Lori Lee - Gates of Thread and Stone

All the while, I held on to the hope that Reev had spent the day with Angee and forgotten to let me know. But when I pushed open our door, I found the place as empty as I’d left it.

The entire day had passed without a word or message from Reev. I had no more doubts that something was wrong.

Reev’s shift at the Raging Bull had started hours ago, but I knew he wouldn’t be there. He was late once to work—I had been helping Avan wash his shop windows while guessing what his soapy stick figure drawings were supposed to be, and Reev hadn’t wanted to leave the apartment without knowing where I was. I got back to the Labyrinth in time to see two of Joss’s men arguing with the residents and demanding to be let in. The only reason Joss hadn’t fired him was because Reev agreed to work a month without pay.

But today, Joss’s lackeys hadn’t come around.

I didn’t think about what I had to do. Thinking would lead to doubt, and doubt would lead to hesitation. I couldn’t hesitate. Not on this. Not for Reev.

I packed the bare essentials, which was pretty much all I owned. Most of my shirts—loose, long-sleeved tunics mainly—had been hand-sewn by Reev. It cost less, and he could charm the textile workers in the Labyrinth to sell him fabric for cheap.

The only food in the cupboard was the leftover sandwich and a few packages of dried fruit. I gathered them up as well. Then I stopped by the bank and went to see Avan.

I found him sitting on the curb outside his shop with his friend. I was too worried about Reev to let Avan distract me—much. His long legs were clad in gray pants, and he held a cup of water in his hand. He looked like he belonged on a White Court poster, the ones with people too pretty to be real.

“Come on, Avan, we need you there,” his friend was saying. I think his name was Wen. Aside from inviting me to a couple of parties—I always had to turn them down because of Reev—Avan’s friends never had much to do with me. “Jag’s got this new brew she wants us to try.”

Avan rested his cup on the stone beside his hip. “You guys can go without me. I’m over it.”

He waved when he saw me, his eyes lighting up. The sight made my breath catch.

Wen flung an arm around Avan’s shoulder. “You’re getting boring.”

Avan shoved him off with a smirk. “And yet I’m still more interesting than you.”

“Ass,” Wen said, laughing. He jumped to his feet and brushed off the seat of his pants. “We’ll look for you in case you change your mind.” Before taking off, he acknowledged me with a playful salute. I returned the greeting by pretending to doff an invisible hat.

“Hey, Kai,” Avan said in that voice that hinted at a smile even when he wasn’t wearing one.

When he wasn’t behind the counter serving customers, he was more subdued. I preferred him like this. It felt more real, even though I had no idea if it was. Avan had always been difficult to pin down.

“Working hard, I see.”

“My dad’s got it covered.” He pushed a hand through his hair—an action I’d imagined myself doing too many times to count—and regarded my pack. “Moving?” He grinned, flashing his dimple at me in a way I knew was completely deliberate. Heat filled my face anyway. “There’s space in the freight yard. I could show you around.”

“I need a favor.”

The teasing disappeared. I studied his features—I’d long since memorized them—before looking away.

“I’m giving you shared access to my credit balance,” I said.

For a second, he didn’t react. Then his eyes narrowed. I wasn’t sure how he’d take this news, but I wanted him to understand that I trusted him.

The thing was—before knowing Avan, I’d known his reputation. According to the rumors, Avan used to refuse to go home, crashing with whoever would have him and paying with whatever they asked from him. Girls. Boys. He rarely objected, even though he was beautiful enough to be as selective as he wanted. It was why I’d been suspicious the first time he’d slipped some apples into my grocery bag.

I didn’t think I’d ever stop feeling ashamed for having doubted him.

“Just go to the bank and tell them who you are,” I continued. “I’ve already arranged for it to be approved once they verify your ID with the registry. I’ll need you to pay our next month’s rent, and if you don’t hear from me after that, then . . . well, keep the credits. Consider it late payment for all the free food.”

I had covered a lot of ground today, but the North District was large enough that it could take a couple of weeks to explore fully on my own. I didn’t know how long it’d be until I found Reev. Days or weeks or . . . No. I refused to consider the possibility of not finding him at all. But if I couldn’t find him in the North District, then I would have to leave it. Which meant leaving Ninurta.

Something turned unpleasantly in my stomach, but I ignored it. One thing at a time.

Avan stood. He wasn’t quite Reev’s height, but standing next to him still made me feel small. I avoided his eyes, dark and searching, and instead focused on his lips. They were great lips. Quick to smile, but just as quick to tighten into an unreadable line. Like now.

“What are you planning? Where’s Reev?” He touched my arm. This was the closest we’d been in weeks.

“He’s—” I choked on the word gone . He wasn’t gone, just— “Not here. I have to do something important, and you’re the only person I trust not to blow the credits on something stupid.”

He arched an eyebrow with a steel bar pierced through it. “I’m flattered, honestly, but I don’t think you’ve considered—”

“It doesn’t matter what you think,” I said harshly, because I was letting him distract me. I shook off his hand and swallowed the guilt.

“You don’t care about my opinion, but you want to give me access to all your credits,” he said flatly. “Makes a lot of sense.”

I forced myself to meet his eyes. Despite the cool disdain in his voice, I saw concern there. I didn’t know if he’d ever shown me his real self. I wanted to believe he had.

“Look.” I could try to reassure him, but there was no point. “If you don’t want the credits, that’s fine. Just keep your mouth shut about it, okay?”

“Kai—”

“Take care of yourself.” I hurried away. I didn’t look back, and he didn’t call my name again.

The front desk was still empty. I hoped nothing bad had happened to Angee, but my concern was for Reev. I had no idea if Joss knew anything, and I doubted he would tell me if he did, but I had to try.

I didn’t think the Raging Bull ever closed, but with no receptionist and no security guard, it felt unnervingly empty. I could tell it wasn’t, though, by the smells. A mix of soured sweat and overly sweet perfumes.

Joss’s door was closed. I dropped my bag and leaned it against the desk. I wiped my hands on my pants, then slapped my palm on the little bell at the corner of the desk.

Joss sauntered out of his office, brown liquor bottle in hand, followed by another of his security guards. Reev had introduced us once. I forgot his name, but I remembered the guard had an easy laugh.

When he spotted me, he immediately looked away. My hands curled into fists.

“Knew you’d come back,” Joss said.

“Where’s my brother?”

Joss scratched his forehead with the bottom of his bottle. “I told you. He left.”

“Reev hasn’t come home yet. Did anyone actually see him leave?”

Joss clucked his tongue. “Really should leave it alone.”

There was a challenge in his eyes, daring me to push him despite his warning. He did know something.

“What did you do to him?” I asked, my voice shaking.