Page 26 of Rebel in the Deep

“Fun to picture it, though.” Lizzie takes a sip of whatever is in her cup. “What do you want?”

I glance at the redhead and then smile when I recognize her. “Maeve. You’re the selkie from Viedna who was a key informant. You did good work.”

She blushes prettily. “Thank you.” Then she smacks Lizzie again with the kind of flirty familiarity that speaks volumes. “Be nice. He almost died.”

“How many people have died because of the rebellion?” The vampire surveys me with the kind of derision that I’ve only witnessed in my parents’ eyes. “You’re noble. Playing captive must have been the first time things didn’t go your way.”

I don’t argue with her. There’s no point. I’ve been hurt and harmed and gone without plenty of times since leaving Lyari, but there’s a thread of truth in Lizzie’s accusation, because I always had a cushion of family money to fall back on, at least in theory. All I had to do to access it was go home.

“Lizzie,” the blonde says playfully. “You’re scaring the poor man.”

“No, I’m not.”

They have a sense of history that’s interesting. I remember reading about the vampire. Siobhan was particularly interestedin her in Nox’s reports. She and Maeve obviously have some kind of relationship going, but she and the blonde just as obviously have history. “You’re not from Threshold.”

“What an astute observation,” Lizzie mutters.

The blonde rolls her eyes. “I’m Evelyn.” She holds out a hand.

I take it and give a light shake. “Bastian. Nice to meet you.”

“Lizzie and I come from a different realm, though the portal back to it is shattered now due to some…unfortunate circumstances.” She beams at me, her charisma nearly knocking me out of my seat. “I suspect you know that, though, because Siobhan knows and you were traveling with her.”

Traveling with her. That’s quite the tactful statement, especially considering that Siobhan can barely stand the sight of me these days. “Yes, I’m aware of you.” I lean forward and prop my elbows on the table, ignoring the faint hiss from Lizzie. She’s a prickly one, and although I’m not fool enough to underestimate her, from the lack of fear or concern from the other two, I assume she’s simply posturing. “I wanted to ask you a question that Nox voiced. We know the Cwn Annwn run through many realms’ myths, but I’d like to know yours.”

Evelyn’s smile doesn’t change, but her pretty green eyes sharpen. “Bowen said he mentioned the Wild Hunt to Nox last night.”

That must have been what got them thinking about it. “How does one call the Wild Hunt in your world?” I don’t even know why the question matters, only that Nox felt it important enough to wake up from bloody magical burnout to ask. The very least I can do is investigate their words while they’re still out.

“I don’t think theyarecalled.” Evelyn frowns a little. “They show up in myths and stories over an entire continent in myrealm, so it’s possible that there’s an answer to that I’m not aware of, but to the best of my knowledge, they run either randomly or based on a moon cycle or time of year.”

Maeve taps her fingers on the table. “There are a lot of different calls that go on during a mundane hunt, though. It’s not silent, regardless of whether it happens in the water or the forest. Horns, drums, the kinds of instruments that can relay orders over long distances without shouting.”

“Sure, in a normal hunt.” Evelyn shrugs. “This is a magical one. In some myths, they’re perfectly silent; in others, it’s a giant party. Whatever the original experience that spawned the myths, each culture has taken its own spin on it, which might be important or might just be how myths work.”

Their words wash over me as they continue discussing it, but little penetrates the sudden flurry of my thoughts. Horns. Drums. We don’t have much use for mundane methods of hunting things in Lyari, where the Cwn Annwn are plentiful and all the noble families have some kind of claim to magic.

But thereisa horn. It sits on a magically protected stand hidden deep in the library in the center of Lyari, on the ground floor below the Council’s meeting chamber. Technically, the noble families have access to the library whenever they like, but I have only visited a few times on one errand or another for my father. The horn is massive enough that I don’t think I could lift it, twisted and curved unlike any other I’ve seen before, the carvings in its surface inlaid with gold and jewels and spells for a purpose I couldn’t begin to guess.

I wonder if Siobhan knows about it? I wonder ifNoxdoes…

Chapter12

Nox

I wake to a fierce poundingin my head that normally suggests I had anexceedinglygood time the night before. Unfortunately, that’s not the case right now. Not when I can taste blood on my tongue and feel like I’ve been chewed on by a dragon. Magical burnout is such a bitch.

“Good. You’re awake.”

I open one bleary eye to find Bastian perched on the bunk across from me. I’m not in my cabin, but I recognize this one as on the ship. Of course it is. Where else would I be? I heft myself up and have to close my eyes again to fight against the way the room spins. I’ll have to take it easy today, but I should be feeling better by the time lunch rolls around. None of that explains why he’s sitting here, watching me sleep. “What are you doing here?”

“Siobhan needed food and didn’t want you to be alone.” The words are right, but he’s practically vibrating with excitement.“You know the library in the same building as the Council chambers? The one where they keep all the dangerous and illicit texts?”

“Why the fuck would I know about that?” I press my fingers to my throbbing temples. “Why are you asking me about that right now?”

“Nox,focus.” Bastian’s voice rings with sincerity. Of course it does. He’s perfectly sincere at all times, even when he’s breaking your heart. In the gentlest way possible, of course, as if that doesn’t make the situation a thousand times worse. “The library. There’s a giant horn in a case. Do you know what it does?”

The way he’s asking me, he obviously has some kind of idea, but I can’tthink. “When I lived in Lyari, I avoided the buildings where the Council reigns supreme. People like me weren’t welcome in the area. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

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