Poppy's POV

　　The dank air clings to my skin like a second, unwanted coat as I descend the stone steps into the bowels of the Luparian dungeons. My boots squelch softly against the dampness that seeps through the cracks in the floor, and I can almost taste the must and decay on my tongue. James trails behind me, his presence a constant prickle at the back of my neck- always there but never quite solid or reassuring.

　　"Keep your eyes peeled, James," I mutter, ...