Dead of Winter (6 page)

“Not looking forward to that. SoCal surfer boy here, remember? Just think: if the snow comes down like the rain has . . .”

“Snowmageddon!” Matthew cried, cracking both of them up.

“Yeah, Matto, that groundhog came out to check for nuclear winter. But then a Bagger ate him!”

He almost had me laughing. As soon as I got Jack safe.

Finn's demeanor turned serious again. “Eves . . .” He opened his mouth, closed it, then frowned at the wolf. He probably wanted to talk about Lark—without her overhearing.

I'd help him out. “There's a medic who's taking good care of her.”

He nodded, but a question lingered in his gaze. He peeled at a sticker of an orange tabby.

“She felt terrible about how everything went down,” I told him. “When she realized you'd survived the mine collapse, her entire face lit up. Her eyes watered. She was as into you as you were into her.”

“We're here for a mission, people”—Selena swept inside—“not group therapy.”

Gabriel was right behind her, watching the Archer—like a hawk.

She assessed me. “You gonna have enough juice for this? Don't see your glyphs.”

My Empress power gauge. “I'll have enough.” Since emotions fueled my powers, I feared I'd have too much. “And you?”

Under her jacket, she wore a pistol holster; over it, an arm sling. A sword belt circled her narrow waist. “I got a Glock and a cutlass. Consider my swash buckled.”

Joules barged inside, his skin sparking with anger. AC/DC. “You're really goin' to do this?” he demanded of Gabriel. “Infiltrate an enemy camp with a bowless Archer—and an untrustworthy Empress? How do you know she won't lose her shite and claw you to death?”

Dick.

“Selena has weapons,” Gabriel pointed out. “And I trust the Empress in this.”

Yes, I'd gotten more control of the vicious red witch; didn't mean it was foolproof. If we failed tonight and I didn't return with Jack, would she slip the leash?

Oh, man, I really hoped I didn't murder Gabriel and Selena.

I cleared my throat. “You guys have your bandannas?” The wetted material would serve as a filter against my spores. I hoped.

Gabriel tugged one from his jacket pocket. “And I have Jack's scent from his tent. But I need to lock on it over there before you deploy.”

“Just let me know you're ready.” I was acting like I had total command over my powers. No matter how stressful, painful, or
lethal
the situation grew.

Joules created a spear in his palm, twirling it. “The other side of the river is out of my range, Gabe. You're goin' to be on your own. No cover, no backup.”

“I've already given my word that I will go.”

Joules sparked brighter. “And I told you I wouldn't, not without payment.”

“Then we part ways here for a time,” Gabriel said gravely.

“Enough with the bromance!” Selena snapped. “Joules, this area is reserved for people about to do shit. So kindly remove your Oirish arse.”

“One day, Archer . . .” But he did turn to leave, passing Tess on her way in.

“Hey, guys.” She pulled off her hood, smoothing her long mousy brown hair back. “Can I go too?”

I shared a look with Selena, then asked, “Uh, why?”

“I can help you carry Jack if he's been injured. Selena can only use one arm, and Gabe might be busy.”

When we remained unconvinced, she said, “I let you down before, Evie. I want to make up for it.”

Tess had balked when she'd had a chance to stab Death—but what if she hadn't? I never would have known the real Aric.

Yet then, had I truly
known
him? The man behind the armor? “Tess, if you'd gone forward that day, you would've been too late. Death was already getting free. You don't owe me anything.”

“I know I'm the laughingstock of the Arcana,” she quietly said. “But
I can't stop being that unless I do something meaningful. I'm asking. Please.”

Gabriel studied her expression. “She's going,” he decided. “She can help. Do you have your bandanna?”

Tess nodded eagerly.

Selena raised her brows at the angel. “Do you know something about her powers that I don't? As in, do they ever work?”

On the day I first met Tess, Matthew had listed some of her mind-blowing abilities. Teleportation, levitation, time manipulation, and more. She was the World Card, the great Quintessence. Unfortunately, she struggled with her gifts.

“She could surprise you, Archer.”

