Page 30 of Daughter of the Dark

Muki didn’t climb. That was always something she could count on when out hunting with Sami. They had various buildings they could always escape to and know they were safe, and get a bird’s-eye view of the city and the monsters lurking below. Even with uncoordinated and unnatural limbs, the fact that the muki was attempting the climb at all sent ripples down Solana’s spine.

“Reyes,” she said low. The muki’s abysmal eyes snapped to them. It abandoned its attempt to climb in favor of skittering onto all fours, growling and baring its knifelike teeth in a grim warning. Solana itched to wrap her hand around her dagger, to push off and launch herself at the threat before it came at them, but she held her ground.

It curled its claws into the stone and then pushed off with a burst that sent it sailing halfway down the street. From the corner of her eye, Solana saw Reyes shift his weight forward, but he stayed where he was, waiting for something.

“What are you doing?” Solana seethed. One more leap and it would be on them. They would lose the advantage of space and time, and while Solana was immune to their poison, she was not immune to their teeth ripping into her throat. But she assumed Reyes had a plan, so she fought against her instincts and threw herself when the muki barreled by, narrowly dodging the arm it swept out to the side.

Reyes was not so lucky. She heard his grunt and then rolled over to see the muki hovering over him, gloved hands pushing against its upper arms, successfully holding back razor-sharp talons and teeth. She had just enough presence of mind to keep her dagger sheathed but could think of nothing else to do except throw herself at the muki and wrap arms and legs around its back.

It reared off Reyes with an ear-piercing screech. Its spindly arms bent at an awkward angle to reach her, one of its talons catching a chunk of her hair and ripping it out of the braid—possibly out of her head. Through the tears that sprung to her eyes, she watched Reyes reach into his cloak and produce a small vial of iridescent liquid.

Sensing his approach, the muki swung wildly with one arm. Reyes ducked and rolled to avoid being impaled. “Godsdamnit,” he yelled, the small vial tumbling away from his hand.

Solana lost her grip and slammed into the wall, and the muki, now free of her, dove directly for Reyes. She was too far to reach the vial or the muki or Reyes. Too far to do anything, even with her dagger.

Ears ringing, vision throbbing, she did the only thing she felt compelled to do. “STOP, FOR GODSSAKE,” she yelled, the words like a physical blow that knocked the muki back onto its haunches.

It felt like the world paused just for her. Because of her. Chest heaving and hands shaking, Solana slowly pushed to her feet and strode to the muki, a tether pulling her closer and closer until she was towering over it, able to see the anticipation in its eyes, to understand the pure relief in its final exhale.

Or what should have been its final exhale. Instead, arms wrapped around Solana’s waist and hauled her backward. A hand swiped the dagger out of her grasp that she hadn’t even known was there, ready to end a life and suffering. She struggled against the grip around her waist, against the stretching of that tether that beckoned her closer, until Reyes plunged the vial into the side of the frozen muki’s neck and it snapped, stealing the breath from her lungs.

Solana pressed her palms to her chest to hold herself together, watching from what felt like a distance as Reyes and Nikolas efficiently subdued the sleeping creature. The arms around her slipped away and Oskar stepped to her side with a look of apology on his face. Cora came closer and held out her dagger. Solana snatched it back and slid it into its sheath. “That was unnecessary,” she said to no one in particular.

“What happened?” Cora asked. “We didn’t hear the signal for approaching.”

Everyone turned to Reyes, including Solana. There had been whistles, a language she didn’t yet understand, but Reyes hadn’t responded. He’d acted slow when dodging the muki, almost as if he was hesitating. And then the way he had fumbled the vial … none of it made sense.

From what she knew of him, Reyes didn’t fumble. He didn’t hesitate or put himself in danger without knowing exactly what to do.

Unless he had done it all on purpose. A test, she had thought. To prove a point, but the point in question was her ability. She closed her eyes and remembered the way she had been compelled to speak, to command. As if the depths of her soul demanded it.

Just what Reyes had accused her of while his blade tore into her thigh. When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her, waiting to see if she understood, if she would reveal herself and the fact that he had done this on purpose. The muki wasn’t the only one who had been cornered.

Solana counted to ten and shook out her hands. She plastered on a smile and gave everybody exactly what they wanted. “I need a drink,” she said honestly, and whirled around, back toward the center of the city where she knew a tavern or two kept the fools in town watered.

“Finally, she has a good idea,” Suri mumbled.

At this rate, Solana felt like she wouldn’t make it another six days, much less six months.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The tavern Nikolas led them to was like Jacobi’s in some ways, and very unlike it in others. It was more of a proper establishment, with plush settees and low lights and a stage where a woman in a velvet dress sang a sorrowful song about gods and greed and lost love. There were people in all types of dress, from factory uniforms to crushed velvet coats and brocaded dresses. Solana had been afraid they would be underdressed in their Masters uniform, but nobody looked at her twice.

They sat at a round table in the corner, empty glasses in the center, a conversation she couldn’t keep track of between them, and waited for the ceviche they had ordered. According to Nikolas, the place was known for it, attracting patrons from as far as Iques. Solana was just happy to have some pisco. Though it wasn’t nearly as good as Jacobi’s, it was good enough to loosen her muscles and slow her racing mind.

The music wasn’t as good, either. The woman was talented, there was no doubt about that, but the cuatro player was overpowering her, going hard when it should have been seductive, flying through melody that needed savoring. Celeste could have played circles around him.

“Your ceviche.” A bowl of cold fish and vegetables marinating in citrus juices landed among their empty glasses with more force than necessary. Solana caught a glass before it bounced off the table and looked up, ready to take out all her bridled anger on a convenient stranger.

The words dried up in her throat. Standing in front of their table, brawny arms crossed over a broad chest, an apron tied around his waist and his curly hair still way too long, was Sami.

“Here I was, worried you’d been killed.” Sami turned and stormed off, his hands curled into fists at his sides. Mouth gaping, Solana did nothing but watch him disappear.

Nikolas whistled low. “What are the odds,” he said unhelpfully.

Very low, she wanted to say. Instead, she pushed out of her chair and ignored Cora calling her name. Sami turned to the right and disappeared through a door behind the bar. She jogged to catch up and ignored someone else trying to get her attention, intent only on getting to Sami. She had watched him get dragged through the gates and gain freedom. Why not return home?

The possible reason made her sick to her stomach.