Erik~~

The Veil swarm on us like wasps. There are more Veil than last time, and with Colton and Percy supporting Jonas, there are less of us to fight them off. But if they overwhelm us, it won't just be Iris and Jonas thrown into cells. It will be me. Xioazhi. Percy. Colton. Basile. And then those other two. I don't know who the hell this Ean is—an assassin? But he can go screw himself. I don't care about him or Vienna—the Veil can take her. She's responsible for every bad thing that's happened to me in the past two years. No, I'm not being petty. And yes, she can go screw herself too.

         I grab a Veil by the shoulders and drive my knee up into his stomach before swinging my fist into his jaw. I kick him to the side before the next one is on me and grab her by the sides and flip her to the ground, accidentally stepping on her leg as I pass over her. She yelps. Well, that's what you get for just lying on the floor where anyone can step on you.

         Vienna and Ean—who I guess only spells his name with an E to be cool—though if Amoria has their own alphabet, is he really spelling it with an E or have I subconsciously assigned that letter to him knowing my own name starts with an E and that it is a superior letter?

         Focus.

         Right. Veil. Coming at me.

         I lock my fingers around the arm of the Veil closest to me and punch him a few times and throw him at two other Veil like a bowling ball. Please note, I don't usually throw my bowling balls. But if the Veil are pins what else am I supposed to compare him to?

         Vienna and Ean have gathered around Colton and Percy, with Jonas in between them. The backstabber and assassin fend off Veil from the left, right, front and back.

         I can't see Basile or Iris. They're probably okay. Xioazhi mows down Veil as if she's a lawnmower and the Veil are grass.

         I jab my elbow into the side of a Veil and backhand another before circling back to the first and delivering a blow to their stomach followed by a stab with my knee.

         It's just my cousin-in-laws then who are unaccounted for. I grimace. The thought alone leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Iris: my cousin.

         Basile appears from out of nowhere and takes Ean's place beside Colton. The assassin man cuts his way through the Veil. Is he a Veil? Is he not a Veil? Xioazhi and those protecting Jonas, who I'm convinced can't protect himself, take off after Ean—the assassin man. Now, that's a name that's growing on me.

         I punch and kick, slash and grab my way to them. When I reach the group, Iris is there, fresh dots of blood staining her face. I suppose right now she would look attractive to a vampire.

         Ean feels up the wall while the rest of us hold off Veil, so he can have his privacy. Iris clutches the piece of her wreath in her hand, both covered in blood. I gave mine to Percy—not so he could better defend Jonas, mind you. I just don't want to see anything happen to Elleany's Iota.

A panel in the wall slides open, barely tall enough for any of us to get through. That doesn't matter to Ean who ushers us through it.

         I hesitate. "What about when they follow us in?"

         He places his hand on my back. "If you hurry, then you might not need to find out." He shoves me inside, and I nearly hit my head on the top of the doorway.

         Vienna stumbles in after me, bumping into my back. I flick her off, and she flicks me in the head.

         Once we're all through, Ean feels up the wall again, and the panel closes. He continues touching the wall, his fingers deft, assured, putting pressure here and there. His expression is tight, focused. When he steps away from the wall nothing appears to have changed, but he looks entirely too satisfied. "That will hold them off."

         Iris lets out a heavy sigh, her shoulders curving forward. "Thank you." Shadows cloaks her face, all of our faces, the only light coming from luminescent blue beads embedded in the ceiling, each no bigger than a teardrop.

         We push our way through the tunnel, Xioazhi beside me, Iris in front of me, and, ahead of her, Percy and Colton with Jonas. With their help, Jonas walks but his head seems too heavy. Basile, assassin who goes by the name of Ean, and blonde-hair girl whose name starts with a V bring up the rear.

         I snort. Vienna's a butt.

         The noise draws Xioazhi's attention. "Good?" She probably wouldn't find the joke funny.

         "We can't leave the palace with them."

         She dips her head. "I can't. But I didn't know if you were."

         "I'm staying."

         At that, Iris darts a glance back at us but stays silent.

         "There will be a fork ahead at some point." Ean steps between me and Xioazhi. "It will take you back."

         I thank him and look at Iris. "Will you return to Elleany now?"

         "Gadfrie has made their decision. There's no longer a reason to stay. I'm not sure how we'll get home though."

         "You'll figure something out."

         Xioazhi places her hand on the back of my arm. "Erik," her voice is gentle. Ahead the tunnel splits in two.

         Our group slows to a stop before the fork.

         "We'll need to keep to the right," Ean says, and Iris faces me, biting her lip.

         "This is goodbye. Again."

         "That's how it appears."

         She lets out a deep breath. "Thank you. For helping me. I don't know what I would have done. I—"

         I wrap my arms around her. She stiffens, but I continue holding her and after a few seconds she relaxes against me, hugging me back.

"Try not to miss me too much," I say into her hair.

         "I'll make sure they know."

         "I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific, my dear."

         "Your family. That you miss them."

         My throat tightens. "Do they miss me?"

         "Every day."

I glance up to where Colton, Percy, and Jonas stand. They all look back at me, faces tight, lips slightly pursed, and for some reason I feel as if they want to hug me.

But before we can run into each other's arms, voices travel up from the tunnel behind us. The blood drains from Ean's face. "My father. He's in the tunnel."

Who the hell is his father?

         Regardless, his alone time with the door obviously wasn't sufficient.

         "It sounds like it's more than just your father." Percy adjusts his grip on Jonas who seems to be standing on his own, though neither his brother nor our cousin seems to have any intentions of letting go of him.

         Ean looks back down the tunnel and grimaces. "I hear some of my uncles." His father must be an Order member.

         Without sparing me another glance, Colton and Percy drag the slightly conscious Jonas up the tunnel to the right, but Iris hesitates.

         "Go," I say. The Order will be upon us soon. They can't afford to wait. "I'll hold them off."

         What looks like anger flashes across Vienna's face. "Don't be ridiculous."

         I smiley sweetly at her. "Is someone worried about me?"

         "Yes, obviously."

         Before I can respond, Basile steps toward me. "I'm staying with you. I won't leave Andrew behind." He turns to Iris. "We'll find you though."

         "We'll wait as long as we can. But Jonas is my priority."

         "I understand," Basile says.

Vienna takes Iris's hand, tugging on it gently. "We need to go."

Iris holds my eyes. "Be safe," she says and lets Vienna pull her into the tunnel to the right. Ean trails after them.

I turn to Xioazhi. "Find Rydersin."

She lets out a scoff. "As if you give me orders. I'm staying."

"But Rydersin—"

"Is officially the next Preeminence of Acquaellia. She's not involved with this."

"You work for her." I glance back into the tunnel as the voices grow louder. "They'll blame her."

"Do you really think the Order members pay attention to who a Veil is under their uniform? Did you when you were Tresais?"

Warmth floods my cheeks, and I keep my gaze on the tunnel. "Fair point."

Basile comes to stand on my other side. "How inadvisable is it to attack the leaders of this world?" he asks in French.

"Probably as inadvisable as your husband attempting to kill Elleany's leader."

To my surprise, Basile laughs. "Then let's hope they punish the same way as Elleany."

My blood runs cold. Andrew was exported from Elleany. I don't want to leave Amoria. But I don't want to be thrown in a cell.

I had better win then. Had better come out of this with the Order at my feet.

Not just for myself.

But for my friends.

My family.

I ended up going to the Lightlark tour last week! I don't know if you've heard of Alex Aster's Lightlark, but it's really big over on TikTok. I finished the book last night, and I really loved it. I had a hard time putting it down.