Chapter 23

Cricket

When I find Julian, he's bloody and bug-eyed, staring at me as if I've been painted blue and dipped in sparkles, as if he doesn't believe I'm really here.

"We have exactly zero time to waste." I drop to my knees in front of him and work on picking the lock on his chains. "I think the entire Guild of the Dark Waters is currently after me."

Julian pulls himself together enough to utter, "What are you doing here?" He doesn't sound like himself, all small and scared like that.

"Saving you. What does it look like? Here." I shove the coin into his hand so I can use both of mine. "Hold this. And try not to be an ass about it this time."

"Noted." Now he's staring at the coin as if it's been painted blue and dipped in sparkles.

"Focus, Jules. I'm going to need your help."

Guards stumble in behind me, filling the little room with their smelly bodies, foul language, and useless weapons. My shield holds.

Julian tenses, curling in on himself, but I've shielded him too. They can't touch us.

I call to my little flame friend, and it comes roaring up to greet me. "Would you mind chasing them off? I need to focus."

It zooms away, multiplying in size, glowing bright red, and terrorizing the goons the other mage sent after me.

"What did you…how did you…" Julian is far too out of it for my liking. "You shouldn't be here."

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that score. Are you all right, Jules? Did they hurt you already?"

He doesn't answer, but the look on his face and the blood on his neck say enough.

That's it. I'm going to kill them for this. First, free my boyfriend. Then, slaughter the men who hurt him. Yes, good plan. If only I could get this stupid?—

Click.

— lock to unlatch.

Success! I tear the cuffs off Julian's wrists. The skin beneath them is raw and oozing. Someone's going to pay for that.

I set to work on his ankles. "You're lucky I know how to pick locks."

"Lucky doesn't begin to cover it." His words are back. Progress.

"What happened? How'd they catch you?" Keeping him talking is my real goal, but beyond that, I'm curious. Julian is the strongest sorcerer I know. That he's also the only sorcerer I know doesn't matter. Chaining him couldn't have been easy.

"It was easy." He proves me wrong, as usual. "Too many mistakes. Overconfident. Didn't watch my back."

"You shouldn't have to watch your back. We watch each other's backs now."

"You need to get you out of here."

"We leave together."

"If you get hurt because of me?—"

"Don't finish that sentence. We're going to be fine. The fire is keeping them out. Once I've got this unlocked, we'll use the coin. It got me in. It can get me out." I never told Julian how the coin saved me in the palace the night I stole it. "It's helped me escape before."

"From me. I remember."

"And the palace guards before we met." No matter how I twist my pick, the lock won't give. I rotate to another, smaller pick and keep trying. "Can you help?"

"The metal is enchanted somehow. I can't call my magic until I'm free."

Great. No problem. I've got this. I cram both picks in at once and angle them sideways.

"Cricket."

"Hang on."

"Cricket."

"I've almost got it."

He's pushing the coin into my hands, getting in my way. "Take this and go."

I bat his hand aside.

"Now." His voice is tinged with panic. "Cricket, now!"

Reluctantly, I glance up from my task. Julian's face holds more terror than his voice could contain. He's looking past me. I spin.

Two fae watch us from the doorway. My fire is gone. I call for it to come back, but nothing happens. In my mind, I plead, Little flame. Come grow for me. I need you now.

Nothing.

I'm about to resort to begging out loud when the smaller of the two men steps forward.

Clad in red and gold with gold eyes to match, he sneers at us and laughs. "Aww, she won't listen to you anymore, will she?"

I need to buy us some time while I best this stupid lock. "Who are you? What are you talking about?"

"My name is Rune Vesper, and Fire is my gift, boy. Mine." He raises his hands, and to my horror, both erupt in vicious red-orange flames. "How dare you attempt to use her against me? Against her true master?"

"Wait," yells Julian. "Don't hurt him. He has nothing to do with this."

"Ooh, what power you hand over so easily, Julie," says the other man with a familiarity in his voice that tweaks every jealous bone in my body. He places a hand on Rune's wrist. "You like the little mixling."

I ignore them. Let them bicker. Serves me well. I turn my back and return to work on the lock.

"He's just some thief I picked up," says Julian. "No one of importance. Let him go home, Tauren. He has a family."

Pfft. Julian is good at lying. He said that so smoothly I almost believe him. But I haven't had a family in a long time.

