Page 76 of Tell No Tales
"No," Vadim said. "First, we find a place to hide. We'll lose the element of surprise if too many people know we're here." He stepped back into the main tunnel and motioned for the secret doorway to close again.
"What if they find the air ship?" Roy asked. He had longer flaxen hair and was the more vocal of the twins.
"Fuck," Nola said. A great surge of water from the lake enveloped the opening of the tunnel. When it receded, all evidence of the air ship was gone. "I didn't think we'd be here long enough for someone to find it." She waved her hands at her sides. "Get in, get out. That's what you said." For once, she was yelling at Yvette, not Vadim.
"We're also here for the books," Yvette said. "And the way to the palace."
"What do you mean?" Vadim asked.
"I hoped you knew." Yvette sighed. "Hesse must have had a back way into the palace from the academy. There's no way he made it to their ceremonies on time through crowded streets after he'd stayed up all night drinking and reveling with you."
Vadim rubbed his temple before smoothing a few loose strands over his ear. He took a step into the tunnel, but he stopped when Nola grabbed his arm.
"I'll take Martiz," she said, taking charge. "We'll need rooms. You, Klaus, and Yvette." She glanced at Klaus and at her healer, but then she glared up at Vadim. "You're in charge of that. Roy and Ray, you're in charge of provisions. The market is between here and the palace on the main thoroughfare. You can't miss it." She pointed the boys toward the cobbled path leading to the metal gate in the stone wall opposite the tunnel, between the academy grounds and the street.
"Klaus found this tunnel," Yvette said. "Maybe he can find others. We'll need to check the dorms to be sure."
"We need to find unoccupied rooms, first," Nola said. "We won't get anywhere if we're reported to Coryn." She shook her head. "I don't know how you talked me into this."
Yvette smirked. "You love me."
"Damn right I do." Nola rolled her eyes before crossing to the other side of Martiz, leaning up on her tiptoes, and kissing Yvette on the lips.
Then, she untied the ropes binding Yvette to Martiz. "Come on. We're wasting daylight."
Here and there, muddy footprints trailed from puddles on the tunnel floor. Many footprints, so many Klaus couldn't differentiate. This tunnel was used often and by hundreds of people, if Klaus had to guess.
They reached a strong oak door locked with another spell, and Nola waved it aside.
"That's why you're here," Yvette purred. "Fucking water spell."
"There's an air spell on the front door," Nola said.
"An air spell taught only to academy and military weavers," Yvette countered. "The boys wouldn't know it yet."
"Tovey—"
"Is needed onStarlight Specter," Vadim reminded her. "And when have we ever walked in through the front door?" He smirked at Yvette.
"You two are insufferable." Nola weaved her arm through Klaus's and dragged him and Martiz through the door. "Looks like it's you and me now, kid. They've lost their godsdamned minds."
They walked through the large entryway to a door between two banister staircases.
"Dorms are this way," Yvette called as she and Vadim continued toward a door on the right.
"Shh," Vadim hissed. "There are people upstairs."
Person, from what Klaus could tell. An earth weaver. An unhealthy one, from what Klaus's link with Vadim told him.
After much searching through rooms littered with freshly made beds and laundry tossed on the floors, they finally found a wing on the third floor that was unoccupied. Unfortunately, it was also the wing with the sick earth weaver.
"I can't leave them," Yvette said to Vadim. "I don't know how you're resisting the call."
"Balance, remember? They could go either way. I'm letting them make the choice."
"She," Yvette said with a determined nod. "She's trying to take her own life."
Fuck. Klaus had friends who had succeeded.
