My heart stopped. “What the fuck did you just say?”
“If you don’t solve the riddle, you’re considered a liability after attending the convention. They can’t risk people who know too much walking around freely.” His tone was light, like he was talking about losing a bet at poker, but I didn’t miss the fear in his eyes. “Don’t worry,” he added quickly. “I’ve cracked it. I know the answer. All I need to do is show up and collect.”
My knees wobbled, and I had to grab the counter for support. “You insane, reckless fool,” I breathed, barely able to believe what I was hearing. “You entered a contest where the penalty for failure is death, and youdrainedour account to do it?”
“Look,” Will said, stepping forward, his expression pleading now. “There’s no turning back. The entry fee is non-refundable, and if I don’t show up, they’ll come after me. You know how it works down there.”
I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing, to fight off the panic clawing at my insides. “How do we get you out of this?”
“There’s no getting out of it, Viv. The contest is tonight. If I’m late, they’ll take it as a sign of cowardice, and trust me, that’s not something you want in The Below.”
“And you want me to go with you? Why?”
He tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace. “Moral support. And, well... if it’s the last time we see each other, I’d rather you be there.”
“Fuck, Will.” I shook my head. But as furious as I was, as terrified as his words made me, I couldn’t let him face this alone. “Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’ll go. But we’re going to talk about this later.”
Will grinned, excitement briefly overshadowing the fear. “Thank you, Viv. I promise, it’s all going to work out. You’ll see.”
I had a bad feeling it wouldn’t, but what choice did I have? I couldn’t let him walk into The Below alone.
“Go get dressed,” he said, checking his watch. “We have an hour before we need to leave. And, uh... try to look the part.”
I glared at him but stomped to my room without saying another word. As I shut the door behind me, I couldn’t shake the gnawing fear that this was a mistake. Will was all I had left, though, and if there was even a chance I could protect him, I’d walk into the depths of The Below and face the devils lurking there.
Even if it meant we might not walk back out.
The chill nightbreeze pricked at my skin as we made our way down the damp, dark alley that led to the tear in the Veil. I kept my steps quick and light, trying to keep up with Will ashe navigated the winding streets like he knew them by heart. I didn’t, but I had enough sense to know we were getting closer to a part of town where most people wouldn’t dare venture. Here, the shadows seemed to swallow every hint of moonlight, the atmosphere thick with a foreboding that made my nerves scream.
The moment we stepped through the tear, it was like entering another world. The air was colder, filled with an unnatural chill that sent a shiver down my spine. The landscape beyond was darker, more oppressive, as if we’d crossed into the belly of some ancient beast. For the first few minutes, we walked in silence, the damp, moss-covered ground muffling our footsteps. I couldn’t see more than five feet in front of me because the mist swallowed everything that dared to move.
I spotted Carl immediately. He stood like a statue, arms crossed over his broad chest, the faint glow of his Veil Guard badge barely visible against his dark jacket. Carl was a large, imposing figure with a jaw that looked like it could crack walnuts and a permanent scowl that made you think twice before pissing him off, but I knew he was a softie at heart—at least, he had a soft spot for Celeste.
Will strode forward with more confidence than I thought was warranted, given the situation. I stayed a step behind, my gaze darting around for any signs of danger. There were none yet, but that didn’t mean we were safe.
Carl’s eyes snapped to us the second we approached. “What’s your business here?” His voice was a low growl that could shake you down to your bones if you weren’t anticipating it.
Will didn’t flinch. He leaned in close and whispered, “Moonshatter.”
Carl’s eyebrows raised just a fraction. He shifted his weight, eyeing Will like he was trying to decide if he was worththe trouble. Then, with agonizing slowness, he stepped aside, throwing a scrutinizing look in my direction.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Vivian,” Carl said, the corners of his lips twitching into a shadow of a smile. “How’s Celeste? Haven’t seen her passing through for a while.”
I forced a smile, praying my nerves didn’t show on my face. “She’s good, Carl. Busy as always, you know how it is.”
“Tell her I said hi,” he rumbled, his eyes lingering on me a moment too long.
“Will do.” My heart was pounding, but somehow I managed to keep my tone light.
After we’d walked past the line of supernatural beings waiting to cross over into the human world, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Where the hell are we going, Will?”
He pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and squinted at it. There wasn’t much light here save for a distant, flickering lantern. “The convention is just past the border of the Wraith territory,” he said casually, like we were heading to the corner store to pick up milk.
I stopped dead in my tracks. “Wraith territory?” My voice rose, and I had to force myself to lower it. “Will, are you out of your fucking mind? Do you even know what kind of horrors lurk in that place?”
Will shrugged, an infuriatingly calm expression on his face. “Yeah, yeah, dead people and shit. What’s the big deal?”
I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to slap some sense into him. “Dead people are just the beginning, Will,” I hissed. “We’re talking about cursed souls who haven’t found peace. Wraiths will drain you dry if you so much as blink the wrong way.”
