Helgi gave Bran the walkie.
“Vesper and the guards will be here soon. We have to go.” I turned to the humans. “You’ll be safe with Bran, and Vesper is a Dreki lord. He’ll keep you alive. Do as he says.” They looked frightened, confused. But there was no time for a speech to instill confidence. If I were still here when Vesper got back, I was certain he’d stop me from going after my dad. “Bran, tell Vesper what Eamon said. The humans have the map to the bunker.” I pulled the key from my pocket and handed it to him. “Keep it safe.”
He looked torn, as if he wanted to protest, but then sighed and took the key. “Don’t die, Anya. If it looks impossible, then walk away. Please.”
I gave him my cockiest grin. “Nothing’s impossible for a rogue.”
He snorted. “Ya, that’s what they tell us.”
I left the group huddled in the mouth of the tunnel, and Helgi and I climbed up the bank.
“Which way?” she asked.
“I’m not sure, Azazel was supposed to be—”
Here. I’m here.
Relief flooded me in a rush of welcome heat followed quickly by anger. “What the fuck? Where were you?”
I was here, but I couldn’t get through the walls or the tunnel door.
My anger dissipated. I should have known he’d have been by my side if he could.
Helgi looked around. “Azazel is here?”
“Yes.”
The air shimmered and Azazel’s shadow form appeared.
Helgi bit back a gasp. “Fucking hell.”
“It’s nice to meet you too,” Azazel said.
He’d never shown himself to another person—well, not unless he’d been about to rip off their heads—so this…this was an honor. It meant Helgi was in the circle of trust, as she should be.
Helgi grinned. “Love the horns.”
“Thank you,” Azazel said. “I’m sure we’ll have time to get acquainted soon, but first we need to get to Illyrian. Follow me.”
He broke into a crouching run parallel to the wall to our right. We cut through brambles and then into sparser woodland and ran for almost ten minutes. Sector 8 was still visible, the walls a gleaming monolith that rose up as if to touch the moon. The place was massive. Ten thousand humans. It sounded like a lot, but when you bore in mind that the human population had once been in the billions it was obvious the species was close to extinction. I had to hope that Eamon was right, and that his resistance would be able to keep thwarting the Draco’s plans. Hopefully the bomb had gone off as expected. Hopefully the facility was decimated.
The woodland came to an abrupt halt a few meters ahead, and Azazel slowed down and came to a standstill, falling into a crouch by a tree.
“When I was unable to get into Sector 8, I checked on your father,” he said. “He’s still unconscious. There were guards in the building, but one of them received a call and two of them left suddenly.”
“So, we have four guards to get through?” Helgi asked.
“No. I’ll take care of the guards and let you inside. You need to get past the sentinels.”
Helgi didn’t question him. I’d explained how Azazel functioned. The guards would fuel him, giving him corporeal form so he could physically help us.
“Who else is inside? Any other prisoners?” Helgi asked.
“Not as far as I’m aware. It seems to be a laboratory of some kind, but there are also living quarters on the second floor.”
“But why out here?” Helgi said. “Did he know we’d find this place or was he expecting you to go to the arena and hand yourself over?” She looked worried. “Anya, this doesn’t make sense. It feels off.”
“I don’t know, Helg, but I have to try.”
“There are four guards,” Azazel interrupted. “That’s enough energy to get you to your father and out of the facility with time to spare. There’s a van behind the building today. I’m certain you can operate it.”
He could have gotten Illyrian out without us, but he’d never have made it across the Outlands before his corporeal power ran out, and with Illyrian unconscious, they’d have been stuck.
Helgi pulled her blades from her belt. “Just in case.” She grinned at me. “Let’s get your dad back.”
Chapter Seventeen
VESPER
The stupid, reckless Skin. What was she playing at?
“Where did she go?” I advanced on the Skin they called Bran. To give him credit he didn’t bat an eyelid, simply stared me down. I needed to work on my intimidation skills. “Where did she go?”
“East,” he said finally. “They’re holding her father in a facility east of Sector 8.”
Outside Draco City? Strange. Then it hit me that she must have planned this all along. Sneaky. I had to admire her courage even though this move was foolhardy.
At least she’d had the common sense to get the humans out first. Six humans, but invaluable if the Skin was telling me the truth.
Humans to build a weapon that could wipe out the Draco’s technology.
“Your Grace?” Wex said. “What do you want to do?”
He was asking if we were going after the reckless Skin. Every fiber of my being wanted to say yes. The female was under my skin and in my head. She was a fucking nuisance that invaded my dreams. But infatuations came and went, and a cunny was just that, a cunny. A cunny wasn’t worth risking our future.
The cause was everything. Ending the war was everything, and this cargo was all that mattered.
“Your Grace?” Wex asked again.
Dammit, Anya. Dammit. “We head to the leyroad. We go home.”
Bran looked torn, as if he wanted to argue.
“You’re free to leave.” I held out my hand. “But hand over the key.”
“How do you know she left it with me?”
“Call it a hunch.”
He lifted his chin so the scales covering his face were highlighted by moonlight. “Nah. Key stays with me. I’ll give it to Anya when she gets back. In the meantime, I got a cargo to protect.” His smile was thin. “Someone’s
