by Lish McBride
“Your orders are stealing champagne and, what, looking through drawers?” Merit asked.
He glanced at Tevin, a silent question in his gaze. How much do you want me to tell her?
Tevin sighed. His promise to Merit didn’t cover his brother, exactly, but it felt wrong to keep this from her. Besides, maybe they both needed a reminder of what kind of people Tevin came from. “Go ahead.”
“I scan correspondence, ledgers, bank drafts, grocer bills, whatever’s handy.” Amaury shrugged.
“Of course you do. That makes perfect sense,” Merit said. “Except, I’m sorry, but it doesn’t at all. Why do you do this?”
Tevin moved to stand by the door so he could keep an ear out for company. “Because that’s where secrets are hidden. You can keep a fake finance ledger and burn all your letters, but you’d be surprised what can be gleaned from a grocery bill.”
Merit blinked. “Like what?”
“It can be a good way to hide embarrassing expenses,” Tevin said. “Say you’re spending serious coin on a mistress. Don’t want to put that on your ledger, so you inflate something else to explain the expense away. Bolts of cloth you didn’t buy, pork chops that didn’t cost quite that much, a charitable donation.”
“I see,” Merit said. “Except for the part where Amaury does this at every ball.”
“Mimicry.” Amaury waved his hand at a pile of papers he’d left on the desk.
“Amaury’s gift,” Tevin supplied when she still looked confused. “If he sees something, he can re-create it exactly. Signatures, invitations, anything.”
Amaury put his shiny shoes up onto the desk. “I see it once, it’s in my head forever.” He put his hands behind his head. “Useful and terrible.”
“Useful how?” Merit asked. “I get the signature thing—forgery. But why would it matter if you knew what groceries the baron ordered?”
Amaury tilted his head, his eyes shining in the lamplight. “I like her. She’s precious.”
“Don’t be condescending, Amaury,” Tevin said, leaning against the door.
He blinked, sitting back up properly in the chair. “I meant it.” Amaury opened a drawer and pulled out a cloth notebook, flipping it open to the bookmarked page. He showed it to Merit. “What do you see?”
She scanned the list quickly. “I see that Baron Everslee is spending way too much on hothouse fruits instead of eating what’s in season.” She flipped to the page before. “And no one should eat that much cabbage.”
Amaury nodded. “The hothouse fruits are new. They’ve also nearly trebled their purchase of gingerroot.” He looked knowingly at Tevin.
“What does that mean?” Merit asked, clearly irritated that she had missed something.
Tevin gave a low whistle. “Naughty girl.” When Merit glowered at him, he held up a hand. “Not you. Lady Everslee. She’s having another man’s child.”
Merit snatched the notebook back from Amaury. “You can’t possibly get that from a list of groceries.”
Tevin placed his ear to the door, listening. When he heard nothing, he straightened. “Ginger for morning sickness. Hothouse fruits—something they didn’t splurge on before—for cravings. Typically both happen during the first trimester and then taper off. Not definitive, for sure. Every woman handles pregnancy differently.” He put his ear back to the door—he thought he heard giggling.
“So she’s possibly pregnant,” Merit said. “That’s a big leap to ‘someone else’s child.’ ”
“Context,” Amaury said, spreading his hands out. “Tonight’s ball is to celebrate Baron Everslee’s return to Veritess. He’s been jaunting about the rural estates of his own barony for the past six months. His wife has been here.” Amaury moved his hands to his chest and brushed them down through the air. “Empire waist.”
“Any male staff laid off recently or received an unaccountable promotion?” Tevin asked absently, his attention mostly on the sounds through the door.
“Stable lad,” Amaury said. “Now personal footman to her ladyship.”
Merit frowned thoughtfully. “Lady Everslee is a fashion plate. Empire waists aren’t in this year, but they do cover a multitude of sins, and her footman is very handsome.” Merit handed him back the notebook, pointing a finger at him after he took it. “What are you going to do with this information?”
Amaury hesitated, glancing at Tevin. “Nothing.”
