Treachery Queen (The Callistra Chronicles #1)

THIRTY-THREE

Chapter Thirty-Three

In the small room above the ground floor of the sector hall, there was movement.

It was not much: a twitch, a pulse of a nervous system at work, barely notable.

It was also the first sign of life.

Meira was still very much asleep, an unmoving tree felled into a coursing river, but the current was starting to push.

***

Pasiphae realised that sneaking around on her own was a lot easier than sneaking around with four people in tow. She simply slipped from one alleyway to another, pressed deep into the shadows. 

Or maybe it was only this easy because Khotadi had descended into nationwide panic.

Pasiphae crept around the back of the towering apartment complexes, winding around and around until she found an inconspicuous route to the docks. She finally spotted a direct path to a familiar looking iron gate, and muttering a curse, dropped to her knees so she could crawl the rest of the way and avoid being seen.

"Stupid fae and their flying," she muttered, almost pulling a neck muscle in her haste to inspect a noise above her.

Once she had wedged herself into the thin space between two buildings, she crab-walked to the other end, keeping herself small as she approached the docks.

Suddenly, a guard marched by the alleyway that Pasiphae was hiding in, passing so closely that she felt a whoosh of air along her cheek. She stilled, completely and utterly, and only dared to breathe again when the guard's footsteps faded away.

Pasiphae poked her head into the open.

Her location gave her a full view of the docks. She could see every guard as they rotated shifts, and given time, she could probably work out if there were any blind spots to their surveillance. But she didn't have time to waste. Any moment now, a messenger from the palace would no doubt bring warning of her escape, and then security would become impenetrable.

"So close, but so far," she whispered to herself. From here, she could even see where all the submarines were parked. It was just one dash across the docks, and then she was free.

Hypothetically.

"Why don't you go above?"

Pasiphae jumped fiercely, almost smacking her head against the wall. Before she could lash out and retrieve her dagger, she recognised Naeyrs' blurry form materialising in the small space next to her.

"Where did you come from?" Pasiphae hissed.

Naeyrs, now solidified, lifted her arms. "I'm made of smokeless fire, witchling. I phase through the walls."

"Of course you do," Pasiphae muttered. "I considered taking the aerial route, but if I tried leaping onto the docks from a roof, I would break both my ankles." She eyed the jinni warily. "How's the situation at the palace?"

"Chaotic," Naeyrs replied, "but Lauha can keep the royal guard occupied for a short time."

"Right." Pasiphae tilted her head curiously. "Don't mind me for asking, but what are you doing here?"

"Oh," Naeyrs said, as if she was just remembering. She sighed deeply. "We can't be allies anymore."

Pasiphae couldn't help it. She was kind of hurt.

"Why?"

"The Unseelie queen has been defeated for the time being," Naeyrs said. "Until she recuperates, you have bigger problems that go against my interests."