute now. Turn your earpieces on.”
We all do, waiting for them to come through.
“We’re about to head out,” Gavin says.
“We see that. Do you have everything you need?” Sterling asks.
“I believe so.”
“Do you feel like it’s a solid plan?” my father asks.
“As solid as it’s going to get,” Gavin says. “Everyone knows their part in this. Meredith has shown us all the secret tunnels she knows about.”
“We sent our armies out late last night with the bombs,” Mack cuts in.
“How are they doing?” Jaxen asks, chewing on his cheek.
“It’s war. It’s ugly, but we’re still pushing strong. Bael isn’t making this easy on us. He’s just as prepared as we are. But having the advantage of using those tunnels, and the distraction of our armies fighting their way through to the machine, will throw them off.”
“Plus, I have an advantage that can help us while we’re there,” Weldon says, his eyes flashing gold as he taps into his demon side. “I can hear them. I’ll know if they’re coming.”
“Unless they don’t want you to know. You have to be careful of traps, Weldon,” Sterling says. “This is a former High Priestess and the king of hell we’re talking about. They know you’re Faye’s partner, and they know your connection to the demon world. You must keep this in mind.”
“I know,” he says, not looking as sure as he did before.
“When you find Claire and get the amulet, keep your eye on Meredith. We don’t know what she plans on doing with Faye once her end of the deal is up,” Sterling says.
Jaxen and I exchange glances. In his eyes, I see he would rather die than let anything happen to me because of Meredith.
“I know,” Gavin says. “And I already have a plan in mind for that.”
A smidgen of regret crawls up the back of my tongue as I think about what I must do. Alone.
“Remember your ring,” my dad says. “If any of you find yourself in trouble, press it and we will do our best to find you.”
&nbs
p; “I know, Dad,” I say, biting back sorrow. Knowing, as well as everyone else around me, that this is a suicide mission. Not many, if any, will make it back. War never works that way.
“Good luck to you all. I have every ounce of faith that you will see this mission through successfully,” Sterling says.
“Thanks, sir,” Gavin says.
We turn off our earpieces and stand in silence as a cold, morning breeze works its way through our bones. The last of our group files into their vans, along with Evangeline and her pack.
“And where do I fit in this?” Meredith asks as she enters our small circle.
“You can take the passenger seat in our van,” Gavin says. “Let’s head out.”
“This is it, mouse,” Weldon says beside me as we follow Gavin and the rest.
“Yeah.”
“Don’t do anything stupid like trying to do it all on your own.”
“I won’t.”
Jaxen clears his throat, calling me out as Weldon purses his lips at me.
I know he sees through me as if I were a pane of glass.
“I said I won’t,” I reiterate, not wanting him to push me on it, because I’m not so sure I can lie to him. I’m not sure I’m brave enough to.
He shakes his head. “Oh, mouse. What am I going to do with you?”
Forgive me, I hope, I think as we get into the van.
“YOU ESCAPED OUT OF A sewer?” I ask, watching an abnormal amount of snakes moving through ripples in the murky water.
Meredith secures her mask to her belt, and then turns back to us. “No one said hell was classy.”
“I’m not walking through this snake pit,” Weldon says, his voice octaves higher than I’ve heard before. “I’ll do just about anything, but this… this is out of line, woman! Out of all the places you could have escaped, you had to pick the one infested with snakes?”
I tilt my head to the side. “You’re scared of snakes?”
Lukah and a few others behind us snicker.
He blows an unsteady breath out of his mouth, his face screwed up with fear. “Scared is a mild word compared to what I feel for those damnable beasts.” He’s watching a shiny black one slither up the bank toward us. His fingers cringe and his feet are carrying him steps away from it as it seems to makes it way toward him.
“I agree. This is ridiculous,” Bianca says, clutched onto Toby’s arm near Katie.
I’m trying my hardest not to smile. “They’re harmless, Weldon. They don’t mess with you unless you mess with them. They’re actually kind of cu—”
“Don’t you dare say that word!” Weldon says, holding his hand up, halting me. “Harmless?” he chokes out. “Try loathsome, foul, vile… need I go on?”
“Here we go with the vocabulary lesson again,” Jezi says with an eye roll. Katie smirks, making her way to stand behind me.
“Is he always like this?” Evangeline asks, staring at him weirdly.
I bite back a laugh. I’ve never seen him so worked up before. And over a snake, no less.
Jaxen grabs Weldon’s shoulders, laughing his ass off.
“They shouldn’t even be in this freezing ass water. Why are they even out right now?” Weldon asks, looking around to our team.
A few people shrug. Others are too busy laughing to answer him.
“Because this water isn’t freezing,” Meredith says dully, unimpressed. “It has certain magical properties from being connected to the Underground. That’s why they’re drawn to it. For its warmth.”
Weldon curses under his breath. Looks at the murky, frothy water and turns to me with pleading eyes. “Don’t you have a spell or something you can do to keep them from touching us?” When I don’t answer, he turns to Jezi, and then to Evangeline and all the other witches, asking them the same thing.
Meredith throws her hands in the air. “For Goddess’ sake. Move.” She shoves him to the side and stomps with authority toward the edge of the bank. Magic fills her palms as words roll off her lips. Slowly, the snakes congregate to the left of the entrance, working their way up the bank and away from us. “We good now, Princess?”
