Page 46 of When We Lost The Moon

“You think I’m a rich asshole?” I frowned. “You pay more attention to what I wear than I do.”

“I have better taste,” Tobias said, then he leaned closer. “Can I tell you a secret? I’m already planning to commission a mural of this battle. You and Penelope, slashing away mutids and vampires, a chosen-turned elite and a chosen-turned queen. Side by side, lit with rays of the sun, monsters fleeing from your wrath. Very proto-feminist.”

“Sounds great,” I said, thumbing through the dresses.

“It will be. I already have an artist in mind for it.”

“So you want me to pose?” I asked.

“I’ll record the whole thing for inspiration.”

“Taking pictures?”

“Of course not. I’ll hack the drone feeds later. I’m sure the security cameras will pick up everything.”

I’d forgotten, the citadel was full of cameras. I had to keep my guard up. My mind flashed back to my encounter with the masked elite. Someone who needed to hide their identity. Someone that was still in the citadel, and could compulse, at least a little.

“Tell you what, I’ll bring the crown to Damien. But I’m not wearing that dress. I’m never wearing a dress again unless everybody else is wearing dresses too. Besides, I’m going in first, remember?”

“Oh, right. It’d just be a better picture if you were side by side.”

“When this is all over, if we’re still alive, I’ll stand wherever you want.”

“Deal,” he said.

Penelope kissed my cheeks, then stuffed the dress into a leather satchel and shoved it into my hands.

“In case anybody gets too curious,” she said. “Guards are weird about women’s clothing, and they’ll know from the fabric that you’re either a noble or some elite’s personal escort. Be safe. Wish I was going in with you.”

I followed them downstairs, where the others were waiting. It was a few hours before dawn. Steve and Jacob were still outside at the table, but now they were cleaning weapons with a handful of their men. Tobias had brought some extra elixir from the citadel, and he split the small vials between them.

“No more than five drops total, or you’ll lose your humanity. Given how you treated my wife in havoc, I doubt you have much left. Penelope will protect you while I’m gone,” he said, “and if anything happens to her, I’ll kill you. Painfully.”

The men shuffled nervously, though Steve stood at the threat.

Jacob put a hand on his arm, as if he needed restraining.

“We’re the ones who found her, feral and wild. If she was contained, it was only because she was dangerous. But you’re right, we treated her poorly. If only we had your many years of experience, I’m sure we would have made better choices.”

Penelope pulled Tobias away and we continued to the front gates. April was waiting near the exit; a shadow in the darkness until we were close enough to see her face. The sky was deep purple on the horizon, outside the black iron gates and perimeter of strung barbed wire. Camina was up to see us off, and I figured everyone else was sleeping.

“No hesitation if you’re seen,” she said. “You can’t be discovered, but if you are… strike quick and keep moving.”

I nodded, squeezing her arm. Trevor stood behind her, his eyes dark. I reached around behind his neck, feeling the coarse hair behind his ears.

“It’s too long again,” I said. “Want me to cut it for you?”

“Sure,” he said. “Do I need to make an appointment? I know you’ve got your hands full with storming the citadel and everything.”

“I’ll save the storming for later. We can enjoy it together.”

“Promise?” he asked. I linked my fingers through his, then joined April and Tobias just outside the main gates. “I’ll see you both tonight,” I called back. “After sunset.”

They waved us off and watched us head up the trail to meet Emma, who was waiting with a hoverbike. The road was clear enough by moonlight, but the dark trees scratched like black talons, erasing the stars.

12

We’d gotten a ride until we were about a mile away from the citadel; we could just see the lights through the trees. The stars were bright enough to light the smooth asphalt of the king’s road, even though the moon was a sliver that looked like a witch’s nail.

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