Page 70 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

Chapter 24

Meera

My fingers were going to get frostbite and fall off. I was sure of it. Tearing through the streets with no gloves, no cloak or jacket, and my exposed hands sounded like a good escape plan, right up until the howling wind turned my skin red and raw in a short period of time.

Part of me wanted to call for help, but I didn’t trust a damn soul. I didn’t know if Gin and Gertrude were from here or if they had friends and connections. Gin might have, but I doubted his sister could make friends with a porcupine.

I’d managed to weave my way through some alleys. Only a handful of people saw me. A few strange looks were thrown my way, but no one attempted to speak to me or offer assistance.

“Warwick, Warwick . . .” I muttered through chattering teeth, trying to scrape my mind for anything useful.

All I knew was that Blumary and Habberton were the two closest settlements to the palace. Warwick was much further north, but where did the portal come out? We’d been traveling for over a day, at least. Probably? I had beencold in the back of the wagon, but not hypothermic. It was hard to judge. I wasn’t familiar enough with the land to calculate distance and time for travel. How long had I been unconscious? How many stops had we already made? My shoulders shivered, my body burning with exhaustion as I ducked into an alcove behind some buildings. I paused to catch my breath, bringing my hands to my mouth to warm them up.

Walking around with my wrists bound was going to draw attention. I resumed trying to saw through them with the edge of my fang. It was a painstakingly slow process, and the taste of rope was disgusting. A hot bath and Vareck’s bedroom seemed like a faraway dream now.

A noise made me freeze. My eyes narrowed as I leaned out of the alcove only slightly to scan my surroundings, heart hammering. There was no way Gin and Gertrude had caught up to me. I had a hell of a head start, and the streets and alleys here were frequented enough that footsteps would be hard to follow unless they were expert trackers, which I highly doubted. Biting into the rope harder, I pulled my wrists apart, and with a sharp snap, the cord broke.

Relief flooded me. At least now I could use my hands. One step closer to safety.

I turned a corner and slammed right into a figure just over half my height. Stumbling backward, I found myself staring at a group of three kids, all ragged, dirty, and armed with daggers. Fantastic. Safety just took one step forward, then two steps back.

I spun around, only to see another four figures blocking my way—these kids were younger but still armed.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” I hissed, swiveling my head between the two groups. They looked moredesperate than dangerous, but that didn’t make them any less of a problem. “Do your mothers know where you are?”

“‘Ello, miss,” one of the older boys said, stepping forward. “I’m afraid there’s a toll ta’ pass through these back ways.”

I held my hands up, slightly shrugging. “No can do, Artful Dodger. You can pick my pockets, but I have no money.”

The ringleader looked insulted and spit at my feet. “My name ain’t Dodger.”

“Not much of a reader, huh?” Tough crowd. I continued to assess the way they’d closed in around me. Hand to hand combat was really more Sadie’s style. I could hold my own for a while. Usually. I was currently weaponless . . . against this many kids with knives? Eh. . . I wasn’t making bets, that’s for sure.

“She’s lyin’,” one kid whispered.

“Maybe not. She don’t even have a cloak. Coulda been picked over already.”

“Maybe she’s just stupid?”

“You know I can hear you right?” Two boys shot me a look in surprise before they narrowed their eyes like I’d bewitched them. And they thought I was stupid. “Here,” I said, opening my cardigan. I shivered as I exposed myself more to the cold and tried to stop my teeth from chattering. “Search for yourself.”

The older boy, Not-Dodger, grinned, a glint in his eye. He glanced down at my chest and back to my face. “We’ll take that necklace there, and ya’ can be on your way.”

The necklace.

I looked down, suddenly aware of the weight of the artifact against my sternum. The cold had nearly made meforget about it. My lips curled into a grin as a laugh bubbled up. How perfect.

“Take it. It’s all yours.” I smirked, shaking my head. Gods, I hoped they could take it off. They should be able to, but luck didn’t seem to be on my side.

The boys exchanged uncertain glances.

“What’s your deal?” another one asked, eyeing me suspiciously. “If you’re up ta’ any tricks, you’ll get cut.” He swiped his dagger through the air, clearly never having used it in his life.

Holding my hands out, I knelt down, throwing on a faux look of uncertainty. I had instant regret, but it was too late to change my position without scaring them. The cold bite of the snow pierced through my leggings and into my knees, the fleece lining doing next to nothing to create a barrier. “Look, I’m serious. I’m cold, and you all seem very dangerous.” My voice wavered just enough to sell it. “I’ll hold my hands out. You can take it off me yourself.”

One of the younger boys didn’t wait to be told twice. He rushed forward, fingers fumbling as he yanked the chain from my neck. The metal snapped easily.

And the moment it did, magic surged through me.

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