Amon had a bright lantern in his hand, and we ran into Asterion, who glared at me but nodded in greeting, as well as a few others on our way through the tunnels.
"We've already sent two carriages back," one man said.
"Good. Mine and Khepri's blessing will keep the others secret," Amon said, his own eyes trailing back to me, a kind of frantic energy in his gaze, reassuring himself I was still with the group.
"Esther, the things you said," Auguste whispered.
"Leave it," Ezra said to him with a shake of his head, flickering in and out of view.
"I just wanted time to think of a plan," I said, tugging on Auguste's hair and stroking a finger over his tangled brow as he carried me. "Just words. I don't want to be conquered by anyone else."
"You know we want there to be a difference between any games and—"
"Yes," I rushed out, helping myself to more kisses over Auguste's skin, pleased with how much smoother it already felt under my lips and fingers. "Yes, I know. I know, Auguste."
"Ugly work, but we did it," Ezra said, and I nodded, Auguste relaxing against me.
Mr. Tanner looked back at us over his shoulder, green eyes bright in the dark. Booker was at the rear, his hand brushing over my arm and then dropping again. Amon's dark hair shone like embers by the lamplight at the head of the group. We were all together again. It hadn't been long, but the risk of it never happening again seemed to hang in eternity in my head.
"You're strangling your vampire," Ezra said.
"I don't need to breathe, what do I care?" Auguste grunted out, but he relaxed a little as I loosened my arms around his neck.
"Uh. We've got a problem," someone called from ahead of us.
"Shit. Birsha's bastards?" Ezra asked, pushing his way to the front.
"No. No, it's almost dawn," Amon said. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs, his face turned up and to the east as if he could feel the sun at the horizon.
Auguste stiffened as we reached them, the others climbing the steps up until only my men and I remained underground.
"We'll all stay here together," I said as Auguste set me on my feet.
"No," all the men said at once.
"I'll stay with Auguste," Ezra and Mr. Tanner both said.
"Where's that knife? You're all insane if you think I'm going anywhere without—"
"Enough!" Amon barked. "We are all walking out of here together. Now. Auguste, do you trust me to keep you safe?"
"From sunlight?!" Auguste cried, eyes widening.
"Yes."
Auguste blinked at Amon, the two of them staring at one another. Auguste turned to me briefly and then back to Amon, expression going smooth.
"I…I do."
I opened my mouth about to object and then stopped, staring at Amon. I trusted him too. If the question had been whether I trusted Amon with my own safety, my answer would've been an immediate yes. Did I trust him with the others? I needed to if we were really all going to be able to carry on the way we were.
I glanced at Mr. Tanner, whose eyes were narrowed, but he reached for my hand and didn't stop Auguste from stepping slowly forward with Amon.
"I can tug him back if it goes awry, little one," Mr. Tanner murmured, drawing me up into his arms to press a kiss to the top of my head.
Amon's wings appeared with a soft rustle and a growing shadow, blocking the light of the lantern as they spread to fill the last hall of the tunnel, covering Auguste from view as they walked slowly up the steps together.
It was on the tip of my tongue to cry out for them to stop, to beg for us all to wait down here in the dark together for the day, regardless of Birsha or anything else.
I trust Amon. Auguste will be safe. We're all going back to the house.I chanted it to myself as we walked in pairs up the stairs, the tips of Amon's wings running over the steps like dark broom bristles, kicking up ash and then dusting it away into nothing.
"You're—" Auguste's steps stumbled to a stop at the very top of the stairs. "You're sure."
"My friend, I only wish I had offered sooner. Made you a resting place with us. Esther needs you. And you deserve to walk in the sun again. We step out together and no harm will come to you, by my vow."
I swallowed hard as they moved out of the staircase, into the grand old entry room of Rooksgrave, following close on their heels. The windows were broken, the doors burned away, and outside, the sky was only just pink on the horizon, but Auguste winced at the sight, eyes blinking heavily.
"Quickly, before the dayrest draws you," Amon said, taking Auguste's arm, my vampire following reluctantly to the door.
We walked out onto the drive together, Amon's wings unfurling to a long stretch, covering and curling around Auguste like an embrace.
The sun rose slowly, Mr. Tanner, Booker, Ezra, and I moving to face Amon and Auguste. Auguste looked small under the cover of Amon's wing, and a little terrified, his eyes still fully black, and when the first golden light of dawn reached through the valley to glitter through Amon's black and bronze feathers, Auguste flinched. Minute by minute, he relaxed, staring down at his own feet as his shadow stretched over the gravel, as sunlight warmed Amon's wings enough to make Auguste glow. Little particles of ash and soot glittered, crowding around the pair, brushing against Auguste's pale cheeks, into his dark hair.
Amon lifted Auguste's hand, stretching it under the cover of the wing, stopping just short of guiding it out into the light. I pressed a hand over my mouth, and we waited breathlessly, watching. Auguste's fingertips flicked, catching morning on one, and then another, scant little measurements at a time until he slowly reached his entire hand out.
Amon was drawing his wing back as Auguste gaped at his own skin, and I let out a bright giggle as the first rays of morning struck Auguste on the cheek, his whole body jumping with the shock.
"Mon dieu," Auguste breathed, eyes widening as his face turned, pupils shrinking to pinpoints, chin lifting and eyelids fluttering shut. He let out a soft moan, brow furrowing, and his shoulders dropped with relief.
"How long will it last?"