Probably the only thing keeping Dane from taking care of Lir already is the festival. Can’t keep his loyal public waiting, though many of them may have enjoyed the spectacle of a public execution. I shiver, but it’s not from the chill creeping into the air. What would Dane have done if one of the groups of soldiers had found Lir in the woods? What would have happened if I hadn’t been there when Jace was taken? My brother would have disappeared and I would have never known what happened to him— just like our father.

Dwelling on that isn’t going to help me now. I shake my head and speed up.

“Jax.” Emily’s whispered call comes from my left.

“Yeah.” I slide into the space between two buildings where she’s waiting.

“What the hell took you so long?” Her hands fly up in exasperation. “Did you run into trouble? I’ve been getting worried.”

A chuckle escapes my lips. “Well, if you call running into Dane, getting promised to Flint, and then knocking him out trouble…. Then, yeah I ran into trouble.”

Her arms drop to her sides and she gapes at me. “What?”

“If you call—”

“I heard you,” she says. “I don’t even know what to say to that.” Emily shakes her head and then her eyes find mine. “Did you at least get the keys first?”

That brings a laugh bursting out of my mouth. “Not one to get distracted by the little things are you?”

One side of her mouth twists up. “Seems like you took care of it.”

“Are the packs in place?” I ask.

While I was getting the keys, Emily was supposed to grab the packs at my house and put them by the West gate for Lir and me to grab on our way out. They aren’t even half as full as I’d like them to be since my market trip was…interrupted…but we’ll have to make do. Dane is bound to realize pretty quickly that I’m gone and he’d assume I’d head straight to the city. They’d start looking by the East gate, so I’m going in the opposite direction. We’ll have to make an extra stop for the satchel now too.

“Of course, Jax. You’re not the only one that knows how to sneak around here.” Emily threads her arm through mine and we step out onto the street. “Let’s do this then.”

Two guards stand silhouetted by the doorway and they tense up as we draw closer. Neither of them are anyone I know, but that’s not saying much. “What’s your business here, ladies?”

Emily smiles. “Hello, Brian. Hello, Seth.” One of the guards Emily knows, that’s either really good or really bad.

“Hello Emily,” says Seth, a grin lighting his face. So good thing then? My stomach twists at the hungry look in his eye, but Emily ignores it.

“We’ve come to deliver food to the prisoner.” The guards eye the covered dish resting on Emily’s palm as she shifts on her feet.

“Aren’t you just the good Samaritan,” Brian says, leering at Emily. “Has this been approved?”

Emily opens her mouth to reply but Seth breaks in. “Emily’s always taking pity on the prisoners. Just let them go down and get it over with.” He points his finger at Emily with a stern look on his face. “Just slide the food in through the bottom like normal Em, stay away from the door. It’s subdued but it might still be dangerous.” He reaches out and brushes his hand down Emily’s arm. “Then maybe you can keep us company for a while?”

Emily giggles. “I’d like that. You too right, Jax?”

He’s not touching me, keep it together. I fight the desire to close my eyes and count my breaths. “Yeah.” It’s the best I can do, the only word that is small enough to make it up my shrinking throat. Emily adjusts her arm and gives my elbow a gentle squeeze. Some of the tension leaves my limbs. It’s only a part to play. I won’t actually be coming back up here with them.

Brian waves us by and I let out a long, slow breath. Then a hand grabs my arm and I freeze.

“You’re Jace’s sister, right?” asks Brian.

I nod. Emily, slightly ahead of me, looks back. Her eyes anchor me enough that I relax a little. “Yeah, I am.”

“I hear you’re pretty good with a knife.”

“I guess so.”

“You the one that cut its arm?”

Sewed it up too, but I don’t think that’s what he wants to hear. “Yeah.”

Brian tilts his head back a new respect in his eyes. “Great shot. I think that’s the first I’ve ever heard of someone getting the drop on one of them. You must have weakened it enough so it could be taken.”

I did? Obviously the aliens are fast, but someone before me had to have fought with one, injured one, something. If they’re that strong how in the world will I get Jace out?

Brian rubs a hand through his hair and meets my eyes. “You girls just let us know if you have any trouble down there, okay?”

I nod and pull my arm away from his grip. Once Emily and I are out of sight, I stop and lean against the wall. “I just need a moment.” Emily stays silent and I focus on taking one big breath and letting it pass slowly through my lips. “Sorry, I just…”

“It’s okay. Take all the time you need.” She squeezes my arm. “It’s actually a good thing Seth was on duty this evening. I don’t really know Brian, but Seth is one of the good guys.” When my eyes widen and my eyebrows raise, she continues. “You can’t always think the worst of everyone.”

She’s right. When I replay the interaction in my head, it’s clear to me that Emily likes Seth. Her blushing. Her giggling. Maybe he even genuinely cares about her. Even Brian grabbing my arm was nothing like what Daniel did earlier. Between getting knocked out in the forest, getting Promised and my swelling knuckles, it’s been a long day and my fight or flight instincts are on overdrive. I’m no good to Jace like this. I’m no good to anyone like this. I’ve got to pull myself together.

Emily and I descend the stairs into the darkened lower level. Upkeep down here has obviously not been much of a priority. The paint is peeling on the wall and, although it doesn’t really smell bad, there’s a persistent musty odor in the air, like a wet animal. The farther down we go though, the worse it gets. When we finally reach the basement level, my lip curls and my nose scrunches.

What had been only mildewy before has morphed into the stale stench of mold and age. Old equipment clutters the narrow hallway and the lights flicker and buzz, giving the whole place an eerie feeling. I can only hope that Jace isn’t being kept in a place like this. A shudder travels from my shoulders down my back and I swallow while trying to avoid inhaling through my nose. It doesn’t work very well and I gag, a burning starting up in the back of my throat.

“Here.” Emily hands me a small piece of cloth and I use it to cover my mouth and nose.

I smile gratefully. The cloth doesn’t block out the stench entirely, but it keeps the worst of it at bay for now.

We peer into the window at the top of each door until we find one cell with a shadowed form lying in the corner.

Emily glances at me. “Keys?”

I pull the key ring out and toss it to her. She locates the correct key and fits it into the lock. The lock releases quietly, but the door hinges squeal when she pushes it open.

Emily looks from me to the interior of the cell, a questioning look on her face. I nod. I should be the one to go in and talk to him. Lir might not exactly consider me a friendly face at this point, but at least I’m someone he knows.

“Just wait out here for me,” I say, slipping into the cell through the small opening.

The smell isn’t as bad inside the cell. Metal walls reflect the light from the buzzing overhead fixture. There’s a small cot against the wall, but nothing else besides a ratty blanket. Lir is slumped in the far right corner, head bowed down over his chest, the flickering light creating shifting shadows across his face. He doesn’t even look up when I enter the cell. Ropes bind his hands and I can’t tell if he’s even had water. Probably not if Emily hasn’t been down here today. Seth might be one of the good guys as Emily said, but it doesn’t seem like he’s too concerned about their prisoner. Seeing him huddled on the cold concrete floor injured and alone sends a shot of guilt into my gut. It’s my fault he’s here.