All That Falls

28 A Cave of Nightmares

Rook was in much better spirits when I finally emerged from the bathroom. I had taken a shower first, telling myself it was because of the bloodstains still visible on my hands from helping Rook, but really it was because I was trying to buy time before I had to face them all again after the bombshell that Lark had just dropped on me regarding our connection.

So I had taken a particularly long shower and an even longer time selecting the dark grey denim pants and loose grey sweater that I threw on before exiting into the living room again. I was so lost in thought that I hadn't heard the revelry taking place just outside the bedroom door. Rook was entirely healed, the magic having done the trick, and he was drinking heavily with Pollux, smiling as Cass and his twin laughed uncontrollably at some story they were recalling. Even Lark was grinning, raising a glass to his lips which he paused when he saw me, that penetrating gaze sweeping over me from head to toe, drinking me in as if he could never get enough. Heat rushed to my cheeks and I lowered my head, pretending to fix my hair as I settled onto the settee next to Cass.

"You are so lying," she was saying, though she was grinning from ear to ear.

"I swear to you, I'm not," Pollux boomed back. "That gorgon took one look at Lark and shit his metaphorical pants."

Cass snorted into her glass as Rook reached behind her to hand me one of my own. Our eyes met and he gave me a solemn nod of thanks. It was enough.

"He's not used to a Morningstar actually taking the job of Hellscape warden seriously, I bet," Cass replied, rolling her eyes as she took a drink. Pollux and Rook nodded their agreement. "Did he give you the key?"

Pollux grinned, looking at Lark.

"It took some convincing," Lark drawled before taking a deep sip of that amber liquid. His eyes flicked to mine and I squirmed in my chair, internally cursing myself for the physical reaction. But the smirk on his lips when he noticed how he had affected me was almost worth it.

"He didn't turn you to stone," Cass said, brow creasing in confusion as she looked over her shoulder at where Rook lounged beside her. "But he stabbed you through the leg. How did that happen?"

"Turns out, he wasn't working alone," Pollux told her and he wasn't smiling anymore.

None of them were.

"Lark?" Cass asked, glancing at her brother as if hoping he might tell her it wasn't true.

But Lark's smirk fell into a frown.

"Fae appeared before we could grab him," Lark said, swirling the contents of his glass and staring down into them. "Dressed in brown."

I froze.

"Peace and Pride," Cass muttered.

"My ass," Pollux snorted. Lark cut a glare to him and he fell silent, raising his glass to his lips instead.

"Do you think she's behind this?" Cass asked, her voice wavering as she did. "That she could be... recruiting gorgons to do her bidding? And why would she want the key to Hellscape anyway?"

"My guess?" Lark asked. "Access to minotaurs she can drop into the mortal realm."

I dropped my glass. It shattered against the rug, brown liquid seeping into the orange shag. But Cass waved a finger, without even looking my way, and the mess was gone and Rook was handing me another drink, which I took with shaking hands.

"You think she's behind the rifts," Cass breathed, so in awe that her voice barely rose above the whisper.

"Who else would have such power, such ambition? Who else might want to see our planes collide? Who else might want to tear down the division between mortal and immortal?"