Chapter 243: The Breakout
Liam and I were casing the steps of the home when I spotted someone I recognized. Angela emerged from the building and registered my presence at the same moment, a huge smile taking over her face as she hurried to Minnie.
"Syd!" She leaning in my hastily opened window and hugged me. "How sweet of you to come to see Alison again so soon. They are just getting her settled, but you should be able to go in shortly."
Oh, crap. Al was here?
My smile must have looked pathetic, but she seemed to accept it at face value. "Did she make the trip okay?"
Angela's smile was much better than mine. "She did, thank you, Syd. Are you a friend of my daughter's?" She held out her hand to Liam across me. He shook it with great grace.
"She's a wonderful person," he said. "I hear you both love my mom."
A quick chat about Sonja's hairdressing skills and his acceptance was sealed.
"The nurses might give us a hard time," I said as I climbed out of the car, a half-formed plan in my head, leaning ever so gently on Angela. I was going to burn in whatever really awful place people went who used their best friends to get what they want.
Angela hooked her arm in mine and marched me inside. "We'll just make sure they know you can come in any time."
I found my cheeks heating up in shame as Angela informed the front desk nurse I was like a daughter to her and was to be allowed in to see Alison at any hour. The woman sighed, but wrote down my name, handing us plastic visitor passes on lanyards before Angela escorted us to the elevator.
"I'm running out to pick up some things," she said. "Fourth floor. You two have a good visit."
She hugged me one last time before leaving us there, the soft ding of the arriving elevator a knell of guilt on my conscience.
Liam gave me a solid shove, propelling me forward where he hit the button for the fourth floor. "Perfect," he said. "We can get off on four then take the stairs down." He glanced at me. "You can open locks and stuff, right?"
"Can't you?" I didn't mean to snap at him, but I was still wallowing.
Liam smiled gently, sadly. "I'm sorry, Syd. Is she okay?"
There was no way I was having this conversation right now. Bad enough tears threatened. I couldn't be in the middle of a crying meltdown while trying to concentrate on breaking Fergus out of the funny farm.
The nurses on the fourth floor smiled sadly at us and waved us through. I hurried down the hall and to the door with the stairs, checking to be sure no one was watching. Didn't I have a clear view of Alison in her room? Thank goodness she was staring in the other direction. Panicked, I rushed through the door and onto the landing while Liam winced and silenced the alarm that briefly blared.
"Smooth," he said softly, a flicker of green magic shorting out the system. "We have to hurry."
No kidding. I raced down the stairs to the next floor, Liam right behind me. We had a tense moment crouched in a blind spot as the door we'd just came through opened, a woman's voice saying, "Must be the stupid old circuits again," before it swung shut and latched.
Saved. I held Liam back another moment before moving on, allowing Shaylee to feel her way around the ward.
Fergus was in his room, that was easy. But now that I knew I was searching for Unseelie sympathizers, I let her check for that too. At first she came up empty, mostly because she really didn't want to have anything to do with this plan, but also because the soft touch of the barrier blocked us. But as I began my descent again, she picked up a trace of Sidhe magic, coming our way.
I waited on the other side of the door to the third floor, holding Liam's hand so he could feel what I felt. Whoever was guarding Fergus paused by his door. I closed my eyes, the world inside my mind tinted green and all wonky, but clear enough I could see as if through Shaylee's magic, the nurse who'd called Sonja peeking in on Liam's grandfather before she turned away and headed back toward reception.
We have to distract her. Liam jumped as I spoke to him mentally. I winced. Sorry, I forgot you're new to this.
His powered voice stuttered badly before he latched onto me. -coolest thing ever! I assumed he was talking about, well, talking. Why didn't I figure this out?
No one to talk to, I guess. Will you pay attention? We can play later.
He frowned at me, but his eyes sparkled. Yes, boss. What's the plan?
We can't assume the nurse is the only Unseelie guard on this floor. If anything, it was likely she was just very bad at hiding what she was. So we have to act fast. And quiet.
Gotcha.
Are you two going to take all night? Galleytrot's mind was loud and clear, making Liam squeak and jump.
How? The shielding was still intact.
Now that I know it's there, I can act around it, he sent.
Fine. Thanks for sharing that earlier instead of scaring the crap out of me. I let out a tense breath. We're on the right floor. Can you help distract the nurse?
His chuckle was dark and full of thunder and lighting. How's this?
I felt Galleytrot then, the full power of him, even through the barrier. Couldn't really miss him, actually. He opened himself up fully, howl reaching the furthest corner of my mind. I could see him in my head, standing outside on the front lawn, head thrown back, the mournful but challenging sound of his cry sending waves of fear through me.
As the last of his cry died away, the barrier around the building collapsed, the howl of an angry Sidhe echoing behind it.
Liam clapped his palms over his ears, eyes huge. I knew how he felt, but no amount of physical blocking would cut out that sound.
When Galleytrot cut off his power, he did so completely and instantly, leaving me numb and shaken, my head ringing while my body tingled all over.
Move, he snapped at me.
I did, without thinking, knowing he was right. I could feel the nurse leaving, running for the elevator, a few others tearing after her. Liam was right behind me as we snuck out the exit door, the alarm already shut down, and peeked out.
I could just see through the glass of the reception desk as three people in white disappeared behind the sliding doors. I raced out into the hall the moment they were gone and went right for Fergus's room.
He sat up, eyes shining, a tear rolling down his cheek. He spotted both of us, looking stunned and not at all like the man I'd met earlier.
"Damn," Liam said, anger in his tone as he hurried to his grandfather's side. "They've given him more drugs."
Fergus looked up at his grandson, hand reaching for the back of his neck. He pulled Liam down until they were face to face.
"The Wild hound," he said. "Thank him for me." His green eyes lifted to mine, now more hazel, like Liam's. "You're not who I thought you were. And yet, you are."
I nodded, gesturing to Liam who turned and grabbed Fergus's robe. "We can talk in the car," I said, "but right now you have a job to do."
Fergus grunted as Liam helped him to his feet. "The Gate. This is the third night."
"It is." I let him grip my hand as he towered over me, skinny as a pole but with a strength I didn't expect.
"I don't know how long the hound's call will keep my mind clear. We have to hurry." Tears welled in his old eyes as he bent and kissed my cheek. "I follow your lead, Princess."
Our retreat was fast and furious, Fergus much more spry than I expected and it wasn't long before we were hustling him out the side of the building. We had to wait a minute while the three Unseelie nurses talked frantically on the front steps, too far for me to hear their words and too risky to listen in with magic before they rushed back inside.
I raced for the car, jerking the door open, pealing around the side of the building to allow Liam to stuff his grandfather into the front next to me.
Galleytrot. I could feel him nearby.
The Unseelie lord is coming, he sent. I'll lead him away. Go!
Fergus smiled at me, the happiest smile I'd ever seen as I drove off at a reckless pace.
"Thank you," he whispered. "I'm going home."
"The library?"
"Of course," he said.
***
