Ysandra leaned down to peer into Luna’s eyes. “Are you feeling better?”

Luna nodded. “Yes. So let’s get our asses in gear and go save Rhiannon.”

Check and Teral joined us. We explained to them where Rhiannon was and what we thought we might be facing.

“Vampires, at least, but they’ll be sleeping. But the other warning, I’m not so sure about. They mentioned the creatures from the heart of the world. They said the vampires were afraid of them so much that they sought out the light. Does anybody have any clue what the spirit was talking about?”

The very sound of it made my blood run cold. The Shadow Hunters were bad, but whatever the warning was, it wasn’t about them. I knew that in my heart. No, this was something older, colder, from deep in the earth. And whatever could scare a vampire had to be fucking badass.

“I wish Kaylin were here,” Luna said. “He’s really good at knowing all sorts of things like that. How is he? Is there any chance he can join us?” She turned to Check. “Can you find out?”

Check nodded. “As you wish, miss. I will send Run to the Barrow and he’ll talk to the healers.” He excused himself and headed back through the kitchen.

Chatter pointed to the clock. “Time’s ticking down, people. I know it’s not even noon yet, but we need to get our plans together. Sunset comes early these days, and once the sun goes down, Geoffrey and Leo will rise. And they expect to see Cicely in the town square at eight.”

I snorted. “They’ll see me all right, but a lot sooner than that, and on the other end of a stake.” I had a headache, and as I tried to rub my temples, the circlet interfered. I reached to remove it, but Ysandra stayed my hand.

“The Queen must never remove her crown save for in her bedchamber.” She smiled at me, almost sympathetically.

“You sound like Lainule now,” I grumbled, but in secret, it felt good to have her order me around. Ysandra might not be the Queen of Summer, but she was stronger and wiser than me, and I had a feeling I’d be coming to rely on her more and more as time went on. And I was learning all too quickly what it meant to be the one in charge, and I wasn’t sure I liked it.

“Lainule and I had a talk before they left for the Golden Isle.” She hesitated, then rested a hand on my shoulder. “You are not alone, Cicely. You aren’t alone.”

“All right, if there are dungeons below the Abby Theater, how do we get to them? Where could the entrance be? I haven’t been in there since…well…since I was five, I think. I can’t even remember what Heather took Rhiannon and me to see.” I searched my memory—not because the show mattered, but because it was one more link to a past I’d never see again. And then a vision of dancing toys came to mind and I clapped. “Oh! It was Babes in Toyland! Anyway, is it even open anymore?”

Ysandra shook her head. “The Abby Theater shut down over ten years ago. Lack of funding, I think. Or perhaps lack of interest. We don’t have the time to ask City Hall to give us blueprints, and even then, we’d have to present a special request as to why, so we’re out of luck there. We may just have to break in. If Lannan or Regina were awake, they could probably get us in there without a problem since they effectively run the town government.”

“Yeah, but by the time they wake up, it will be too late, since Geoffrey and Leo will also be awake. Okay, so we leave a message for them, letting them know what we’re doing in case we get waylaid. They might be able to help us if that happens. Then we go in through the alley, which means making sure nobody spots us and reports us. Again, Lannan could get us out of trouble, but by that time…too late.” I frowned. “The spirit said that there are ways in through the alleys and down in the streets. I’m guessing back entrance and sewer system.”

Peyton made a face. “I’d really rather not go down in the sewer system.”

“Well, it would be easy enough to get lost in there, that’s for certain. But if we have to, we have to. So wear old clothes.” I leaned forward, resting my elbow on my knees. “So what do we take with us? What weapons do we have? I can stir up a tornado, but inside, that could do more damage than it might help. I’ve got my queen’s dagger, but I’m not all that adept with it.”

Grieve spoke up, arching one eyebrow. “Do not forget. We have the entire armories of the Marburry and Eldburry Barrows at our fingertips. The guards will be going with us, and frankly, they’re not going to want you going in at all.”

“Too fucking bad. That’s my cousin in there.” As I spoke, Check entered the room again, dropping to one knee by my side.

