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Arkimedes swallowed. Maybe her panic was filtering through to him. “I can feel what might be a stone door, but it’s concealed in mud…” he dug out the grooves of a clear rectangular shape, but in the narrow space, only he could work on it while she was forced to stand behind him and watch.
He leaned against the wall with one shoulder, pushing against it with the force of his full weight. It creaked and gave way by a fraction, allowing a ray of light to peek through its rim.
Nava’s heart fluttered with hope, just as Arkimedes slammed into the door. Mud splattered against his face on his third attempt, and finally, the slab of stone fell beneath the weight of his body and a spike of his magic.
He breathed raggedly as he wiped streaks of filth off his skin with the heel of his hand. Traces of blood mingled with the mud. They really needed better wraps and something to disinfect his wound.
“I’ll go first. Let me inspect the area before you come out,” he said and dragged his entire body out of the narrow door, which hovered several feet above the stagnant water.
The light streaming through the gap blinded her, and the air held a stale quality she couldn’t place. Nava climbed up to the hole, not waiting for Arkimedes’s signal. She wanted—no, needed—to be out of there.
She waited for the warmth of the sun to hit her skin. For nature to recharge her depleted energy. But something wasn’t right with the light. It was strangely cool.
Arkimedes’s arms coiled around her as she hoisted her body up and onto polished white marble floors. Her heart slammed against her ribcage as he helped her out, like she was made from paper. She collided with the planes of his chest, and his breath wafted over her cheek.
“I thought I asked you to wait there?” he whispered in a biting tone. His annoyance pulsed in waves through their bond.
“It’s safe enough.” She pushed against his chest, although she was too tired to put any force behind the movement. It was hard to even find the will to argue with him.
Everyone was on edge after fighting the Neems and then being forced to crawl through their remains to this?—
“…is this a mausoleum?”
The room’s imposing vaulted ceilings curved into a large white stone dome. Immense pillars and crossbeams created the visual effect of a ribcage holding up the roof. Sun spilled through the windows, though judging by the lingering scent, the building was sealed.
Five urns stood on top of marble pedestals. The withered flowers beside them had dropped their brown petals to the ground a long time ago.
The walls were covered in writing, and coffins dotted the room. Nava looked down at the slab of stone Arkimedes had pushed off for them to crawl out. It had aged into yellow and brown shades. Etched into it in black lettering were the words:
Here lies Rudolph Abercorn,
Beloved husband
What?
She blinked rapidly. Had the Society of Crows hidden the secret exit of the safe house behind a tomb in a mausoleum? How fitting.
Devon exited the tunnel, sliding over the ground, wet as a newborn fawn. “This has to be a joke…” he said with a dry laugh. His face distorted with fury as he attempted to clean off the mud that stuck to his black trousers.
Arkimedes spared Devon a glance, probably to make sure his brother wasn’t actually dying. Then, cradling his wounded hand, he moved toward the locked metal gate at the front of the tomb. “They made this an iron gate, probably to keep the fae away. I’m sure it has allowed the Society’s entrance to remain hidden for longer.”
He squinted at the bars and reached across to the padlock hanging from a chain on the other side. His aura became so dark it was hard to see the shape of his body, and the metal groaned and snapped.
Nava tilted her head. How much did it hurt him to touch the metal? The Society of Crows had kept a lot of iron at the safe house, but Arkimedes hadn’t complained.
“Being a hybrid means I can hold iron without being burned,” he said, looking over his shoulder as if he was reading her mind.
Wait, had he read her mind? Their mental link wasn’t as strong as it used to be, especially after he’d lost his memories.
The cemetery lay quiet and empty before them. Here, the open air was warmer, and the scent of decay from their clothes was less noticeable.
The castle was a hazy shape in the far distance, looming over a city of small homes and shops. From this hill, Nava could even see a turquoise canal of seawater cutting through the city.
It seemed so long ago since they had all visited town together, right before the solstice dance.
They walked down a cobblestone path with golden grasses growing on either side of it. Even this small amount of nature nearby helped to replenish some of her lost energy.
“Now what?” Devon asked, trailing a few steps behind them. “This is clearly the Copper City. I doubt the Crows will give up so easily, which means we’ll have to deal with the royal guards and the Corvus coming after us.”