"What care I for your little friend's family?" asks one of the men I'm going to kill. Tauren, I guess. "When I can use him against you, pet?"

Click.

Ankles freed.

I grab my knife with one hand and Julian's wrist in the other. "The coin, Jules. Use it."

He fumbles, shoving it at me. "It's never liked me. It wants you."

"I have other business to attend to." I round on the two fae. "Which one of you cut up my boyfriend?"

Rune stands in front of Tauren, hands swirling with fire. "His neck or his precious wings? I did the first, but I'm sorry to say I wasn't around for the latter. Would have loved to have seen it, though. Bet he screams real pretty. Do you?"

I consider them. Rune likes the sound of his own voice far too much, and Tauren hangs back, eyes keen, letting his lackey take the risks for both of them. They've noticed the coin. Do they feel its power?

I square off with Rune.

"Cricket, no." Julian's voice is threaded with panic. He balls his fist in my shirt.

Rune sputters a rolling burst of laughter. "His name is Cricket?" He's looking past me, right at Julian. "Do you moan that name in bed? Oh, oh, Cricket!" He flails one arm dramatically over his face. "Right there, Cricket. Don't stop Cricket!"

I despise him. "Enough talking."

His false joviality turns sour.

I lunge for Rune, blade extended.

He rears back, flinging the fire at us. The flames engulf my shield, burning our protection away as if it were mere kindling.

My strike misses, slicing through the space where Rune was. The mage disappears like smoke, only to emerge behind Julian with his dagger held to his still-bloody neck. In his other hand, another ball of fire awaits.

Curses.

With little choice, I put my back to Tauren. "The coin, Julian."

"Yes. The coin," Rune croons near Julian's ear. "Let's have a closer look-see, shall we?"

The press of a blade cuts into the leather at my back.

Guards file into the room, surrounding us.

Julian digs his elbow into Rune's ribs and jerks away, gouging another bloody line into his own neck in the process. He grabs my shoulder and spins me, putting his back to mine and getting me out of reach of Tauren's knife.

Rune advances, the heat of his fire bringing sweat to bead along my forehead.

"Wait." Julian holds up the coin for Tauren to see. "It's worth a lot of money. Let us go, and you can have it."

Would he really hand it over to save me? The coin, which is strangely mute, strangely still, and not at all helpful when we need it most. I've given up on understanding its motives.

"Why would I do that when I have you, your lover, your father's dagger, and the coin in my possession right now?"

He has a point. Wait. Your father's dagger? Who's Julian's father?

"He's not my father."

Who's not Julian's father?

"We'll see about that when I deliver you to him in chains." Tauren steps back. "Guards, Rune, take them."

A flash of orange is all the warning we get before the cell is an inferno.

The guards scream and flee. Can't blame them. No one would stay to be burned alive, regardless of who ordered it.

But Julian and I are safe within his shield, much stronger than my own, and holding against the fire. Rune's eyes are positively alight with it, glowing yellow and gleeful with rage.

I refuse to be afraid of the fire. I know the element likes me, as I like it. Under my breath, I whisper, coaxing it to my side, "You're magnificent. A true beast roaring in my ears like a wild cat after a kill. Very well done."

"Shut up, you little twit." Rune advances, fancy dagger in hand. Julian's dagger? I know not. I haven't seen him with one before now.

I continue flirting with the fire, in my mind now, blade forward.

I know you don't want to hurt me. I'll only need a moment. Can you spare us for the span of breath?

Julian grabs me in an attempt to put himself between me and Rune. "The shield. It won't hold. We have to run."

I duck under his arm.

Rune lunges, aiming for my neck.

I plunge my blade into his thigh. Chaos erupts. The fire, Rune's wailing, the coin ringing sharply.

I ignore all of it and follow through. All my strength into one final blow. The center of his chest while he's off-balance. A fierce stab.

Julian's shield disintegrates, but we don't burn.

Rune falls. A dark scarlet bloom wets the red and gold silk of his tunic. His yellow eyes are wrenched open. His mouth is twisted in pain. Death comes for him, but I don't need to stand around while he comes.

The dagger is still clenched in his fingers. I shove my own into the sheath in my boot and snatch this one in case it really is Julian's, and he wants it back. But for now, it's mine.

Julian is frozen, gaping.

"Come on." I grab his arm. I knew he couldn't face the reality of killing. He's not made for such things. But me? I've always done what needed doing.

And Tauren is next.