Page 218 of The Mercy of Dawn

A rational part of her brain told her she needed to stop now.

That she needed to walk her impulsive, stubborn arse right out of this warehouse as quietly and quickly as possible, and haul herself back to the city station. That she needed to wait for Mika and Kaia, and Ari and Gunner.

But Rhodea blood flowed through her veins, and that meant rational thoughts came second to action.

Every part of the rusted metal groaned in displeasure as she hauled open the hatch and let its door settle at the base of the stairs. Cyril tugged off her cowl, pushing damp and clinging strands of hair from her face, and wedged the fabric into the hinges.

A single deep breath and she descended the haphazardly repaired steps into the dimness of the cellar below on uneasy legs.

The dust and rot-laden air gave way to something damp and heavy with a sharp, iron tang, and all Cyril could hear was the rushing of her heartbeat in her ears.

A warm, flickering firelight poured out from an entry halfway down the hall.

Cyril eased her way to it, her back pressed up against the opposite wall. She fought to school her breath into something more even, something more controlled, reciting those damn counts Bron drilled into her in her mind.

A count of five in, a count of five out.

A count of five in, a count of five out.

A count of five—

Cyril stepped into the room.

Her hand flew to her mouth, muffling the ragged noise that came out of her.

Chapter 53

Mikael wasn’t a man who often found himself with regrets, but he barely lasted an hour after Cyril left before he was slipping back out into the hall. He didn’t even care Kaia seemed to have abandoned her post when he found Ari and Gunner pacing for their patrols outside the ballroom.

They looked at him expectantly, like they were just waiting for this to happen.

“Go find Cyril. I—” He drew his lips into a tight line. “I made an error in my judgment and…I fucked up. She should not be alone out there.”

Gunner nodded, ready as always, but Ari gave the ballroom doors an uneasy glance and said, “Should we find someone to—”

“There are forty men in that fucking room, mostly fae, and at least half are magic wielders of some variety. If they can’t take care of themselves, there is no hope for any of us.” Mikael pointed down the hall. “Go. Find Cyril, and wait for me at the city station. I’ll get out of here as soon as I can and meet you there.”

Gunner took off running down the hall without another word, leaving the captain to scramble after him, swearing.

Mikael took a slow, deep breath before he stepped back into the ballroom.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d made a terrible mistake.

Chapter 54

Hell wouldn’t even begin to describe what Cyril walked into. The blood…it was everywhere.

The other murders were nothing compared to this.

The thick tang of blood and death and decay hung so fucking heavy in the air, it was all Cyril could smell, all she could taste. Her breath sawed in ragged, shaky bursts behind her hand.

Every fiber of Cyril’s being screamed at her to run, to get as fucking far away as she could, but her body wouldn’t move.

Even with canvas bags shrouding their heads, there was no doubt in Cyril’s mind who the three maimed bodies chained to the far wall belonged to, their wrists manacled up high above their heads.

The emblem of the guard was embossed into their leather boots, the toes of which barely skimmed the dirt and gravel floor.

The bits of blue and black uniform, saturated in blood and left in shreds.