AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I buried my face in my hands. “I can’t stay! What if they search your home?”
“We’ll take our chances,” said Etna.
I shook my head. I wouldn’t let them hide me.
Someone banged on the front door.
“Go upstairs,” Marcus whispered.
I was about to run to the back of the house and escape when Cael spoke from the other side of the door. “Me again.”
Marcus and Etna opened it.
Cael stepped in and shut the door. “Judging by the look on your face, you’ve figured out what’s going on. Looks like the librarian reported you.”
Mrs. Whitting.Of course.Not Graham. I almost smiled.
“There’s more,” he continued. “They’re starting to say your break-in was an assassination attempt.”
“What?” I shook my head in denial. As my brain searched for a solution, my gaze landed on Cael’s clothing. “Give me your uniform.”
“Excuse me?”
“I need to get out of here.”
He shook his head fiercely. “No. I can’t afford that.”
“Youcan’t afford that?”
“The other Enforcers know me by now. They’ll notice if I’m suddenly not wearing it, trust me.”
“But I have to find Graham. He has to know I’m not an assassin. I have to—”
“The game’s up,” said Cael. “Haven’t you realized? He won’t trust you anymore.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. He was probably right, but part of me doubted him. I had to see for myself.
“Even your father agrees,” Cael said, pulling a torn envelope from his pocket.
I ripped it from his hands and opened the letter, my eyes landing on the untidy scrawl.
I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, but I’m afraid your mission has come to an end. The Immortals are sure to vote for the queen’s proposal, and your Academy incident has compromised your safety. Forget about the war. Come home. You’ll get your chance another day.
And just like that,my hope was gone. If I went back home, war was inevitable. My thoughts landed on Graham. He would be one of the first targets in the attack, not to mention all the other lives at risk. I wouldnotbe forgetting about the war.
Marcus took the letter from my hand, reading it over. “We need to get you home,” he said. “That’s our priority now.”
“But how?” I asked, too spiritless to fight.
Etna spoke up softly, her voice hesitant. “I might know a way.”
“What?” Cael and I asked at the same time.
She cleared her throat. “Well, Orrin used to take the aqueducts.”
I frowned. “He did?”
My father had never talked about that. According to what I knew about the city, the aqueducts had underground grates at the perimeters of every quarter.