“So she goes.” Selena hiked her shoulders. “You're in luck, Evie. If we get chased, she'll be even slower than you are.” To Tess, she said, “You screw this rescue up, and I'll skewer you with my new sword.” She unsheathed a few inches of it with a threatening look.

Gabriel frowned at that, fluttering his silky black wings. Again, he grimaced with the movement.

“Come clean about the injury, Gabriel,” I said.

“I was shot during a flyover last week.” He stretched out a wing, revealing a bullet wound in that feathery expanse. A hole went straight through the bony part. “I haven't quite healed yet.”

From last week? So he had rapid healing, like Death and Selena.

“Unfortunately, wings provide a large target. As Joules says, ‘It's like hittin' the broad side of a barn!' ” An Arcana weakness. “We can wait a couple of days, ladies, or I can take you one at a time tonight.”

“Tonight,” I quickly said.

“The problem is that we go one at a time on the return leg as well.”

“We need to get to Jack, now—hell or high water, and all that.” I turned to Matthew. “Any tips? Anything you'd like to tell me about our mission?”

“I already did.” He cast me a look of pure confusion. “Carousel? Struck? Ah! You listen poorly!”

Had he ever been this exasperated with me before? “Of course, sweetheart. I just meant anything in addition to that. Hey, maybe you could tell me how long till Violet closes in?”

“In a way, she's here.”

“What does that mean? I thought we had more time before the twins joined up.” Had they already begun Jack's torture?

“She's here, in a way.” He'd just reversed his words.

My breaths shallowed. “Gabriel, I'll cross with you first—and last on the way back.” I turned to Finn. “Get to work.”

“On it.” He rolled his head on his neck. “You guys will be able to see each other, but to everyone else, you'll look like soldiers.” He began to chant in his mysterious magician language, the air blurring at his lips.

By the time he'd finished, the four of us looked like unshaven, middle-aged men armed with machine guns.

Finn had grown even paler. “Just try not to get too stressed. Sweating and increased heart rates affect my illusions. Good luck, guys.”

“Thanks, Magician.” I hastened outside, the others following.

Gabriel crossed to stand before me. “Empress, are you ready?”

I was putting a ton of trust in him, an Arcana. Though I owed Lark, her betrayal
had
done a number on me. “Uh, ready.”

When Gabriel gripped me under my arms, Selena jerked her chin at me. “See you on the other side.” She knew I was having doubts.

The trues only worked in this fort. Once we left, Gabriel could drop me in the drink.

For the High Priestess to drag down to the abyss.

I could use my body vine, the one that grew from my skin, to tether myself to him, but that might screw with Finn's illusion. I would risk a dip to save Jack. I would risk anything.

—in our own way, in our own way.—

The Lovers' call. It was loud because of proximity, but sounded staticky. “Let's go, Gabriel!”

Without warning, he shot into the air, making my stomach plunge. I squeezed my eyes tight, fighting not to shriek.

“There's nothing to be frightened of,” he said. “You can look now.”

I cracked open my lids. “Wh-why are we going so high?” We seemed to be a mile above the river. Up here, the winds were gale force. Were we making progress at all? Hovering in place?

“I don't know the Priestess's reach.” Another Arcana secret. “Better safe than sorry.” His voice sounded strained. From the pain in his wing? What if it gave out?

My heart was thundering. With his acute senses, he could surely hear it.

“For all that you're the Empress, you're still a regular girl, aren't you?”

I'd revealed a fear of heights. Had they thought me fearless before?

I squinted against the wind, gazing back at the fort. Outside the minefield, I could make out lighter dots across black ground. The stone forest. After the Flash, men lacked cover for shootouts; instead of—oh, I don't know—not shooting at each other, they'd built rock trees.

Gabriel followed my gaze. “From up on high, I see things that can't be random—shapes, designs, clues—all the time.”

I blinked again. From here, those white stacks kind of looked like stars in an inky sky.

“Empress, I have the senses of both angel and animal, and I recognize the gods' return.”

“Um, okay?”
Cult crazy, cult crazy, I'm about to die.

“No matter what happens, I want you to know that I dearly wish you could end this game.”