A ghost of a smile flickered across his face at my statement, but he said nothing of it. Instead, he brought news about Kaylin. “The night-veil heals quickly, but he is not going to be allowed out of the ward. The healers say he took far too much damage from the vampires and must build his blood supply back. We could not give him a transfusion because of the changed nature of his body from the demon who is bound to him.”

Kaylin couldn’t have blood transfusions?

“You’re serious? We can’t ever give him a transfusion if he needs it?”

Check rose to his feet, standing at attention. “Correct. Normal blood could kill him. The demon changed his DNA, which changed the structure of his blood. It bleeds as freely and as red as yours or mine, but it is not yummanii, nor is it magic-born, nor fully that of the night-veil. He’s a hybrid, as are all of the Children of the Bat People.”

Well, that was that. No way would I allow Kaylin to go with us if he wasn’t at his full game. “He’s out, then.”

“Your Highness…” Check hesitated, shifting from one foot to the other.

“What is it?”

“Please reconsider going. The guards and I can take care of this matter.” But even as he said it, the expression on his face told me he knew I was going to brush him off.

“You know my answer to that. But you and the guards…gather weapons. We go in at a force. We’re also going to have to deal with Geoffrey’s stable who are loyal to him. The day-runners, the ones who fight back, we’ll have to dispatch. But his stable…they are probably under thrall and not necessarily there of their own free will, knowing the former Regent, and Leo. I don’t want them hurt if we can help it.”

“That will put your cousin in danger, Your Highness. Bloodwhores work to the will of their masters.” A sense of gloom filled his voice.

I wasn’t sure what to do. I looked over at Ysandra, but she shrugged, indicating this was my decision. Turning to my love, I said, “Grieve…what…”

He stopped me before I even got the question out. “I would not give them quarter. But…this is your decision, Cicely. You are the Queen. You’re in charge, and it’s up to you. We have to get Rhiannon back before they turn her.”

It felt wrong, condemning a group to potential death just because they had fallen in thrall with Geoffrey and Leo, but they had made a free choice to do so. They’d chosen to go with the vampires when they were ousted from power. And now they might have to die for that choice.

“We do whatever we need to in order to rescue my cousin. But…if there are children there, and I sincerely hope there aren’t…spare them.” Having made the decision, I felt settled, at least. “We’ll need stakes…what else? Silver weapons work against vampires. Sunlight, of course. Garlic!”

Luna jumped up. “We have plenty of garlic in the house. The minute Regina’s crew cleared out, I brought several long garlic braids in here to discourage them returning. I can run a thread through the bulbs and we can wear them…or we can just keep them in our pockets. I’ll go break apart one of the braids right now. There should be enough for most of the guards.”

As she hustled into the kitchen, I glanced down at my clothes. “We need to wear fighting gear. I’m still dressed in what I was wearing last night. Check, please have one of your men run back to the Barrow and bring me a pair of dark jeans, a turtleneck, and my dagger. I left it there. Also…have Druise make certain I have clean underwear.” It felt weird to talk to the guard about panties, but right now, I didn’t care. I just wanted to get into that theater and get Rhia back.

He bowed and was off. Peyton and Ysandra took over on the garlic while Luna went upstairs to change. Grieve and Chatter were out organizing the guards. That left me alone. I wandered over to the wall, where a picture of Rhiannon and Heather hung. They looked happy, but even then, there was a cloud in Rhia’s eyes. The incident that had happened when she was thirteen had changed her forever, just as my mother’s dragging me away to live in the streets had changed me forever.

Another picture also graced the walls. Rhia must have dug it out of storage. It was the two of us when we were five. It had been taken shortly after we met Grieve and Chatter out in the forest. We were wide-eyed, happy and laughing in the photograph, with the wind playing with our hair, sweeping it across our faces. In the background, the Veil House sparkled on a rare summer day.

I lifted the photograph off the wall, thinking back to that time in our lives. Twenty-one years had passed…but it seemed like a lifetime ago. I gently pressed my lips to Rhia’s image.

