Mela and I were back on the upper level, near the edge of the chasm that cut through the catacombs, facing off against one another. Both of us had our feet braced apart with our fists parked on our hips, bristling with dark scowls that matched the others.

After our return from the subterranean catacombs, we'd squatted around the map with Petra and Jiao. I'd sketched the route to Yezekael's nest while describing its burrow in as much detail as I could. We had a better chance of ambushing the creature unawares if we came in at the point the Uzrek had guided us to.

Now, Mela and I were arguing over how to trap it.

Nelle's dire state was distracting me. Her wretched emotions trembled beneath my skin as that strange feral sensation scratched at my nerves to save her, save her, save her...

I was twitchy and on edge; my tone reduced to a feral bark. I suspected what plagued her, the why of it, and I knew it would test her courage, but she needed to rally and see it through.

Please, Nelle.

And if what the Uzrek suspected was true, the reason why Sirro wanted this creature was because of my mother, I, in turn, had to achieve this mission. I couldn't allow Yezekael to slip through my fingers. That's why I wanted this done now and fast, which wasn't what the Văduvas were advising.

"We need to be careful. The creature can't be tipped off that we're down here," Mela snapped at me. The attitude dripping from her tone had my hackles rising.

"I know that," I bit back, flinging an arm wide.

"It's not even here—"

"It could have returned by now!"

"So you want to march down there with your warband, and the moment Yezekael shows its face, pounce?"

"Well, yeah," I replied, lamely. Except in my head, it seemed better than how she put it.

"No," she flatly refused, stalking closer. "This is what's going to happen. We'll all leave for home to clean up and get some sleep, while my House plans and gathers the necessary items. And it will be the Văduvas who'll set the trap, the way we want it to go down."

I blinked. "Huh?" Was she thinking of taking over completely? I stabbed a finger into my chest. "This is my hunt," I gritted out, canting forward to get right in her face. "I'll be sorting this out with my House. I'm the one who found Yezekael's nest."

"Thanks to the Stone Eater," Mela tossed back at me, rolling her eyes.

I hadn't mentioned the Uzrek's involvement to anyone, not even to Mela. The ancient beast had vacated my mind soon after I'd thanked him.

Mela rubbed a hand over her face and drew in a deep breath. She took a step back and relaxed her stance. The soft glow from the cloud of iridescent dragonflies hovering around us illuminated the buttery undertone to her dark complexion. Her voice was gentler but still flinty. "Everyone's tired Gray. We have one shot at this, and we need to ensure we set ourselves up with the best chance at capturing it." An eyebrow arched as she waved a hand dramatically through the air. "This needs Văduva finesse, not Crowther brutality."

I huffed in resentment, crossing my arms over my chest. "We can be delicate when we need to be."

Petra sidled in to rest an arm on Mela's shoulder and the two women shared a quick amused look. Petra drawled, "I've seen your grumpy prick of a father in action. Delicate isn't the word I'd use to describe how he handles the crime syndicates."

I threw up my arms, spinning away and storming toward the chasm's ledge. Even I knew I'd lost.

I passed by Mela's make-shift camp, where my team had trudged back from their separate searches through the tunnels, and gathered there to warm themselves with coffees and fill up on snacks we'd brought with us. Tangling with the soft murmur of conversation, the scraping of boots on craggy rock, came the distant sound of running water. There was an alcove nearby that had water rippling down its black walls, pooling in a recess before draining away through a crack in the floor. Earlier, I'd scooped up water and poured it over my sweaty head, letting it run all over my body to sluice the Stone Eater's gritty blood from my face and armor.

The tips of my boots met the crumbling edge of the chasm, and I stared down into the abyss, into the endless black nothingness. Down here in oppressive darkness time couldn't be told. As yet I hadn't checked what time of day it was, but if I had to hazard a guess, it was late afternoon. I shrugged off my daypack, unbuckled the flap, and dug inside for my canteen. Dropping the bag to the cavern floor, I unscrewed the canteen's cap and tipped my head back to swallow down mouthfuls of refreshing water. I rubbed my chest with my free hand. Kept rubbing it. And no matter what I tried to infuse through the twanging discordant threads of power that connected us both, nothing seemed to rouse Nelle from her fracturing state. I shifted my stance, rolling my shoulders and cracking my neck. Terror swelled inside my chest. Her terror. I feared what my brothers had been up to while I'd been gone. Perhaps this, whatever she was experiencing wasn't what I'd hoped, maybe my brothers had gotten to her first in retaliation for the Brunnie. A dark thought crossed my mind. If they've locked her in a dungeon beneath the Keep...

