City of Spells (Into the Crooked Place #2) - Alexandra Christo Page 0,25

have been safe. There was no limit to the guilt she would carry for that.

“If it weren’t for Saxony’s Kin and a group of buskers, I would not have survived,” Asees said. “I understand your hesitance. I was the same when they first asked for my help, and it cost me my people.”

“Ashwood doesn’t care about borders and realms,” Saxony said. “Nobody will be safe, just like we weren’t safe the last time war came for us.”

“An army of Crafters has never been done before,” Lionus said. “We would be the first to create our own resistance to the world.”

“And change it for the better,” Saxony said. “It’s not just about defeating Ashwood, but creating true peace in the world. Right now, I even have buskers from across the realm—crooks and criminals who I thought were the most untrustworthy of all—pledge themselves to this army and this cause.We’re uniting against a common enemy to create an uncommon future.”

A silence followed as they considered her words and the prospect of working with buskers, who sold magic rather than protected it. Saxony could see them weighing up her call to arms with their lives. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but whether they acted or not, the lives of their people would still be on the line. At least with Saxony, they’d have a chance at surviving.

“You are not a Liege,” Lionus said, looking at Saxony like she was a strange creature.

I know, Saxony thought. I’ll never be one of you.

It was the bane of her recent days and made her thirst for the time when it was just her, Karam, Tavia, and Wesley, and she had some kind of authority.

“You are not a Liege,” Lionus said again.”But you speak as one.”

Saxony didn’t dare to breathe.

“I will follow you,” Lionus said. “I will send members of my Kin in Volo to help you create this vision of peace and fight our common enemy.”

“I will follow too,” the other Volen Liege said.

And then the Wrenyi Liege. And then each of the Uskhanyans, again and again until all eleven of them had pledged themselves.

It would mean dozens, maybe a hundred more Crafters on their side.

Saxony bowed her head in thanks. There were no words to describe the way her heart pounded with gratitude in that moment, knowing that these leaders of magic had put their faith in her. She was giving them something to fight for. She was giving them the chance of a new age where they would never have to be scared again. She was giving them hope and they took it gladly.

Dante Ashwood was trying to build a new world, but now Saxony could build a world of her own. One where her people could truly be united, truly be safe, and truly be free.

8

Wesley

CREIJE WAS TURNING TO ASH.

The tall rainbow-stretched buildings still stood, the streets still gleamed in a glorious sun-flooded maze, and the sky remained bright and endless in the day, while shadowed in misdeed whenever the moon hit the air.

It looked very much the same, but so much that the once-great capital had stood for was disappearing. All that it was and hoped to be, every dream the tourists brought to the city or from it, seemed to be chipping away.

In this district, the fourth they had taken, the floating railways that once coiled through the cobblestone were now desolate and empty, the thrum of jugglers and street performers giving way to a silence that made Wesley’s toes curl. The city was dying in every way that counted.

Only three more districts stood.

Creije was more than halfway to falling and the Kingpin wasted no time in taking the people from the streets and trains and homes and shadows that gave them temporary refuge. He plucked them one by one, like ripe fruit, and lined them in pretty little rows, ready to devour them whole.

And he made Wesley watch.

Everything Wesley had built was crumbling. Those miraculous novelties that he’d weaved into the city, the parts of himself—blood and soul—that had gone into making it great, were like smoke in the air.

Little by little.

Step by step.

One by one.

Wesley could smell the Loj elixir in the wind.

He could see it drip down the sides of people’s faces, as those already enthralled held the new victims to the ground and force-fed it to them. He could hear it gargle in their throats as they tried desperately to keep from swallowing the magic. And Wesley could feel the moment the air turned and