For a second, Sophie’s brain got stuck on the whole “a creepy murderer says we think alike” thing and couldn’t decide if it was absurdly hilarious or utterly terrifying.
But then she realized the much more important detail: She finally had a bargaining chip.
“Untie me and I’ll tell you,” Sophie offered.
Lady Gisela pursed her lips. “Nice try. I’ve experienced the wonder of your inflicting already—not interested in a repeat.”
Sophie considered that. “What if I promise I won’t inflict? I mean it,” she added when Lady Gisela raised an eyebrow. “Think about it: What good is inflicting really going to do for me? Even if I take you out, I’d still have Glimmer to deal with, wouldn’t I? And how many dwarves are here—besides the one I’m really getting sick of, who’s pinning me right now? I’m guessing at least a couple—and more can pop out of the ground anytime. Not to mention I’m stuck in the middle of a city run by a king who’s already betrayed me, so…”
Her stomach twisted as she realized how horrifyingly true all of that was.
That had to win for The Worst Mess She’d Ever Been In, didn’t it?
But she’d worry about that later.
This was definitely a moment for one problem at a time.
And right then, she wanted that stupid dwarf off of her back—and she wanted to move her arms and legs and get up from that scratchy ground to check on Keefe up close.
And Lady Gisela looked like she still wasn’t ready to agree to that, so Sophie added, “Need I remind you that all of my friends are currently tied up and unconscious, and there’s no way I’m leaving them behind? And Keefe can’t even survive a light leap right now, and—”
“He can’t?” Lady Gisela interrupted.
Sophie shook her head. “You just filled his body with an insane amount of freaky darkness and weird light—do you really think his body can break down and not fade away?”
“Probably not…,” Lady Gisela murmured. And as the blood drained from her face, Sophie realized she’d just found her first real advantage.
Lady Gisela had a flaw in her exit strategy.
A pretty massive one.
It also confirmed that Lady Gisela had been planning on taking Keefe with her when she left—and there was no way Sophie was letting that happen.
All the more reason she needed to get back on her feet.
“So, see?” she said. “You don’t have to worry about my inflicting. And if you untie me and get this dwarf off of my back, I’ll tell you what I saw in Keefe’s head during your creepy experiment.”
“It wasn’t an experiment!” Lady Gisela corrected. “It was a transformation.”
“Yeah, well, I almost lost him during that transformation—several times. And when the shadowflux sank in…”
“Yes?” Lady Gisela prompted when Sophie didn’t finish.
Sophie shook her head again. “Untie me and I’ll tell you. Otherwise forget it.”
Lady Gisela huffed out a breath.
She glanced toward where the throne used to be, and Sophie followed her gaze, feeling her heart sink when she saw Keefe’s crumpled position on the floor.
His mom had left him there—limbs bent and twisted. Skin pale and sweaty.
And his eyes…
“What’s wrong?” Lady Gisela asked.
But Sophie couldn’t answer. Her brain was too busy replaying the last things Keefe had said to her before his mind went quiet.
Tired.
Sleep.
But he definitely wasn’t asleep.
His eyes were wide open, staring unblinkingly at nothing.
And even in the dim light, Sophie could see that he was breathing much too fast for someone sleeping.
“What’s wrong?” Lady Gisela demanded.
“I don’t know,” Sophie admitted, because this wasn’t just a bargaining chip anymore. “You have to get him to a physician—and you’re going to need my help, since I’m the only one who can teleport.”
Lady Gisela barked a sharp laugh. “Do I really look that foolish?”
“Do you actually want me to answer that?” Sophie snapped back. “Do you think I like this idea either? Do you think I want to leave my friends tied up and unconscious?”
Lady Gisela set her jaw. “I can’t let you teleport away with my son—”
“Look at your son!” Sophie interrupted. “Does he look okay to you?”
“He doesn’t,” a new voice agreed when Lady Gisela stayed silent.
