Kuwei arranged a series of vials full of liquid over the burners. “I’m ready.”
They checked the corridor and hurried towards the treasury entrance. At every turn she expected to see drüskelle or guards storming their way, but they charged through the halls unimpeded. At the main door, they paused.
“There’s a hedge maze to our left,” Nina said.
Matthias nodded. “We’ll use it for cover then make a run for the ash.”
As soon as they opened the door, the clamour of the bells became almost unbearable. Nina could see the Elderclock on the highest silvery spire of the palace, its face glowing like a moon. Bright lights from the guard towers moved across the White Island, and Nina could hear the shouts of soldiers closing in around the palace.
She clung to the side of the building, following Matthias, trying to keep to the shadows.
“Hurry,” Kuwei said with a nervous glance back at the lab.
“This way,” Matthias said. “The maze—”
“Halt!” someone shouted.
Too late. Guards were racing towards them from the direction of the maze. There was nothing to do but run. They bolted past the entrance to the colonnade and into the circular courtyard. There were drüskelle everywhere – in front of them, behind them. Any moment they’d be gunned down.
That was when the explosion hit. Nina felt it before she heard it: A wave of heat lifted her off her feet and tossed her in the air, chased by a deafening boom. She came down hard on the white paving stones.
Everything was smoke and chaos. Nina struggled to her knees, ears ringing. One side of the treasury had been reduced to rubble, smoke and dust billowing into the night sky.
Matthias was already striding towards her with Kuwei. She pushed to her feet.
“Sten! ” cried two guards breaking off from another group running in the direction of the treasury.
“What’s your business here?”
“We were just enjoying the party!” Nina exclaimed, letting all of her real exhaustion and terror fill her voice. “And then … then …” It was embarrassingly easy to let the tears flow.
He held up his gun. “Show me your papers.”
“No papers, Lars.”
The witchhunter ’s head snapped up as Matthias stepped forwards. “Do I know you?”
“You did once, though I looked a bit different. Hje marden, Lars?”
“Helvar?” he asked. “They … they said you were dead.”
“I was.”
Lars looked from Matthias to Nina. “This is the Heartrender Brum brought to the treasury.” Then he took in Kuwei’s presence, and understanding struck. “Traitor,” he snarled at Matthias.
Nina raised her hand to drop Lars’ pulse, but as she did, she caught movement in the shadows to her right. She cried out as something struck her. When she looked down, she saw loops of cable closing over her, binding her upper arms tight to her body. She couldn’t raise her hands. She couldn’t use her power. Matthias grunted, and Kuwei screamed as cables lashed from the darkness, snapping around their torsos, binding their arms.
“This is what we do, bloodletter,” sneered Lars. “We hunt filth like you. We know all of your tricks.” He kicked Matthias’ legs from beneath him. Matthias went to his knees and sucked in a breath.
“They told us you were dead. We mourned you, burned boughs of ash for you. But now I see they were protecting us from something worse. Matthias Helvar, a traitor, aiding our enemies, consorting with unnaturals.” He spat in Matthias’ face. “How could you betray your country and your god?”
“Djel is the god of life, not death.”
“Are there others here for Yul-Bayur besides you and this creature?”
“No,” lied Nina.
“I didn’t ask you, witch,” said Lars. “It doesn’t matter. We’ll get the information from you our own way.” He turned to Kuwei. “And you. Don’t think there won’t be repercussions.”
He made a signal in the air. From the shadows of the colonnade a row of men and boys emerged:
drüskelle, hoods drawn up over long golden hair that glinted at their collars, dressed in black and silver, like creatures born from the dark crevasses that split the northern ice. They fanned out, surrounding Nina, Matthias, and Kuwei.
Nina thought of the white prison cells, the drains in the floors. Had all of the parem been destroyed with Kuwei’s lab? How long would it take him to make another batch, and what would they subject her to before that? She cast a last desperate look into the darkness, praying for some sign of Kaz. Had someone got to him, too? Had he just abandoned them there? She was meant to be a warrior. She needed to steel herself against what was to come.
One of the drüskelle came forward with what looked like a long-handled whip attached to the cables that bound them, and handed it to Lars.