They knew. Connor woke up to the same thought that had chased him into his sleep. The only consolation to his mood being that Gustav Fenwalker had seen him to bed with a brace of healing potions that had fixed his arm.

Pettigrew’s Lodgings was a quiet, subdued establishment, overseen by the large and plump form of Mrs. Pettigrew who had shown them to their small, wood-paneled drawing rooms. It They had not seen Mr. Pettigrew, but it appeared that the Ranger Marshal was a well-known acquaintance here.

The lodge was already half full of other taciturn, wary sorts of folk—all of whom wore hard leathers and covered armor. Connor got the impression Pettigrews was the choice for those in the know—guards, mercenaries, and Rangers—who preferred quieter talk and no one noticing their business, as opposed to the rowdier establishments scattered around the outpost.

The sounds of airship bells filled the evening air along with the occasional window rattle from the magical tugs and yachts that lowered overhead, heading to the nearby piers.

The party had been exhausted by their ordeal—both their long trek through Black Birch and the recent encounter with the Footpads. Talk rose in the common room when Gustav had told their tale of attack, but Connor had taken his healing potions to his bed early to think on what had happened. Also to brood and escape Olanna’s accusing stares.

Not that his evasion helped. When he awoke the next morning, the first thing he saw was the elf sitting on his window ledge, already waiting for him.

“They knew your name, Con,” she greeted him, before nodding to the small bedside table. “There’s bread, cheese, and porridge there, too, all courtesy of Fenwalker.”

“Ugh,” Connor growled, lying in the narrow bed and staring at the ceiling for a moment, wondering how he was going to get out of this one. He knew that he wasn’t. Arianna—Olanna—had always been able to see through his lies.

“And what does our glorious Ranger Marshal want in return for his generosity? Did you ask yourself what are we going to end up owing him?” he grumbled then pushed himself up to sitting position. For all of his contempt, he greedily dug into breakfast.

“He’s nice, Connor,” Olanna said in exasperation. “He’s a good man trying to save his people. Why do you have to think that everyone is on the take?”

“Maybe everyone is,” Connor couldn’t stop himself from saying, instantly regretting it as he heard Olanna suck in a breath scornfully.

“Same goes for me and Dargan, huh? We’re only out to cheat you, is that right?” Olanna pointed out before sighing.

“Dargan’s a good kid. Did you know he’s from Illinois? Barely fourteen in the real world. He’s paralyzed from the waist down, so his family bought him a lifetime subscription to Legends to give him the life he always wanted. Does that sound like someone trying to screw you over?”

“Well, now he’s stuck in here, just like you, me, and everyone else!” Connor said bitterly, feeling hot and annoyed by all the questions.

“Sheesh, Connor!” Olanna snapped, stabbing at the window sill with the dagger she’d been playing with. “He’s a kid! He’s probably just as scared as you are—”

“I’m not scared,” Connor lied.

Olanna ignored him.

“But at least Dargan is putting on a brave face. After you crept off to bed, I had a chance to chat with him. About his real life, about what he wants. It’s what we’re supposed to do for our friends.”

“When the pair of you weren’t busy cozying up to the Ranger Marshal?” Connor said accusatorily. There was a thunk as Olanna stabbed the dagger at the window ledge, this time leaving the blade reverberating in the wood.

“What is wrong with you, Connor?” his friend in a different body turned on him, her large eyes sparking with fury. No matter what skin she wore, Connor knew that look. It was the sort of look that could face down Minotaurs, Demon Princes, and New York gangbangers.

“Connor. You’re right. We are stuck in here for good or ill. Now I have no idea what all this Annwn business is . . .”

As soon as she said the word, the light outside the window appeared to flicker, as if the darkness could hear its master’s call.

“—whether it’s some feature of the game or some monumental glitch, I don’t know. I’ve never seen a game act like this, and it’s scaring me. It’s scaring Dargan, and I bet it’s scaring you too. All I know is that we’re in this until Tir’Nan’Og and the World Health Organization or whoever get their act together and find a way to get us out. So, that means we have to play the game. We have to find a way to survive—which is exactly what Dargan and I are doing!” Olanna turned from her perch and stalked over to him.

“It’s you who seems as though you’re just willing to die. You’re not playing the game. You’re making dumb choices, annoying people, turning down the Ranger Marshal’s help. I’m doing my best to get us somewhere safe with enough backing around us. I don’t care if that’s the Ranger Marshal or the Ranger’s Guild or Union City soldiers or whatever as long as it’s enough to keep us alive until all this mess is sorted out!”

Connor glowered, his cheeks going bright red. How could she think that he wasn’t doing the same? he thought.

