Gates of Thread and Stone

CHAPTER 24

IN THE MORNING, we gathered our things and met Mason at the front entrance.

Like the day we arrived, the dense fog was a physical presence. The smoky gray wrapped around our legs and crawled up our sleeves. High above, the obscure shapes of the gargoyles hopped along their rocky perches as they patrolled. My fear of them felt distant. I was stronger than that now.

Mason waited at the base of the bridge with Hina, who would be joining us on the trek back to Ninurta. She had her long red braid coiled into a tight bun. Beside them on the black earth were two Grays, one of which I recognized. It was the Gray we’d crashed. A seam scarred the neck where the metal had been welded together. Several other metal sheets along its body had been replaced.

“Surprise!” Mason said, patting our Gray’s head. “We made some cosmetic repairs and replaced the energy stone with a more efficient one. I improved on your modifications as well. She’s as good as new. Even better.”

Avan looked genuinely pleased. He mounted the Gray, flexing his hands on the grip. Then he tugged a lever along the neck. The Gray’s chest lit up, and the metal rippled to life, much more smoothly than the first time we’d ridden it.

“Nice,” he said. “Thank you.” His gaze felt heavy when it fell on me. “Riding with me or Mason?”

I dropped my bag into the compartment on top of Avan’s and pulled myself into the saddle without his help. Pressed thigh to thigh and chest to back, I could feel the moment he exhaled.

“What about the gargoyles in the Outlands?” I asked Mason. “They aren’t exactly as well behaved as the guards here.”

“We’ve had a few skirmishes in the past, and I think they know we’re not easy prey. They’ve learned to leave us alone.”

Mason and Hina, who flashed me an encouraging grin, mounted the other Gray, which looked like a mix between an enormous dog and a bear. My hands gripped Avan’s hips as our Gray gave a jarring shimmy and stomped its feet. The metal shifted beneath me. This was it.

I’m coming, Reev.

We followed Mason over the bridge. It didn’t feel as long as it had on foot.

Above us, the gargoyles leaned forward on their lampposts, their claws scraping the rusted metal as they watched us pass. On impulse, I waved. They didn’t respond.

After we crossed into the Void, the fog thinned. I looked behind us. The fog consumed the bridge and dissipated in the dry air until nothing was left but the black stretch of dead earth. I understood now why Ninu couldn’t find Irra’s fortress.

The Grays lifted a trail of billowing dust as we raced across the Void. Avan pulled up alongside Mason to avoid choking on dirt. Judging by its speed, Mason’s Gray must’ve had the same kind of modifications as ours. We would be out of the Void in a few hours. I was happy not to have to spend the night here.

The bleak emptiness reminded me of how I’d felt standing at the fringe of Etu Gahl. The familiarity was probably why Irra had chosen this place to hide.

My hands tightened at Avan’s hips. He turned his head.

“It’s weird,” he said, “how we can still feel the aftermath of what happened here.”

“Do you think this is how everyone felt after the war?”

“It’s no wonder Ninu took advantage. People would have been desperate for leadership.”

I rested my head against his shoulder. I must have dozed, because Avan’s shouts woke me. I peered over his shoulder to where Mason pointed. The border of the Void ended at vivid green underbrush and tall trees. I blinked and scanned the forest line. The trees were within reach, but Mason and Avan showed no signs of slowing down.

“How are we getting through?” I asked.

“We trust Mason,” Avan said just as the other Gray veered to the right.

Mason aimed for a gap between the trees. I held my breath, but there was no clamor of metal scraping bark, only the whisper of air through the leaves as the Gray passed through. Avan lowered himself over our Gray’s neck and followed suit.

We fit perfectly through the gap. I dared to look up. Mason led us through the trees, weaving in a precisely executed pattern. I eased my grip on Avan.

Some gaps were so narrow that leaves and twigs snagged my hair. I had tied it back but realized now why Hina had chosen a tightly wound braid.

The temperature had risen since we entered the forest. I drew a deep breath of the humid air. The weight of it was welcome after the emptiness of the Void. Seeing the colors here, everything else paled in comparison. Even Mason’s rug and the drapes in the hospital wing lacked the same sort of life.

Watching Mason and Avan dodge trees made me nervous, so I pressed my forehead to Avan’s back. I trusted him to stay close to Mason and get us through. We traveled slower now. The trees grew closer together here.

Moisture gathered where my body met Avan’s. I blew at the hair sticking to my cheek and thought how unfair it was that even the back of Avan’s neck looked attractive.

Judging by the drops that scattered over us as we passed, it had rained recently. I wished it would rain now. The longer we were in the forest, the less bearable the humidity became.

I kept my head down and tried not to squirm too much even though my leg had fallen asleep. I didn’t want to distract Avan. I wasn’t looking for another crash landing.

After a couple of hours, I was panting as if I’d been running from gargoyles. Avan breathed a little heavier than normal, but his heartbeat remained steady against my hand. Finally, Avan nudged me with his elbow, and I looked over to see Mason pointing ahead.

The trees had gone from lush and green to brown and brittle. Bright light filtered through the branches. We hit a wall of dry heat as we broke through the forest, leaving the humid, leafy maze behind. We picked up speed, the Grays’ legs blurring across the earth. I pictured the prostitute’s map in my head and mentally tracked our progress. I would have offered the map, which was currently squashed at the bottom of my bag, to Mason; but he seemed to know where he was going.

I dug into my bag to find the large package of food that Rennard had left outside our doors this morning. It included everything from bread and cheese to leftover cake from last night. I wish I’d had time to thank him. With the steady meals and Mason’s training, I felt stronger physically than I ever had in Ninurta.

I picked up a roll of sweet bread stuffed with cream. I offered half of it to Avan.

His fingers brushed mine as he reached for it. “Thanks.”

The bread had hardened a bit, but it still tasted delicious. I downed it with a few gulps of water and then let Avan finish the canteen.

After putting away the empty water container, I pressed a tentative hand against his chest. My other hand skimmed over his ribs to rest on his stomach.

I curled my fingers against his shirt, his heartbeat strong against my palm. I closed my eyes, finding comfort in the way his breath grew shallow at my touch. By now, I had memorized the feel of his back: the shift of muscle, the slope of his shoulder blades, the curve of his spine.

I craned forward in the saddle, my arms tight around his torso, until my lips grazed his ear. “I’m sorry. For last night. I was wrong to assume anything.”

I wasn’t sure if he’d respond. But then he turned his head so that my lips skimmed his cheek.

“I don’t blame you for making assumptions,” he said. “Besides, I should apologize, too. I didn’t know what to think when you weren’t asleep in my room.”

“You thought I was with someone?” I couldn’t help feeling the slightest bit insulted. But also a little flattered.

“The thought did cross my mind, even though I knew better.”

I eased back so I could rest my cheek against the line of his shoulder. “I should have known better, too. I just figured I shouldn’t . . . get in your way.”

He surprised me by laughing. I felt the rumble against my chest and my hands, but it was so quiet that the wind stole the sound.

“Your consideration is a little misplaced,” he said. “You should get some rest. I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

I bit my lip. “I’m not tired.”

He glanced at me. Then he covered my hand on his chest, thumb smoothing over my wrist before he laced his fingers with mine.