dreary. The mages and creatures weren’t friendly. No one smiled, no one met your gaze as you passed, and no one made polite conversation.
As we approached, Grey tipped his hat in our direction. Petra slid her key into the door; the lock clicked open, and the three of us climbed the narrow staircase up to the third floor. At the top, there was another door, this one with no visible keyhole. “It’s spelled,” Petra explained. She moved back to allow me passage. “Trace your finger around the grains in the wood, like this, incanting, tantum sanguine.” She demonstrated for me, and the door unlocked from inside. “It will only allow you and your sister entrance. No one else, not even Toad or Grey.”
“That’s comforting.”
When she said she was taking our safety seriously, she wasn’t kidding. So many precautions, and we had only just gotten started.
“Here we are. Come in.” Petra held the door for us. “It isn’t much, but it’s got everything you need.”
The apartment was tiny, only two rooms and a bathroom. The first room included a small kitchen with an old wood-burning stove, a table with two chairs, and not much else. The other was made up of twin beds that looked newly made with fresh linens.
“It will do,” Riley said, nodding.
“There’s food in the cupboards,” Petra continued. “I’ll have either Toad or Grey bring you up some groceries at least once per week. If you have any requests, all you need to do is ask one of them.”
Riley’s face dropped when she realized we were confined to these rooms. “Wait, are you saying we can’t ever leave? What was the point of us coming to the city?”
My chest tightened. This would be difficult for Riley. More than anything else, she craved her freedom. Those last few months in Davidson were almost unbearable because Dad regularly kept her grounded, eating up little pieces of her soul.
Petra took a step toward Riley, narrowing her gaze. “Welcome to the Underworld, my dear. Here, the trees whisper, the creatures keep watch, and the hills really do have eyes. There is almost nowhere you can hide without being noticed.”
For someone who wasn’t often intimidated, my sister nervously shuffled her shoes against the wooden floor.
“You wouldn’t survive three days out in the country, much less six months. Here in the city, you have a sliver of a chance,” Petra continued, her tone full of impending doom. “A lamp lit at night, shadows, bursts of laughter, footsteps—things that blend into the humdrum of city noise would only be magnified in the country. One little mistake, and the wrong creature will take notice. Next thing you know, the Hollowed Guard will have your heads on posts. Is that what you want?”
Riley swallowed and shook her head.
“I didn’t think so.” Petra’s biting gaze traveled between the two of us, as if she were debating whether we could pull this off. I couldn’t blame her. I was unsure myself.
“Just because it’s easier to blend in here, doesn’t mean you should unnecessarily draw attention to yourselves. It’s crucial that you stay undetected. Otherwise, it will all have been for nothing. Do you both understand me?”
We simultaneously nodded, like two scolded puppies.
“Good.” She cleared her throat. “That being said, I will ask Grey to take you outside for an hour once per week—if and when it’s safe to do so.”
An hour.
God, that was hardly anything.
“Six months,” she said, her tone softening. “Just make it through these six months, and this will all become a bad dream.”
“Let’s hope so,” I whispered, wondering what my life would look like six months from now.
“Very well, then. I’ll leave you two to get settled.” Petra turned to leave then stopped herself. “Oh, I almost forgot the most important feature!” She went to the bedroom door and swung it around to show us heavy duty metal locks on both sides. “In case either of you find it difficult to be in each other’s presence without going for blood…”
I swallowed, casting a wary glance toward Riley.
“We’ll be fine,” Riley insisted. “As long as there are no scissors in the apartment.”
Petra gave us both a curious look, and I choked back a cough. But she didn’t ask us to explain.
“I’ll check in later, but I’m afraid I can’t visit very often. Too many eyes on my back.”
I nodded, understanding.
She reached out to stroke my hair, just for the briefest of moments, then she reigned her hand back. It looked like she wanted to hug me, but