“And you think I’m not? I think I know a way to get out of this game. That’s what I’m focusing on. I’m one of the best game hackers in the world, don’t forget, Olanna. Probably the best in this game right now! And I’m not hanging around wasting my time,” he burst out.

His words sounded petty, even in his own ears, childish even, as if he couldn’t stand the fact that Olanna and Dargan were getting somewhere, and all he had was a wild plan.

All of his great game hacking experience had gotten him precisely nowhere. It hurt that Olanna had so accurately called him out. That she had correctly diagnosed the fact that he felt completely helpless, not knowing what he had to do or how to do it in order to win. He’d never seen a game act like this either, and none of his hacking experience appeared to be very helpful.

“Go ahead, then.” Olanna folded her hands over her chest. “Tell me your amazing plan.”

Connor opened his mouth, then closed it. How could he tell her that he knew how to get through the First Gate? That he even knew a way to open it? Without also telling her about Mr. Grey and the fact that, as last night’s events made apparent, he had thrown them all into danger?

Before he could speak, Olanna, her anger far from sated, jumped down his throat.

“You can start by explaining how those thugs last night knew your name. Your real name and your hacker name!” Olanna looked at him sharply.

“And what is this Ring of Tantor business? Just what was it that brought you into Legends? If it has anything to do with the mess we’re in . . .”

“It doesn’t! How could you think that!” Connor burst out. At least, he didn’t think that his activities had anything to do with this Annwn business.

“Speak up, Connor, or so help me . . .” Olanna said, and Connor knew that there was absolutely nothing he could do to change her mind. Not if he still wanted her as a friend, that was.

Connor stuttered for a second, took a deep breath, then told her.

“I think I know how to get us out. But it means making it through the Six Realms. You remember what Finbar said? That this entire game is a challenge? Every world has a Gate, right? The way to beat the game is to make it through the final Gate. I think that’s the best chance we have to return to our bodies.”

“And what if you’re wrong? How would we even go about finding this First Gate and getting through it?” Olanna wasn’t impressed.

Connor ground his teeth before acquiescing. “I was hired to steal the item that unlocks the First Gate,” he began, then told her about Mr. Grey which was why he was in the game in the first place.

As he spoke, he saw Olanna’s mood darken when she realized that, despite the fact that she had given him an easy way out of his illegal life before all of this, he had still gone ahead and signed up for another contract. And this time with someone that he hadn’t even vetted at all. When he told her about the message and getting the map to the Aviatrix’s Tower, Olanna finally burst out.

“And you didn’t stop to think that maybe, just maybe, your employer was a dangerous man? That there were going to be consequences for messing around with the game like that?”

“Dealing with people like that is what I do. It’s what I’m good at!” Connor insisted.

“Not that good at it, apparently,” Olanna pointed out.

Her eyes narrowed as she glared daggers at him. “So, you’re telling me that there’s a bunch of other players in the game, this Mr. Grey’s employers who probably killed him, and now, they’re coming for us?”

“For me,” Connor corrected.

“Us,” Olanna said heavily.

Connor looked at the floor for a long moment as he waited for her judgment.

“What annoys me the most about all of this, Connor, is the fact that you should have told me as soon as you had the chance. If you’d just asked for my help, told me about the Ring of Tantor . . .” her voice trailed off. Even she realized that there wasn’t much that could be said about a situation no one could have ever envisioned. Neither of them knew if this was indeed the best way to get out of the game and back to their bodies. Neither of them knew what all of this business with Annwn meant.

“We wait,” Olanna decided firmly. “We get to Union City, and we start leveling up as quick as possible, alright? It sounds like this Aviatrix Tower is big business, and we’re going to need a lot more than just levels. We need to gather all the items, equipment, and whatever else it takes to make it through the next world before we go through the gate.”

Connor blinked. “You mean—you mean that you’re in? You agree with my plan?”

“I accept that you’re a pigheaded idiot,” Olanna returned, stalking back to reclaim her dagger from the windowsill before sighing heavily.

“And I know that you need my help. I’ll talk to Dargan.”

“You can’t tell the Ranger Marshal,” Connor pointed out. “He’s a lawman. He’ll never agree to theft.”

He saw Olanna’s jaw tighten at that. No matter how fierce and deadly a character that he’d seen her play over the years, there were always a few things that held true about her. She didn’t like lying to people. She didn’t like having to skulk and hide.

“We wait,” Olanna repeated, saying the word with great finality.

The sudden sound of ringing bells from outside interrupted them.

It seemed that the world outside wasn’t going to wait for anyone.