Page 83 of Heart of Thieves

No, the father I knew was the disguise he wore.

This is who he truly is.

“Shoot her,” he says.

I go noncorporeal as the pistols fire, and though I cannot scream without vocal cords, a cry razes through every fiber of my soul all the same as the man I still clung to—a figment of my imagination—dies.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

NIC

“Why were you so sassy with her?” Laurel asks as we lurk on the third floor of the library. Wooden bookcases with golden detailing and brass section nameplates stretch high on all sides bearing tomes of every shape, color, and size. I breathe in deeply, letting the scent of pages and leather calm my nerves.

It does little to help. Ever since Laurel caught sight of Lola through my eyes and realized she was using my magic to parade as Nocturne, the only thing that’s kept me from unraveling is my own skin.

“Astra wouldn’t have believed anything else,” I say, trying with every ounce of self-control I possess not to snap at her. “Consistency with how she knew the Liar before is paramount.”

Laurel sighs, handing me a chip of voratium and pointing at a couple on the other end of the aisle. We’ve spent the past couple hours since reaching the library planting illusions to distract the players we don’t want to make it into the second round.

“Offering deals, though?” Laurel asks, frowning. “Threatening her? That doesn’t spell ‘true love’ to me.” She wrings her fingers, her eyes darting back and forth as though searching for some kind of a threat.

Her anxiety is doing nothing to calm my own.

“All I’m saying is that you seemed a little unlikable back there. I find it very hard to believe she’s going to be interested in sharing anything with you anytime soon.” Laurel’s voice quavers on the last word as I cast an illusion at the unsuspecting couple at the end of the aisle.

She’s scared. Maybe of failing, maybe of losing my loyalty. Part of me wants to leave her in that fear, but I know exactly how dangerous it could be.

“Hey,” I say, pressing a steadying hand to her lower back. “Breathe. It’s going to be all right.”

She takes several slow breaths, then nods.

I check my watch. “It’s nearly five. Why don’t you break off to look for clues? Astra might be nearby. Could be a good time for her to receive our list of targets.”

“I’ll let you know once I’ve discovered the way out.” Her voice is still a little thin, but she manages a smile. “Why don’t you try sharing a secret with her? Women like emotional intimacy.”

“Excellent idea.” I tip my fedora before slinking away, blowing a slow stream of air through my teeth.

Gods help me not muck this up any more than I already have.

Laurel’s presence flickers in my vision, a bristling awareness that has me cringing. Is she ever going to trust me enough to let me do things on my own?

Grasping a chip of voratium, I let my magic—always tilting toward Lola like she’s gravity—pull me up the stairs, down several corridors, and up a ramp. As I approach, recognition draws my breath in tight.

I know where she is.

She’s at the astronomy observatory on the top floor.

Suddenly, I cannot breathe. The world swims, and my legs wobble.

I came to the observatory only once before. Weeks after the moon-shard broke. It was the night I finally looked through the telescope.

I haven’t been back since.

I pause before the door, swallowing hard, begging my lungs to draw in air and push it out, my heart to keep pumping, my body to stop vibrating.

Gritting my teeth, I duck inside.

The domed window is open, but thanks to Lola’s illusionary boundary, the night sky is blocked by darkness.