Page 124 of Amber Gambler

“I’ll tell Josie you didn’t fight for her, and she will kick your ass.”

“Does your god need another minion? Is that it? Or do you suck so hard at your job he’s replacing you?”

Ankou laughed until tears cut through the dirt on his cheeks. “You think He wants to recruit you?”

The pressure on my wrist increased until the fragile bones scraped together.

Harrow was holding on to me. I don’t know how I knew it, but I did. With absolute certainty.

Just like I knew Kierce was murmuring prayers over me while the mirror of his eyes reflected forever.

“Back away from my sister.”

“Matty?” I pivoted toward the sound, my heart in my throat. “Is that really you?”

“Real is complicated right now.” Matty gripped my hand, his touch solid. “Hold your breath, Mary.”

Vials of dream sweet appeared between his fingers, and he threw them at Ankou.

The corked globes smashed on impact, exploding in clouds of soft pink and pastel blues that Matty had warned me once smelled how cotton candy tasted. He told me if I ever caught a whiff of it in a dream I…

Musty air rushed into my lungs as I gulped oxygen rich with the tang of iron.

The back of my skull throbbed with its own heartbeat, and I knew without touching it I had a goose egg.

“Thank God.” Harrow dropped his head to my shoulder. “I thought I—we—lost you.”

“Matty,” I rasped, my throat dry and sore, and Harrow shifted away from me.

“He’s not here.” Carter’s voice appeared from the darkness. “He met you on the dream plane.”

I pushed myself upright, striking my head against metal above me.

For a second, I was in so much pain, I couldn’t tell up from down or left from right.

When I was certain I wouldn’t throw up, or pass out, I tried speaking. “Where are we?”

“Under a passenger car in the train shed,” Harrow murmured from nearby, his knee brushing my elbow.

“I’ve got it under control,” Carter snarled through a mouthful of cheddar puffs. “Just stop her bleeding.”

Biting the end of his tee, Harrow ripped off a two-inch strip of fabric he used to bind the gash I had sliced open on my forehead before the redcap caved to licking the wound like a lollipop. Stupid mistake on my part in present company, but I was still sifting reality from dream.

And my head—front to back—fucking hurt.

“What happened?” I winced as he cinched the fabric tight. “How did I end up unconscious?”

“Little threw a sleep spell at you when you crossed the road to the train shed.” Carter hunched at the far end of the car, her back to us. “You dropped where you stood.” That explained why my skull was ringing. “Kierce carried you to cover then he went after her. We couldn’t wake you, so I texted Josie, who sent Matty into your dreams. Now that you’re alert, we need to find Audrey while Kierce keeps Little busy.”

Hard to believe I had never gone into the privy or under the smokestack to the hidden room below.

“Okay.” I swallowed. “I’m good.” I rolled onto my side. “Let’s go.”

“When I saidwe, I meant Harrow and me.” Carter peered around the wheel she hid behind. “Stay here.” She made it an order. “I need to get away from you, and you need to hide where Little can’t find you.”

As much as I wanted to protest, I could barely keep my left eye open thanks to the sharp throbs above it.

“Fine.” I didn’t have to sound happy about it. “I’ll wait here.”

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