“One hundred and seventy people dead, officially.” I suspected that was an understatement. “And over four hundred people injured.”
“As well as thousands of crowns worth of damaged or destroyed property,” Caroline said, softly. “It would have been a lot worse if you hadn’t stopped the infernal device.”
I nodded, my scalp itching. “Do they really expect people to believe this?”
“They’re trying to establish a narrative, while they purge Magus Court,” Caroline said. “I dare say Carioca Rubén and Joaquin Aguirre will bring the wedding forward as quickly as possible.”
“Yeah.” I shook my head. “They won’t be inviting us, will they?”
“They’ll have to give the Aguirre girls a season first,” Caroline said. “You never know. We might get invited to that.”
“Alana wouldn’t want me,” I said. “She spent seven years looking down on me.”
Caroline snorted. “Being an aristo means you don’t get to control your guest list,” she said, darkly. “They’ll be inviting people they really can’t stand because of politics. The people who don’t get invited will be terribly insulted. And then they’ll make it known.”
“You’ll make me feel sorry for them,” I said, as I poured myself a drink. “Stop it.”
Caroline shrugged. “The rich and powerful cannot understand the poor. They cannot understand why poverty leads people to make terrible decisions. It makes them see the poor as stupid, because - from their point of view - stupid decisions are stupid decisions. But the poor cannot understand the rich either. They don’t see the social obligations, or how failure can lead to utter disaster ...”
“But at least they have money,” I said.
“Don’t count on it,” Caroline told me. “House Lamplighter is so short of ready cash that it’s anyone’s guess when it’s going to fall to pieces. They’re bleeding family members and don’t have any clients worthy of the name. They certainly don’t have any prospect of getting more, either. The smart money says their heiress will either marry for money or loot the estate and vanish. Either way, she’ll be in a lot of trouble.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” I said. I sipped my drink. It was odd to think that a Great House might be terminally short of money, but ... I shrugged. It wasn’t my problem. “I have to see a couple of people. After that ... do you want to meet my family?”
“If you like.” Caroline grinned at me. “Should I be concerned about your siblings?”
“Just tell them we got married twenty years ago,” I said. I winked at her. “They’ll spend at least an hour spluttering before they realise it’s impossible.”
Caroline laughed. “Siblings,” she said. “Yours are probably better than mine.”
“They’re hard workers,” I said. I wondered, suddenly, if I was right. If Alana, Bella and Caitlyn were Caroline’s siblings ... I felt a stab of pity. That wouldn’t be pleasant for anyone. “What about yours?”
“They can be hard workers too,” Caroline said. She took back the report. “I’ve got a few things to do before we go. I’ll meet you in Water Shallot at six?”
“Sounds like a plan.” I glanced at the window. “Call me if you’re going to be late. The streets might be jammed.”
“We’ll see,” Caroline said. She frowned, suddenly. “The guardsmen won’t stop you now, will they?”
I laughed. “They probably still want to arrest me,” I said. I had no idea if the arrest warrant was still valid. Lord Dirac should have cancelled it, but he had other problems right now. I was probably at the bottom of his list. “I’d better get dressed for another swim.”
“Try not to drown,” Caroline said. She met my eyes, suddenly. “And when you’re talking to Louise, be honest.”
I made a rude gesture, then turned and headed into the bedroom. The knapsack I’d packed a week ago - it felt like years ago - was still in Water Shallot, but I’d had to leave behind a couple of outfits. I donned a simple tunic and trousers, then checked myself in the mirror. My face still looked odd, as if I’d covered myself in chalk dust. The healers had promised it would return to normal, but it was hard to believe. It just wasn’t normal. I cast a glamour to hide it, then turned away. My family would probably notice - they knew me well enough to see through the illusion - but hopefully everyone else would turn a blind eye. They’d probably think I was just using the spell to make myself look better. It took years for teenage boys to realise it simply didn’t work.
“See you,” I called, as I headed downstairs. Caroline didn’t look up as I passed. “Have fun.”
