The Blood of Darkness

Chapter 20

Val

It wouldn't have been very hard to pretend that I had never interrogated the young spy into telling me that there are three of the captured Gifted alive and still in Trivette. It would have been much, much easier as well.

But something deep inside me tells me that I cannot let any more of the Gifted into the Dark King's hands. That if I do, I will regret it.

So I told Neve, Quinn, and Zyair as soon as I arrived back at the townhouse. And the three of them are currently telling Kye and Lake.

When I told Quinn, I could barely stand the hope that glittered in her amber eyes. The hope that her grandmother was one of the three survivors still here. After all, she had to have been one of the eight stuck in Trivette, for she was the last of the Gifted that was captured.

"It's that small glimmer of hope that will shatter your precious little heart into a million tiny fucking pieces," I wanted to scream at her. But I didn't.

I think that deep inside, I envy her hope. Because it is something that I barely possess anymore.

All my grief says the same thing: "this isn't how my life is supposed to be." And the world merely laughs, holds my hope by the throat, and hisses, "but this is how it is."

"Let me guess." Kye's familiar voice draws me out of my hellish mind, and I glance at him from where I lean against the wall. His reddish hair seems darker, and I realize that that's why Zyair's hair is now a bright pink. They must have bought hair pigments at the market earlier.

Kye speaking to everyone, it seems, but mostly to Zyair. "We're going to break the three Gifted out?"

Zyair nods from where he's sprawled on the sofa. "Quinn, Neve, and I already formed the basis of a plan." He looks to me. "But I need your input. And maybe your help."

I nod, and tell him that I'm open to whatever. I stayed in my room while the three of them discussed what course of action we would take, only coming downstairs once the conversation died down and I overheard Neve speculating that Kye and Lake should be back soon.

"Someone has to get into the basement," Zyair starts. "To go up the staircase down there and unlock the storm door that exits into an alleyway."

"It would be impossible to get the key," Kye says. "There only seems to be one man who has it, and he keeps it under his clothes."

Zyair mutters a curse. "That's not good."

Before I can think twice, I cut into the conversation. "I may have a solution to that."

All eyes go to me. "It's a shadowy corner, right?" Zyair nods. "Then I can blend in."

"Blend in?" Kye questions.

"With the darkness."

"What do you mean?" Zyair.

I sigh. "I can disappear in the shadows. Slip through the door unnoticed when someone opens it."

"Oh," Zyair says, green eyes a bit wider than before. "Well, that would work. You'd probably even be able to get past the spies down there unnoticed as well."

"Wouldn't the spies recognize you?" Kye asks, eyes meeting mine.

"I'm sure we could make her less recognizable," Neve says. "With a cloak. Maybe an eyepatch."

"It's settled then," Zyair declares. "Now, once Val unlocks the storm door, her, Lake, and Neve will fend off any spies that are down there while Quinn, Kye, and I seek out the Gifted. I doubt the spies would waste Lychnus on the Gifted's chains, so Kye should be able to melt them. Then we run back here and hope for the best."