I was shaking in a helpless rage. And fear.
“Why didn’t you tell me that before? At the Tower?” I spat.
Nibble shifted on Emrys’s arm. “Should I leave you alone to settle this, guys?”
“Yes!” Emrys and I snapped simultaneously.
“See you in Egypt then!” the bat said and vanished toward the fading stars.
I raised a finger to protest, but Emrys’s warm, grounding touch stopped me.
“This time, all will go well. I swear—on my long, cursed life—I’ll protect you. The undyne is not as strong as you think. It’s only five days at sea. And remember.” He leaned in, that maddening scent of pinewood and rain numbing me. “If you die, I die too, Miss Daphne. I won’t let anything happen to you.” The manipulative bastard reached out and tucked a loose strand behind my ear, sending jolts of electricity down my body.
I crossed my arms at my chest. “Can’t you just take those mysterious magical roads that brought us to the Folded Tower? Those that Nibble uses?”
“It would be difficult with a mortal in tow and depleted magic. I could manifest us at the bottom of the sea or two hundred feet above the desert sand. Calibration is a bit off when I don’t have my full powers.”
I dragged a palm over my face. “We sail to Alexandria, we perform that cursed ritual, and I’m free to go?”
My thoughts raced. Will we make it there? What would happen after?
“Yes, little thief. You give me back what’s mine, and you can leave. The world is yours.” He whispered, his eyes delving into mine, studying me. Expecting something I couldn’t figure out.
Something strained in my chest. Was that sadness in his voice, or was it my imagination? And why, suddenly, wasthere no rush of excitement thinking about leaving him and exploring this world alone? Wasn’t that what I always wanted? Yet there was something else, a doubt, that spread like a poisonous vine through my heart. To give him back his magic and walk away was the goal. Why did his words sound like closing a door I wasn’t ready to shut?
I huffed and rubbed my forehead. Time was running short. The sky was turning pink-gold, the sickle of the moon paling.
“Fortune favors the brave.” Grandfather’s favorite saying slipped from my lips. “Emrys Ravenborn,” I said, “you got yourself a deal.”
Emrys
If I had a Heart
Gray morning crept over Marseille. Mist drifted from the sea in silver ribbons, veiling the dockside warehouses and masts. Somewhere, a bell tolled the hour. The city was waking up.
We reached the port without talking. Too often, I was glancing at Daphne over my shoulder. When she saw the sliver of water behind the boats, she frowned. Some old, forgotten instinct made me fold her hand into mine and squeeze it. She took in a sharp breath.
“We’ll make it to Alexandria safe, Daphne. I promise.” Her nostrils flared, catching the scent of salt and coal, citrus and sweat. Around us, sailors shouted in French and Arabic, and porters heaved crates. Merchants argued while families gathered close, clinging to their battered luggage. Pigeons strut between the cobblestones like they owned the place.
It had changed. But not that much.
I stood at the edge of the dock, boots planted, eyes sweeping the bustle. Too many people. Too many faces I didn’t trust, too many shadows that shifted wrong. Clio wasn’t here. Yet. Nor any agents of the Renegade.
With some luck, the old goddess was enjoying her newfound freedom in the azure waters at the far end of the globe.
I held out my hand. “The earrings, Miss Daphne. I’m afraid you need to part with these. First-class passage to Alexandria doesn’t come cheap.” She gave me a sharp look—half protest, half reluctance—but took them off and handed them to me. She understood. Everything we owned remained in Paris catacombs.
The diamonds caught the morning light with a defiant gleam. Stolen from Duskmere. Likely cursed. Perfect. I headed to the pawnshop at the entrance of the port and returned with two tickets.
“Come on. The Aigle d’Azur sets sail in an hour.” I pointed at the twin-stack steamer with gilded railings. Lines of passengers were already crowding the docks.
“Keep the cloak on,” I told her, scanning the sky again. “Stay near me, Miss Daphne.”
Our cabin was huge–two bedrooms and a bathroom, ebony furniture, a crackling fireplace and a cold bottle of champagne. She walked across the cabin like she belonged there, a little frown between her brows as she looked out to sea. For a moment, I saw not a thief or a ward-breaker but something more dangerous. Someone I wanted to protect.
Well, that went great the last time I tried to do it.
Instinctively, I placed my hand on her shoulder and smiled when she didn’t pull away. “With some luck, your undyne won’t even sense our passage. Your connection has been severed.”
