Page 126 of Facade

Aiden.

Black fighting leathers molded to him like a second skin, blades glinting in the torches’ glow. My breath hitched. How did I not remember him at all? Anger burned through me. My knuckles whitened as I squeezed my weapon harder. He’s right there. I would only need to aim true with my dagger—

He stilled—then drew in a slow breath through his nose.

Blue eyes flashed bright as they snapped open.

My stomach knotted tight enough to hurt. I pressed into the shadows harder, hoping they would consume me. Cover me. Protect me.

He turned his head until his glare was aimed directly at me.

Every slow click of his boots drove deeper into my nerves.

“Captain, this fucking weather—it isn’t natural, and the Shadow Stalkers can’t track a damn thing. I don’t know if we’re under attack, but even if we are, we can’t see or smell shit!”

“Evanee,” Aiden snarled, then stalked off in the opposite direction toward the main doors. My brows creased.

Surely he saw me.

I blinked as I cautiously moved and looked back at where I’d hidden—I could see it all. Especially with my enhanced sight. Why hadn’t he?

The shadows shielding me shifted—like a living thing. Coiling and twisting like a snake until they squeezed through the cracks—just gone. Uneasiness settled in my gut. No time. Keep moving.

After two more near encounters with passing guards, I deduced Aniah wasn’t on the lower level.

I ascended the stairs quickly and quietly, ducking into a hidden alcove, listening. Manacles clinked down the hall, making my pulse quicken. I followed the sound to an unguarded door. It wasn’t even locked.

“Evanee!” Aniah whispered hoarsely. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. Relief rushed through me as I clicked the door shut and put my dagger back in my boot.

“Aniah,” I smiled. “My memories are back, thanks to you. You didn’t give up on me—” Something moved to my right, and I damn near jumped out of my skin.

“Great moon!” I hissed.

Malachai smirked, those gold eyes looking at me not with the coldness I'd been so uncomfortable with these past weeks, but the warmth of friendship I remember at a time I needed it most.

“I thought…” I swallowed thickly. “You’re back,” I said, the words barely making it out before I lunged forward and hugged him.

He winced. “So are you. I’m sorry. I tried to keep him away from you. The spell—”

“I know, Malachai.” I pulled back, frowning. “You’re hurt.” His wings were out and twisted unnaturally, and he was covered in blood. “Shit—what happened?”

“We’ll explain later,” Aniah said, hurriedly. “We need to go. The Coven Council is here, and if Aiden or the King get their hands on you…” My mouth pressed into a firm line as I gave a sharp nod at the implications of that. I didn’t need the reminder.

“Aniah, you need to call on the bond—call Thaddeus,” I said as I looked around, my sight cutting through the bare room for anything that could possibly help remove the iron from their wrists.

Malachai growled behind me. “What bond? Aniah, what have you done?”

“What I had to,” she snapped back. Malachai fell silent, the air around him heavy with restrained anger, but he said no more about it. Not yet, anyway.

The door suddenly opened, making us all freeze—I frowned at the female standing in the frame, a key dangling from her finger.

“Lyra,” Aniah said, her voice filled with surprised relief.

My attention jerked to her in disbelief. “You know her?”

“Very much so,” Aniah beamed.

Lyra shuffled in, quickly shutting the door. Her tattered clothes had been swapped for something cleaner. Instead of the brown dress, she now wore a steely gray one, overlaid with a white apron, her usual wild hair pulled back into two tight braids.