“We can’t go back to our parents empty-handed.” Tevin rubbed a hand over his chest, trying to ease the sudden tightness there. “While we’re with you, we’re supposed to keep our eyes and ears open. Either we come back with information they can use or coin in hand.”
“You mean blackmail,” Merit said with a frown.
“Why do people always say that word like it’s a bad thing?” Amaury asked, giving the champagne bottle a little twist on the desk.
“Because it is a bad thing, Amaury.” She scowled at both of them. “You’re not going to tell them about the Everslees, are you?”
“No,” Tevin said firmly.
Amaury’s eyebrow rose. We’ll have to give them something, brother.
“Not this.” Tevin stared at Amaury until he nodded.
“I’m not sure I believe you,” Merit said, crossing her arms.
Amaury shrugged. “That’s your choice.” Then he tilted his head, looking at Merit funny. “When’d you last take your tincture?”
Merit’s eyes went wide and she looked at her watch, which she’d pinned to the inside of her sleeve. “Oh no. Is it bad?”
“Your eyes are orange.”
She began digging through her pockets frantically. “Mother made me take my dose, and then we were ages getting here—said she wanted to stop off at a friend’s, but it was actually a thinly veiled attempt to make me meet one of the suitors I’d crossed off the list already.” The digging got more frantic. “I can’t find it. I can’t find my second dose!” She looked at Tevin, eyes wide. “It must have fallen out somewhere.”
Amaury grabbed the champagne bottle and took a healthy swig. “So instead of the belle of the ball, you’re going to be the beast of it.”
Merit’s face twisted in panic.
“You don’t understand,” Tevin said, his heart squeezing painfully at that look on her face. “Merit isn’t always herself when she changes.”
Merit was breathing fast now, her eyes wide. “I could hurt people. I could—”
Tevin strode over to her and grabbed her arms, hushing her. “What can we do?”
“Find Ellery! If anyone would have a spare dose, it would be Ellery.” Tevin could feel her trembling. “Oh, find them, Tevin. Hurry!”
CHAPTER 13
OBJECTIVELY HANDSOME AND SUBJECTIVELY BEASTLY
Tevin ran down the stairs and through several hallways until he heard other people, then was forced to slow. He couldn’t draw attention to himself, not if he wanted to keep this contained. More people had arrived since they’d been gone, and the crowd was thick, so Tevin stayed on the steps, searching.
He couldn’t see Ellery, but his eyes caught on a familiar redhead. Val, her bow tie slightly askew and her hair looking like she’d finger-combed it back into place, caught sight of him and wove her way through the crowd to stand by his side. Tevin spent a few precious seconds finding out that Val had no idea where the healer was before he saw Willa a few yards away chatting with a group of women. Tevin maneuvered through the throng of guests until he was close enough to touch her elbow. He smiled at the women. “Excuse us for a moment.” Then he drew a confused Willa away a few steps.
“Merit has a problem, and we need to find Ellery. We need them now, and we need absolute discretion. Any chance you’ve seen them? Or have a dose of tincture on you?”
Willa shook her head. “I didn’t bring any. Ellery was playing cards in one of the little side rooms fifteen minute
s ago.” She stood on her toes. “That door there to the left of the terrace.” Her dark eyes were solemn. “Anything I can do to help?”
“That’s help enough, thank you,” Tevin said over his shoulder as he cut through the crowd, Val at his heels.
“What’s going on?” Val whispered.
“Later,” Tevin said. It took him several minutes to get to the card room. Val waited outside as Tevin slipped through a mostly closed door, coughing when he breathed in the air thick with smoke. Two of the gray-haired women playing had cigars in their mouths and were so focused on the cards in their hands that they didn’t look up when Tevin entered. Ellery sat between two young men, who, based on the level of flop sweat on their brows and the loosened state of their ties, were getting absolutely fleeced by the older women.
Ellery glanced up, saw Tevin, and frowned. Tevin mouthed Merit’s name, letting a little of his panic show. The healer put down their cards. “I’m sorry to say, I have to fold.” They waved off the chorus of complaints and stood. “I’m sure my seat won’t even have a chance to get cold.”
