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Miriam was standing over her when she woke again, face pale, expression severe. “Any luck?” she said. “You were thrashing a lot.”
“I couldn’t reach him.”
Miriam raised an eyebrow. “Did you see anything?”
Juliana shook her head. Nothing helpful had made its way past the grainy, streaming air.
Miriam sighed. “Have you ever not been able to reach him before?”
“Once,” Juliana admitted. “When he didn’t want to be found.”
“Do you think he’s ignoring you now?”
Juliana hesitated. She didn’t knowwhatto think. It was possible one or both of them had caused this subconsciously. She certainly didn’t want to believe he was ignoring her…
But the alternative was that something was wrong. That he was in danger.
I’d rather have him furious with me than hurt.
Slowly, she shook her head. “I don’t think he’d ignore me, not at the moment. Which means…”
“Something might be wrong?” Miriam shook her head. “No matter. This doesn’t change anything. Do you need more rest?”
Juliana couldn’t rest if she wanted to. “No.”
“Collect your gear,” Miriam said, voice hard. “We move out as soon as you’re ready.”
Innotimeatall, Juliana was moving through the dense, dark tunnels, deep under Acanthia. Roots studded the ceiling, still and lifeless. Everything above her seemed solid, immovable, and yet she still felt a distant rumble, like a giant stomping over her grave.
“Where does the tunnel end?” Juliana asked Miriam.
“A public garden,” she replied. “There’s only the one entrance. Maytree didn’t want anything too close to the place, or too hard to guard. Only one way in and out.”
Juliana swallowed. No wonder they were worried about being found. If they were, they’d be ducks in a barrel. A few sluaghs down here was all it would take.
Gradually, the tunnel curved upwards. A small, slight soldier went on ahead, knocking along the walls until he reached wood. A sharp click echoed down the tunnel, and light swung inside.
The group crept out, one by one, all scurrying into the small building on the corner just outside the tunnel and ducking down in the centre of the main room. Two knights drew their swords, standing by the door. One person kept watch outside.
Miriam went through the plan again, and the group split apart.
No one had been left behind. No one really wanted to be. They would need as many as they could get.
Every person knew the end goal—get Serena, inside of the throne room, to Hawthorn in his chamber. Anyone could pick up the gauntlet if the first mission failed.
As long as reinforcements didn’t arrive. As long as the enemy didn’t realise what they were planning and remove Serena from the picture. As long as—
As long as a dozen things didn’t go wrong.
Breathe,Juliana reminded herself.Just keep doing that.
Someone whistled overhead.
“That’s the signal,” Miriam whispered, counting down.Three, two, one—
Something exploded beside the palace gate. The trolls on duty lumbered down to investigate, leaving only two behind. An arrow from a rooftop lodged itself in the temple of the first, and Miriam raced forward to dispatch the remaining one, cutting him down before he could even look in her direction.
She tugged his body out of sight, two more soldiers doing the same with the first troll.
