Claus

Thirty-Seven + A New Cover

What had Aurelius said to get the guards to leave in the first place? What had he claimed his reason for visiting the prisoner was? And whatever he had said, what had Klaus thought about it? Her burns felt better, and despite how she was feeling about him at the moment, she was grateful Aurelius had come by.

Some of the guards looked in on her, maybe wondering what Krampus had done to her. She wasn't going to let them think she was afraid of the Monster Under the Bed. There were other Acurials to fear.

She didn't notice the fog until the guard farthest from her cell dropped to the floor as it blanketed him. The black fog already swarmed on two others. Aurelius? The three remaining guards scrambled back but the fog kept advancing, and when they screamed the fog shoved its way down their throats. In less than a minute all of the guards were on the ground covered in the black fog that was thick enough she couldn't see them through it.

Out of the fog stepped Clíodhna holding an iron key. The light of the few torches was enough to show her the Leprechaun's eyes were solid black.

As Faryn scrambled to her feet Clíodhna unlocked the cell door and pulled it open.

Faryn hurried out of the cell. "Does Krampus know?"

Clíodhna jerked her head no. "I prefer he doesn't know who I am."

But who are you? Faryn bit down on the question. Aurelius's father had waged war against the Fair Folk. Why did a Leprechaun have his powers? But now wasn't the time to ask, not when Clíodhna was her ticket out.

Together they raced up the steps leading out of the dungeon. At the top, where the palace once more took on a chocolatey glaze of warmth rather than death and despair, was more black fog. Here it had thinned enough to reveal the guards buried underneath it.

"Are they dead?"

"Only unconscious." Surely, Clíodhna couldn't stretch her power much farther. Maybe one more guard, but then she would almost certainly have to draw back some of the it. But Faryn barely knew her. Maybe her reserve of power went deeper than Faryn thought.

Before rounding the next corner, Clíodhna skidded to a halt and held up a hand. Black smoke raced along the floor from the direction they'd come and climbed up her leg, twisting around her arm and wrist, twining around each finger. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the fog around the corner and onto whoever was there. A moment later, there was a thud, and Clíodhna took off again. Though Faryn's strides were longer than hers, it felt like for every one step Faryn took, Clíodhna had taken three.

What was the plan? Where were they headed? But as much as Faryn wanted to ask, it wasn't wise to speak right then or to waste time.

In the middle of the hallway, Clíodhna came to a stop along its wall. She pushed on the plain brown wall, and a portion of it swung back to reveal a passage.

"How?" the word slipped out.

When had they discovered this? Had Peter and Clíodhna found ways to explore while Faryn and Cassian were locked away and weren't being escorted around the castle?

Clíodhna only offered her a slight smile as an answer as Faryn stepped past her and into the passage. Letting the door shut behind them, Clíodhna sealed them into the dark. Seconds later, a light flicked on, and Faryn was able to make out a flashlight in the Leprechaun's hand.

The passageway was narrow and dusty, and it felt as if dust coated her throat. She didn't know what time it was—whether most of the castle was asleep—or if they were likely to encounter a servant in the passageway.