A Kiss of Shadow (Court of Starlight and Darkness #2)(24)

I handed the message over to my friends, who read it silently.

“You want to go?” Meria asked.

“Definitely.”

Eve looked toward the guards who sat on the far side of the car. “Do we bring them?”

“No way. They’ll scare off the woman.”

“You’re sure it’s her?” Meria asked.

“Who else?”

“The person who wants you dead.”

“Good point.” I weighed the risks and found them to be worth it. “I can go alone.”

“Hell no,” Meria said.

“If it’s dangerous—”

“Then we’ll go with you.” She glared. “I’m not scared to go. I just wanted to lay out all the possibilities.”

“I’m with Meria on this,” Eve said. “We all go. If it is an ambush, the three of us will be together. We can take whatever comes at us.”

Her confidence was far from empty. I’d seen what we’d accomplished in the competition to become queen. We could handle any threat. And if it was bigger than us, it would cause such a ruckus the guards would come running.

“When?” Eve whispered.

“ASAP, I think.” I shot a quick look toward the guards. They were focused on their lunches. “We’ll say we’re resting. Then we’ll sneak out.”

“How, though?” Meria said. “They’ll be standing outside your door.”

I chewed on my lip, thinking back to the layout of the private car. Knocking the guards unconscious wasn’t a good option, so we’d have to be sneaky.

“We go out our windows and climb onto the roof, then head to the back that way.”

Meria’s brows rose. “You watch too much TV.”

“You have no idea.” I looked between them. “You in?”

“Hell, yeah,” Eve said.

“Me, too.” Meria grinned. “Sounds dangerous. Therefore, fun.”

“Good.” I popped the last bite of sandwich in my mouth. “I’m ready when you are.”

They quickly finished their sandwiches, then we rose and headed back toward our car. The guards hurried to get up.

“We’re just going to go rest,” I said. “Stay.”

“Can’t do that.” The guard nearest me had the open, trusting expression of someone who hadn’t been lied to much in his life.

Good.

“Thanks.” I smiled, genuinely grateful for their protection. It was getting in the way of this endeavor, but I could get around that. I needed them all the other times.

My friends and I made our way toward our rooms. They went into theirs, and I headed a little farther down the train car and into mine. As soon as the door shut, I went to the window and opened it. Cool wind rushed over me as I looked out at the mountains surrounding the train. They were close enough that they provided excellent perspective for how fast we were going.

Really freaking fast.

Suddenly, this idea seemed insane. Just because I’d done wildly dangerous things since I’d arrived here didn’t mean that I was qualified to do this.

Except, there were answers about my parents at the other end of the train.

I had to get them.

And anyway, I kept developing crazy skills when the need presented itself. I’d never been a sword fighter in my life, and yet I had talents that shocked the hell out of me.

Why wouldn’t the same apply to climbing onto the roof of the train?

The logic was a little iffy, but it was all I had.

It helped that Meria stuck her head out the window of her quarters a moment later and grinned at me.

Ready? she mouthed.

I nodded and sucked in a deep breath, then hoisted myself out the window.

Oh shit.

The wind was a hell of a lot stronger out here, and my hands were immediately sweaty from fear. I clung to the top of the window, my legs still inside the car. Memories of last night flashed in my mind—the man shoving me over the side, the ground rushing by beneath me.

No.

I was in control here. It was just me, and I wasn’t poisoned. Meria was making quicker progress, and the sight inspired me.

You can do it, nerd. I sucked in a deep breath, then scrambled out the window. Fortunately, there were decorative brass bars on the top of the train that I could use as a handhold. I dragged myself up, swinging a leg over the railing and onto the top of the car.

When I’d finally made it, I lay face down on the roof, clinging to the metal as the wind rushed over me. Panting, I tried to catch my breath.

“You okay?” Meria’s voice sounded to my left, and I looked up.

She’d belly-crawled toward me, her face bright with excitement.

“Yeah. Just scarier than I expected.”

“You almost died last night in a really similar situation, so I can’t say I’m surprised. But you’ve got this. You’re the freaking Queen of the Court of Starlight and Darkness, for fate’s sake.”

“Thanks.”

Eve reached us. “Ready?”

“Yeah. No way in hell I’m doing this on two feet, though.” I turned around on my belly and began to crawl toward the next car.

“Can’t argue with that.” Meria joined me, staying low to the roof.