“This better be an emergency,” Ellery said after they’d closed the door behind Tevin. “I was going to win that hand.”
In a few sentences, Tevin filled both of them in as quietly as he could. Ellery’s smile vanished, and they were suddenly all business. “We need to stop by the cloakroom for my bag.”
The trio detoured and got Ellery’s bag, walking swiftly until they made it up the stairs and out of sight. Then they ran.
The library door was locked when they reached it, so Tevin rapped his knuckles against the wood. “Amaury?” There was no answer.
“We’ll have to find a member of the staff,” Ellery said, frustrated. “We don’t have time for this.”
Tevin was already kneeling on the floor, Val automatically turning around to play lookout. He peered at the keyhole while he slipped a hand into his jacket pocket and removed his lock- picking kit. The lock took a simple skeleton key, so it wouldn’t be difficult. He pulled two small hooked metal wrenches out of his kit.
“Why am I not surprised,” Ellery said dryly.
“You want to debate the ethics of what I’m doing, or do you want me to open the door quickly?” Tevin asked, slipping the first metal tool into the keyhole and using it to push the lever up.
“I will take option two,” Ellery said absently as they popped open their bag. “Because I put Merit’s health above this slight ethical dilemma.” They pulled out a thin case. “Speaking of which, I’d like to measure your face.” Ellery opened the case, withdrawing a vial. “For science. Not now, of course.”
“If you help Merit, I’ll let you measure anything you want.” Tevin put in the second metal piece and used it to move the deadbolt a fraction of an inch, until he could feel it holding the lever up. He took the first wrench out. “Why do you want to measure my face?”
“My help is not contingent on your answer. I’m a healer.” Ellery tsked. “That means something to me. As for your face, I think your features might be perfectly symmetrical. People find that pleasing. I’m curious to discover how much of your power comes from your fairy gift, and how much comes from being objectively handsome.”
“Why objectively handsome?” Val asked, her gaze never leaving the hall. “Isn’t that usually a subjective thing? Based on preference and such?”
Ellery closed the snap on their bag. “Yes, but in this case, it’s less about subjective tastes and more about things that your people generally look for in a male specimen. Like a chair everyone wants to sit in.”
“You hear that, Tev? You’re a popular chair,” Val said. Tevin didn’t look, but he could hear the grin in her voice.
“I feel objectified and insulted.” Tevin used the second hooked wrench to capture the deadbolt and finish pulling it in. “But I’m used to it.” He stood up, putting his tools away, and opened the door. The library wasn’t much different from when they’d left. But now the desk was turned over, the champagne leaving a small puddle on the rug. Amaury had climbed up one of the tall bookshelves until he was dangling off. The beast crouched below him, snarling. She swiped at his leg with her clawed hand, causing Amaury to yank up his upper half barely out of reach. He mostly made it, though the beast had taken one of his shoes.
“If I’d known we were going to play this game,” Amaury wheezed, “I would have drunk less.”
Val shut the doors and locked them behind her.
“It’s going to be difficult to get the tonic in her now.” Concern pinched Ellery’s face. “She’s completely changed, which means there will be no reasoning with her.”
Tevin quickly assessed the room. They could right it if they acted quickly, but even if they got Merit back to her normal self, her dress was ruined. Long tears sliced through the fabric, revealing fur. There was no way she could return to the ball.
“Val,” Tevin said, taking off his jacket. He’d need to move freely. “I need you to go down and find Glendon. Tell him Merit’s unwell and that we’ll need to take his carriage home. We can send it back for him. He needs to inform Lady Zarla but give us a good head start.” He didn’t want her mother interfering. “Once you do that, find Kaiya. She can get the carriage pulled up to the house and ready.” He removed his cuff links and dropped them in his pocket before rolling up his sleeves. The beast turned, revealing more tears in the fabric. If he could see that much fur now, she would be practically naked when she reverted. “Ellery, she just needs to drink the tincture, right? Nothing else?”
“Yes,” they said, handing the vial to him. “After this kind of episode, she’ll likely be woozy and tired.” Ellery grabbed Tevin’s wrist. “Are you sure, Tevin? This is quite dangerous. Once she’s in this state, Kaiya and I usually try to keep her contained and quiet until she calms down. Merit would never forgive herself if she hurt anyone.”