Sir Griffons was sitting in his office, writing a report. I felt a pang of guilt for leaving him, even though I’d already done mine. I hoped it was as clear and comprehensive as his superiors wanted. I’d done my best to list the reasoning behind my decisions, but it was painfully clear - sometimes - that there hadn’t been any real reasoning. It was one of my mistakes. And now ...
You’ll learn from your mistakes, I told myself. I’d forced myself to go through them all, first on my own and then with Caroline. And one day you will be knighted.
Shaking my head, I stepped out the door and walked onto the streets.
Chapter Forty
South Shallot felt oddly quiet, I decided, as I walked across the bridge and past the scene of the crime. The vast majority of the damage had already been cleared up, I noted; the only lingering traces of the riot were a handful of scorched buildings and a pile of rubble where one particularly rickety building had been. A handful of guardsmen stood on duty, looking over piles of flowers people had distributed along the riverbed. My heart twisted as I turned and walked towards the shops. My beloved city had changed, perhaps beyond repair. There was a new tension in the air. Anton Bolingbroke might have the last laugh after all.
I put the thought aside as I reached the shops. They were open, but largely empty. I hesitated, feeling unsure of myself, then walked up to the apothecary and pushed open the door. Rebecca was standing behind the counter, carefully weighing out small cloth bags of beetle legs. She looked up, almond eyes going wide when she saw me. I felt a pang of guilt. She had to think I’d come to make her life miserable again.
“Can we talk?” I spoke as gently as possible. “Please.”
Rebecca looked at me for a long moment, then nodded curtly. She didn’t seem inclined to take me into the back room. There was no sign of her shopgirl. I held myself still, trying to communicate that I was no threat. But I was sure she didn’t believe me.
“I owe you an apology,” I said. “I treated you poorly and ... I have no excuse.”
“No,” Rebecca said. Her voice was very quiet. “You don’t.”
It crossed my mind, suddenly, that she might not accept my apology. And why should she? I’d thrown my weight around with no thought to the possible consequences. I’d been desperate, but ... I knew better. Now. I’d been blinded by my feelings. Caroline had been right. I’d acted poorly and now I had to deal with the consequences.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Someone gave me your name and I ran with it.”
Rebecca’s lips twitched. “You weren’t the only one.”
I nodded. I guessed she’d already been visited by Lord Dirac. “Do you know Anton Bolingbroke?”
“No.” Rebecca ran a hand through her long black hair. “I might have met him, back when I was working in Bolingbroke Hall, but ... I don’t remember him.”
“I see,” I said. “Is that a good thing?”
Rebecca smiled. It was strikingly endearing. “Yes. The ones I remember ... most of them were thoroughly unpleasant.”
“I can believe it,” I said. “Forgive me, but I need to ask ... did you invent or brew a memory-wipe potion?”
“No.” Rebecca bit her lip. “Master Travis did.”
I blinked. “Master Travis?”
Rebecca looked down at the counter. “He was my master, before ... before he was killed. He did commissions for clients, special clients. One of them w
as a memory-wipe potion. I found the notes in his vault after his death. I don’t know who commissioned it.”
“I think I do,” I said. I’d thought Travis was Rebecca’s father. It had never occurred to me that he might have been her master. “Did Lord Dirac ask the same question?”
“Yes.” Rebecca looked up at me. “He took the notes.”
“Ouch,” I said.
“I never did anything with them,” Rebecca said. “There was no cure, as far as I could tell. The potion didn’t seem to have any valid use.”
“Beyond ensuring someone couldn’t talk,” I said. I had to smile. No wonder Magus Court had never traced the brewer. He’d lived and worked in Water Shallot before he was killed. They probably hadn’t thought to look there. “Did you ever consider trying to brew a cure?”
“I never had time.” Rebecca gave me a shy smile. “I’m still working towards my mastery.”
I nodded. “Good luck,” I said. “Can I ask one final question?”
Rebecca frowned, then nodded. “Go ahead.”
