“You and I both know that isn’t true, Azazel.” The commander waved to the Harmens. “Right, Adam? Jenna?”
Neither responded, but I could tell by their almost smirks that she was right. The core leaders knew more than they’d let on. Didn’t we know that already? Hadn’t Mihaley told us as much the day before?
“They’ll know it’s us,” I cut in. “How are we supposed to pretend to be a couple they know so well? I’m sure they’re already on edge.”
“That’s why you two are the perfect pair to do this. One of you knows the Harmens personally, as well as the etiquette and standards for such an event. The other is capable of brewing shift. Plus, you have three days to ready yourselves. That’s enough time.”
I opened my mouth to argue. To fight. To say anything that would prevent us from being forced to walk into the lion’s den, but Altair’s hand met my back once again.
“We best go get started then,” he growled. Turning us, he began guiding me back down the hall of cells, not saying a word. Neither of us looked back, and the commander said nothing as we left.
The moment the fresh, icy air met my face, I sucked in desperate gulps. How sickening to make them sit in their own filth. That must have been the smell—shit and piss. I knew what Commander Maitoza likely thought.They were elites, they deserved to suffer.Maybe Altair and I deserved it too. Or maybe nothing would ever get better when all either side did was torture the other.
“She’s going to get us fucking killed,” Altair hissed, picking up his pace. I tried to keep up, stumbling a few times. Eventually, I had to start jogging to stay at his side,
“Altair, why are you walking so fast?”
“We need off this damn island!” he yelled. I knew the moment we passed through the wards, because Altair turned and wrapped his arms around me, shadow walking us directly into the cottage.
I stumbled when he let me go, watching as he stormed outside.
“Well, aren’t you going to chase after him?”
Smacking my forehead—as if that’d help—I tried to will the stars out of my mind.
“Are you attempting to knock yourself unconscious so you don’t have to follow?”
Why would I follow him? Clearly he needs space.
“Or maybe he needs you.”
What could I do?
“Be there.”
I hated it when they were right. Sighing, I chased after him through the door, not seeing him anywhere on the clifftop. Ideally, he hadn’t jumped off the edge into the water. With that in mind, I jogged over to the edge of the hillside, where I spotted Altair standing in the center of the ruins at the bottom, shadow tendrils clinging to the air around him.
“Altair! Wait!” Right as I willed myself to the bottom of the hill, Altair bent down, grabbed a chunk of rubble, and threw it. Now concerned, I jogged towards him.
Then heyelled.Stopping a few feet away, I watched as he screamed and screamed, throwing pieces of the ruins as he did. Silently, I sat down, letting him get it all out. I knew what it felt like to be hopeless.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Azazel
“Mother has been overseeing my dance lessons. It’s nice seeing her.”
-From the journal of Azazel Altair, 9220 AS
“First rule of traditional dance: men lead.”
Groaning, Nova let her head fall back. “Must everything the cores do be steeped in hatred for women and equality?”
Gripping her waist, I pulled her into me. Our bodies collided, my breaths coming unevenly as I looked down at her. I’d spent all of the evening prior pouting, refusing to help with any sort of planning. In fact, I spent most of my time smoking burners and teasing Murder with balls of light I conjured.
I just couldn’t focus when so much had happened. We’d nearly gotten caught on that damn mission, not to mention we found out about some of the horrific things happening to the eadi. We shouldn’t have been surprised. Wasn’t that how it had always been? Why would it ever be different when we were taught to believe eadi were equivalent to pets? Yet, I’d nearly vomited when Avery described the man and woman being assaulted and murdered.
Even then, a selfish part of me wanted to think of how I’d nearly gotten to kiss Nova. How, in the face of potentialdiscovery and even death, I’d pressed my lips to her head, and she’d held me tighter.
