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Even though the curtains were pulled back with shiny gold rope, the windows were pitch black.
“The ride will be thirteen minutes,” he informed me. “No matter where we go, it’s always thirteen minutes.”
“I assume there’s a reason for that.”
“Mmmm… debatable. Some people think the train likes that number because it’s unlucky and it thrives off of the contrary. Others believe the train sucks thirteen minutes of life force from our immortal souls and uses it to power the engine.”
“Public transit deserves a proper fare.”
He snapped his fingers. “Exactly! Brilliant way to put it.”
I sighed, completely out of energy for more surprises. I admitted, “I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this.”
“How so?” Razai gazed wistfully out the dark window.
“How this place exists. What it’s for. Who are those people in the Underground? Why are they there?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t have any idea? That seems strange.”
“Everyone has a reason. They don’t fit in somewhere. They’re running from someone. Something. They’re mixed breed and unhappy with how society treats them. They’re criminal. They’re lovers from two Territories. They think their skills are put to better use for those living in the Underground. Or, they just visit. For vice. For the thrill. For safety. Think of any and every reason, and you’ll find a person who’s been to the Underground for it.”
“Why did you first come?”
He flashed me a devious smile and tapped his sternum. Through the shirt, the blocking talisman created an outline. “I like to make myself more magically impressive so I can seduce unassuming amateur investigators. It’s all the rage these days.”
My flat stare made him throw back his head and laugh. “Gods, I love it when you look at me like that. You’re so expressive that I feel like I can hear your scathing thoughts before you even voice them.”
The velvet seat suddenly became especially interesting to stare at. “Right. So, you just buy fancy talismans and spells?”
“Among other things. Did you think I could casually kick down a steel door any old night?”
My spine straightened. “Oh. Oh. You had something to enhance strength. That makes way more sense. Wait, not the—”
“No, not the bad kind,” he assured. “I have better taste than that.” He draped his long arms over the backrest. “But yes, the one I used increases strength ten times over for the span of ten seconds and protects your body from getting destroyed. Good thing, since I’m much less handsome with shattered hands and feet.”
“We won’t know unless you try,” I challenged.
“There’s that sass again.”
“What else have you gotten?” I pressed, unable to contain my interest.
“All sorts of charms and spells. Physical shielding, stealth enhancement, magical tuning, anti-hangover, signal sharing so I could find my companions, a disguise here and there—oh! One time, I drank a potion that made me semi-transparent, but that was strictly on a dare. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you enjoy feeling low-grade electrocution for six hours straight. And the vomiting afterward wasn’t pretty.”
I snapped, “Why didn’t you tell me about this before? When you first told me about your talisman?”
“You’re angry.”
“I am. Not at you, entirely. Just at the fact that this place really has existed, and I haven’t known about it.”
“If it makes you feel better, most people believe it’s an urban legend, and that’s by design. The higher-ups in the world all know it exists, but there are secret treaties in place to keep it safe. You see, the Underground connects all five boroughs of New York. It’s seen as unclaimed Territory, but each side maintains a level of peace surrounding it. As long as it stays hidden and out of the public eye, they can live with its existence.”
That didn’t really dampen my anger, but I appreciated the explanation. “How did you find out about it?”
His gaze rolled to the ceiling, both mocking and self-deprecating.
“Oh, right,” I realized. “Archangels. You’re technically a higher-up, or you’re connected to one.”
