His mind wondered how any of that was possible, but those concerns were to be considered later. Right now, he had to get Althea to his queen. The agitated bundle of panic balled in his chest throbbed. Wasting no time, Ellis hurried after Althea, who was practically running down the stairs and through the passageways.
Ellis called out to her a few times, desperately trying to keep her within his sight, thanking Kiel he’d kept up his routine morning runs since leaving Varon. His endurance had come in handy as Althea still had his map and he had no idea where to go if he lost her, but she didn’t even seem to use it as she navigated the tunnels. Shit, she’d only looked at the map once while they stood outside the Med Center. The pace they were keeping caused pain to flare along his spine. He knew that his fatigue was going to catch up to him eventually, but he refused to fail. If he could manage to keep his body moving, they would be back with Rivka before nightfall and Althea could work her magic. Only once she and the babe were safe would he rest. Rivka was his main concern. She would be fine. Althea would save her. She had to.
Alex
Alex stood at their window in The Lavender Rose, disbelieving her own eyes. Ellis was talking with Althea in the alley below. Why was he here? Where was Rivka? Something musthave happened. The conversation didn’t last more than a few moments before Althea ran inside the Med Center. Yelling for Davin, she started shoving things into her pack again.
They had been able to bathe the night before, both of them falling asleep the moment they fell into bed. She hadn’t even argued when he had tucked her into his side, allowing the comfort he offered. But now, they had to go. Ellis wouldn’t stray far from Rivka for long; she knew he wouldn’t take that risk unless there was no other alternative. He would lead them directly to Rivka. Davin fired off questions at her as they moved but she mostly ignored them. It took all her concentration to fight through her pain, to move as quickly as she could, though she was already moving with more ease than the previous night. She would not lose them, or this chance to find her.
They made it to the door leading to the alley in record time. Alex held up her hand, stopping Davin from bursting through and giving away their presence. Easing the door open a crack, Alex peered through, watching as Althea and Ellis bickered over a slip of parchment. After they left, Alex waited a few beats before following stealthily behind them. It was difficult to keep pace and stay unnoticed with Althea’s erratic route. She had to lean on Davin more often than not, and that rattled her more than it should.
Thankfully, he had stopped peppering her with questions after the first time she stumbled, and he had to half carry her. She didn’t want to be more indebted to him, but it seemed inevitable at this point. She just hoped she could afford whatever price he asked of her when the time came.
Alex and Davin slipped inside the decrepit building just as the hatch in the center of the floor was sliding closed. Davin sprinted forward, sticking his foot in the way, preventing it from fully shutting. They waited a few moments, taking in the space, as the sounds of Ellis and Althea’s footsteps faded. Theroom was largely vacant, with only a few boxes and ripped clothes in the corner. The only thing Alex found disturbing was the lack of dust or grime. No footprints or any other distinguishing markings telling who may or may not live there.
Davin moved with a quiet intensity as he lifted the lid and stared into the blackness below them. Reaching for Alex’s hand, he asked, “Ready?” She nodded, moving to the edge beside him. “I’m going to go first, once all is clear, I will help you down.” Alex considered arguing, but something in his eyes made her stop. “Ok, just hurry.” Davin dropped from view, his boots thudding on the ground below. Alex cringed and rolled her eyes. Stealth was obviously not his forte. She lowered herself in after him but the moment she let go of the hatch door, she lost her balance and fell forward. Alex bit her tongue to stop the noise of pain that had nearly broken free when warm, steady hands caught her. Her hands grasped his shoulders as he slowly slid her to her feet. As soon as she found her footing, she moved away from him, straightening her clothes.
Davin was gawking at the tunnel before him, disbelief staining his expression. Alex tugged at his arm, not wanting to lose Ellis and Althea. The footsteps had faded, but luckily, there was only one way to move forward for now. She had a feeling that wouldn’t last though, and she didn’t know these tunnels, nor did she have a map, as they seemed to. This had to be the Underground. They looked just like the ones her father had shown her in Lasair, and he had said the tunnels were massive, stretching across the entire realm. Davin slung his arm around her waist, carrying the burden of her weight, to help relieve some of her pain and allowing them to move faster. She never thought that she would be envious of Ellis’ obsession with running, but in this moment, she was, not that she would ever tell him that. Though they were slower, they were still able to keep a steady enough pace.
The tunnel curved sharply ahead, Ellis and Altheas’s footsteps echoing back louder. They wouldn’t be able to actually gain on them unless they completely stopped, but at least they were able to tell which direction they were headed. The tunnel had branched off a few times, and they had to pause to determine the correct way, though Davin seemed to instinctually know which way they needed to veer. Alex didn’t like to relinquish her control to anyone but he hadn’t been wrong yet.
Tristan
Tristan hurried through the streets, almost completely silent, thankful for the skills he had acquired in his youth, sneaking around and getting into trouble without being caught. The thick mists also aided in his concealment as he chased after Alex. She was hiding something from him, and he was betting that something would lead him directly to Rivka.
