“Fine,” we all agree with a half sigh, half amused breath.
I turn to Kath and the other humans. “The four of us will handle the archives underneath the castle, since that’s the biggestspace anyway. You can split the hidden tunnels between all of you. And we’ll also create the distraction, so once you see them all start running away in panic, make your way inside.”
She nods. “Remember to stick the rope firmly into the liquid.” Shifting the barrel to one arm, she reaches her other hand into her pocket and draws out a small watch. “Here. Set the rope on fire at exactly fifteen minutes before the hour is full. With the coating it has, it will take fifteen minutes for the flame to travel to the liquid. That way, everything explodes all at once.”
“Yeah, and I probably don’t need to say this,” Kyler adds, sweeping his gaze over us. “But whatever you do, make sure you’re out well before then. Because when this all goeskaboom,” he nods up towards the massive castle above us, “that is all gonna come crashing down all at once.”
I swallow as a hint of worry flits through me. There can be no mistakes now. We need to time this perfectly, or all of us are going to die.
“Noted,” Orion says drily. Then he turns to me. “Well then, shall we?”
After giving him a nod, I turn back to Kath, Kyler, and the others. “Good luck.”
Kath grins. “Let’s bring this son of a bitch down.”
The other humans let out dark chuckles, full of wicked anticipation. Then they all spread out, taking off along different paths up the mountain to reach their respective spots.
My friends and I exchange a glance. Then we start jogging up the slope as well.
The liquid sloshes against the sides of the wooden barrel as I run up the path with Orion beside me. Isera and Alistair took the lead, and they start pulling ahead slightly since both of them are more physically fit than I am, and Orion is wearing his impractical royal garments and shoes instead of proper fighting gear.
I scan the massive ice walls up ahead while the side gate draws closer. If there is a guard left there, he will spot us soon.
“Are you ready?” I ask Orion over the sound of sloshing liquid and my own breathing.
He gives me a long and far too knowing look. “Areyou?”
A jolt shoots through me when I remember that he witnessed my horrible breakdown in the Seelie Court yesterday. Clearing my throat, I draw in a deep breath both to refill my lungs and to brace myself.
“Yes,” I reply. “Draven and I found a… solution.”
“Good.”
My heart skips a beat. That’s it? No other comments? No remarks? No pressure to explain what the hell I was thinking or what kind of miraculous solution we found to solve such a devastating problem?
But when I look at him, I realize that there is absolutely no judgement on his face. In fact, there never has been. The Unseelie King has a reputation for being cruel, but he is actually one of the most accepting people I’ve met. He sees people exactly for who they are. Not for who he wishes them to be.
A small smile blows across my lips. He and Isera really would be good together.
“Thank you, by the way,” I say, holding his gaze.
He raises his eyebrows in surprise. “What for?”
“All of it. For what you did for me in your dungeon. For what you offered me afterwards. For giving me time to try to handle it on my own without telling anyone. But also for actually going to get Draven yesterday. I needed help. But I was too desperate to ask for it. So thank you.” I smile. “For getting me the help I needed.”
His features soften for a moment in a way I have rarely seen. “You’re welcome.”
For a few seconds, we just continue running up the slope. Ihave to adjust the barrel several times as my muscles begin to tire.
“Will you tell them?” Orion eventually asks with a nod towards where Isera and Alistair are running a little ahead.
I consider in silence for only a moment before replying, “Yes. Yes, I will.”
And just speaking those words out loud lifts the final remnants of that heavy weight I’ve been getting crushed under all this time. I’m no longer ashamed. Addictive pleasure is a side effect of my magic. No matter what I do, it will always be there. There is nothing I can do to change it. Having to deal with those difficulties doesn’t make me weak. They don’t make me a burden.Everyonestruggles with something. And just like my friends lean on me, I need to remember that it’s okay for me to lean on them too when I need help.
So yes, I will tell them what I’ve been struggling with all this time. And besides, I kind of need to explain to Alistair that I’ve already killed some of the people that he said he was going to ask for Isera’s help to kill.
“Who’s there?” a man’s voice suddenly yells from the side gate up ahead.