It took Sophie a second to realize it had to be Glimmer. And Sophie had no idea how to feel about that. Especially when Glimmer added, “I think you should listen to her.”
“So do I,” Tam agreed, and Sophie wanted to smack herself for forgetting about him.
She wasn’t completely alone in this nightmare after all.
Tam proved how true that was when he told her, “Don’t worry, I can keep everyone here safe until they wake up. You just focus on getting Keefe to Elwin.”
“I’ll need to get to the surface to teleport,” Sophie realized. And without Nubiti, she had no idea how to get through the King’s Path.
“You should use the path we took,” Glimmer told her, sounding surprisingly genuine. “King Enki showed it to us—it’s a straight shot once you go down one level. I’m sure the dwarf holding you will take you down.”
“No, he won’t,” Lady Gisela informed them. And there was a strange tone in her voice.
Bitterness maybe?
Frustration?
“Why not?” Glimmer asked, beating Sophie to the question.
Lady Gisela dragged a hand down her face. “Because it’s not part of our bargain.”
“Your bargain,” Sophie repeated, realizing there was only one person Lady Gisela would be talking about. “You agreed to let King Enki keep the prisoners if he helped you trap Keefe on his throne.”
“That was part of the deal, yes,” Lady Gisela admitted. “And he was particularly clear about wanting to make sure you were among them. So there’s no way that dwarf is letting me undo your bonds.”
“There definitely isn’t,” the cruel little creature agreed, shoving Sophie’s shoulders harder into the sand.
“But if you explained to King Enki that I’m the only one who can take Keefe…” Sophie stopped herself there, not sure she could bring herself to argue that Lady Gisela should bargain for Sophie’s freedom and leave the rest of her friends captive.
And it wasn’t just her friends.
There were three unconscious Councillors tied up on the floor near her—and there might be three more on the floor of the main marketplace.
And more of her friends. Who she still hadn’t checked on—hadn’t really even thought of.
And now she was thinking of abandoning them?
But what else was she supposed to do—unless they could help?
She could reach out to Fitz telepathically, explain what was happening, and…
What?
Expect them to come charging in to save the day?
It was a lovely, lovely thought.
But not particularly realistic.
If her friends were in a position to help, they would’ve already been there.
Plus, if she and her group had been overpowered so easily, the odds were…
“That wasn’t our deal!” Tam snapped, saving Sophie from finishing that devastating thought.
“Oh, relax,” Lady Gisela told him. “I made an exception for your sister. You and she will be free to go with me and—”
“That wasn’t our deal!” Tam insisted again. “You said my friends would be safe.”
“Yes, well, technically they are. As far as I know, King Enki has no intention of killing them—well, maybe the Councillors, but…” She shrugged. “You can’t save everyone, Tam.”
“Maybe not,” he admitted as the room slowly darkened. “But that doesn’t mean you stop trying.”
The dwarf pinning Sophie shifted his weight, bracing for
the new threat—and Sophie wondered if that meant Tam was already free of his bonds.
But she should’ve known that Lady Gisela would never give up control until she absolutely had to.
“This is not a moment to mess with me,” Lady Gisela warned, stalking closer to where Tam must’ve been standing. “I’m trying to figure out a way to help my son—I don’t have time for another one of your temper tantrums. So let me be very clear. If you make one more move against me—One. More. Move—I’ll cancel our deal and keep you as my handy little Shade pet as long as I want.”
Silence followed—the kind that grew heavier and heavier, until it felt like the whole room was being smothered.
Then someone asked, “Shade pet?”
But it wasn’t Tam.
Glimmer.
She was also the one to ask, “You’d seriously go back on your word?”
“Of course she would,” Tam cut in. “That’s what I keep telling you.”
“I know. But… I want to hear it from her,” Glimmer said—and the dwarf pinning Sophie shifted his weight again.
Sophie took her chance to slide forward and twist—only gaining a couple of inches. But it was enough to give her a clear view of where Tam stood with his hands fisted at his sides. The light of his bonds flickered from his shaking, as if Tam was using every drop of his restraint to stop himself from lashing out at Lady Gisela—who stood a few feet away with her hands on her hips.