“I’m sure. Go with Val. While she’s handling the carriage, I need you to find a cloak of some kind—I don’t care if you have to steal it, but it needs to be something that covers her from head to toe. Understand?”
They both said they did as they ran off, leaving him with the beast. He locked the door behind them before moving slowly toward the creature as she paced, eyes on Amaury.
“Not to add to the problem,” Amaury said, his voice surprisingly calm, “but she has both my shoes now. I like my feet, Tevin. I’ve grown attached to them.”
“I’ll try to keep you in one piece,” Tevin assured him, before letting out a sharp whistle. The beast whipped around to look at him. She was moving on all fours, her tail lashing behind her. Teeth flashed as she snarled; a thin line of drool hit the carpet.
Tevin kept his hands up, the tincture held in place by one thumb. “Hello, beautiful.” The beast blinked slowly at him. Amaury stayed where he was, but Tevin could see the strain from holding himself up on the shelves’ narrow ledges. Still, his brother appeared calm and, because he was smart, didn’t say a word. Tevin had the beast’s attention now, and it was best if no one reminded her that there was another target in the room.
“I didn’t move fast enough, did I?” Tevin took another step. “You trusted me, and it took too long, and here we are. I think from now on, maybe one of us should carry a backup vial, too?” She sat back on her haunches, watching him. The beast appeared curious, not like she was going to pounce, which was a small relief. “Well, now,” he said, his smile wide. “Merit might not want to be charmed, but you do, don’t you?”
Behind her, Amaury carefully and silently climbed down. When his feet hit the rug, Tevin tossed him the tincture. Amaury caught it one-handed and tiptoed closer to the beast. Tevin kept talking, and once he got close enough, he kneeled down, leaving them eye-to-eye. The beast grew momentarily uncertain. “It’s okay. It’s just me. I won’t hurt you, you know that, right?” The beast leaned forward and tentatively sniffed his hands. Tevin kept talking and g
etting the beast used to his hands, stroking the fur around her face. Touching the velvet of her ears. After a minute he was scratching under her monstrous chin—her neck was extended out with feline grace, her eyes closed.
Once her snout was vertical, Amaury carefully uncorked the tincture and leaned close. He mouthed, “Three, two, one.”
At one, Tevin grabbed her snout and held it up while Amaury moved in, blocking her from backing up, and poured the tincture down one of her nostrils. She whined, scooting back and knocking Amaury down. Then she shook her head and sneezed, covering Tevin in a fine spray of what he hoped was spittle and not tincture. With a final hiccup, she collapsed back onto her hindquarters. Hair receded, horns curled in, and claws disappeared like they had never been there. In the span of a few breaths, Merit sat before him. Her dress in shreds while she hiccupped, her eyes wet like she might cry. Tevin didn’t think, but pulled her into his lap and held her while Amaury fetched Tevin’s jacket. Once that was draped around her, he settled her into a chair, and Amaury and Tevin quickly did their best to set the room to rights. They’d barely finished tidying the desk when the others returned, and they swiftly and quietly snuck Merit out of the house and into the waiting carriage.
CHAPTER 14
SHE’S ALWAYS PREPARED—LIKE AN EVIL BOY SCOUT
The next morning, in a rented suite with a view that overlooked the river, Latimer of Huldre was talking to his mother in the portable magic mirror that had been included in his luggage. Lady Angelique was anxious for an update and wasn’t too pleased with her only son.
“You barely spoke to her?”
“I’ve been in town less than a day.” Latimer chose his words carefully. His mother was in a mood, and he didn’t wish to set her off. “The ball was heavily attended. Her mother was keen to introduce us, but she was almost instantly whisked away by another man.”
Angelique tapped her paintbrush against her lips. She was fond of watercolors and had been trying to capture the gardens when he’d called, making the servants take the mirror out to her. They’d set up another easel to hold it so she could talk and paint in relative privacy. “The mother was keen—that’s a positive. Did you stay and charm her?”