Chapter 166: A Smile for the Devil
The door swung open just in time. Elliot yanked Anika inside with one hand, and I dove in after them, twisting in mid-air to slam the door shut behind me.
Click.
Locked.
The platform roared behind the glass like an untamed beast, fists banging on windows, signs waving with ink-stained fury. I raised a gloved hand and gave a dramatic wave to the crowd, complete with a finger twirl and theatrical bow.
"Adieu, my adoring critics," I murmured. "May your torches never run out of fuel."
The train lurched forward. Momentum swallowed noise. The glass throbbed with one final bang—then silence, save for the hum of escape.
We moved toward the private sleeper car, which was surprisingly spacious. Velvet-lined seats. Polished brass fixtures. A narrow corridor leading to a private washroom. The kind of luxury reserved for diplomats and ghosts.
Elliot collapsed into a seat, still panting. "I didn't think you were gonna make it."
"I always make it," I said, loosening the edges of my coat. "It's tradition."
Anika sat cross-legged across from him, blindfold back on but head angled as if mapping the room with sound. She had a strange stillness, the kind that never really settled.
I settled in beside them, tilting my head against the window. The scenery blurred into streaks of city light, bleeding into farmland and fog.