“They came for you,” Gabriel said. “I came for them.”

“We need to get out of here,” she said. “Before the police join this party.”

“Which is, I believe, why Olivia and Ricky are crawling around in those tunnels,” Gabriel said.

“Yes, my—sir,” the lamia said. “I just meant … I’m sorry. I’m flustered.” She stopped suddenly. “The police. That means there’s a body, right? It—it’s not … Aunika?”

“Erin,” I said. “She’s—”

“I know her. We … we were on the streets together a few years ago.” She closed her eyes and looked sick. Then she asked, “Was it quick?”

“Seemed so,” I lied.

She nodded, her gaze down as she chewed her lip. I took my first good look at her. She appeared as a girl of maybe seventeen. Dark hair in a ponytail. No makeup on an olive-skinned face that wouldn’t have been out of place on a Grecian urn, with big dark eyes and a somber expression. Her outfit, though, was classic twenty-first-century teen: hoodie, jeans, and sneakers.

Ricky spoke up. “Considering the police are upstairs, and they conveniently arrived after we were summoned here by you, you’re going to follow us and answer some questions. Hopefully, with responses we like.”

“Y-you think I called the police on you?”

I’d say that the shock on her face proved she hadn’t, but I reminded myself of what Gwynn had said. Remember these were fae. I could not take their expressions at, well, face value.

“If I framed their Mallt-y-Dos, the Cainsville fae would stomp me and all my sisters,” she said, “just to make a point.”

“You said you couldn’t get into the center,” I said. “But we just caught you using the secret route.”

“Which is blocked by cold iron at the door to Aunika’s office. I can’t use it to get up there.”

That was true. Of course, it raised the question … “If Aunika is so intent on helping the lamiae, why is she blocking her office and apartment?”

“Can I answer later? Please? The police—”

“—are otherwise occupied,” Gabriel said. “The longer we’re down here, the easier it’ll be for us to leave, allowing the first responders to clear the scene. Now you will answer Olivia’s questions or you will not contact us again.”

Melanie cast a sidelong look at Gabriel and finally said, “We don’t ever need to go into her office. The iron protects her against other fae. It’s a place to retreat if she’s threatened, a precaution all samhail take, warding their private quarters. In her apartment, it’s just the doorknob. We can get in if she lets us. As for why I was entering this way, I knew Mat—Olivia and Ricky were inside and I wanted to help them. I hoped I could do that without crossing her office threshold.”

“You weren’t exactly rushing to our aid,” I said.

“We know the tunnel exists, and we’ve used it in emergencies, but we avoid it when we can. Things happened here. To our sisters. A long time ago.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “I can still feel it. I hear them. Crying and—” She broke off and rubbed her arms.

That was why she wanted out of here so fast.

“We’ll go,” I said.

“I need to make a stop once we’re out,” Melanie said. “My sister is waiting.”

“I’m sure she can take care of herself.”

“No,” Melanie said. “Actually, she can’t.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Melanie led us nearly a half mile along the wharfs until we came to an empty building. As she tugged open a heavy door, I took out my gun.

“Pepper?” she called. “It’s me. I brought company.” She glanced over at us. “I’m hoping she recognizes you, but if she spooks, I’ll have to go after her.” She turned back to the dark room. “Hey, Pep? Come on out. I—”

A girl appeared in the circle of my penlight beam. It was the one from my visions—the one who’d chided me to help the lamiae. Yet it wasn’t. The girl in my visions had been younger than Melanie, smaller, too, with straight dark hair and a solemn face. All that matched this girl. But her expression wasn’t merely solemn. It was empty. And her eyes … She had a snake’s eyes, greenish yellow and slitted. She stared at us, unblinking. That empty gaze moved from me to Ricky. Then it landed on Gabriel.

Something flashed in those eyes. Life. Thought. Emotion. Enough to say someone lived behind the serpent’s gaze.

She walked toward Gabriel, and I could see him holding himself still, wary. She reached to touch his arm, and as he tensed, I caught her hand.

“Pepper, right?” I said.

Her skin was ice-cold and rough, like scales, though I saw only skin. As my fingers touched hers, she let out a sigh, almost a hiss of satisfaction, and her fingers wrapped around mine, her other hand reaching for my bare wrist. I started to pull away, but Melanie said, “Don’t! She won’t hurt you. It’s just … You’re warm. She can’t regulate her body temperature.”

Pepper laid both hands on my skin, her eyes slitting as she shuddered. I motioned for Ricky to take my gun. Then I clasped Pepper’s hands to warm them, and she melted against me.

“Pepper,” Melanie said, taking her shoulder. “We’ll get you warmed up. She doesn’t want that.”