“How’d he find them?” I asked.
“The old Elders left behind hundreds of files after the Hawkei Civil War was over. When Oleander was trying to take over the tribe, he was colluding with the Warden, we know that for certain,” Uncle Jonah said. “He didn’t have time to destroy them before he was killed. It’s taken forever to go back through them, but we found files that directly referenced the Warden sending inmates to the Infernal Underground to be experimented on. Does that name mean anything to you?”
“Yes. We’re investigating it right now,” I said. “We thought it was a movement of people.”
“It’s not. The Underground is a place, some sort of experimental room,” Uncle Jonah said. “Though it’s well hidden. We never found out where it could be.”
“What about Cellblock 9?” I asked.
“From the letters, we gathered the Underground was separate from Cellblock 9.”
This changed everything. It meant we still had to find where the Warden had taken Alice and the others. We had to get our hands on those blueprints. It was more important than ever.
“Can Daddy use this evidence to get us out?” I asked.
“He tried. Your dad went to the United Supernatural Union with the files. It was this big court deal. It lasted days. But the Union was split, and they ended up ruling against the evidence and taking the Warden’s side. The elementals, the fae, and the witches believed your dad, but the angels, mermaids, vampires, and Astromancers voted in the Warden’s favor, and in a court of law, every Union member must agree that the defendant is guilty for the accused to be convicted.”
“There have to be bodies on Darke Island,” I insisted. “The people the Warden experimented on didn’t just disappear.”
“There were no hidden graves to be found, and as we couldn’t tell them definitively where the Underground was, the Union took it as one big joke. Without physical evidence that went beyond the paperwork, your dad didn’t have enough proof to overturn your sentence on the basis of cruel and unusual punishment.”
“The Warden is never going to get what he deserves, so long as the angels are always going to vote in his favor!” I said.
“You see our problem.” He frowned. “I don’t see how we’re going to get you out. All the evidence in the world isn’t going to be enough to set you free, as long as the angels still have control of the Union’s council.”
“Isn’t there anything Daddy can do?” My shoulders dropped.
“We can’t try again. Your dad risked a lot going to the Union in the first place. They accused him of fabricating the evidence. There’s more than his job on the line if he brings up another accusation against the Warden. He’ll be tried for falsifying information, and we can’t afford to have him locked up.”
What Daddy had risked to try and get me out of here cut me to the core. My throat tightened, and I dropped my head. “You guys tried. That’s what counts.”
“Hey now, don’t lose hope.” Uncle Jonah fell back down to the ground and raised my chin. “The way I see it, you’ve got all the Fire in the world to fight the Warden. He doesn’t stand a chance against you. Especially not with those sick dance moves!”
“Did you watch the video?” I snickered.
“Your mother, Auntie Imogen and I might’ve walked in when your dad was weeping on his desk,” Jonah teased. “He’s a big drama queen. Nice job, by the way! I’mveryimpressed.”
I giggled. “Well, Ivy’s a great teacher.”
“I’d like to meet him,” Jonah said in approval. “I think we’d get along splendidly.”
“I’m certain you would.” I smirked. “Though my performance was a one-night only show. Daddy said I’m just like Mama. I have no idea what he means.”
“Oh, that,” Jonah said coyly. “I know what he’s referencing.”
“What?”
“Well… let’s just say your mom sought revenge when she and your dad broke up.”
“Mama and Daddy broke up?” This was huge news to me.
“Oh, yeah, there was this big thing about it one year at college. They’d split up for months before they got back together,” Jonah said, waving his hand. “It was very dramatic, but it all worked out. But not before your mom made your dadpayfor dumping her.”
“Woah, woah, woah, hold on,” I said. “Daddy dumpedMama?”
The thought was absolutely insane. He was head over heels for the woman. I couldn’t imagine him leaving her for any reason.
“Yep, and oooh, it was good,” Jonah gushed. “I’m not going to spoil it, because I think your mom would tell the story better, but she ended up flashing her boobs to a city streetright in front of your dadand getting a tattoo. It was a wild night, and that’s not even the half of it!”
