“And you said Crenaxin?” Verci asked Kaiana, who was a few paces ahead, helping Delmin walk as he led them by his magical nose.
“That was his name.”
“Mean something?” Rainey asked.
“Friend of mine met a bounty hunter who was looking for him,” Verci said. “I’m inclined to help her collect.”
“I think the law might have an interest,” she said. “But if he ends up in a small box, and they throw the box away, I’m all right.”
“This way,” Delmin said. “Toward the plaza—”
They walked into Saint Bridget’s Square, with the rising sun right behind the church’s bell tower. As early as it was, the square was already a bustle of activity: people going to and fro, opening up their shops, getting ready for another day. Verci felt more than a little conspicuous walking in broad daylight, fully armed, even if he was with a constable.
“Verci, what’s going on?” Kimber came up to him, leading a little boy.
“Kimber,” he said. “I’m not entirely sure, except something terrible and magical is happening below the city—”
“In the tunnels, missing children, yes. That reporter showed up with this boy, and left again.”
Rainey knelt down in front of the boy. “What’s your name?”
“Lord Aston Vollingale, son of Baron Vollingale.”
“Sweet saints, he’s nobility?” Verci asked.
“I know!” she said. “I was bringing him to the church; they would know what to do.”
“Oh, very, very big,” Delmin said, kneeling on the ground in the middle of the square. “It’s all happening.”
“What is?” Rainey asked.
“It’s coming up.”
“Hey!” A dirty man with a beard came running toward them, leading a large group of children. As he approached, Verci realized he was that reporter from The Veracity Press.
“Mister Eyairin,” Rainey said. “Are you all right?”
“Fine,” he said. “I got the kids. Came up out of a tunnel hole in the creek over there. But something—”
“Something is definitely happening,” Delmin said. “We aren’t safe.”
Verci did not like that particular combination of words.
“All of you, go in the church,” Verci said. “I’ll track that tunnel. Inspector, are you—”
Before he finished that thought, the earth shook, harder than he ever imagined it could. Everyone in Saint Bridget’s Square, Verci included, tumbled to the ground.
He started to get back to his feet when Inspector Rainey grabbed him and pulled him back. He was about to yell at her when he saw why she had done that.
The cobblestone had cracked, and began to open into a wide chasm across the square.
Dayne chased Asti down the tunnel, toward the sounds of screams and grinding gears and fighting. Everything was going wrong down here.
“I hope you’re ready to bring the fight,” Asti said. “Because it’s here.”
“I’ll draw the fight to me,” Dayne said. “Hold them off while you help get the Thorn and the others out of here.”
They rounded the corner, and almost fell over Lin. She was slumped on the ground, weeping next to one of those grotesques. That creature lay on the ground, unmoving. Possibly dead.
“Lin!” he said. “Are you all right?”
“I . . . I tried to save him . . . I . . . I couldn’t . . .”
“What do you—” He looked at the creature. Despite its misshapen head, it was wearing spectacles. Horror and despair flooded into Dayne’s heart. “Maresh?”
Lin nodded. “They . . . they changed him with the machine. They made him into . . . I tried . . . but . . .” She held up her shackled hands. “I was powerless.”
“It’s not your fault,” Dayne said.
“Dayne, this is some trouble,” Asti said, looking over the tunnel precipice. “Your girl is fighting like blazes down there.”
“Stay here,” Dayne said. “We’ll . . . we’ll take care of things.”
Dayne came to the edge and saw. The machine was fully engaged, and Crenaxin stood on top of its platform, surrounded in energy and light of every color. Jerinne, Minox, and the Thorn were together, pinned up against one part of the machine, perilously close to rings spinning absurdly fast. Jerinne was in front, shield high, pushing her way through zealots and beasts. The misshapen monsters had somehow transformed into great beasts with massive claws and teeth, and Jerinne was doing her best to hold them off, while the Thorn fired arrow after arrow to take them down. Both of them seemed to be protecting Minox.
“More!” Crenaxin shouted. “More fuel for the fervent fire! Bring them to me!”
Dayne noticed something else about the machine. The brass cages—the ones that were holding children before—held only the withered corpses of old men.
“Bring the fuel! Bring it!” Senek shouted.
Gurond stood in the doorway. “The children are gone! They escaped!”
“Impossible!” shouted Senek.
“You!” Gurond shouted, pointing up at Dayne. “Gurond will—” He shook his head. “I will make you pay!”
“Get the fuel!” Crenaxin shouted. “Now!”
Jerinne was fighting for her life, holding off the great-fanged creatures that tried desperately to eat her shield whole.
“Jerinne!” Dayne shouted. “I’m coming!” He just needed a way to slide down.
“Stay there!” the Thorn shouted. “Catch!”
His rope coiled around Minox Welling’s body, and with a sudden snap, flung the man up to the tunnel. Dayne reached out and caught Minox, pulling him to safety.
“Don’t you—” Minox started.
“My head is clear,” Dayne said. “I’m very sorry.”
Minox took that in. “Forgiven. I’m glad you reconciled yourself.”
Asti looked to the shackles on Minox’s wrists. “Let’s do something about those.”
“Please,” Minox said.
Dayne’s attention was back on the floor. Jerinne was flanked on both sides, as Gurond was barreling down on her. He knew she couldn’t possibly take one of his punches.
“Get out of there!” Dayne shouted.
The Thorn grabbed Jerinne’s waist and flung up his rope toward Dayne. Dayne grabbed hold of it, planting his feet and anchoring one arm to the side of the tunnel. He held on as strong as he could as the Thorn and Jerinne came flying up at him, just as Gurond was about to slam a massive fist into Jerinne’s shield. Dayne wasn’t sure even a Tarian shield could hold up to that.
“You good?” he asked Jerinne as she landed.
“You?”
“As much as can be.”
“Minox,” the Thorn said. “You holding up?”
Asti had removed the shackles.
“Ravenous,” Minox said.
Thorn pulled a sandwich
