City of Spells (Into the Crooked Place #2) - Alexandra Christo Page 0,38

are friends.”

Saxony smiled and placed a hand on Karam’s cheek. “I’m supposed to be the one worrying about you,” she said. “Not the other way around. We’ll be okay. I’ll be okay.”

But her voice didn’t sound so sure. Even as she pressed her lips against Karam’s once more, there was a shakiness there. The uncertainty in her breath and the way she grabbed on to Karam made her feel like it was for some kind of life support. As though Saxony were trying to keep herself from tumbling away.

11

Zekia

THIS IS WHAT BECOMES of us.

Zekia could still hear Ashwood’s voice and the words that had haunted her like a promise all those years ago. Even when she squeezed her eyes shut so very tightly and said her prayers to the Many Gods and drank a specially brewed elixir to calm her heart.

Those words were like scripture carved into her bones.

“Creije will be mine,” Ashwood said, back straight, hand resting atop his cane like it was both a weapon and a treasure. “We have over half of the districts. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the city is under my control, and my magic is already circulating in the other eight cities of my realm.”

On the opposite side of the train, the other Kingpins of the realms stared at Ashwood like they could not quite believe their ears.

The train itself moved in broad circles somewhere in the middle of the Onnela Sea, which Ashwood had told Zekia was neutral ground between them. Or neutral waters. Though Zekia didn’t think the other two Kingpins looked very neutral.

Simran of Wrenyal was sitting, arms crossed at his chest, as though he wasn’t sure what else to do with them. His outfit was a wonderfully bright mix of color that Zekia thought would look very pretty on her, and a cloth the same blue as the waters outside kept his hair tucked neatly away.

Beside him, Aurelia of Volo leaned against the cabin door, a bright orange braid running down her shoulders. Zekia was still trying to decide whether standing was an act of defiance, to show Ashwood that she would not be seen as lower than him, or if she was just too scared to sit and be caught off guard by an attack.

It was not a very neutral way of thinking.

If Wesley were here, he and Zekia could laugh about their hesitance.

Wesley would whisper something mean about the way Simran’s voice shook, or how Aurelia tried her hardest not to blink so she could look fierce. He’d say it in a low and smiling voice and Zekia would have to put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Then maybe Ashwood would look back at them, half-scolding and half-amused himself.

Zekia wished Wesley had come.

She wished he didn’t have to sleep so often or heal so slowly.

She wished he understood the terrible world she had seen and how she was just trying to make it better.

“This is insanity,” Simran said. “We are shadows and we have become very rich and powerful that way.”

“This is about more than riches and power,” Ashwood said. “This is about salvation. A new world of magic, roaming free throughout the four realms.”

“We’re not innocents,” Aurelia said. “We’ve done horrible things in the name of magic and self-interest, but what you’re talking about is treason. Usurping a Doyen? An official world leader? Seizing control of governments and armies? Even if you could manage to topple Fenna Schulze, the citizens would never accept you.”

Dante Ashwood did not falter.

He had never faltered.

“That is why I have the Loj,” he said.

Aurelia sneered and Zekia had to swallow and squint at the floor to keep from doing something bad.

“Your mind-control elixir is flawed and so is your plan,” Aurelia said, pushing herself from the cabin door in frustration. “We will not be a part of this. If you want to destroy your realm for a blood dream, then you can do it without dragging our realms and reputations into it.”

Zekia took her eyes off the floor and let them burn into Aurelia.

She did not like her.

Not one bit.

All Aurelia cared about was herself and her ambition. She didn’t understand what would happen if they didn’t do this.

Zekia stepped forward, biting her bottom lip with a frown.

“You’re really mean,” she said. Her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides. “I don’t like mean people.”

She took another step forward and Aurelia’s face drained, her mouth parting slightly as she took in an