What
happens
? Did he mean, like, any second now? I should've bound us in vine!

Just when I was sure he was about to drop me, he descended to the edge of the bluff on the other side. “You're the only Arcana fighting for a different future than the one we've been dealt.”

As we touched down, I felt guilty for doubting him.

“I go now. For Selena.” Eager much? He saluted, then took to the air once more, the backdraft of his wings whipping my poncho.

Long moments later, he flew back with the Archer in his arms, holding her close, reluctant to let her go once they landed.

Oblivious, Selena pushed at him to stand on her own. Gabriel cleared his throat. “I return with Quintessence.” He disappeared into the murk once more.

As Selena and I waited, misgivings about my plan arose. “What if something goes wrong?” I tucked the end of my ponytail into my poncho hood. “What do you think the Lovers would hit back with? Would they use guns?” So far, most Arcana had spurned them.

Selena limbered up, stretching one of her long legs. “Some say the Lovers throw poison darts like Cupid himself. And wouldn't that be adorable?” she added in a disgusted tone. “But I'd expect guns, considering their army.”

Poison didn't affect me, and a bullet wouldn't kill me. Not so for the others. Was I leading them to their deaths? I'd gotten used to being a leader, telling people what needed to be done. Still hadn't gotten used to the responsibility.

“But check this, Evie—my arrow's already in flight. So I don't give a shit what the Duke and Duchess Most Perverse are packing. If you told me the twins could vaporize archers with their eyes, I'd still try to save J.D.”

Oddly, that made me feel better, as if she'd pep-talked me.

When Gabriel returned with a wide-eyed Tess, he said, “Allow me to detect Jack's scent and get a lay of the land. It might take a few moments with these winds.”

As we waited, the World Card bit her fingernails and tapped one of her boots. To everyone else, she'd appear to be a two-hundred-pound soldier with a nervous disorder.

Selena slapped the girl's hand. “At ease, Quintessence.”

“You could stay here,” I told Tess. “Keep watch or something.”

“She goes where I go,” Gabriel said. “And I've got the scent. Ladies, shall we rescue the hunter?”

The camp was like a ghost town. No soldiers roamed the grounds as we navigated our way through a maze of tents and lean-tos.

One large tent had light spilling from it, and male voices carried from within.

A middle-aged woman shuffled around a nearby cooking fire, ladling food into bowls. Her ankles were hobbled, her feet bare on the freezing ground.

A slave. Under General Milovníci's orders, this army abducted females, “involuntary recruits.”

My nails lengthened, turning into purple thorn claws.

Selena must've noticed my tension. “Don't even think about it. Stay focused on J.D. Once we free him, we'll worry about these prisoners.”

With difficulty, I turned away from the woman.

Gabriel inhaled short bursts of air. “I scent Jack just around the corner of the ridge ahead. He's in a tent that's off by itself, a boon for us.”

Selena's gaze swept the area. “Can you tell how many guards?”

“I think about twenty or so.”

I shoved up my sleeve to reach the glimmering spore glyph on my forearm. “Pull up your bandannas. It's time.”

Once the others were ready, I drew from the glyph, filling my hand with a sleeping toxin. As we rounded the corner, I blew against my palm to spread the spores. Like starting a blaze from kindling.

Dozens of men guarded a gigantic tent. And they all wore . . .

Gas masks.

My invisible onslaught drifted harmlessly over them, carried off on the wind.

Tess gasped, muttering, “You can't put them to sleep.”

“Keep it together!” Selena yanked down her bandanna, and the others did too.

Now what were we going to do? There was no reason for us—or the four soldiers we resembled—to be this far from the main camp.

“Gabriel, you'll have to talk to them,” I whispered. “Tell them that Vincent sent for us.”

He called to the guards, “Greetings!” He might as well have said, “Hail, fellow, well met!”

I inwardly groaned. Tess gasped again.

“Vincent summoned us.”

A tall, lanky soldier, the apparent leader, said, “He told us he doesn't want to be disturbed.” The man sounded creepy through his gas mask. “Not for any . . .” He trailed off, eyes going wide.