“You’re a Bolingbroke client,” I said. “Why don’t you work for them directly?”
“I was given the shop and patronage as a reward.” Rebecca visibly hesitated. “I can’t tell you much more, but ... suffice it to say I have no real obligations to them.”
“They were paying back a debt,” I said. What had Rebecca done for them? It could have been anything, anything at all. “I ... thank you.”
I bowed. “I’m sorry,” I said, again. “And if there’s anything I can do for you, don’t hesitate to ask.”
The wards crackled around me as I pushed open the door, stepped back onto the streets and headed down to the bridges. I felt oddly better, as if I’d been absolved. Rebecca had no reason to like me - and it was quite possible we’d never see each other again - but at least she’d heard my apology. I mulled over what she’d told me as I crossed the bridges, passing a barricade someone had thrown up a day too late. If Master Travis had provided the memory-wipe potion to Stregheria Aguirre ...
Clever, I thought. No one would have looked for a Potions Master in Water Shallot. They certainly wouldn’t have considered him capable of inventing a new potion, let alone putting it into production.
It made sense, I told myself. Master Travis could have been killed to bury Stregheria Aguirre’s tracks, once he’d outlived his usefulness. I suspected further investigation was pointless, but I made a mental note to suggest it anyway. It might be interesting to see what else Master Travis had brewed over the years. If he’d been that good, he could have done almost anything.
The streets were grim, I noted, as I walked towards Louise’s shop. The people were fuming. They’d been shocked, but ... it wouldn’t be long before they became angry. There were already posters everywhere, calling the people to stand up and fight for their rights. I had a feeling Louse’s plan had already fallen by the wayside. The people wanted revenge, not a nonviolent struggle for freedom.
I smiled as I noticed the shop was being repaired. Workmen were swarming around the building, patching up the damage. The stocks had already been replenished. Sir Griffons had probably had a few words with someone about it. I nodded to myself as I pushed open the door and stepped inside. It might go some way towards mending fences.
Louise’s sister winked at me. “Hello, Louise’s boyfriend!”
I resisted the urge to hex her. “Is she upstairs?”
“Yeah.” The girl winked at me. “Are you her boyfriend? Really?”
“Just a friend,” I said, firmly. “Can I go up?”
“Sure.” Louise’s sister smirked. “Try and surprise her.”
I made sure to make as much noise as I could as I walked up the stairs and peered into her bedroom. Surprising a sorceress was a good way to be turned into a frog - or worse. Louise was sitting on a wooden stool, writing in a notebook. It looked as if she was writing a speech.
“Hi,” I said. “How are you?”
Louise looked up at me, her expression vague. I couldn’t tell if she was pleased to see me. We’d shared so much, yet ... she had good reason to be angry at me. And everyone else. Her cause had been damaged. It might even have been broken beyond repair.
“Tired,” she said. “I heard you saved thousands of lives.”
“At a cost,” I said. Her eyes narrowed. She knew me well enough to see through the glamour. “But it was worth it.”
“Good.” Louise sounded tired. Tired and depressed. “I’m glad. I really am.”
I wanted to hug her. But I didn’t dare.
“We caught the person behind the infernal devices,” I said. I was fairly sure she knew it already. “Everyone knows you were framed.”
“Everyone?” Louise shook her head. “Nothing is ever going to be the same, is it?”
She waved a hand at the tiny window. “Sure, everything looks normal out there. Nothing has changed. But you know what? Everything has changed. We can’t go back to pretending that peaceful protest is enough. If they were prepared to kill their own people to get at us, what else are they prepared to do?”
“The only aristocrat they meant to kill was Prince Jacob,” I said. “I heard he’ll be leaving the city.”
Louise managed a humourless laugh. “Do you blame him?”
I shook my head. Prince Jacob probably knew - or suspected - he’d been targeted. And besides, he’d gotten nothing beyond a few vague words of sympathy from the Great Houses. They certainly hadn’t promised him material or monetary support. He’d be wise to leave the city as quickly as possible, before he was ordered to leave. The Great Houses didn’t have time for him.