He had watched The Lavender Rose after their altercation outside the Med Center the night before, but when they never came out, he had decided to head inside for breakfast. The tavern had been busier than expected with patrons grabbing a bite before heading off to their jobs. It hadn’t been hard for him to blend right into the background, choosing a table facing the stairs that led to the rooms available for rent.
He had only waited a short time before Alex and the man from the night before came rushing down, disappearing into the back. He had tried to follow but was blocked by a young girl in black leathers and her equally menacing companion. Tristan had made it out of the front entrance just in time to see Alexdisappear around the corner ahead. Now he used as much stealth as he could to follow them, and it seemed to be working in his favor. As long as Alex didn’t catch him tailing her, because if she did, he was as good as dead.
They rushed into what appeared to be a vacant building, up ahead. Tristan held back, slowing his pace. He wasn’t certain what he would be walking into, and he sincerely wanted to keep his life. Using the broken window next to the door, he peered inside. Alex and David? Daniel? Whatever his name was, looked down into a hole in the ground. No, not a hole, but an entrance to somewhere. The man suddenly jumped, dropping into the void. Alex looked around before following behind him. Tristan heard a muffled cry and then nothing. Not wasting another moment, he dashed inside, barely stopping the hatch from closing with his fingertips, his stomach flush to the floor. He held still, waiting until he was sure they had moved far enough away that he could follow undetected.
The hatch opened without a sound, which was at odds with its surroundings. A ladder led down into the dark, where a soft circle of light chased away the murkiness below. Tristan shuddered. It wasn’t the dark that bothered him. He loathed being underground. He always felt like something went awry in his body when he was too far from the open air. It was one of many reasons why he avoided the dungeons at home. Shaking off the uneasy feeling, he made his way into the tunnel below. As soon as his boots hit the stone floor, he maneuvered along the wall, following behind Alex.
He made good time, gaining on them quickly and he kept his steps light. A scraping sound came from behind him. Tristan’s steps halted. Tilting his head to the side, he listened to the sound of empty silence reverberating back at him. He hadn’t been aware of anyone following him on his way here, though he hadn’t been looking either. After several tense moments ofnothing, he turned, hurrying to close the distance between himself and Alex. A shiver ran through him, the disconnect he felt when underground intensified for just a moment before settling again. It must be rats he’d heard. This deep underground, there were bound to be rodents.
Shaking off the feeling that crept up his spine, he raced on, taking care not to alert his presence. He wasnotgoing to get lost underground. His sole focus right now had to be on finding Rivka, and he prayed that he was heading in the right direction.
Tristan rounded the corner, spotting Alex just ahead. Slowing his steps, he tried his best to fade into the darkness around him. Sconces dotted the walls every few feet, causing shadows to dance. He wondered who’d built the tunnels. For what purpose? Who maintained them and took time to light sconces and keep them burning, for that matter? The thoughts swirled in his head as he kept himself hidden. The brilliance of the tunnels did not escape him, but he would take the time to appreciate their mastery later.
Who was that man to Alex? He had seemed oddly possessive of her the other night and even more with the way he handled her now. Tristan had questions there. He had never seen Alex show interest in any man, let alone allow one to take care of her. Yet here she was, not only allowing it but looking comfortable doing it.
Time passed quickly. They only stopped once, a brief silent argument ensuing before the man retrieved something from his pack, waving it in front of her. She eventually shrugged and began tugging at the laces on her pants. He took over, moving her fingers aside and lifted her shirt. His hands moved confidently, as if he knew her body well. He seemed to be applying something to her skin, her hiss of pain making him positive that she had an injury. He had speculated it after talking with her outside of the Med Center but wasn’t confidentin his assumption. Tristan was too far away to see facial expressions to know for sure, but after that, they moved at a steadier pace.
The cobblestone path had given way to dirt hours ago. The sconces had become fewer and farther between, allowing the darkness to reign. Tristan was beginning to think he was growing paranoid, as his feeling of being followed never dissipated. A few times, he could have sworn that he saw a shadow move behind him or heard the scuff of a boot on the dirt path. He was probably just hearing his own echoes. Or maybe it was sleep deprivation since he hadn’t truly slept since his last night on the ship.
Voices drifted towards him; the constant sound of footsteps ahead of him vanished. Alex and her newboyfriendmust’ve stopped walking. Pressing his back against the wall, he edged forward, toward the open archway in front of him, straining his ears to hear what was being said. Screams suddenly resounded through the tunnel around him. Without thinking, Tristan lurched forward, no longer concerned with staying hidden. They had found Rivka.
Chapter Forty-Five
Complications
Althea
They had been walking for hours before they began to hear Rivka’s pain-filled cries. Althea had sprinted ahead, fear gripping her like a vice. Ellis kept pace as they burst through an archway into a large chamber. Rivka lay on a table, her hair drenched with sweat, the sheet in front of her soaked with blood below her waist. She clutched at her swollen stomach as she screamed, her eyes wild with pain.
Althea gasped, rushing to her immediately. “Rivka, baby, tell me what it is. What are you feeling?”
Rivka sobbed, “I tried to wait. The babe isn’t moving…I can’t..cant..” collapsing back on the bed, Rivka cried out in pain again, riding out the wave of a contraction.