The canteen in my hand crunched under the sudden pressure of my fist and water sprayed everywhere, catching my armor, my neck, and running beneath the collar of my jacket.

Fuck.

I heard soft footsteps as I flicked the water droplets away from my throat. Twisting around I watched Mela approach. She came to stand in front of me, raising an eyebrow pointedly at the buckled canteen in my hand. She slapped a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. Her rich brown eyes scanned my face intently. "When's the last time you slept?"

The question pulled me up short, shoving me from Nelle's desperation. I sliced my gaze to the cavern's glistening ceiling, mentally calculating it. "Three days ago."

"You're going home and staying home," Mela ordered. I frowned, and before I could begin arguing again, she said, "Don't bother, Gray, my decision is made."

"What the fuck?"

She held her ground, whisper-hissing, "Until you get some actual sleep and recharge, I'm kicking you off the team."

I scowled at the fucking audacity she was booting me off my own hunt. As was typical, my friend didn't back down, she merely squeezed my shoulder harder and scowled right back. But she lowered her voice. "You're no good to us if you give into your insomnia." She gave a quick glance over her shoulder to ensure we weren't within hearing distance of any member of her House. My own were well aware of the affliction that hounded me. "And worse, you'd be putting this whole mission at risk if it happens in the middle of capturing Yezekael."

My bottom lip poked out a fraction with my irritation she was right. I could go under at any moment, and usually, it would hit me like a tsunami and I'd collapse where I stood. Still, I wasn't happy about it. Before I could part my lips and argue that I could at least help with planning and setting the trap, she interjected. "Jiao, your Second, is welcome to join us at my House, but the Văduvas are taking control of every aspect of this." Her features softened and she let go of my shoulder to lightly tap my cheek with a palm. "Go home and get some sleep."

Maybe I should be thanking Mela for taking the choice away from me. She'd given me an excuse to head straight to Nelle, yet guilt tormented me that I wasn't focusing on my mother.

Mela took a couple of steps backward, "Come on," she urged, waving her fingers, encouraging me to follow.

Squatting down, I stuffed the dented canteen into my backpack and hefted it over a shoulder as I rose. Mela spun around and I strode after her, tipping my chin at Jiao who was just taking a sip of coffee, steam wavering from the mug. He understood the tilt of my head toward the passageway that led back to the surface, and he gave the order to the rest of our men and women. They packed up quickly and fell into line straight away.

Several whistles broke out and the dragonflies flitted away in small clusters to gather around our team, and in a swirl of magic they disappeared into small vials, which were then capped and tucked away into pouches on bandoleers.

Both Houses, Văduva and Crowther, made their way hastily from the cavern and through the twisting tunnels toward the ancient stone door. We emerged from the ancient passageway and back into the maintenance corridor, shifting from pitch-black to fake industrial light. While my eyes adjusted instantly, Mela squinted and rubbed the heel of her palm against her eyes.

A cascade of guards was already present, awaiting my arrival. But before I left in their company, Mela stopped me with a hand on my forearm. I turned back to face her, curious. She waited until both our teams had walked on ahead to give us privacy. She tipped her head to the side, her expression thoughtful. "Wouldn't photographs be enough?"

I knew instantly she was referring to what I'd asked her this morning to help me with.

I shook my head, blowing out a heavy sigh. I remembered what it was like for Nelle when she swifted us to the abandoned cottage by the lake. I'd been passing in and out of consciousness, but I was aware she'd swifted in short bursts along the river before encountering the lake. I had a feeling she needed to have either physically been to a place or at least could see it ahead of her, to be able to swift there. And I wanted all my bases covered if that was the case.

"I need more than photographs," I replied.

Mela didn't question me, she simply nodded. She hadn't asked why I wanted this done, or for whom. She'd just mentally taken notes of what I needed from her. "I'll get it sorted within the week."

"Thanks." I nudged her with my elbow, rocking her off balance. She flashed me a grin that slowly melted away when she saw my somber expression. "You know that when you get word back from Evelene, I'll be at your side, right?"

Mela's soft nose scrunched as she blinked away the liquid shimmering in her eyes. Her voice was rough and uneven when she replied, "I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to keep you away." She brightened and slapped me playfully on the chest. "Go home, get some sleep, and maybe by the time you've awoken we'll have everything set up to snare this Yezekael." And on that note, she jogged off to catch up with Petra and her team.

