Spin the Shadows (Dark and Wicked Fae #1) - Cate Corvin Page 0,69

Calder’s meaty shoulders in a shrug. “My eyes say they’ve seen him around. We need to get them out, Bright. I’m not goin’ down like this.”

Brightkin snarled, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes. “If he’s been seen, he already knows everything.”

I suppressed a brief spurt of pride for Robin’s reputation. That’s my boss.

The prince sat up so quickly I almost jumped, his eyes now wide and manic. “Fuck, Calder. We’ve gotta move them tonight or it’s all over.”

Robin pointed at him with the cigar. “That’s what I’m saying.”

“We’ve gotta go now.” Under the influence of evanesce, Brightkin’s movements were no longer shaky, but jerky and wild. His eyes were saucers in his face. “Fuck. I’ll get Silke. Bring your fish.”

I shot him the same dirty look I’d given Robin when he flirted with Silke, but got up in a fluid motion, like this was all just another day.

“Do we have to go now, baby?” I asked Robin, stroking his shoulders and putting a whine in my voice.

Brightkin flung the door open and practically shouted Silke’s name.

Robin looked up at me through Calder’s beady eyes. “You can stay here and wait for me,” he said, licking his lips as his eyes dropped to my chest.

Which was all for the better, since Silke chose that exact moment to step into the room and lock the door behind her. She wouldn’t know what Robin really meant.

I glanced at her, pouring all my actual jealousy into it, and pouted.

“No, I’ll go with you. I don’t want you to be alone with her.” I dropped my voice sulkily at the end, knowing Robin got the message: there’s no way you’re taking him down without me.

A look of consternation passed over Calder’s face, the one slip Robin had let out. “Fine. Don’t trip on those heels, princess. I won’t wait for you.”

I put my chin in the air and caught Silke rolling her eyes.

Brightkin lunged over a couch and grabbed the vial of evanesce off the table. “One for the road,” he said, tipping it over his tongue.

Blessed Branches, he was going to be too fucking high to walk a straight line.

Then he caught me by surprise. First off, he didn’t keel over from an evanesce overdose, which was a miracle in itself, and then he pushed against one of the dark wall panels at the back of the room.

It popped open, revealing a doorway of darkness.

I had the distinct feeling we’d missed something important, not knowing about that door.

Silke stood aside, allowing Brightkin to pass through. Robin didn’t miss a beat, trotting through the door and onto cobblestones.

I followed, sniffing haughtily as I passed Silke, and walked out into a tunnel with a set of stairs leading downwards. Two more guards were behind the door, dressed all in black, their faces covered by masks.

Ignoring the creeping feeling their faceless masks gave me, I tottered down the stairs on my ungainly heels like a baby deer, and heard Silke close the hidden door overhead. The huldra scoffed as she passed me, wearing much more sensible shoes.

Her suit was cut away to reveal her hollow, smooth back, her blonde hair swaying over the empty space.

The stairs ended after several flights. I estimated we were well into the Undercity, a suspicion that was confirmed when we entered yet another tunnel, this one with smooth dirt walls.

Brightkin was jittering in place. “Keep up, fish.”

Robin just sucked the cigar, releasing a billow of thick smoke in the air. “Lyssa, you’re cute, but I swear to fucking Pan I’m not carrying your ass.”

I let tears fill my eyes. It wasn’t hard.

Seeing Robin wear another’s face and persona, down to the cruel barbs, was hard as fuck, especially when my stress levels were at an all-time high.

I braced my hand on the dirt wall and unbuckled my shoes, trying not to think about what might be on the Undercity floors. “I won’t slow you down, baby,” I whined.

No way was he leaving without me. This was my job, too.

Brightkin and Robin took off. I noticed the satyr always remained a step or so behind Brightkin, letting the prince guide the way. If Brightkin turned, Robin clopped after him naturally, like he’d been going that way the entire time.

My feet were aching after ten minutes of walking. I cut my foot on a stone, a jolt of pain running through my leg with every step.

But if I stopped now… who knew what else might be looking for a defenseless Fae?