The blood in my veins froze.
I’m too late.
My heart stopped.
No. I couldn’t be too late.
Tarik.
Tarik was down there—maybe already trapped. I looked up at the cold steel in Mordecai’s eyes.
Definitely already trapped.
No, no, no . . .
I bit back the panic dizzying my mind. Swallowed. “Yes, Father. I hope the issue isn’t too serious. I would certainly like to thank those men, if they really did have a hand in pulling those shifters off me.”
“I’m sure the contamination is nothing we can’t handle. I’ll make sure to pass on your thanks, sweet girl.” He smiled. Alarms screamed in my head.
This isn’t happening.
But after he held open the door and gestured me out, all I could do was follow him downstairs and watch helplessly as he headed for the back staircase. If I followed, I could ruin everything. He might hurt them more, or sooner. My heart raced painfully. I couldn’t stand still another second. When the front door snicked closed behind me, I bolted onto the lawn, shifting the second my feet hit grass.
I needed help. This was too big and I didn’t stand a chance alone. But maybe with Nevaeh’s help . . .
Maybe we could come up with a plan. I couldn’t lose hope. Not yet.
We will save those Fae.
I will save Tarik.
Last night had changed everything.
I couldn’t leave Reagan alone, and I couldn’t push her away. Not when she needed protection. Ironic that she needed saving from her own kind. After my work shift, I planned to visit the man who’d meant the world to me a few years ago but who I currently avoided at all costs—if I could get through his sons first. The eldest would probably deck me before I could explain that they needed to treat the Night Enforcer as one of their own. But, despite their feelings toward me, if I asked them to watch over Reagan, I knew they would.
At the same time, seeing her so helpless had strengthened my resolve to keep my distance. Those shifters had attacked her because of me. Because her defense of me had wounded their egotistical pride. So I would fix the wrongs, but I couldn’t get involved beyond that. I knew that if I did, something would start that couldn’t be stopped.
She and I, we were a train wreck waiting to happen. I needed to derail and journey on a different track. Preferably in the opposite direction. Because every time I saw her, my walls weakened.
I stood from the metal table in the mine’s small lunchroom. Throwing away the peels of the orange I’d eaten, I tried to formulate a plan. I knew Reagan would seek me out again—she couldn’t seem to help herself—but I wouldn’t discourage her attention with cruelty anymore. No, there must be a better way to get through to her, one that wouldn’t scar.
I had damaged her enough.
My coworkers and I were pulling on our hazmat suits when an alarm blared. “Danger. Danger. Make for the emergency room. Danger. Danger.” Red lights flashed in the room and hallway, the warning repeating over and over again. We all froze and stared at each other, uncertain what to do. No one had informed us of protocol in case of an emergency.
Was there a cave-in?
Jocelyn clacked into the room, swiftly for having to balance on four-inch heels. “Drop your gear, drop everything and come with me. Quickly now.” She clapped, the sound almost lost to the shrill alarm.
I stepped out of the suit and did as instructed, leaving the yellow puddle on the floor. Single file, we followed the mother duck into the hallway. But instead of turning left for the stairs, we turned right, toward the heart of the mines. We passed the bathrooms, and an uneasy feeling squirmed in my gut.
My mouth opened as I prepared to announce that I’d rather take my chances above ground. If my mind wasn’t half-distracted with thoughts of Reagan and what she’d said last night about needing to tell me something, I would have simply bolted for the stairs. But, I hesitated, confused and maybe a touch curious.
Jocelyn unexpectedly veered into the mysterious “for emergencies only” room we never entered. I closed my mouth as she disappeared from view, the room’s lights burning so low, darkness swallowed her. Around me, heads swiveled and eyebrows raised, but my fellow Fae followed her inside, albeit cautiously.
I was the last to enter, my bare feet scraping against the cold stone floor. I peered over my shoulder and took one last look at the hallway, expecting a rock avalanche or horde of angry aliens to come bearing down on us. But all was clear. All was—
As soon as I stepped through the doorway, there was a rapid shuffling, then a groan as the door was heaved shut. On instinct, I reached for the inner handle, but my fingers only found slick steel. I blinked. There was no handle. There was no—
Boom!
The door sealed closed, encasing us in pitch black. A second later, blinding lights flicked on and I pivoted, hand pressed to my brow as I shielded my eyes from the glare. The other Fae were doing the same, glancing around the room in confusion. I searched for Jocelyn, pushing past Holden and several others as I struggled to the far back of the long, rectangular space.
She was nowhere to be found.
—
After hours of nothing happening, we finally went silent.
The room was plain: pale stone walls lined with narrow cots. A gray curtain in the back divided the “bathroom” containing two showers, two sinks, and one toilet. One toilet for twenty-four grown males. And no plunger. At least they’d provided us with a shred of privacy. Quite generous of the shifters who would