We’re coming for you, cousin. We’re coming…hang on.

She will. She’s strong. Ulean’s presence enveloped me, and I leaned into her cool strength that flowed around me.

I hope you’re right, was all I whispered back.

By the time we set out—a large force—it was one thirty. But we had twenty guards with us, and Grieve, Chatter, and I were at the helm. We couldn’t go in en masse, or the cops might interfere, so we’d have to trickle in, to avoid surrounding the building.

We all had garlic on our persons, and backpacks with stakes, ropes, and anything else we thought we might need. My dagger was firmly strapped to my thigh, around my jeans, and my turtleneck was snug and warm beneath my leather jacket. I’d opted for a lighter leather, one that was easier to maneuver in, although it would still protect me against some attacks, a lot like armor.

Luna wore a pair of thermal leggings beneath a thigh-length tunic, with a light jacket and knee boots. Peyton was in her usual jeans and a polo shirt, and she also wore a leather jacket. But it was Ysandra that made me blink. This was the second time I’d seen her dressed for action, and both times it threw me.

She was wearing a catsuit—black this time instead of white, and it fit her like a glove, showing off a curvy but toned figure. The one-piece was banded around the hips with a silver belt, off which hung several gadgets that I didn’t recognize. Her hair was in a braid instead of the usual chignon, and she reminded me of a modern-day Emma Peel from the old Avengers show that I’d seen on late-night TV reruns. All she needed was a Mr. Steed to make the image complete.

The weather was on our side. The snow, which had tapered off for a few days after we routed Myst from the Marburry Barrow, had returned with a vengeance, which meant Myst was near. It wasn’t a fit day out for man or beast. I only hoped the Queen of the Indigo Court would hold off until we were done with our mission. Once we had taken care of Geoffrey and Leo, then we could turn our attention to her again.

Don’t forget Crawl is out there, too. Ulean’s warning sent a shiver down my spine.

Trust me, I won’t.

As we approached the town, we broke into groups. The Fae could run in a blur. Some might see them, or sense that something had just passed by, but for the most part, they could get in without being noticed. We, however—at least Luna, Peyton, Ysandra, and I—had to be more cautious. And since Grieve and Chatter refused to leave our sides, they, too, had to slow their movements to our own. And I sure didn’t trust my ability to control my new speed enough to make use of it under these circumstances. Too much rode on our ability to remain unnoticed.

As we approached the Abby Theater, I glanced around the sidewalks. There weren’t many shoppers out. The weather was atrocious.

“We’re due for whiteout conditions,” Luna said, holding up her phone. “I just checked the weather report, and we could have a blizzard on our hands.”

“We don’t get blizzards here,” I said, but then shrugged. “Although, with Myst, I guess we do now. At least we’ll be inside for this, but if we are out, and anybody gets separated from the group, try to find shelter.”

I pulled my jacket tighter, making sure it was zipped all the way up. Lights dotted the streets here and there, mostly from small businesses hoping someone would brave the weather to come buy their goods, but the cars were scarce and pedestrians even more so. Which was a good thing for us.

We slipped into the alley next to the theater and followed it around to the back. The old parking lot behind the building had been turned into a junkyard. A fence ran around most of it, and inside, junker cars filled the lot. But again, signs of life were scarce, and that ran in our favor.

The back of the building was a testament to the word weathered. It had fared worse than the front, though I wasn’t sure why, but the brick was broken and cracked, and graffiti artists had done their best to cover the walls with everything from gang tags to actual art. I recognized a Lupa Clan tag and shook my head. The werewolves liked to mark their territory, all right.

There was an old set of double doors that looked welded shut, but when we examined them closer, I saw they were just covered with rust. But then something else caught my eye—a large grate in the middle of the alleyway behind the theater. I knelt by it, running my fingers around the edges. Unlike most of the other grates along the road, this one had no plant life growing up around it. It wasn’t caked with dirt, debris, or ice. I wrapped my fingers around the grating and tugged. It shifted, just a little. I tugged again, and it shifted again.