“Things are going to change again,” Louise said. “I haven’t given up.”
“I didn’t think you would,” I said. “And I ...”
She cut me off. “You ... weren’t entirely honest with me that night, were you? You didn’t tell me the truth until much later.”
I rubbed my cheek. “You slapped me. Hard.”
“You deserved it,” Louise said. She stood, brushing down her skirt. “Whose side are you on?”
“I swore an oath to uphold the law,” I said. “And ...”
“And what do you do,” Louise demanded, “if the law itself can be rewritten? Or if your superiors order you to break the law?”
I said nothing. We’d been warned there were illegal orders - and we’d be in deep trouble if we obeyed them - but it was clear that refusing to obey wouldn’t be easy. Our superiors could make our lives very difficult if we didn’t follow orders. What would I have done, I asked myself, if I’d been ordered to assist Anton Bolingbroke? I liked to think I would have said no. But ... I didn’t know.
“Stay with me,” Louise said. “Join me. Join us. Fight for our rights. Or go. Leave now and don’t come back.”
My heart twisted. I wasn’t in love with her. I was sure of it. But I did like her. She was ... brave and determined, as well as beautiful. I knew she rubbed people the wrong way - she’d been more isolated than me at school - but she meant well. There was a bit of me that wanted to take off the ring and join her, walking away from the Kingsmen. But ... I knew it would mean breaking my oaths. I wasn’t ready to become foresworn.
“I can make things better, from the inside,” I said. “And ...”
“You’re not the first person to say that,” Louise said. She reached for her cloak and pulled it on. “Goodbye, Adam. Don’t come visiting again.”
I stared at her, feeling ... I wasn’t sure how I felt. I understood her point. She couldn’t afford to trust someone with divided loyalties. And yet, I felt angry at being dismissed so casually, at being ordered out of her life. How could she? I’d put my career on the line for her. I wanted ... I wasn’t sure what I wanted, either. It wasn’t as if either of us were going to have a normal life. She was going to lead the socialists and I ...
... I was going to Caithness.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
Louise’s gaze was very hard. “Goodb
ye.”
I bowed, then retreated back down the stairs. Louise’s sister waved cheerfully as I walked past and headed for the door. I had a feeling she was going to be teasing her older sister ... that wasn’t going to work out well. I heard footsteps coming downstairs as I left the shop. Louise ... needed to rebuild her cause. I hoped she managed to catch the spy before he did any more damage.
“Goodbye,” I said, quietly.
I started to walk, heedless of where I was going. There were more posters covering the walls, promising everything from more protest marches to more direct action. A pair of prostitutes waved cheerfully, their smiles turning unpleasant as they realised I wasn’t interested. I tasted fish in the air as I crossed a canal, wondering if I’d gain anything from confronting Zadornov or Malachi Rubén. I had so many questions. But Sir Griffons had hinted the latter was under investigation. I might get in trouble if I got involved.
My thoughts raced as I turned away, striding up the canal walkway. Too much had happened, too quickly. I felt as if I’d been a fool, even though Caroline and Sir Griffons had assured me I’d learnt from my mistakes. I’d done all right, in the end. And yet ... oddly, I couldn’t wait for Friday. I’d never been to Caithness. It would be somewhere new, somewhere I had no family ties. Who knew what I’d find there?
I turned and started to stride back towards the bridges. It was nearly six. Caroline would be waiting. I wondered what my family would make of her. Bringing a girl home had only one meaning, unless the girl had been a friend since childhood. My father would understand, I thought. My sisters would pretend otherwise.
“Hey,” Caroline said. She was standing by the bridge, her dark eyes wary. “How did it go?”
I looked around. “I don’t feel like I belong here any longer,” I said. “I can’t wait for Friday.”
“I’m not surprised,” Caroline said. “Sooner or later, we all have to grow up.”
“Hah.” I gave her a sharp look as we started to walk. “What did Sir Griffons say to you?”
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