They squeezed my hand and then pushed up from the bed to glide over to the window. They peered through the blinds, the silence spreading between us with a percolating tension. I was well aware they hadn’t said Sofia’s was safe. We were tucked away with somewhere to sleep and amongst people who wouldn’t hurt us, but…
The beam filtered through the blinds again, and Ursuline let out a low curse.
“There’s a car circling the street. Same one, and guaranteed it’s about to make another loop.” Ursuline slid back and forth, the closest thing to a pace I’d seen from them. Their shoulders were tense, their chin lifted as if prepared for battle.
“Not a late Drivr ride looking for their pickup?” I said, even though the idea sounded ridiculous to my own ears.
Ursuline let out a hiss of a sigh. “I should’ve known this would be too visible a place. As much as the house itself is protected, we need somewhere more formidable to disappear for a while.”
“I’m assuming you know a spot?” I asked, pushing up from the bed. Jitters rushed through me, waking me up better than if I’d chugged caffeine. How Ursuline remained calm now while I prepared to hide under the bed mystified me, but I was grateful for their endless well of competence.
“The Spires,” they said. “It was the next stop on our tour, just a day or two early.” Their brow furrowed. “I should’ve known Frederick wouldn’t wait around.”
I placed a hand on their arm. “The fact we escaped the manor itself is nothing short of a miracle. We’ll do what we can to keep moving forward.”
“Our escape was only because they underestimated you,” Ursuline said. “Grab your things.” They jerked their chin in the direction of my duffle, which still lay on the floor. “I’ll nab my bag.”
“You brought a bag here?” I asked. I didn’t remember them toting one with them when they picked me up.
“Dropped it off this morning,” they said with a half smile. “I’ve had getaway plans in place for a long, long while.”
I swallowed hard, the reality of who they worked for crashing in. “I understand why.” I pushed up from the bed and slipped on the pants and shirt I’d been wearing, then popped on socks and shoes. Next, I slung my bag over my shoulder, a sense of unease percolating inside me. I’d figured we’d at least have until morning, but apparently Ursuline had been telling the truth about Frederick’s relentlessness.
The headlights shone through the blinds again, and I peeked out. Same car as before. My chest sank. “How will we get out? They’ll just follow us wherever we go.”
Ursuline let out a low hum as they buttoned up a tunic. “You’re not wrong. I’ll have to discuss with Sofia and Gretel.”
Even something as simple as that—acknowledgement of my suggestions, my concerns—reaffirmed they were the person for me. I’d never met anyone like Ursuline in my life, and if anyone was worth a little risk, they were. “We’d better move fast.”
Already, the need to run itched at my legs, and I couldn’t imagine sitting back while Triton’s guards circled around us. These were guards I’d tried to get to know during my stint there, even though, unlike the staff, they’d remained aloof and distant.
For good reason, I supposed.
I followed Ursuline out of the room, and we stepped into the midnight corridor, the shadows crawling at this time of night. The air prickled, a cool quality to it, and I suppressed a shiver. Ursuline walked right up to a closed door and knocked. Rustling sounded from inside, and a second later, it creaked open. Sofia wore a pale-purple negligee that didn’t leave a lot to the imagination. The woman was stunning, all sinuous curves and a lethal grace. Even the way she leaned against the doorframe was effortlessly sensual.
“They’re here already?” Sofia asked, her sharp voice signifying that she was alert.
“Fuck,” Gretel’s muffled voice came from inside. Then she slipped her arms around Sofia’s waist and rested her chin on her wife’s shoulder. Unlike Sofia, she wore a tank top and boxer shorts. “He moves fast.”
“You’re not kidding,” Ursuline murmured. “How do we want to make this getaway? He’s got a guy circling the neighborhood.”
“Asshole,” Gretel cursed, her eyes flashing.
“Elrich pointed out that hopping in the car is exactly what they want,” Ursuline said. “It’ll tip them off to where we’re heading next too.”
Sofia nodded. “That’s why we’ll act like you’re in the car—meanwhile, you’ll be heading to the light rail.”
“To Cillian’s,” Ursuline confirmed, and my pulse fluttered with nerves. I’d only ever heard of the Spires, as my parents refused to go to a demon-owned casino. They gambled at Spectacle instead. Yet the reputation of the Spires was spoken of in whispers throughout the city. And the owner happened to be one of Ursuline’s closest friends.
Gretel slipped back into the room, and when she stepped up again, she donned all black. “I’ll drive.” She pressed a kiss to her wife’s cheek. “You hold down the house.”
Sofia sighed and patted the circlet on Gretel’s wrist. “Be safe. Keep me updated.”
“Always, love,” Gretel said before striding past her and down the hall. She didn’t bother glancing back to us. “Move quickly. We’ll act like we’re loading you into the back seat, and then you’ll slip out the other side. The alley behind the house stretches down to one of the main streets. Stick to the shadows until you get to the light rail station.”
Goose bumps prickled along my exposed skin as we hurried down the stairs and up to the foyer. I’d gone from ambling through my days in a watercolor state to…this. The shadows were sharp, the urgency sharper. The front door loomed ominously, the knowledge of what awaited us heavy in the air.
The second we stepped out into the front yard, we’d be exposed. What if they weren’t simply tailing us? What if they had orders to take us at gunpoint? Or worse, eliminate us on sight? Bile rose in my throat, and sweat burst on my palms. Ursuline placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed, the slight touch bolstering me.