Glimmer stood between them, still hiding behind her cloak and hood as she folded her arms and said to Lady Gisela, “You haven’t answered my question. Would you seriously go back on your word?”
Sophie tried to guess how Lady Gisela would answer—but it wasn’t an easy question.
A “no” canceled her threat.
But a “yes” would make Tam even angrier.
“The thing about being the leader of a movement,” Lady Gisela eventually told Glimmer, “is that you have to be willing to do anything to further the cause. Alliances. Bargains. These things only work as long as they’re useful. Once they’re not… you make the necessary adjustments.”
Another weighty silence followed.
And this time Tam was the one to break it.
“See what I mean now?” he asked Glimmer.
Glimmer nodded. “Yeah, I think I do.…”
Lady Gisela blew out a breath, shaking her head. “I’ll deal with you two later.”
And that seemed to be the end of it as Lady Gisela turned away to pace.
Until Glimmer called after her, “The thing is… I don’t think you will.”
Lady Gisela spun back, but Glimmer had already grabbed both of Tam’s wrists, and her palms flared with a golden light so bright, Sophie had to squeeze her eyes as tight as she could.
It took several blinks for her vision to focus—and then…
There was Tam.
Teeth clenched.
Arms raised.
Wrists bare.
His bonds lay broken at his feet—and the dwarf pinning Sophie lunged for him.
Glimmer whipped an orb of glaring blue light toward the dwarf, and the beast burrowed into the ground to shield his eyes.
And Lady Gisela was fumbling in her pockets, likely searching for a weapon—but a bolt of shadows crashed into her chest, sending her tumbling head over feet, again and again, until she slammed face-first against the wall.
“That one was for you, Keefe,” Tam said, turning to where Keefe still lay crumpled on the floor. “And this one’s for me.”
Everything went black.
And then there was only sound.
Crunching and cracking.
Snarls and skittering and rustling.
Grunts and huffs and footsteps.
And Sophie could only lie there, thrashing against her bonds and worrying every nearby noise was a dwarf, come to drag her away.
“Here,” Glimmer said, making Sophie shriek as she flashed a silver orb and appeared beside her, holding a dagger.
She reached for Sophie’s bonds, and Sophie had to remind herself, This is the girl who set Tam free, so she wouldn’t panic.
But… it was also the girl who’d turned Tam into Lady Gisela’s little Shade pet in the first place.
And the dagger Glimmer was using was probably the same one she’d used to threaten Flori.…
So Sophie felt a lot better once the bonds were gone and the knife was safely tucked away.
“Thank you,” she murmured, wishing she could throw back Glimmer’s hood and see who she was dealing with. For all she knew, this could be another trick—another trap. Someone pretending to be loyal and helpful and setting them up for a future betrayal. But her options were limited. The only choice right now was to take the risk and hope it wouldn’t blow up in their faces, because what mattered most was, “I need to get Keefe out of here.”
Glimmer nodded. “Tam’s making sure no dwarves carry him away. And I can help you get closer. But without a dwarf’s help, I’m not sure how to get you to the path we used.”
“Well… I guess I’ll have to take him through the King’s Path,” Sophie decided. “And run really, really fast.”
And find her way through the maze without anyone to guide her…
And fight through the nightmares and hallucinations without losing herself…
“I guess that’s the only option,” Glimmer agreed, sounding even less optimistic than Sophie was trying to be.
Glimmer snapped her fingers, and her silver orb drifted to Sophie, hovering over her shoulder like her own personal moon.
“Follow my light, and it will guide you through the safest path.”
“You’re not coming with me?” Sophie asked her.
Glimmer shook her head. “I’ll stay here and guard your friends until they’re conscious.”
Sophie flinched, wishing she hadn’t forgotten how many other people needed her.
