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“What about you?” I asked, though I should have been more concerned about myself, having just bathed in Damien’s blood.
“You’ve got my back, right? There’s about a dozen of them, but they’re scattered, and it’s a large city. When the light goes down, if the elite come out, they’ll keep each other busy. We’ll just have to stay out of their way.”
We hustled through the alleys, my senses sharp and keen. Each sound seemed too close and startled me, making me jump. Somehow our plan had launched too early, and the slagpaw drawn by the explosion had found an easy entrance into the citadel. Now they were locked in here with us. But at least it was a suitable distraction for the royal guards.
“The lab,” I said, “it’s not far from here. We can get more antidote.”
“You mean this?” Gemma asked, pulling out a pink syringe. “The chosen found us, helped April pass it out. And if you’re short on elixir—”
“I’m not.”
“Even so, take it. It’s from your priest, and I brought my own.” She handed me another syringe of antidote and a vial of elixir. I tucked them both into the leather satchel at my hip. The gown was impractical and silly, though I was actually thankful I could move so quickly, in nearly silent swishes of silk.
Even so, I felt like a target; like the red flag a matador would use to drive bulls into a rage. And after consuming so much elixir in the cave, reality seemed to shift and blur around me like moving water.
We cut through the citadel, going through buildings and rooms, out balconies and across rooftops, trying to stay off the streets. Gemma seemed to know her way. I caught glimpses of courtyards below strewn with blood and bodies.
“Most of the fighting is down by the gates still,” she said. “They’ve set up a series of blockades, but we got in early and avoided them.”
I’d just stepped out of a doorway when a royal guard grabbed me by the throat. His eyes were wild with elixir, his burly form covered in black iron armor, but Gemma tore him off and threw him against the far wall. He kicked off it and launched himself forward, with an agility that surprised me, taking Gemma to the ground. Just before he could strike, the whir of an axe cut across the room and pinned him against the wall, cracking his skull. Blood dripped down across his face, then his gleaming eyes went blank as his spirit left him.
Camina blew the hair out of her face and offered Gemma a hand up. Then she pried her bloody axe from the wall, eyeing the wet blade. She was wearing a blank tanktop, with a blue armband and a few pieces of mismatched armor.
“My hero,” Gemma said.
“We should move,” Camina said. “Before the light’s gone.”
“We have to cut across to the center,” I said, “we’re heading to the palace. You’re with us?”
“It’s a shitshow out there,” she answered, peeking out the window at the long open plaza leading towards the grand staircase at the upper level of the citadel. “We can’t sneak past the blockades without being seen.”
“Then follow me,” Gemma said. “I have an idea.”
We followed Gemma through the city, nerves tense, clutching our weapons. But aside from a handful of royal guards we quickly dispatched, it sounded like the fighting was happening further up in the city. Gunshots and the occasional scream, were followed by a deep silence that felt out of place in a city this large. I hadn’t wanted it to be like this. Weapons were prohibited in the citadel, which meant any civilians accidentally caught up in the fighting would be no challenge for the armored guards, who were hyped up on elixir and slashing their swords at anything that moved.
One of them grabbed me from behind. I spun and twisted his wrist until I felt the bones snap, then kicked his legs out from under him. I was faster than I expected, and stronger too. For a second, I was alone, then Camina poked her head back into the alley and waved at me to hurry up.
“Here,” Gemma said finally, stopping short at some kind of mechanic shop, full of spare parts. She lifted a tarp, revealing a sleek black motorcycle.
“How did you know this was even here?” I asked.
“Who do you think does work on the prince’s bike?”
“Let me guess, one of Augustine’s spies?”
“Think you can ride it?” she asked.
“I’ve ridden one before,” I said.
“Then go,” she said. “Drive straight into the city. The others, they’re waiting for you up ahead. We’ll join as soon as it’s safe.”
“You’re not coming?” I asked.
“I’ll catch up,” she grinned, starting the engine and pulling the bike into the street.
“Wait,” Camina said, grabbing my arm as I reached for the handles. She ducked out of the shop and flicked her wrist, sending a dagger up above the roofs. A moment later, a body came tumbling down with the blade in his neck. She grabbed the bow and quiver strapped around his shoulder and handed them to me.
“I’ll drive,” she said, “you shoot.”
