Page 9 of The Edge of Darkness

Roirdan stood at the ready, waiting for my answer, probably contemplating all the possible ways Morah might try to betray us.

But I knew she wouldn’t. This was just poor judgment—as she had stated. Her brother had been taken from her long ago, and if I were in her place, and my brother was the one in chains . . .

I slowly nodded. “I understand your motive. I would ask the same if it were my brother.”

Morah’s shoulders sagged with relief. Roirdan settled too.

“Next time, though, don’t hesitate to ask beforehand. I’m not fickle like the other gods, remember?” I gave her a grin, hoping she would catch my reference to what she had previously assumed of me.

She let out a quick laugh and bowed her head. “And I’m forever grateful.”

Zofia took note of the move and her gaze swung back to me. “Wait . . . Who are you?” When I didn’t reply she spoke again. “Is this why you brought a Dionach with you? Because you’re someone important?”

I could practically feel Remic stiffen at Zofia’s observation. But even when glamoured to look like a fae, there would always be something other about him.

“How did you know what he is?” I asked.

She eyed him carefully. “He feels different. Not like anything I’ve ever encountered here. I’ve heard of the Dionachs—beings of immense strength. Powerful guardians. He looks like he would be one,” she said, fixing her eyes back on me. “You feel different too. Even more so than he does. And if Morah holds your needs before her own, then I know you must be someone worthy of it.”

“Gee, thanks, Zof,” Morah said, giving her a pointed look.

Zofia smiled. “I mean no offense. But you can be . . . ruthless when it comes to what you want.”

Morah sighed but she didn’t argue.

I knew that side of her already. “Ruthless enough to hold a dagger to your throat,” I said, grinning.

The four of us females chuckled, Maeson included.

Roirdan and Remic didn’t seem to find it funny.

When we fell quiet again, Morah pitched her voice low and said, “She’s the one who was promised.”

Zofia looked back at me with awe.

“There’s not enough time to explain further,” Morah continued. “But tell your father that the time has come, and that the Bringer of Light is among us. He will know what it means. In the meantime, we must go. I’ll get a message to you soon regarding my plans. Until then, make the necessary preparations.”

Zofia nodded in earnest and gave me a slight bow, before turning toward the hatch in the ground and yanking open the wooden door. “The tunnel system we use is built off the ones the Ancient Fae used long ago. This is one of the furthest entry points, but it’s better to enter here than to try and cross the city on foot and risk being seen.”

“We’re going down into that?” Roirdan asked with an incredulous look as he peered into the small hole in the ground.

Zofia gave him a wince and a half-hearted smile. “We’ve done our best to widen them as much as we can with what little resources we have.”

The commander shifted on his feet, already uncomfortable.

“The good thing is, the guards usually never venture very far past the area that stretches below the Old Market. The network of catacombs begin under the palace. They were expanded outward beneath the city over time, but once they reached the Old Market and ran into the older tunnels, each intersection was sealed off. There is one access door in a small storage supply room just beyond the guard’s patrol. It was opened by Aremis and has remained unlocked ever since. This entrance will link up to it, but from there, you’re on your own.”

I nodded. “Thank you, Zofia. I’m sure we can manage.”

She handed the map back to me. “Our tunnels are marked by color to indicate which direction we’re going. Red takes you north; green, south; purple, east; yellow, west. You should only need to keep to the red and purple ones to get you to the access door.”

“Best guess as to how far it is from here?” I asked.

“Half a mile? Maybe less.”

Roirdan groaned under his breath.

“You’ll be fine,” I said, patting him on the shoulder.