I did it! I made it to post 100! I find myself celebrating the small things now…

Anyway, back to what happened…

It took us two days to make it work. Mostly because Riv took some convincing. She had worked at the library for years, and had almost unfettered access to everything. But there were things in the library she wasn’t supposed to share. 

If someone found out what we were doing, it could mean trouble for my sister. I did not want that. Not even for a moment. 

Nor did I want to bring her into something dangerous.

Coty had pointed out where what we were doing might just be that.

But if someone was threatening the goddess of our people, I needed something more than just half a conversation to convince Theo to actually do something. 

I hadn’t realized how dismissive he could be until recently.

Or maybe he has always been like this, so sure that what he “sees” or decides is the only way the world can be? 

That is not fair to the rest of us non-prognosticators, I don’t think. 

We were going to have to shake my guard. They did not guard Coty at all. 

Which completely surprised me. I mean, there are guards on our floor at night, but other than my guards, they aren’t specific. Just to guard the sixth floor.

But Coty and her sisters were related to the Dhan and several other high-level equa. They should have been guarded better than they were.

I feel guilty about deceiving my guard, but he is not Tol. That matters.

That was another reason my plan had to be executed today. I would not hurt Tol or betray him. 

Now here we are, ready to defy the king and go a mere hundred yards from the hotel. 

I have lived for sixty-eight years. Have taken care of myself for most of that time. Yet, one hundred yards terrify me.

And someone else controls the permission I have. The right to make my own choices. 

Coty stood next to me. 

We have slipped away from my guard by simply taking the servant exit at the rear of Theo’s library. It was a simple setup.

A few hallways and a hidden door, and we were here. 

I have known the servants’ path through the hotel and every governmental office housed within it for decades. Today… today was so simple.

Almost too simple.

“You ready to face the big, bad… backyard?” Coty asked next to me. 

“N-n-no time like the present.” 

I led the way. 

Absolutely nothing happened. No one was out there to harass us, either. 

We got lucky.

I knew that.

We kept going. To the back entrance of the library. 

Riv slipped open the door just as we approached. “Hurry!”

We did.

I risked one more glance over my shoulder toward the hotel we had just left.

There was a black hawk sitting on a tree branch far too close to where we were.

I almost swore… he was watching us.

Which was just ridiculous. 

I think I may have been reading far too many of Alaun’s demon adventure romance novels lately.