Chapter 14

“Don’t say a word yet,” Kai whispers as he turns around and smiles and nods to someone. I’ll handle this,” he tells the other servant. You take the food over to General Hull’s office, don’t worry.”

“I’ll see you back in the kitchen,” I hear the servant reply.

“Sure thing.”

Kai watches the guy vanish from his field of vision, then closes the door and turns to face me. “I can’t stay long,” he says, his voice low.

“How the hell did you get in here? How’d you know where to find me?” I ask, though I have plenty more questions where those first two came from. The blood rushes to my head, and I’m close to passing out from the excitement, so I take a few deep breaths. “I didn’t think I’d see any of you ever again.”

“Dayan managed to escape when the Sky Tribe mercenaries intercepted them at the city gates,” Kai says, nervously looking over his shoulder. “He managed to get to the nearest telegraph point and sent out a message. He figured Shaytan would keep you all to himself because we all know he’s got the major hots for you. Maur and I made our way down here first. The others are coming, too.” He pauses to give me a caring look. “How are you holding up?”

“Not well,” I reply, shaking like a leaf. “They’re executing Yossul and Fadai tonight. They’re launching the starship tonight, too. What do we do? I’m stuck here. Can you get me out?”

He shakes his head. “Not by myself, I can’t. But here, take this,” Kai says, giving me a small metallic tool with two different ends. I immediately recognize it as a custom-made lock pick, the kind that works on a variety of locking mechanisms. You’re going to need it later. I presume Shaytan and Blaze want you present for the execution.”

“Yeah.”

“Of course,” he scoffs. “Listen, Maur is doing his part. All I could do was sneak up here and pretend I’m a servant. I look young enough to play the part.”

I slip the tool into my pants pocket and give him a curious look. “What’s the plan, exactly?”

“Knowing what we know now, I’m not really sure,” Kai says. “The goal was to stop the starship from taking off, but I’m not sure our coordinates made it back to Opal City. Everything happened too fast.”

“We thought Blaze was dead. We figured the coast was clear to proceed with our plan. I just… I don’t know where it went wrong.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. We’re here, and we’re going to do everything we can to stop the Sky Tribe.”

I grab his wrist and squeeze it tightly. “You have to help Yossul and Fadai. Shaytan wants their heads on a spike tonight.”

“I know,” he replies, his brow furrowed. We’re working on something, but it’s not that easy. The whole city is paranoid as the launch hour approaches. There are more soldiers patrolling the streets and tighter checkpoints throughout and around the city. I don’t even know if the rest of the Yellow Gang is still alive.”

“What did Dayan say?”

Kai shrugs slightly, averting his gaze. “His message was brief. Just confirmation of the starship’s presence here, of your capture, and that was it. We haven’t heard from him since.”

“Dammit,” I whisper, well aware that he may not have made it.

The Sky Tribe mercenaries are savages despite their city life elitism and so-called appreciation of science over tradition. People like Dayan and the rest of our crew are mere fodder for these people, nowhere near valuable enough to be kept alive. If anything, the Sky Tribe fighters have clear orders to kill them on sight.

I’m considered special because I’m a human woman and, therefore, precious. Yossul and Fadai weren’t executed right away because Shaytan wanted to make a public show of the whole thing. He wanted to send a message to the rest of the Fire Tribe, specifically.

“I have to go,” Kai says. “You be careful, Jewel. If everything works out, we’ll give you the signal.”

“The signal?”

“To use the tool and free yourself. I wouldn’t risk springing out of here otherwise,” he says. “Shaytan and Blaze are well prepared for pretty much every possible scenario.”

“What will the signal be, then?”

He puts on a catlike grin. “You’ll know it when you see it, trust me.”

I nod slowly and watch him leave, the door closing and locking behind him. I’m shaking with anticipation and fear at the same time. Everything is so tightly woven together. There is no room for hesitation or error.

Normally, that would be my comfort zone. I’d be operating at my full capacity under conditions of high stress. Hell, I’d be popping out of this place all roaring and guns blazing. But with Yossul and Fadai prisoners, I’m nervous. I’m scared.

I can’t do anything until I know they’re safe.

This is why I resisted the idea of bonding with them in the first place. I could tell myself, “I told you so,” but the point is moot. It’s done. We’ve fallen madly in love with each other.

I don’t know what I’ll do if we fail.