When they reached the estate proper, Jett called a quick halt.

“Just a sec.” Jett tried his phone, sending a text to Flame.

The White Sword confirmed receiving the message a moment later. “The Wi-Fi network is still active.”

“Good,” Jett said. “Continue.”

The party made their way stealthily across the grounds, moving from gem-encrusted outbuilding to outbuilding. Mathis paused beside one such building, and broke away a large diamond with a small knife Ariel didn’t know he had.

“Why are you taking that crap?” Gwendoline said. “I have a treasure hoard with a thousand similar diamonds.” She shook her head. “The greed of humans knows no bounds.”

“I wasn’t taking it for me,” Mathis said. He held the diamond between his palms and pressed his hands together. Ariel felt the flow of Strength, and when Mathis opened his fingers, a beautiful diamond-studded necklace rested in his palm.

He hung it over Gwendoline’s neck.

“Aww,” Gwendoline said. “My gorgeous witch.”

She kissed him on the lips.

Ephephany strode toward Mathis angrily. “You waste your energy!” She seemed more pissed off than she should have been. Sure, it was a waste, especially given how hard it was to Siphon in Midnight, but it must have been worth it for Mathis, given how good it had obviously made Gwendoline feel. There was something going on between those three, but Ariel wasn’t quite sure what.

“You do know I can’t place another restorative Weave on you, not without killing you, right?” Ephephany continued.

“Yeah, yeah,” Mathis said. “Let’s just get on with this.”

Flame and Viper continued to move ahead of the main group, darting between the buildings, acting as scouts. The pair reached the wall of the estate, well away from the main gate. They chose a spot situated between two small sheds, and then beckoned the others to approach.

When everyone arrived, Flame boosted Viper onto the wall, and the agile vampire easily clambered onto the flat top. Viper peered over the other side and gave Jett the A-okay with thumb and forefinger before vanishing over the edge.

Flame helped everyone over in turn. Jett went last, and he waited at the top of the wall to help Flame up behind him.

Ariel found herself on a street bordered by estates, the different stone walls and fences that enclosed them were covered in gems or precious metals.

Flame and Viper scouted ahead as usual, and the party made its way through the city. They took back streets and alleys whenever possible, and dashed across any main streets they came upon.

Now that Ariel was on the streets proper, the LEDs far overhead provided only just enough light for her to see by, even with her enhanced vision, as most of the estate lamps were directed inward. There were many shadows out there… she remembered the last time she had traveled Midnight at night, led by Gwendoline, who had forced her to do so under compulsion. Ariel could have sworn she had seen eyes in the darkened alleyways then, but none were present tonight. Those making up her small party were the only ones out and about. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. It had to be her imagination. Then again, there were all those cameras out there…

Jett and his White Swords seemed to know where all the cameras were, and Jett was careful to choose paths that hugged the walls of the estates, and kept the party mostly in the shadows. Ariel thought it was inevitable that they would be spotted by at least a few cameras, but without Dan running the city, any security personnel watching the camera feeds would have to be extremely lucky to notice them, especially considering that there were probably at least a thousand different live feeds to monitor.

Sometimes Flame and Viper signaled the coming of a patrol, and the party members ducked into nearby alleyways or scaled fences into estates if no other hiding places were available.

Once there, they would listen in the shadows until the stomp of boots had subsided, and then they would emerge once more.

“Is it just me,” Jett told Gwendoline at one point. “Or have the patrols increased dramatically since the last time I lived here?”

“Gabriel has instituted a curfew,” Ephephany explained. “And increased the patrols to enforce it.”

“That would explain a few things…” Jett said.

Ariel stayed close to Jett the whole time, so that when Gwendoline increased her pace to walk beside him, Ariel’s enhanced hearing allowed her to hear everything Gwendoline said.

“I want to see Gabriel as soon as possible,” Gwendoline whispered.

Jett’s eyes darted to Ephephany, as if concerned she might be listening in, then he returned his attention to Gwendoline. “Not yet. We need to confirm that the witch’s story checks out. You can go after we reach your estate.”

Gwendoline seemed about to contest him, but she bit back whatever it was she was going to say and nodded instead. She slowed her pace to resume her original position behind him.

Ariel joined him and said, very softly: “You don’t trust Ephephany?”

Jett looked at her, his eyes sad. “I do, but not entirely. Would you, in my position?”

“No,” Ariel said. “I suppose not.”

What if she’s undead? Ariel thought.

Ariel remembered all too well what had happened to Savanna, president of the Steel Tower and dragon witch. If even a being of such immense power as a dragon witch could be turned into an undead...

Ariel shook her head.

What a situation. We have no idea who to trust.

Jett paused along the way, and led the group into an alley where Flame and Viper were waiting.

“We’ve spotted the members of the Black Guard Gabriel has watching her estate,” Flame said. “We’re going to have to retrace our steps and come at the estate from the side.”

“Do it,” Jett ordered.

The group emerged from the alley and backtracked, then continued down a side street.

They finally stopped in front of a wall that seemed made entirely out of gold. It was higher than the walls of all the preceding estates.

“We’re here,” Jett said.

“Gwendoline’s estate?” Ariel asked.

