“Why would we lie about that? If we wanted to speak to random people, we would do so unapologetically.”
“I’m sure you do,” I said, repeating her words nearly verbatim.
She glared, her gaze flitting between my eyes. “The shaytan believe you’re being hidden by the rebellion somewhere in the districts. I’d tell that commander of yours to move her base soon, lest she wants to be found when they get smart enough to check the dead lands.”
“Noted,” Altair said, grabbing my arm gently.
“Before you go,” Mihaley added, a grin spreading across her face. The two of us stilled, too curious to resist. Mihaley touched the crystal ball, a burst of silver coming to life within. Then, as if by magic, our true bodies appeared within the mist—hanging from the gallows. “Don’t forget your own mortality as you continue playing the stars’ game.”
Altair growled, his shadows surrounding us.
***
The final drop was to an old friend. Janine looked petrified as she opened her door, her eyes flitting across the path behind us.
“As above, so below,” Altair said, shoving through the door when she didn’t immediately open it.
“Be nice,” I hissed. All I got in return was an eye roll. Clearly, someone needed a nap. Or a burner. Or both.
“We need to make this quick,” she mumbled, shutting her front door softly behind her. “Officials have been everywhere today.”
Nodding, I swung off my bag, feeling as if I was transporting myself back in time. How had I never thought of where Janine got haya from? Was I that dense? Or did I fear the answer?
“Nova?” My head flung back, staring up at Janine with horror beating through my veins. Her eyes were wide, both hands covering her mouth as if she could take the word back.
As he had since the mission began, Altair stepped in front of me, his height towering the eadi woman.
What the fuck is his problem today?
“Protective. Like a dog. Has he peed on you recently?”
“Janine, I need you to pretend like you never saw us. Just as you would any other drop.” My voice was high, desperate. She stared at me, perhaps truly seeing me for the first time.
“As above, so below,” she whispered, walking away. She entered a room at the end of the hall, closing the door behind her. Altair and I took hearty gulps of air, neither of us breathing steadily until we’d unloaded all of the haya and joined hands, shadow walking back to the cottage.
Chapter Twenty-One
Nova
“General Altair made a speech today in the Sham District about the conquering of a new planet. I hate when he comes here. People always treat me worse at the shops after.”
-From the journal of Nova Tershetta, 9269 AS
“This game is annoying,” I grumbled, placing down a card.
Altair studied it, squinting and sticking out his lips. Then, as if he’d somehow forgotten what he held, he looked down at his own handful of cards and began rubbing his chin.
“Ugh, just go already!”
“Patience, novice, all will be revealed in the end.”
“If you don’t stop speaking like a creepy fortune teller, I’m going to lose my mind.”
“One can only lose a mind that has already been found.”
I groaned, slamming my forehead down on the table. We hadn’t stoppedrelaxingsince we got back to the cottage after the mission earlier. Altair made me help him with dinner after we took the shift antidote, insisting we not break a sweat doing it. Then, we’d eaten, and he’d smacked my hand when I reached for one of my books. When I went to go to tend my garden, hefollowed, watching as I strengthened the wards and watered the plants.
Now, we were playing a card game, which he was apparently winning if his rules were to be believed. And the damn snake wouldn’t stop talking in weird, omniscient phrases.
