“You’re the super-demon, Ash,” Haley said. “What’syourplan?”
I gestured toward the bars, where Dirty Beard was gearing up for another round of demands while Orendiel and the Douchebag Brigade stood around like stiff, well-dressed corpses. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m in a in bit of a bind right now.”
“I know a way out,” the voice whispered again.
“What about Detective Alvarez?” Haley asked. “Surely he’s found the cave entrance by now. They’re probably working on a breakout plan as we speak.”
“We don’t even know if he got Reva’s message,” I said.
“Guys!” Reva shout whispered, finally getting our attention. I looked down at her and sighed, hating that she had to spend even one night in this dank place. She was so small, so thin.
No matter how long I lived, I’d never stop being surprised at just how monstrous men could be.
“What was that?” Dirty Beard asked, and I froze, clamping a hand over Reva’s mouth.
“Someone in the back there. Another question?”
McKenna caught my eye, flashing me a cocky grin. Before I could stop her, she was on her feet, stalking toward the bars.
“Hey, asshole,” she said. “I got a question. You know what happens to guys who fuck witches?”
Dirty Bead laughed. “No, I don’t. Do you know what happens to witches whose food rations are cut in half?”
McKenna imitated his laugh. Had to hand it to her—she didn’t back down from a fight. “No, I don’t. Do you know what happens to a hunter when a pissed-off, half-starved witch puts a curse on him?”
He slammed his baton into the bars, sending up a spray of sparks from the fae magic locking us in here. “No,” he said. “I don’t.”
“Neither do I.” She laughed again, high pitched, totally mental. “It’s a new recipe I’m working on. Come back tomorrow and we’ll all find out together.”
“That’s enough,” Dirty Beard said. Unlike his son, he wasn’t so easy to rile up. McKenna kept at him, though, giving us just the opportunity we needed.
“Alright, Reva,” I whispered. “What’ve you got for me.”
“I know a way out of here,” she said.
I thumbed toward the retinal scanner at the front of the bars. “You got a spare eyeball?”
“Not out of the cell. Out of the whole prison.” Her eyes lit up with renewed hope, brightening the dank, dark room. “There’s another cave system past this one. None of them ever go back there.”
“Reva,” Haley said, “even if we could get back there without the guards catching us, the whole place is spelled. We’ll never get out.”
“Not the whole thing. I’m pretty sure they’re only focusing on this cave system. I don’t think they even know the other one exists.” She told us about a small chamber she’d discovered when she’d been doing her shadowmancy business trying to get that message to Emilio. “It connects to the other system. The only way in is through a super narrow shaft halfway up the wall. It leads into the back chamber, then down another passageway. Eventually, it takes you back outside, way down on the other end of the beach.”
“How far down?” I asked.
“Maybe a couple of miles from the pier. Three tops.”
“You’re sure?”
“I can go out at night,” she said, nodding enthusiastically. “Once I get out, I’ll find my way to town.”
The idea had potential. But it also had a lot of pitfalls.
“Why don’t you try to connect with Emilio again?” I asked. “Project, or whatever it is you do.”
“There’s no time, Ash. It was almost impossible last time. I’m pretty sure he has to be in wolf form to hear me, and even then, it was really hard. I don’t know if I got through to him at all.”
“I’m betting the Cape is crawling with hunters,” Haley said. “Probably fae, too. It’s not safe, Reva.”
