“I have a better idea,” Soren said, taking a menacing step forward. “How about he answers your questions right here.”
Reeve had the audacity to chuckle. “You’re plucky for a city guard, I’ll give you that. But you should know better than to break a bargain with a reaper. Careful, Archer. You don’t want me as your enemy.”
Soren stilled upon hearing his surname.
Reeve’s mouth curled into an edged smile. “You think I don’t know who you are? Soren Archer, friend to Viridia Solace”—he waved his bound hands lazily toward Viri—“and Wynter Starling. Brother and guardian to Jessalyn Archer. Revered member of the Nox Custodia and on a career path toward captaincy one day. You hate your parents, you love your sister more than anyoneinthe world, and you’d do anything to protect the people you care about. Shall I go on?”
“Is this your attempt at threatening me?” Soren asked through clenched teeth. “Telling me you know about my life?”
Reeve’s smile turned dangerous. “If it was, you wouldn’t have to ask. You’d know.”
When Soren took another angry step toward Reeve, Viri leapt forward to place her body between them. “That’s enough. Need I remind you both that we’re sitting ducks down here? We could be caught at any minute, and then we’llallend up in cells.” Her blood chilled at the thought, but then she reminded herself of the stakes, stomped down on her unease, and turned to Reeve. “You and I need to get out of here.” She spun back to Soren. “And you need to create a distraction so no one sees us sneaking out through the wayportal.”
Soren spluttered. “Why the hell would I do that?”
“Because you’re my friend and you love me?” Viri suggested innocently. At his flat look, she sighed. “Fine. Consider this me calling in the favor I won at family night.”
Disbelief splashed across Soren’s face. “Are youkiddingme?”
“You told me not to make it anything weird,” Viri reminded him. “You didn’t say it had to be legal.”
Soren’s disbelief only grew. “I figured it wasimpliedby the fact that webothwork inlaw enforcement.”
“This is fun,” Reeve observed, shifting to lean against the tunnel wall. “If you two ever get sick of public service, you should consider joining the Theater Guild.”
“I swear, Reeve,” Viri grated out, “one more word, and I’ll throw you back in your cell myself.” She turned to Soren with a pleading expression. “Please, Sor. I know this isn’t ideal—I hateit more than you do, trust me—but we need answers. And I need your help to get them.”
Soren dragged a hand through his sandy-blond hair, looking torn. “If you do this, V, you’ll be painting a target on your back. You know that, right? If you take off with Ashton, every available guard will come after you. You won’t be the hunter—you’ll be the hunted. Can you handle that?”
“It’ll be worth it,” Viri said, even as her stomach dropped. “It has to be.”
If all went to plan, Reeve would be locked away again before anyone realized he was gone. But if worse came to worst, Viri was counting on the fact that everyone would be too busy trying to locate the children to waste resources finding her. And if it turned out she was wrong, if she was caught harboring a fugitive…
“There’s no cost too steep if it means finding the Priest in time to stophim.”
Sarielle’s words repeated in Viri’s mind, giving her the courage she needed to stay the course.
“I know what I’m doing, Sor,” she said softly. “I need you to trust me.”
“You’renot the issue.” He shot an angry look at Reeve.
“If you’re concerned for her welfare, you needn’t be,” Reeve said smoothly, still leaning against the wall, his hands bound in front of him and legs crossed at the ankles. “If there’s anyone Viri can trust with her life, it’s me.”
The fillium meant he wasn’t lying, but Viri knew better than to lower her guard. There were plenty of ways he could hurt her that didn’t leave a mark—he’d taught her that lesson himself.
“Forgive me if I have trouble believing the word of a murderer,” Soren stated acidly.
“You’re forgiven,” Reeve returned. He cocked his head to the side. “Since we’re saying nice things about each other, has anyone ever told you that you have hero hair? I’ve never seen anything so perfectly coiffed.”
A startled, choked laugh left Viri without her permission. She quickly stifled it at the look Soren sent her, and staunchly ignored the pleased light in Reeve’s eyes.
Adopting a serious expression, she said, firmly, “Stop antagonizing each other.”
“He started it.”
Both Soren and Reeve spoke at once, making Viri cough against another poorly timed laugh. But she fought it down and asked, “Sor, are you in?”
A long-suffering sigh. “Do I have a choice?”
