A woman stood just at the precipice of the room. Her sleek red hair fell over her shoulders, and her silver gown clung to her hips, swishing as she took a step back. Something about her was familiar, and as Lucien said her name once more, she realized?—
"She was the woman you were speaking with at your table," Rin accused.
"I didn’t speak to her," Lucien said, just as the woman—Jessa—interjected:
"I wanted his help."
"With what?" Rin asked.
"I’m a reporter undercover tonight. I’m working on building a story against Blackfall Industries and the Hunter’s Guild—the corruption runs deep." Jessa’s eyes finally landed on the papers. "What is this place? And those blue glowing tubes? I tried to take a photo for documentation, but my camera stopped working."
Lucien stormed forward. "You need to leave. It is dangerous for you to be down here. Why did you follow me?"
"I saw you leave," said Jessa. "I can’t explain what came over me. I wanted to catch you and see if you thought about my proposal."
Proposal?Rin thought. She was being absurd; she shoved her silly jealousy down.
Jessa’s eyes seemed intelligent and curious as she stared at the room. It was the type of curiosity Rin wished she could have—without all the fear. She was still reeling from what she’d learned. That Lucien had been the one to create this… this device. A Nova Spire? She surreptitiously folded the paper and tucked it in the top of her dress, nestled just above her ribs.
"Did anyone see you?" Auren asked.
Jessa seemed to finally realize what she’d walked into was something far bigger than herself. Her eyes flitted from Auren’s cloak to his scythe. "You’re a Soul Searcher."
"You must leave from here. If anyone saw you come this way, we are all at risk," Auren continued. "Did anyone see you?"
"I—no, I don’t think so." The reporter’s lips parted again and again, her fingers loose around the flashlight in her hand. She slowly gathered herself. "I was right, wasn’t I? If a Soul Searcher is here—there’s something going on."
Auren studied her. "Yes, though I am unsure of your full suspicions. The Hunter’s Guild is not what they seem, nor is Blackfall Industries."
"You’re Prince Cyrus’s Soulbond," Jessa said to Rin.
Rin’s eyes immediately went to Lucien’s, not knowing what to say. He nodded, just once.
"I am," said Rin.
Jessa’s brows furrowed. "He left earlier, just after I followed Lucien. You didn’t go with him?"
"What do you mean,left?" Rin stepped forward, fear making her heart pound. That sickening need to cough stirred inside her. She pressed her hand to her mouth to stifle the sound—but it was so loud, regardless, echoing. Lucien quickly reached for her, his hand against the back of her head as he pressed her face to his chest. Her coughs were stifled against him as his other hand soothed over her back.
Lucien shushed her. When the coughing fit faded, she slowly pulled away from his chest, embarrassed. He pressed his fingertips beneath her jaw to take her pulse. She knew it wasn’t good. His lips moved as he counted, mouth tightening as her heart rate quickened. "We should go. We’ve stayed down here far too long." Lucien took her hand and started to pull her away.
She didn’t realize just how weak she felt, how clammy her skin had grown.
Jessa ignored the three of them, walking to the board as she stared at the drawings.
"What about her?" Auren asked from Rin’s side.
Lucien huffed. "We cannot leave her."
Auren dipped his chin, turning gracefully as he walked back to gather the curious reporter.
It was only a few extra seconds. Barely a few good breaths, but even more heartbeats for Rin.
That was all the time it took for everything to come crashing down.
Pounding footsteps echoed from beyond as guards rounded the corner, guns drawn and trained right on them. Simultaneously, Lucien grabbed her, all but throwing her behind him. She staggered back as she felt her chest seize.
She didn’t stop until her hips bumped into a desk, then further still, until she felt the cool steel of a door pressing against her spine. There, she stayed.
