Page 121 of Storm Caller

Rook shows him the cards we gathered. Henry sorts through them before he holds up one.

“I think this is what we need.”

Then we hop down and wind through the darkened tunnels. Everything is silent except for the usual sounds of dripping water, shifting stone, and the rumble of distant trains. We keep our footsteps light, hyperconscious of how important discretion is tonight.

“Where exactly are we headed?” Rook asks.

“A tunnel that leads under the Citadel,” Henry says in a low voice. “Our destination is in one of the subbasements.”

“How do you know the way?”

“We’ve been mapping these routes for years. This isn’t the first time we’ve had to break into the Extinguishers’ cells, usually to rescue someone who’s been wrongly accused.”

“And do you always steal a key card?”

“We have various means of getting inside, but Edward’s in a higher security area. We’ve only had to access this cell once since I joined the Fog.”

Then he places his finger to his lips, and we fall silent. Eventually, we arrive at a heavy iron door with a lock. Henry waves a different key card in front of it, and it slides open, depositing us into a dark, narrow hallway.

“Put these on,” he says, giving us a pair of masks to conceal our identities. “Just in case.”

Once we’re all suitably covered, he leads us down a hall lined with empty jail cells. We turn a few corners and then arrive at another door. Henry pulls out the key card we stole and waves it against the lock, which glows with a small red light. We all hold our breath for the count of one . . . two . . .

The light flashes green, and then we hear a click.

“Bingo,” Henry whispers.

Immediately, there are shouts, and it takes me a second to process our surroundings. Rook and Henry are moving, and I see several blurred shadows. Someone rams into me, their head butting my stomach and their arms around my waist, shoving me against the wall.

I’m distantly aware of the guys dealing with two other guards who I recognize as Ruby and Brick. It takes me a second to realize my own attacker is Trinity. Oh, for fuck’s sake. I remember what the doctor said about the Extinguishers being stretched thin. They must be using students to help.

Has Trinity been guarding Edward? Is there no level to which she won’t sink? No wonder she wasn’t concerned about his whereabouts. She knew where he was all this time. What an amazing liar she is, among everything else.

A general tussle ensues, and I duck as Trinity swings for me, kicking my foot out and sending her onto her back. She groans as the wind is knocked out of her, and then I drop on top of her, turning her onto her stomach and clamping her wrists in my hands.

Clearly, E-squad training doesn’t measure up to the cadet program.

I try not to feel too smug about that.

Henry appears with a length of rope a moment later, and we tie her hands and pull her to her feet, shoving her toward a storage closet where Brick and Ruby are already trussed.

“You bastards!” Trinity screams. Ruby and Brick are also shouting for release, calling us some rather vile names.

I shove Trinity with perhaps a bit more force than necessary as she trips and crashes into her friends. Then Rook slams the door and locks it, which muffles their protests.

“We’ve probably got about ten minutes,” Henry says before we head farther down the dim hallway, scanning the cells until we finally find one occupied. Edward lies huddled on the floor with his knees tucked up. His face is bruised, and he looks pale and tired, his hair hanging limp. He’s lost a little weight, but he’s alive.

I lay a hand to my chest, lightheaded with relief.

I didn’t believe we’d really find him until this very moment.

“Edward,” I gasp, grabbing the bars and pressing my face between them. “Are you okay?”

“Poet?” he asks, slowly unfolding himself and crawling over. “Is that you?”

“Edward,” I sob, sinking to my haunches. “Skies, I’ve been so worried. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry we left you and you’ve been stuck down here.”

He shakes his head and raises his hand. “What are you doing here?”