Jett nodded.

“Will the White Swords be expecting us?” Ephephany asked.

“No,” Gwendoline said. “I thought it best not to warn them.”

Jett frowned. “You doubt the White Swords? Men who fought by my side through three wars? Men who guarded my estate through thick and thin? Men I would trust with my life?”

“No, she’s right,” Ephephany said. “It’s better this way. If there is a vampire witch in our midst, as you seem to suspect, then the most loyal of friends can be turned against you. The worst part is, you wouldn’t even know it.”

Jett scowled at her. “The whole reason we’re going to my sister’s estate is so I can gather them. And now you’re trying to tell me I can’t trust them? I won’t listen to this.”

Ariel found herself unable to hold back the thoughts she had been having. “How do we know you yourself aren’t undead?” Ariel asked Ephephany. “You did say that the scent can be masked.”

Ephephany shrugged. “You don’t, of course. Feel free to turn on me whenever you wish.” Though she didn’t say it, Ariel heard the implied threat loud and clear: but it won’t go very well for you.

“Ephephany isn’t undead,” Jett said, though his words did little to help the sudden tension. “The vampire witch wouldn’t confront Ephephany until she had most of the city. No, Ephephany will be the very last of us to fall. My White Swords won’t be taken very easily, either. I somehow doubt the vampire witch would dare face them until she consolidated her hold on the city.”

“All I’m asking is for you to be cautious,” Ephephany said.

“Noted,” Jett said.

“For one who seemed so doubtful about the presence of a vampire witch earlier,” Gwendoline told Ephephany. “You do seem overly cautious all of a sudden.”

“Let’s just say I don’t want Jett to get caught,” Ephephany said.

“My White Swords won’t betray me,” Jett said. His words seemed spoken more to convince himself than anyone else. He turned toward Gwendoline. “How many do you have guarding the main gates to your estate?”

“The main gates?” Gwendoline said. “Two vampire slaves.”

“Any other guards on the grounds?” Jett asked. “Not including White Swords, I mean.”

“Well, there should be four more watching the walls on the different sides of the estate,” Gwendoline said. “All dragons.”

“Could you lead us on a path that would avoid them?” Jett asked.

“I could.”

“Good,” Jett said. “Because I definitely don’t trust anyone who’s not a White Sword. Speaking of which, where have you deployed them?”

“You’re remaining White Swords?” Gwendoline said. “They’ll be guarding the main mansion at this hour. Mamba and Titan will be at the front door. Cronus will be patrolling the grounds immediately surrounding it. Poison will be watching from the rooftop.”

“Even though you’re not home?” Jett asked.

“Yes,” Gwendoline said. “Gabriel and those working in the Treasury Department are the only ones who know I’m not in the city. Well, and Ephephany, who collared me before I left. My neighbors, and everyone else, think I’m still there. In fact, I’ve been answering emails from those not in the know as if I’m still in my mansion. Mamba and Titan have orders to turn away all visitors.”

“Nicely done,” Jett said. “Though I’m not sure what the purpose was.”

“When you break the First Rule, it’s best to cover your tracks,” Gwendoline said.

“Unless you want to end up like me,” Jett said. He wrapped an arm around Ariel. “Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.” He gave Ariel a peck on the cheek and released her.

His touch momentarily made her forget the dangers they were all in. A fugitive, sneaking into the city he was banished from, and the lion and human witches with him.

Yes, we’re all in trouble if we’re caught.

“Any others in and about the mansion?” Jett asked.

“I have five servants inside, with their own bedrooms,” Gwendoline said. “Two dragons, three vampires. They should be asleep at this hour.”

“Good,” Jett said. “All right, over the top, people.”

Flame boosted Viper onto the wall. The vampire White Sword confirmed the coast was clear, and then Flame helped the others over the wall in turn.

When everyone was over, Jett ordered Flame and Viper to assume their customary lead positions. “Take us to the mansion. Gwendoline, go with them. Make sure we don’t encounter any of those guards you mentioned.”

“You want us to approach the mansion from the side and avoid the main entrance, correct?” Flame asked.

“No,” Jett said. “We won’t be able to escape the notice of the White Swords, no matter what direction we come from, nor how much stealth we employ. Take us to the mansion’s main entrance. If they’re not with me, I’ll know pretty quick.”

“Unless they have orders to pretend otherwise,” Ariel said softly.

But Jett pretend he didn’t hear her.

Gwendoline, Flame and Viper led the way, and the rest of the party followed, making their way through the garish outbuildings.

Ariel decided to press home her point.

“What if you’re wrong about them,” Ariel said to Jett quietly along the way.

“I’m not wrong,” Jett replied. “Not about these men.”

Gwendoline, Flame and Viper emerged from the cover of the final outbuilding, and Jett and the others followed just behind.

They approached the mansion from the front, crossing the variegated cobblestone of the main courtyard. A fountain gurgled softly beside them, depicting a rearing dragon with wings extended, water streaming from its open maw.

Ahead awaited a pillared portico. Two massively built men stood at attention underneath it, just in front of a pair of towering twin doors.

“Mamba is on the left,” Jett whispered to Ariel quietly. “Titan the right.”