House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2)

“Two months ago,” Declan said. “Right before she went into Kavalla.”

“It took three years of working undercover to get access to this room?” Ruhn said.

“Do you know how intense the security is?” Hunt asked. “I can’t believe she made it in at all.”

“I know it’s fucking intense, Athalar,” Ruhn said tightly.

Bryce said, “Well, we’re going to have to beat her time.”

They all faced her. Bryce’s attention remained fixed on the screen, though. On the young woman walking out of the ancient library.

Hunt’s stomach twisted. He had a feeling he knew what she was going to say even before Bryce declared, “We need to get to the Eternal City—and into those archives.”

“Bryce,” Hunt started, dread rushing through him. He might have made peace with their involvement with Cormac and Ophion, but this … this was on a whole new level. Perilously close to what he’d done leading the Fallen.

“I want to know what Sofie knew,” Bryce said through her teeth. “What Danika was willing to risk so much to discover.”

After the truth Baxian had dropped, she needed the full story more than ever. It didn’t only have to do with wanting to use the intel as leverage against the Asteri. Danika had thought this information could change the world. Save it, somehow. How could she walk away from it now?

“You’re talking about breaking into the most secure place on Midgard,” Tharion interjected carefully. “Breaking into an enemy’s stronghold.”

“If Sofie Renast did it, I can, too.”

Ruhn coughed. “You realize none of us know our way around the palace, Bryce. We’ll be operating blind.”

Hunt tensed beside her, and Bryce knew that particular sort of tautness on his face. Knew he was shutting out his vivid memories of the throne room, the dungeons. Blood and screaming and pain—that’s all he recalled, he’d told her.

She leaned into his side. Offered what love she could through the touch.

“We won’t be operating blind,” Bryce said to Ruhn, lifting her chin. “I know someone who’s intimately familiar with its layout.”

Ithan sat on the couch long after Bryce and Athalar had gone home, and Ruhn, Dec, and Flynn had left for their Aux duties. The sprites had opted to follow Flynn, leaving Ithan and Tharion alone in the house.

“You ready for the shitshow we’re about to enter?” the mer asked him, forearms on his knees as he leaned forward to play the video game on the big screen.

“I don’t really have a choice but to be ready, right?” Ithan, playing on the split screen beside him, jammed his thumbs onto the controller buttons.

“You’re probably used to high-stakes situations. You went to finals a couple times.”

“Twice. And three times in high school.”

“Yeah, I know. I mean, I watched you.” Tharion flicked the switch on the controller, seemingly content to focus on the game. Like he wasn’t a male who’d walked in and out of the Viper Queen’s lair today. “You seem remarkably calm about everything that’s been going down.”

“Flynn said it doesn’t make a difference if Danika was Baxian’s mate, since she’s, you know, dead.” His chest ached. “I guess he’s right.”

“I meant about the rebels and the Under-King, but that’s good to know.”

Ithan shrugged. “After this spring, what the fuck is normal anyway?”

“True.” They played for a few more minutes.

“What’s the deal with you and the River Queen’s daughter?” Ithan asked finally.

Tharion didn’t take his eyes off the screen. “I’ve been betrothed to her for years. End of story.”

“You love her?”

“Nope.”

“Why get engaged to her, then?”

“Because I was horny and stupid and wanted to fuck her so badly that I swore myself to her, thinking I could undo it in the morning. Turns out, I couldn’t.”

“Rough, dude.”

“Yep.” Tharion paused the game. “You seeing anyone?”

Ithan had no idea why, but the wolf in the Astronomer’s tank emerged before him. But he said carefully, “Ruhn didn’t tell you about, uh, my past?”

“You mean about you having a thing for Bryce? No.”

“Then how the fuck do you know?”

“She’s Bryce. Everyone has got a thing for her.”

“I used to like her.”

“Uh-huh.”

Ithan exposed his teeth. “I don’t feel that way about her anymore.”

“Good, because Athalar would probably kill you, then barbecue your corpse.”

“He could try.”

“He’d try, and he’d win, and I doubt slow-roasted wolf would taste that good, even doused in sauce.”

“Whatever.”

Tharion chuckled. “Don’t do anything tragically romantic to prove yourself to her, okay? I’ve seen that shit go down before and it never works. Definitely not if you’re dead.”

“Not on my agenda, but thanks.”

Tharion’s expression turned serious. “I mean it. And … look, I bet Bryce will kick my balls into my throat for this, but if you have any unresolved business with anyone, I’d get it done before we go to the Eternal City. Just in case.”

In case they didn’t come back. Which seemed likely.

Ithan sighed. Set down his controller. Got up from the couch. Tharion arched a brow.

Ithan said, “There’s something I have to do.”





66

“You have to be ten kinds of stupid,” Fury hissed at Bryce from where they sat at the dive bar’s counter, nursing their drinks. Fury had initially refused to meet up when Bryce had called her last night, but Bryce had pestered her enough throughout the following morning that she’d agreed to meet here.

Bryce had barely been able to sleep, though Hunt had done a good job exhausting her. Her mind couldn’t stop turning over the things she’d learned. Danika had a mate. Sabine had known about it. Danika’s mate still loved her.

And Danika had never told Bryce about any of it.

“I know it’s insane,” Bryce murmured, swirling her whiskey and ginger beer. “But any help you can give me …”

“You need a shit-ton of help, but not with this. You’re out of your mind.” Fury leaned closer, getting in Bryce’s face. “Do you know what they’ll do to you if you’re caught? What they might do to your family, to Juniper, to punish you? Did you see what the Harpy did to those rebels? Do you know what Mordoc likes to do to his victims? I make sure to stay well out of his path. These people are soulless. The Asteri will gladly let them go to work on you and everyone you love.”

“I know,” Bryce said carefully. “So help me make sure I don’t get caught.”

“You’re assuming I just have blueprints of the crystal palace lying around.”

“I know you’ve been there. You have a better memory than anyone I know. You mean to tell me you didn’t take mental notes while you were there? That you didn’t notice the exits, the guards, the security systems?”

“Yeah, but you’re talking about the archives. I can only give you a vague layout. I’ve only ever walked the halls—never gone into the rooms.”