The bodyguards flanked me as we made our way quickly through the service corridors, out onto the subway platform, pushing past the commuters spilling in and out of the terminal, until we finally filed out onto the busy streets of Ascendria.

The SUV cascade was waiting on the curbside to escort us home, the driver holding the limousine door open for me. I ducked inside and flopped down on the plush leather seat. As I'd done every time I spent hunting Yezekael, there was going to be one more stop before we left the city and traveled the highways home. The warband never questioned it, they left me to do whatever I wanted. My driver lowered the privacy screen down and simply asked, "Where to?"

"The lake," I replied. This time I wanted to go back to the great pool of silvery water.

I knew this side trip was going to delay my return to Nelle, but it was important.

Three SUVs traveled ahead of us, three behind. We glided through the city like wolves. It was quiet inside the heavily armored limousine, and in agitation I bounced my knee while I stared through the tinted window and the shield of hardened air that shimmered around the vehicle like heat waves, at the bustling streets, the mortals hustling to and fro. Nelle was spiraling fast and gray despair began to drown my lungs making it hard to draw breath.

We traveled on the winding freeway rounding the lakeside in a steady stream of traffic. Vehicles shifted lanes to turn deeper into the city or traveled onward as they headed back home to mansions perched on the hills surrounding the lake. My gaze sliced to the Monarch Tower, a streamlined monolith with a glass face that reflected the waters. The Monarch Tower that mysteriously had a power shortage twelve years ago.

And something peculiar occurred.

A burst of a memory, like a bubble of time arose in my mind.

And I speared back to a moment with my mother when I was five years old.

My mother stood in front of a gigantic shelf lined with glass jars. She gave me the stern-mom-eye. "Empty all your pockets, Gray."

"Come on, Mom," I grouched, toeing the ground and folding my arms over my chest. "I haven't taken anything."

"Now," she warned, stabbing a finger downward.

My shoulders sagged in defeat knowing there was no way out of this. I reluctantly dug into my pants pockets and fished out a handful of oddities. They were so weirdly cool too, with strange names stamped on the labels of the jars I'd borrowed them from.

With a petulant poke of my bottom lip and a glare, I held my fists over Mom's cupped hands and let the bits and pieces fall into her palms.

Mom held my gaze, raising an eyebrow, and said, "Alllllll you pockets, Gray. All the secret places on your suit."

Oh, for fucks' sake!

My mother and the memory dissolved away.

I blinked, coming back to the here and now. Excitement hummed in my blood. I needed more of this moment. This memory. I needed to find out where we'd been all those years ago.

I suddenly realized the limousine was slowed down and we were turning into the lakeside parking lot. It was emptying out at the end of a busy day with visitors who had come down to enjoy running the trails or walking through the gardens. The driver parked, and the SUV convoy deployed, the men and women breaking into smaller groups to sweep the area and keep me in sight.

The door was opened by my driver and I ducked out with the noisy hum of traffic filling my ears. Above the lingering smell of gasoline and rubber was pungent greenery, and the silvery lake brought with it an earthy scent. A cool autumn breeze ran windy fingers through my hair and slid along my cheeks to wind around my neck

I jogged off, making my way quickly beneath the arched stone entranceway to the lake's garden, down a path before leaving it behind. The lake had lush gardens and a team of landscape designers that showcased the seasons with various shiftings of plants and blooms. My mother was an avid gardener and she came down here all the time whenever she visited the city. She'd wander around, chatting to the gardeners, admiring their work. When my brothers and I got older, we chose not to accompany her here. Mom loved gardens but we were bored as hells with it and so she began to come here alone.

The sun was slowly sinking beneath the horizon, burning the landscape with fiery reds and oranges. In the distance came the sound of shuffling reeds and tree limbs creaking beside the water's edge, their boughs dripping curled leaves over the ruffled waves rolling onto the shore.

My boots sank into the neatly clipped grass as I stalked fast across the lawn to the shorefront, and then they sank into stones and pebbles.

I half-bent over, shuffling along the shore scouring it for something specific. I squatted down every so often, my fingers raking through the pebbles, and I plucked out stones swiftly, transferring them to my free hand. I searched for small flat stones of the same size with bleeding greens and shots of white, all similar to one another so if something sat amongst them they'd stand out.