He helps me strip the remnants of my ruined clothes. The fabric is stiff with blood and sweat, but his hands are careful as he pulls it off and scrubs away the remaining grime. He checks every bruise and cut with quiet concern.
I examine the cut on his neck, but it’s not as deep as I feared and has already clotted. We wash it, too, though Bash hisses when the soap hits the wound.
We change into spare clothes from our bags and step into the main room feeling a little more prepared for whatever comes next. The others take their time cleaning up, and we snack on some dried foods and rehydrate while we wait.
Sovran studies each of us, then leads us into the darkness beyond the archway. The room opens into a long chamber where the walls are filled with dials and ancient electronics coated in thick dust. Down the middle of the space is another control center, and a dozen or more worn stools sit along the edge. Beyond, plain metal doors make a perfect pattern on the far wall.
Sovran glances over his shoulder and meets my questioning gaze. “This was once where the subway system was controlled. It ran for a short time after the veil closed, but maintenance issues shut it down quickly. Our kind was always too stubborn to ask for help.”
I hum my agreement as I let my attention wander over this piece of history, locked up tight underneath the city that’s forgotten about its existence.
“Why has no one found this place?” Sakane asks.
Sovran tilts his head again as he watches us inspect the glass dials and screens. “The door you entered wasn’t created by the humans and isn’t on the maps. It was built to be hidden and has long served its purpose.”
“By you?” I ask.
Those golden eyes seem to ignite as he stares. “Indeed.”
He gives us his back once more as I twist my head to look at Bash.
“What the fuck?” he mouths, but I only give a helpless shrug.
We all hurry along behind Sovran. Metal jingles softly in the silence as he unlocks another door, and we push through into a long corridor identical to the ones we just traveled.
“More subway lines?” I ask.
Sovran nods as he beckons for us to follow. “Over the years, I’ve closed off passageways for safety.”
“Could we have even gotten to the culvert through those tunnels?” Sakane asks.
Sovran shakes his head. “That passage is no longer safe.”
Sakane’s face crinkles, undoubtedly picturing his precious maps in his mind. “Why not? Do they guard it?”
A touch of impatience flickers on Sovran’s face at being questioned. “It was discovered by patrols and has since been filled with debris. It is impassable.”
“Well, that admittedly would’ve sucked to find out,” Bash mumbles.
We walk in silence for a stretch, and when the path splits, a brick wall covers the opening to our left. Bash blinks at it a few times before staring at the back of Sovran’s head.
“How long have you been down here exactly?” he asks.
Golden curls bounce as Sovran steals a glance backward at us. “Time is irrelevant.”
Bash scratches his head and frowns. “Um, okay, I see the, uhhh, the poetry in that sentiment, but I have to say, I strongly disagree. Time is kind of important to us right now.”
Sovran lifts another brow at Bash, then shakes his head and faces forward. “Humans,” he mutters.
These tunnels are cleaner than the ones before, and Sovran leads with confidence as he navigates each twisting turn. We reach a dead end, where a ladder scales the far wall to a manhole above. Sovran doesn’t hesitate or look back to check on anyone, just climbs the rungs like he’s done it a thousand times.
From the way his ass muscles pop in that leather, he probably has.
“Ow,” I hiss as Bash’s elbow meets my side, and I turn to him with my mouth hanging wide open.
“Saw that.” He hikes his brow and fixes me with a look.
I grin at the show of jealousy, and some of the day’s tension lightens as he waits with his hands on his hips.