And she didn’t love the idea of leaving everyone’s safety in the hands of a stranger wearing a Neverseen cloak.
But Sophie was in one problem at a time mode, and Keefe was her current project.
So she followed Glimmer’s light across the cracked floor, barely missing several dwarves who tried to tackle her along the way. And when she made it to Tam, he’d already hefted Keefe over his shoulder.
“We’ll do the teary friend-reunion thing later,” he told her as he transferred Keefe to her arms—and it took Sophie a few tries to find the best position to hold him and channel extra strength to her muscles.
“Going to try for the King’s Path?” Tam asked.
“Unless you have a better idea,” Sophie said, holding out one last hope.
But Tam shook his head. “I wish I did. Especially since I’m pretty sure King Enki’s waiting on the other side of the door. I keep hearing thumping—don’t you?”
She hadn’t noticed it before, with all the other chaos, but now that he’d mentioned it…
There was a noticeable THUMP!
“Great,” Sophie mumbled. “Well… I’ll try levitating over them.”
“That could work,” Tam agreed, neither of them wanting to admit how impossible the plan was. “And if he catches you, we can try trading you for Lady Gisela. Maybe he’d go along, since it sounded like she’d made him other promises.”
“So Keefe’s mom is still…?” she started to ask, not sure how to word it.
“She’s alive,” Tam told her. “For now.”
And there was really nothing else to say to that.
THUMP!
“Okay,” Sophie said, “time to take on an army of angry dwarves! This day just keeps getting better and better.”
“Glimmer’s going to blast them with light when you open the door. It should blind them for a few seconds. And yes, you can trust her,” he added before she could ask.
Sophie nodded, glad he was willing to acknowledge how shaky their alliance felt. “I’m guessing you know more about her? Like… why she was with the Neverseen?”
&
nbsp; And why Lady Gisela had said that Glimmer was more loyal to their cause than anyone she’d ever met…
“I do,” Tam agreed. “I’ll tell you more later. For now, I’ll try to keep all the dwarves away from you as you head to the door.”
“Thank you.” Sophie glanced at the pale, unconscious guy in her arms, reminding herself why they were sticking with this disastrous plan.
Keefe’s eyes were still open, staring at nothing.
His chest was still rising and falling too fast.
THUMP!
“Okay, here goes!” she said, and took off for the door, trying to pace herself, knowing she had a long journey ahead.
And the first challenge turned out to be the door itself.
It was huge. And heavy. And she didn’t see a handle anywhere. And…
She was so focused on the door that she didn’t see the dwarf crawling toward her until they had already lunged—and with Keefe’s extra weight, dodging was impossible.
The impact sent them tumbling, tumbling, tumbling—a tangle of legs and arms and fur—and Sophie tried to fight back, but she couldn’t let go of Keefe, and then she was pinned and—
“It’s okay, Sophie!” the dwarf shouted. “It’s me. Nubiti!”
“Nubiti,” Sophie repeated, needing another second for the panic and adrenaline screaming though her head to quiet.
Nubiti. Nubiti. Nubiti.
Except…
“I’m on your side!” Nubiti promised when she felt Sophie tense. “I know what King Enki did to you—if he even deserves the title of king—and I’ve been trying to—TAKE COVER!”
She grabbed Sophie’s shoulders, barely managing to roll their tangled group away before something black whisked over their heads and exploded in a shower of shadowy smoke.
“SHE’S ON OUR SIDE!” Sophie called out to Tam. “IT’S OKAY. HOLD FIRE!”
“Wait—he’s on your side?” Nubiti asked when she realized who Sophie was shouting to.
“He is. And so is the Flasher in the Neverseen cloak. Or, she says she is, and… I’m trying to trust her. She’s the one who broke Tam’s bonds so he could take on Lady Gisela.”
Nubiti sighed as she stood. “It appears we’ve both been misreading the situation.”
THUMP!
Sophie tensed again—and Tam and Glimmer went back to their positions.
Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 8) Page 63
