He drops Hudson so fast and hard that Hudson almost doesn’t land in a crouch. “What did you say?” Vander whispers, and the eyes he turns to me are filled with tears.

“She said you would know what that meant,” I tell him.

“She still remembers the poem.” His breathing is shaky now. “She still remembers me?”

“She loves you, Vander,” Hudson tells him. “She’s never stopped loving you. She suffers for it.”

The last is like a body blow to the giant, knocking him back down on his boulder even as his hands shake. “And our children?”

“We didn’t get to meet them,” I tell him softly. “Only Falia, who is filled with grief at your absence. Who holds on to the promise you made her—the ring you gave her.”

His gaze fills with anguish, with such naked pain that it’s almost too painful to witness.

But I press on. “You made her a promise…and I promised her I would help you see it through. That I would free you and send you home to her.” I pause, consider Vander might need a bit more convincing. “And that’s not just an ordinary promise. I’m the future gargoyle queen, and my promises become law.” I pause, studying his face to see if my hyperbole landed.

He still looks skeptical.

“We have a plan to escape,” Remy says quickly.

“But we’ll be needing that key first,” Hudson adds.

At first, the blacksmith doesn’t say anything. He just stares into space, tears the size of my fist rolling slowly down his face. Finally, when I’m beginning to think that we didn’t reach him—that there’s nothing left to reach—he whispers, “This key. When do you need it by?”

The five of us exchange a quick look. “Tonight,” Remy says. “If you think you can manage.”

The blacksmith glances at the exposed metal beams in the warehouse, then stares back down at us. “I need six hours.”

“Six hours to make it?” Hudson asks, to clarify. “If we come back in six hours, you’ll have the key?”

“If you come back in six hours, you’ll have the key. And you’ll have me.” His gaze glides over all the others to lock with mine. “You’ll take me out with you when you go?”

“I promise,” I tell him. “We have a way to free you.”

He nods, then says again, “Six hours. I’ll be ready.”

I smile up at him softly and say, “Thank you.”

He nods. “Thank you.”

I want to bask in the win for a minute—and the fact that we might actually get out of here and find a way to free the Unkillable Beast—but apparently Remy has bigger fish to fry.

I’ve barely taken two steps away from the giant when Remy claps his hands and says, “If we’ve only got six hours, we had better get busy.”

133

Everyone’s Got

a Little Skin

in the Game

“What do we need to do?” Flint asks as we head back into the darkened alley that led to the blacksmith, and I can tell from the way he’s bouncing on the balls of his feet that he’s ready to get going.

Not that I blame him. I’m so excited that the blacksmith agreed to help us that I’m ready to jump out of my skin. I’ve been so afraid that he would say no, so afraid that he would have forgotten about his wife and children and want to stay here, where he thinks he belongs.

But that didn’t happen. He’s making the key to free the Unkillable Beast, and he’s coming with us. I couldn’t think of anything more badass than that if I tried.

“I need you and Calder to find Bellamy. He’s here in the Pit today, but he’s hard to find. Tell him I need a number. He’s the only one who knows the right one.”

Flint looks confused. “A number? Like any number, or are you talking about a specific one? Because I can give you a number right now. I can give you lots of numbers—”

“It’s a specific number, and he’ll know what I need,” Remy tells Flint with a shake of his head. “And before you start in about not knowing who Bellamy is—”

“I don’t.”

“Calder does. That’s why I put you two together.” He looks to his friend. “Check the gaming shops first. See if you can pick up his trail there.”

“I was planning on it. This isn’t my first rodeo.” She loops an arm through Flint’s. “Let’s go, big guy.”

As the two walk away, with Calder trying to lead Flint in a song none of us has ever heard of, Remy turns to me. “I need you to come with me, Grace. We have somewhere to be and not a minute to waste.”

“Where are we going?” Hudson asks.

“Not we,” Remy shoots back. “Only Grace and I are going. We have something else we need to do. I’ve seen it. But I’ve got a different job for you.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not leaving Grace’s side.”

“I know I’m only human, but I’ll be okay,” I assure him. I try to focus on how sweet it is that my mate wants to protect me, instead of that he doesn’t think I can protect myself.

His eyebrows shoot up. “Of course you’ll be okay, Grace.” He shakes his head. “You’re right. You’ll be fine without me. Where do you need me to go, Remy?”

“To the rings. If we’re going to get out of here, we’re going to need a lot of money. Only way to make that much money in this short of time? Fight for it.” He shrugs. “That is, if you think you got it in you.”

“Where do I start?” Hudson grins, even as he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me into him.

“There are four different rings two streets over. Pick one and get started.” He tosses Hudson a couple of gold coins. “These should get you bought in.”

Hudson catches them with his free hand and slides them in his pocket. “I’ve got my own, but thanks.” Then he turns his head and presses soft kisses to my cheek and ear. “I’ve got this, babe.”

“You’re going off to beat the shit out of people and let them beat the shit out of you. Sounds delightful. You better come back in one piece,” I insist.

“Guess you’ll just have to wait and see.” He gives me one more kiss—a real one this time—then pulls away. And gives Remy a warning look. “I want her in exactly this condition when you get back from whatever errand you need to run.”

I roll my eyes. “I could say the same for you.”

But he merely laughs and promises, “I’ll try,” before heading back the way we came.

“That’s not very reassuring!” I call after him, but he simply laughs again and fades away.

“He better not get hurt,” I tell Remy as he herds me in the other direction.

“Yeah, well, hurry up.” Remy really starts to hustle me along. “Or you’re going to miss your shot at proving your own badassery.”

I narrow my eyes. “I don’t do fight clubs.”

“You won’t have to.” He laughs. “It’s not that kind of place.”

“What kind of place is it?” I ask.

“Far more exciting.”

134

I’m Wearing a Lot

More than a Heart

on My Sleeve

Ten minutes later, I’m staring at the window of the shop Remy wants to take me into. Hard.

“I’d rather do the fight clubs,” I tell him, eyes wide.

“Yeah, well, that’s Hudson’s job. This is yours.”

I shake my head. “I say we switch.”

He laughs, the jerk. He actually laughs. Even as he starts guiding me straight for the door. “I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way.”

“Dude, I’m not getting inked.”

“You have to.”

“Excuse me?” I glare at him. “You don’t get to make that decision for me.”

He sighs. “I’m not trying to force you into anything. Except if we want to get all of us out of this place, this is the only way I know to do it.”

“With a tattoo?” I ask skeptically.

“With one of Vikram’s tattoos,” he answers as he holds the door for me. “I have a theory.”

“I’m about to get inked for a theory?”

“You’re about to get inked by one of the most powerful warlocks in the Pit for a theory.” He winks. “It’s not the same thing.”

“So what is it, then?” I ask him.

“I’ve been thinking about this ever since you pulled me into Hudson’s hellscape. You can channel magic, right?”

“You know I can.” I glance around the place, which looks more like an upscale hair salon than any tattoo parlor I’ve ever seen. Not that I’ve seen a lot of them, but unless every movie ever is lying—not to mention every tattoo parlor I’ve ever driven by—this is a really chichi one. Which isn’t a bad thing, I decide, as the green-and-gold-haired receptionist offers us cucumber water as we wait. “But I can’t use your magic like you can. I can only channel it.”

He nods. “I noticed that. I think it’s because you’re not built to hold magic—so it leaves you as soon as you receive it. You’re a conduit.”