He looks to the left for a moment, probably thinking about whether he wants to thank her or retort with a comeback. “I’m gonna go with yes,” he says, and then walks into the water toward the sewer entrance.
Meredith extends her hand to me. “After you.”
After Gavin gives us the orders to proceed, I follow Weldon through the snow, with Jaxen and Gavin on either side, Katie and Jezi following behind. I know it’s killing Katie having to be so close to Meredith, who’s right on her heels, but I’m so proud of her for not saying a word about it. She’s put on her armor, choosing to walk with her head held high, far above the fear of entering the Underground without a partner and with her crazy aunt.
I prepare myself for the icy shock to the small bits of exposed skin, but end up feeling grateful for the warmth surrounding my limbs as we cross through the mouth of the pipe and drag our feet forward through the waist-deep, frothy water.
“This ought to be fun,” I hear Evangeline say from somewhere behind me.
“It’s no worse than that time we all had to hide out in that awful sulfur well behind that abandoned house in the forest,” Lukah pipes in, sounding as relaxed as ever. “That shit burnt my nose hairs.”
I wonder what he’s talking about, and why he’s always so upbeat and positive about everything, but my wondering doesn’t last long as Meredith says a spell behind me. A small beam of blue light brightens the rusted inside of the pipe. “In a few short steps, we’re going to begin to incline, so steady yourselves.”
We widen our feet to help grip our way up the pipe through the draining water and begin the climb, using small metal bars to hold onto.
Chatter echoes off the walls until Gavin stops in front of me and shouts at everyone, “Not another word!”
You could hear a pin drop, that’s how quiet it gets. I glance over my shoulder at Jaxen, who haphazardly shrugs. We knew going into this that Gavin wouldn’t be the same. Not without Cassie. But it doesn’t make it any easier to swallow seeing him so uptight and changed.
Minutes in, my thighs begin to burn and I’m grateful for all the weight training Clara forced us through as I push forward, praying I don’t slip. Refusing to think about the ride down should I do just that.
“How far up does this go?” Weldon asks, his voice tight with strain.
“Not very far,” Meredith says from behind me. She sounds focused. Like she’s done this a million times with her eyes shut.
Once we reach the top, the water level drops to just below our ankles. I say a quick spell to help dry those around me, and then wait for Meredith to tell us which way.
“I’m out of shape,” Katie says, bending over and gripping her thighs as she catches her breath.
“Walk it off,” Jezi says, pulling Katie up by her collar. When Katie tries to glare at her, Jezi nods her head to the rest of the line behind them that are waiting for Katie to get out of the way so they can get out of the inclined pipe.
“Sorry,” Katie quickly says, her face beet red.
Meredith steps around Weldon and Gavin, and then turns, facing the pipe we just came up through. “There are heavy spells here. The kind that twist up your mind when you try to guess which way to go.” She takes two steps backward, and then spins around and presses her palm against the steel wall. “Lucky for you, I’m smart enough to outsmart these kinds of spells so I could leave myself breadcrumbs.”
After a moment, the spot beneath her hand glows in an eerie purple color. When she removes her hand, there’s an arrow pointing to the left.
“This way,” she says, taking the lead with Gavin right behind her.
This way, Weldon mouths behind her with a cocky smile in my direction. Jaxen nudges him in the side and gives him the shut-up face.
We continue for what feels like forever, taking lefts and rights, moving up inclines and through dips. Without Meredith, th
ere would be no way we would make it through these tunnels. At every split, there’s a spell that makes everything feel upside down and backward. Like we’re walking on the ceiling and always in the wrong direction.
“How did you get thrown into a cell anyhow?” Weldon asks as Meredith uncovers her next arrow to point us in the right direction.
“You sure do talk a lot.” She moves down the path we’re supposed to be on, letting that be her answer.
But she doesn’t know Weldon like I do. Once he latches on to the fact that something might bother someone, he pokes until he’s satisfied.
“Sensitive subject?” Weldon pries.
“Here we go again,” I hear Jezi mutter from behind us.
Meredith turns and is in his face so fast that my hand hovers over my flux. Gavin and Jaxen have their guns out, aimed at her forehead, but she doesn’t care. It’s obvious in her snarl. “It’s a closed subject. Unless you want to be left behind, I suggest you drop it and keep your voice down. There could be any number of alarms in this place set off by a multitude of things, one being your annoying, tittering voice.”
Weldon isn’t fazed. This is his territory. “I bet it was that unpleasant attitude of yours, wasn’t it? Didn’t fit in with the other kiddies in the Darkyn club?”
“Weldon,” Jaxen says, the warning in his voice strong enough to fill the room. “Shut. Up.”
Her face tenses. Magic permeates the air all around us, from her and from every witch behind me. My hand is on the hilt of my flux, ready should she try something.
“You don’t know when to back off, do you?”
Weldon doesn’t flinch. “Nope. Especially not when I’m following a Darkyn around who I don’t know a thing about.”
She shakes her head, her lips so taut it almost looks painful. “You’re so lucky Claire loves you.”
“Do I detect a threat in that statement?”
She spins around and starts walking again, angrier this time as she shoves past Gavin’s gun pointed straight at her. “He has brains after all.”
“Weldon, let up on her. I’d like to get as far as we can before she decides to turn on us,” I say to Weldon’s mind.
Everdeep (The Night Watchmen Series Book 4) Page 20