“Right,” I grumbled. “Let’s here themthen.”
“Okay, the first location I think you can probably wipe off the board. It’s the castle there on top of thehill.”
“Makes sense. Some of them used to livehere.”
“The four others are all located throughout the city.” The rustle of paper came over the line. “We’ve also got one in Bathgate, one in Leith, and one in Oxgangs. You have a pen and paper or should I text over the fulladdresses?”
“That was four.” I furrowed my brows. “You said there werefive.”
“Oh, the fifth is another dead end like the castle. And that one doesn’t even make sense. Mary King’s Close. That place isn’t even open to the public, isit?”
My heart skipped a beat. “Only for tours. Listen, Kyle. Can you just give me the address of the Mary King’s Closeone?”
The line was silent, other than the distant clacking of keys. “No, sorry. That’s all it says. Mary King’s Close. You really think that’s theone?”
“Oh yeah. I’m certain of it.” In fact, I would have bet a million quid on it. The bartender had mentioned humans being wary of supernatural activity in the close, and his friend buying sorcerer drugs there as well. And I’d beenright by itwhen the fae had appeared for drinks. They were hiding out in the close. And they’d taken Saoirse and Lughthere.
Just as I hung up the call with Kyle, Imogen scurried back into the room, wringing her hands. “You get some kind of lead orsomething?”
“Yeah.” I glanced behind her. “Where are the twins and the rest of the team? I know where they’ve taken theKing.”
“Oh good.” She clapped her hands. “Are you going afterhim?”
“Yes, I am,” I said, deciding it in an instant. I might be prophesied to kill him one day, but it wasn’t going to be tonight. “But I need help from the rest of theteam.”
“They’re grabbing their weapons and getting dressed. They said to tell you to get Lugh’s spear and tell me where you want them to go. They’ll meet youthere.”
I frowned. “Why do they want me to get thespear?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Something about his power. How if you get it in the same room as him, then he’ll be able to fight everyone off. I think he has some way of using it against lots of enemies at once. That’s why it has five points instead of one like a normal spear. I’d go get it myself, but that thing freaks meout.”
I thought back to what Lugh had told me about his spear, that it was a part of him, that the magic he could wield with it was terrifyingly fierce. About draining the blood from veins. If he was somehow trapped and we couldn’t get to him, the spear might be the only thing that could get himout.
“Where should I tell them he’s been taken?” Imogen asked, cutting through mythoughts.
“He’s somewhere inside of Mary King’s Close. They’ve been hiding out in one of the buildings there, and that’s where they’ll have taken Lugh andSaoirse.”
At least, I hoped they still had Saoirse. The alternative was too much to consider rightthen.
Imogen gave an eager nod. “I’ll tell them to meet you at the entrance of the close. You go get the spear. They’ve all been there before, on tours and things, so they’ll know where togo.”
“Are you sure Ishouldn’t—”
“Listen, I’ve got this,” she said. “I’ll make sure they know where togo.”
Without wasting any more time, I jogged out of the room and headed for the palace. It was so quiet inside. It didn’t feel right without Lugh’s presence echoing off the walls. Now that I knew the truth about our bond, I didn’t understand how I hadn’t seen it sooner. From day one, I’d felt his magic. I’d felt it pulse from hisskin.
Shaking my head, I pressed the button beneath the shelf and watched the door swing inward. I darted down the hidden tunnel and came to a stop before the enclosed spear. My fingers twitched as I unlocked the case and pulled the spear into myhands.
My blood sang as I held it. Breath got caught in my throat. Everything inside of me felt weak, and I could practically feel Lugh’s heartbeat in my palms. A tear slipped down my cheek and I clenched the spear to mychest.
At least he was alive. The spear pulsed with his life-force, it rumbled with the strength of his soul. He probably couldn’t feel me or hear me or sense me at all, but I felt the urge to speak to him all thesame.
“I will get you out of this,” I whispered fiercely. “And if they’ve harmed you, I will make thempay.”
20
The doorto Mary King’s Close swung ominously in the winter wind, creaking on rusted hinges. Swallowing hard, I edged forward and peered down the dark alley. At one point in time, the close had been open to the public. You could descend into the depths of the ancient, smothered streets and take a look around. Now, two large double doors blocked theway.
