The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves, #1)(62)

“Oh.”

But then, the corners of Laila’s lips turned downward. “I heard something when I was hiding. I think Enrique and Tristan might’ve gotten hurt.”

Laila’s lower lip trembled. She started walking toward the greenhouse, and Zofia followed.

“Everyone in the servants’ hall was talking about what happened at the gardens. There were two men covered in bandages. And … and one of them was wearing Enrique’s costume.”

Zofia’s breath knotted inside her. But there was nothing she could do or say. Either they were inside the greenhouse and safe.

Or not.

She tore the outer sheath of her dress, then ripped it in half. One for Laila, one for her. They wrapped it like a veil around their heads as they got closer to the greenhouse. Even with the veil, the fumes still stung her eyes.

The doors were open. Laila looked at her, hope written all over her face.

But Zofia was not certain. An open door didn’t mean Enrique and Tristan had done that to welcome them. The matriarch might have ordered the doors opened to allow the greenhouse fumes to dissipate. Zofia clenched her hands. Focus. She started counting what she saw around her. Two doors. Fourteen bars of iron. One moon. Seven linden trees. Four gargoyles hanging off the greenhouse roof, their cheeks pulled in menacing smiles. Six statues beneath six darkening oaks, stone eyes unblinking.

Three steps until the door.

Then two.

Laila went in first, knife out. Inside, the windows were silhouetted with light.

Everything here was burnt down to the ground. They shuffled slowly over the floor of the greenhouse, watching for some slip or dent, some indication of a door when someone coughed in the shadows. Laila darted forward, throwing someone from the shadows onto the floor of the greenhouse. It was a police officer with a scarf tied around his head. Laila snarled, raising her knife.

“You…” she said. “You must have been one of the men that hurt them. I’m not sorry for what I’ll do next.”

The police officer waved his arms, his speech panicked and muffled. Zofia felt the thrum of vengeance, the ache of it raw in her heart. They’d hurt Tristan and Enrique. Her … her friends.

Then the guard tore open a small gap on his towel. “—waitdontkillme!”

The man braced his elbows on his knees, his face red. He looked up at them, a faint grin on his face.

Enrique.

“Though I’m delighted you’d avenge me, there’s really no need.”





18





ENRIQUE


Enrique whistled, and Tristan stepped out of the shadows. Tristan looked at Zofia, who was dressed up in silk and velvet, then Laila, who was dressed in … less. Tristan blushed furiously, and Enrique threw the towel at his face.

“You’re such an infant.”

Tristan scowled, but the expression faded, replaced once more with that pinched look of terror. He’d looked like that ever since the violet candy had released him from the grips of poison. Not that Enrique blamed him. Any brush with death would have left him shaking. Tristan was never at ease outside of L’Eden, and this acquisition in particular had him spooked. While they’d been waiting to return to the greenhouse, Tristan had fidgeted nonstop, nearly destroying an entire rose bush because he kept tearing out the petals.

“I thought you were dead!” said Laila, running to them and crushing them in a hug.

Zofia did not move, but she tugged at the edges of her dress. Enrique saw her glance at him, then back down at the ground, her eyes shining. She didn’t have to run to them. He knew.

“That violet candy saved us,” said Enrique. “Tristan got poisoned somehow. I think the mask was faulty and let in some of the fumes.”

Zofia looked up. “It wasn’t.”

“I know they’re your inventions, but there could always be a mistake,” he said. “I hate to be the one to inform you of this, Zofia, but you are human.”

“Then why do you call me ‘phoenix?’”

Enrique couldn’t argue with that.

Beside him, Tristan’s shoulders slumped.

“So what happened?” asked Laila.

“I think the guards must’ve gotten a whiff of the fumes, and so they bolted to raise the alarm,” said Enrique. “Two guards ended up unconscious and blistered, so we switched out our clothes and have been hiding until an hour ago.”

Laila touched his face. “I’m glad you’re both safe. Now let’s get to the vault. It’s nearly midnight. Did you find the door?”

“Yes,” said Enrique. “Except we couldn’t come in until the fumes had gone down enough that we could walk inside with only the towels. I wasn’t going to take a chance with the masks after Tristan got hurt.”

Tristan swept aside the plant detritus, revealing a flat, metal door.

“Everyone ready?” asked Enrique. “Minus Tristan, of course.”

Tristan was usually fine with playing lookout when it came to acquisitions, but as he opened the flat door, his hands trembled.

“Be careful,” said Tristan.

“Just think about what we’ll do when we finish,” said Laila lightly. “Hot cocoa?”

“Oooh … and cake,” added Enrique.

Even Zofia smiled.