“Who are you talking to? Me, or the fox?” Blackwood asked as his gaze raked over me, and a blush of heat swept across my cheeks, my gaze darting from him to Loxl, then back to him. “And I’d be careful how you answer that question, starlight.” His voice was a low taunt that had me cheekily grinning.
“I’m talking to both of you,” I scolded. “But you and Pierce need to go before it’s too late.”
He nodded, strapping the last of his guns to the tactical combat vest he currently had fitted to his body.
“Do you really need that many guns?” I inquired, my fingers tapping against the table as Axel walked into the space.
“Can’t be too prepared,” he answered as he secured the last weapon.
“You both need to go. If you wait any longer, you will be stuck here until tomorrow.” My voice was stronger as I emphasized the urgency, my feet already walking toward the window facing the desert.
“We’ll be fine, starlight.” Cal’s voice was soft with reassurance as they followed me into the living room. “This is what we train for. Not to mention, Axel’s illustratio affinity comes in handy for shielding us when needed.”
I paused, looking over toward Axel as I realized how helpful a shielding affinity would be to a group ofspies.
Axel stepped up to the window first, hopping up onto the ledge with agility as he glanced down before looking back toward Callum.
“Right behind you,” Cal’s voice rumbled in my apartment, and then Axel was jumping off my window ledge. I leaned over, watching as he fell freely before large golden wings expanded in the air, catching the wind, and he glided into the distance.
I felt Callum move behind me, preparing to follow after hissecond in command. I turned, my body nearly touching him with the proximity, as I stared up at him, worry rising within me. I bit my lower lip, wanting to tell him to be safe, but it shouldn’t matter. Ishouldn’teven care this much. He was a member of the Aurelian Guild, and I . . . well, I was just a dancer.
“Make sure you figure out how to let the markings break through,” Blackwood demanded of me as he tilted my chin up, forcing me to hold his stern gaze. “If you don’t let it break through, itwilldestroy you.”
I nodded, unable to affirm the words as he held my gaze for a moment longer.
“I’ve got your number; I’ll be in touch,” he said after another moment. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“I make no promises,” I replied finally as I took a step back from him. He stepped toward the ledge, his hand on the windowsill, before he stopped.
“Oh,” he said, pausing to look at me one last time. “Almost forgot.” I watched as he reached into a zippered pocket on his thigh, before he handed me a scarlet-colored thread of ribbon. The silky material slid across my fingers as I held the ribbon in my hand, studying it for a moment before looking up at him in confusion.
“Don’t do so until I tell you to. But when I tell you, tie this so that it hangs outside your window.”
“We aren’t allowed to hang things on the outer edges of The Wall,” I replied. “Though I’m not sure why I would want to hang a piece of ribbon to begin with.”
“It won’t be visible to the guards who patrol The Wall,” Cal answered, his amber eyes holding mine.
“And how can you be so sure?”
“I just am,” he answered with a dimpled grin. My nose scrunched as I studied the ribbon. “And why exactly am I hanging the ribbon outside my window?”
“It will be a clear indicator of which apartment is yours from outside The Wall,” he answered.
“For the love of the stars, please tell me you’re joking,” I replied, staring at him.
“No?” he answered back.
“Let me get this straight . . . you want me to tie a ribbon to my window, just so you know which apartment is mine?”
“How else will we know it’s your place from outside The Wall?” he asked.
“We live in an age of technology . . . of surveillance drones, phones, TVs, and you want me to tie a ribbon outside my window so you can find me?” I asked, lifting the limp scarlet cord in my hand as I studied him, still trying to figure out if he was joking. “Seriously?”
“Well, do you have any better ideas?”
“Literally a million,” I replied. “But sure, fine, let’s go with a piece of ribbon.” I hurried as I shoved him toward the window lining the outer edge of The Wall. “You need to go.”
He nodded, his hand reaching out to tuck a wavy strand of hair behind my ear before he hopped onto the windowsill and, without another word, dropped off the ledge, spiraling toward the sands below, before a large, dark, golden set of wings burst forth from his back, carrying him along the winds as he followed after Axel into the darkness . . . away from Solis . . . away from me.
