“Maybe. You know how the mayor is. Maybe she doesn’t care but has to make a showing to keep the merchants appeased.”
“It did seem like Paden knew exactly where I was hiding. Then he just let me go earlier. Maybe he wanted to find out where we live.”
“It’s possible,” Sam whispered. “What do we do now?”
“Find a place to stay until the heat dies down, and we can go back home.”
“We could ask around about magic lessons. If I could control my magic while I slept, I could be a lot more help during the day. As it is, I can’t sleep a full night and the only time I can do anything magical is while I’m having nightmares.”
“We’ve been over that.”
Her expression turned pleading. “No matter how many times you tell me not to worry about it, I need lessons.” Sam frowned. “And so do you. We can’t keep living like this.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m a danger to anybody around me.” She peered over the levy. “There really should be something out there, shouldn’t there? How do whole buildings and towns keep from getting burned down? There has to be something to help messed-up casters like me.”
Zenith sniffed. “You’re not going to let it go, are you?”
“Every time I fall asleep, I worry I’m going to hurt somebody, Zen. There’s got to be some way around that.”
“Fine. We’ll see what we can find out.”
They eased back down the levy.
“At least the beach is empty for the day,” Sam said.
Silently, they darted across the white sands. The levy hid them until they reached the low wall that surrounded the beach. Zenith boosted Sam over and then Sam helped Zenith over. Keeping their profile low, they followed the wall back into the city.
All of it had been too easy, but Zenith kept her misgivings to herself. Sam was so ready to believe the best about every situation. But something was wrong. Zenith could feel it in her bones.
They took the next street toward the market. Much like the beach, it would be closed for the day, but creatures still collected at the entrances to talk and converse.
Twenty minutes later, they were back in the alley. Zenith ducked behind a pile of refuse and pulled Sam with her. Sam stumbled and then took a seat on the ground. She yawned, and her eyes turned glassy. She blinked rapidly.
Zenith elbowed her. “You need sleep.”
Sam tucked her knees beneath her chin. “I’m fine. All I need is ten minutes.” It always went the same. When Sam came out to “help,” she had to take power naps over and over.
Zenith sighed. She was right. They couldn’t keep on like they were. They didn’t have a choice. She peeked out. At the end of the alley, Farg spoke with trolls and another, larger ogre. A classic vampire leaned against the wall beside them. She wore the traditional cape, had her hair slicked back and everything, probably only came out at night, too.
“Looks safe enough,” Zenith whispered. “I’m going in.”
Sam reached for a hand up, but Zenith pushed the hand away. “Stay here,” Zenith whispered. “I’ll see what I can find out and come back for you.”
Sam nodded, her eyes already rolled back in her head. “Be careful out there,” she murmured.
Zenith stepped out from behind the pile. When Farg’s gaze met hers, his mouth tightened. She waved to Farg, and he crossed his arms.
He didn’t do anything else, but that one movement felt like a neon sign. She needed to learn to glamour. Most Mer could. Maybe she had enough Mer in her. If she did, she could be anybody else. It would make eating so much easier.
Farg glanced to the roof of the tallest building, nodded once, and then turned back to his conversation. Her skin pricked, and her throat dried. A burst of cold air careened through the alley.
Zenith scanned the roof line. Had he been signaling someone?
In the dark, she couldn’t make anything out. She chewed her bottom lip and glanced back at Sam. For the moment, she slept peacefully, snoring lightly, oblivious to the danger they had wandered into.
At the corner, beside a trash can, two eyes fluoresced. A moment later, the dragon boy appeared to her left. He watched from nearby, his face a mask of concern. Down the street, in the dim light of a streetlamp, his unicorn pawed at the ground, throwing sparks into the air. He stepped toward them, but Zenith shook her head.
“You should have stayed away,” she whispered.
He shrugged but didn’t budge.
Zenith squared her shoulders and started toward Farg. She raised her hand. “I’m in search of magical teachers.”
“Is that so?” a familiar voice uttered.
Those three words crashed into her stomach. A scurry of footsteps echoed in the alley as Farg and the others scattered. It was almost as if they knew what came next.
Perfect.
Sam hadn’t yet moved, and the dragon shifter slinked backwards. His eyeshine was the only giveaway. Maybe they could get away.
Zenith turned slowly to face the peacekeeper. “Paden.”
He smirked. “Guilty as you are.”
“Why?”
“You’ve been a thorn in my side long enough.”
Zenith rolled her eyes. “Look at the big, fancy Fae. Finally caught the girl who always gets away, did you?”
He spat and the spittle landed on her toes. “No matter what the mayor believes, hybrids shouldn’t be allowed to live. You’re no better than the rats in the sewers.” He sneered. “My job is to bring order to Unseen Street. That’s what I intend to do.” He peered down the alley. “Now tell me where your little friend is. She’s got quite a bounty on her head.”
Zenith scowled and crossed her arms, hoping he couldn’t see her tremble. “From who?”
He chuckled. “You’d like to know, wouldn’t you?” He waved to the four other Fae. “Search the alley. Find the other girl.”
They dispersed. A moment later, they turned invisible. They’d find her in no
