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“Orman, can you help me out?” I asked.
“Got it mate.” He tapped into his magic so that his eyes and zevar illuminated. He leaned against the bars, a blade in his hand resting against the metal. Neia and Elisa stood beside him, shaken but not injured from what I could tell. The illumination made it easy to step over bones and loose rocks and find my way to them.
Jessamine appeared like a ghost and snatched Orman’s wrist, her arm pulled back like she’d drive the knife towards his throat, but before she could, he snapped his other hand forward and grabbed her neck.
I stopped walking. Jessamine was a Schattenwanderer, and she’d betrayed my team, the snake. She clawed at Orman’s hand and kicked against the bars, but his grip was immovable. “Explain to me why I shouldn’t end you right this moment.”
Jessamine looked back, and when her eyes met mine, fear gleamed in the pinpricks of light bouncing off her irises. She’d fucked my team over and everything in me wanted to tell Orman to snap her neck. But that’s not how we worked. Jessamine, taking advantage of my hesitation, dashed her hand down to her hip for a weapon but, Orman slammed her against the bars so that she shuddered and dropped it.
“Sai’s team doesn’t kill. That’s well known,” Jessamine said, but her voice held a tremble.
Orman pulled her closer. “Sai doesn’t kill, mate. The Prasanna don’t like to kill. But I’m no fucking fairy, and you’ve crossed me and mine.”
Jessamine cowered away from him, but he held her fast. Orman’s eyes had darkened to a flat, lightless color. Neia took a step closer to him, reaching out, but she also hesitated. If Elisa had sent a note under duress, Jessamine had likely threatened her, so perhaps her compassion was limited in this situation.
I started walking in their direction, though. I didn’t want Orman to have regrets, and Jessamine—damn her—was right. Our team didn’t kill. It was one of our highest precedents, and we’d stuck with it in stickier situations than this.
Orman’s jaw jumped. “You ain’t seen a drop of compassion in your life, have ya’, mate?”
Jessamine hissed and clawed her nails into his hands until she drew blood. He didn’t even flinch. “Kill me or don’t,” she spat.
Orman’s voice had grown soft. “I ain’t seen much myself, for what it’s worth. But this shit you pulled today…” He slowly unfurled his fingers. “It ain’t the way. I’m letting ya’ go for Sai’s sake. He’d feel your death on his hands, and I don’t mean to do that to him.” She jerked back but his grip tightened again, holding her in place. “Don’t think, however, I give second chances.” Orman’s gaze didn’t break from Jessamine’s. “My compassion ain’t so long as that. If I let you go, I advise you to get the hell out of here.”
She swallowed, her throat bobbing against his hand. He released her, and within a breath she’d disappeared into a shadow.
I jogged the rest of the way and slipped my hand through the bars, relief washing over me as Neia gripped my fingers. “Are you all right?”
“We’re fine,” Neia said. “Luz?”
“They’re okay. They’ve taken a good hit to the head, but Rainoe and Lira are with them.”
Orman scratched a thumb down his jaw. “I’ve always admired ya’, Sai, but I have to say, I don’t believe I trust your judgment of character anymore.”
I laughed at the deserved barb. A bead of sweat dripped down my forehead, and I ran my fingers back through my hair. I wasn’t sure I trusted my judgment anymore either. Jessamine had been nothing more than a few fun nights years ago, yet the connection returned with a bite. I’d been so brazen in my first few years of adulthood—I probably still was by many fae’s definition. Learning to be more cautious might have benefits, though. “I’m guessing this cage isn’t easy to move?”
Orman grunted. “Can we borrow your Atalla”—he drew the word out dryly—“for a minute?”
My Atalla.The word sent a chill down my spine. I’d suspected it from shortly after meeting Lira, but now I knew it was true. We belonged together, and we’d made it through this damn miserable trip, and now we could go home and possibly spend some time getting to know each other. I wanted to laugh at how ridiculous that was. I loved the woman and would die for her, but I didn’t even know what her favorite food was. That was an issue I’d rectify soon.
As if summoned, Lira walked up beside me and slid her fingers through mine. I squeezed her palm and felt the intense rightness of being at her side. Luz strode up alongside Rainoe and I turned towards them. “Luz.”
They offered me a handshake but kept their eyes on Orman. “Do not tell me you let that fucking two-faced pirate go.”
Orman leaned his arms against the bars and grinned at them. “Ah, come on, mate. Ya’ know Sai wouldn’t have liked it if we’d harmed her.”
Luz turned their formidable glare onto me. “Sai could have dealt with it. If I ever see her again, do not expect me to stay my hand.”
I clapped their shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay, Luz.” They grumbled but I could tell their pride was hurt more than anything physical.
Orman shifted his focus to Lira. “How hot do you think your flames could get these bars?”
She shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Willing to let you experiment, the present situation considered.”
She smiled at him and rubbed her hands together before letting her song pour out. Heat swallowed the bars, flames growing so hot they turned ivory.
Orman shifted towards Neia. “You’ve got those grippy glove things of yours, don’t you?”
