Her face was pained, she was sprinting for gods knew how long—maybe all the way from the palace. Yallara crashed into Lunelle, panting and screaming.
“Get in! Get inside!”
Mirquios did not hesitate to listen to her frantic screams, dragging the women back into The Underground.
“There’s a raid coming, they just left the palace, they’re heading here!” Yallara grasped at her throat, gasping for air as Lunelle patted her back, two dozen sets of eyes widening as the princess spoke.
“Let’s go!” Kwan yelled as the room moved in one chaotic blur.
They’d been through this before.
Mirquios gripped Lunelle’s hand, yanking her toward the back of the tavern. She snagged Yallara as they went, wrapping her fingers around the princess’s delicate wrists.
Bodies clamored against the small hall, diving down a narrow staircase beneath the city and into the catacombs. No one spoke as Kwan directed them, leading them through the caverns and banging on doors marked with silver roses.
Safe houses, Lunelle realized.
They’d built an entire network of safe houses across the city, and he was letting them know to hunker down.
Mirquios bellowed something in his native tongue, causing the Mercurians to split and fall into a regimented line behind him as he pulled the princesses toward another winding staircase. He gave a final salute to Kwan as the Plutonians continued beyond them, scattering and spreading amongst the various exits to the catacombs. Mirquios did not look back, did not stop moving until they broke through the catacombs and into a quiet townhome, dark and coated in a fine layer of dust.
“The door,” he commanded one of his courtiers, who moved to shove a bookshelf in front of the entry. The rest of the rebels, at least a dozen of them, spread out, some heading upstairs, some lingering in the kitchen, staying away from the windows.
“Sit,” Mirquios directed to her, tucking Lunelle and Yallara into a study that had not seen the light of a lantern or candle in months, maybe years.
Mirquios stooped down before them.
“Your only job is to stay quiet and protect her,” he said to Lunelle, gesturing to Yallara. “She’s our best hope at bringing Pluto into the revolution.”
Lunelle glanced at Yallara. She bit back a panic flooding her with the betrayal of one’s brother.
“Where are you going?”
He gave her a long, quiet look that said so much,toomuch.
“To make sure your job stays easy,” Mirquios mumbled, tapping the shoulder of one of his courtiers, the largest of them. Their boots creaked against the wooden floor, stopping near the front door.
“Lura,” Lunelle whispered, a chill jolting through her chest. She looked at Yallara, tucked beside her, and finally caught up to her breath. “My maiden, Lura, I don’t see her!”
Lunelle crawled across the study, searching through boots and knees.
She hadn’t seen her on the stairs.
“Get back in there, Lunelle,please,” Mirquios whispered harshly, sitting with his back against the door. “If Arcas barges in here and sees either of you, we’refucked.”
“Lura was at The Underground, I didn’t see her leave,” Lunelle said, her heart aching at the thought she was left behind.
“Lura has been part of the rebellion for a decade, Lu. She knows where to go. The moment Kwan clears us, we’ll find her, okay? Now,please, please get back from the door!”
Lunelle held her breath as she crawled back toward Yallara—each movement felt like a betrayal.
“When did you join?” Yallara asked quietly, her wide eyes searching Lunelle’s.
“Recently,” Lunelle mumbled.
“Arcas will kill me if he knows, Lunelle, he will not hesitate?—”
“Shh,” Lunelle hummed, patting Yallara’s knee. “It’s my first official Nova assignment to protect you. I would never allow it.”
