“We’ve got to go,” I said, sliding off the bed. My feet landed on the floor, and I made my way to my bag for a fresh set of clothing, which was limited. “Where does Jason want to meet?”
“Haven’s too obvious,” Ursuline said. “Guaranteed, Triton will have people lurking nearby. So we agreed upon Starlight Diner in the center of town. It’s busy enough that we can use the buffer of the public in our favor.”
“And then come straight back here?” I asked, curiosity rising in me. Ursuline’s jaw was clenched, their look a bit faraway.
“I’ll have to chance my apartment,” they murmured. “I need to get a few files from there, and I can’t delay any longer. However, I’ll make sure you’re safe here first.”
I crossed my arms and fixed them with a look. “You’re not going anywhere without me.”
Ursuline glanced up, their wan smile wavering. “Can’t be dissuaded?”
“You’re stuck with me,” I said, confidence building inside me that I hadn’t felt with anyone else. In the past with partners, I’d back down, unsure of their true feelings or if they’d find me a bother.
Meanwhile, Ursuline called me “sunshine.”
They treated me like I mattered.
I wouldn’t leave them to face this by their lonesome.
“Thank you,” they said as they slipped on a tunic and then leaned in to press a kiss to my cheekbone. They glided to the attached bathroom, and the water from the faucet sounded a second later. I popped on my boots, my mind whirling with what Jason might tell us. I’d been to the Starlight Diner before with Jason, even though it was in an area my parents didn’t approve of me going. Their approval stretched over a few choice sectorson the outskirts of Peregrine City and the mansions of their friends, which was a paltry experience at best.
Ursuline stepped out of the bathroom looking perfectly presentable, their hair slicked back, their tunic neat. All the sharp lines and edges reminded me of the armor they always donned for the outside world.
They’d need it more than ever today.
I slipped into the bathroom and relieved myself, then brushed my teeth. I didn’t bother doing anything else, mostly because I’d somehow end up making a mess anyway. When I stepped out, Ursuline waited at the door, humming, humming, humming.
“I let Amelia know we were leaving,” they said, a smaller bag slung over their shoulder. “Starlight Diner is a few subway stops from here.”
We exited the room in haste, and I didn’t even peer through the open doors we passed by, since Ursuline moved with enough rapid purpose that I worried I’d fall behind. They ran a card at the elevator, followed by a thumbprint, and we descended to the lower levels of the Spires. The place sprawled out before us, rich red carpeting, swords on the wall, and deep golden and bronze embellishments that seemed antiquated compared to the jangling slot machines lighting up throughout.
Yet all the flashing lights whirred by in our hurry, until we plunged out of the casino and onto the streets.
The second we stepped outside, my nerves jangled.
I hadn’t forgotten the pursuit from the other night, the way Triton’s men had hunted us down. And now they could be lurking anywhere in the city, waiting to drag us back to the manor. Or…worse.
My skin prickled despite the bright sunlight beaming down on us, and a shiver ran down my spine as we coasted along the sidewalks, en route to the light rail stop. My heartthump, thump, thumpedas we passed dozens of people strollingthrough the city, going about their day. No one paid us any mind, no furtive glances or staggered steps, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, whether it was real or remembered.
“What will we do if the news is bad?” The question slipped out unbidden, even though I handled a live grenade.
Ursuline slowed down the slightest bit, their shoulders hitched. “Keep moving forward. It’s all I can do at this point.”
I swallowed hard. Their resilience was something I envied, even if I hated their need for it in the first place. “One day, we’ll be able to stop.”
They glanced back to me, a heartbreaking sadness in their eyes. “That’s a beautiful dream.”
We halted in front of the light rail, and the subway car came barreling our way with thunderous force. It stopped in an explosion of screeches, and the doors zipped open. I hopped on, and Ursuline followed me, casting a wary glance over their shoulder.
“Are we clear?” I asked as the doors closed.
“Yeah,” they said. “I thought I caught some extra stares back there, but no one who boarded with us.”
Cold water trickled down my spine. No freedom existed while Frederick pursued us like this. We’d have to fight for it tooth and nail. The subway shot off on the rails, and I clutched the cold metal pole, my mind whirring. From the second I’d woken up today, we’d set into motion, and I’d barely been able to process everything that had shifted last night.
“Are we dating?” I blurted out and then clapped my hand over my mouth. “Shit, that’s a terrible question right now.”
Ursuline shook their head, a faint grin on their lips. “Not terrible. I’ll cling onto any good thing I can.” Their tentacle wound around my leg. “And I’m proud to claim you as mine.”
