Obsidian Eyes

by A. W. Exley

  “You are very drunk,” he said as he brought himself under control.

  “Yes, m’lord, I most certainly am. Very, very drunk,” she replied with a smile as she reached up to kiss him again but he placed a fingertip on her lips, stopping her.

  “I think we should have this conversation tomorrow, when you’re not drunk and you know what you’re doing.”

  “I wasn’t planning on talking,” she said with a mischievous grin. “I thought I would live a little. Besides, isn’t this what we both want?” Her dark brows drew together in a frown.

  “Not like this.” He looked into her dark eyes, a black velvet night with no stars, glistening like the obsidian of her knife blade. He groaned at what he turned down for the sake of honour. He had wanted this for so long and now she served herself up on a platter for him to devour. He wanted to fall on her like a starving man at a banquet. He toyed with picking her up and carrying her to an unoccupied alcove. Laying her on the deep cushions within he would use his lips and tongue to explore every inch of silken skin her outfit revealed. His resolve to be honourable waned.

  He tried a different tack. “We need to get you home, to bed.”

  “You McLaren boys move fast don’t you?” Even drunk she was still determined to bait and tempt him.

  She turned and Jared wrapped his arms around her, keeping her against him. He longed to maintain contact with her skin. He dropped his face to her neck and inhaled her rich, spiced vanilla scent.

  “Duncan,” she cried when he returned to the bar. “Your cousin is determined to ruin my fun for the evening, what do we say to that?”

  Duncan produced two shot glasses from behind his back and offered one to Allie with an extended hand. “Bottoms up?” He gave a grin that matched hers.

  “Exactly.” She took the glass and downed the drink before smacking the glass down on the bar. Jared released his grip on her, when Duncan tugged on her free hand.

  “Let me whisk you away before he tells us both its bed time.” Duncan spun her out to the dance floor.

  “Great,” Jared muttered, pouring himself a tall glass of water from the pitcher on the bar. “Now I’ve got to get two of them home intact.”

  On returning to the house, Duncan whirled Allie around the entranceway while singing a very bawdy tune.

  “There will be some sore heads at breakfast,” Jared said as he watched them.

  Hearing the ruckus, Eloise appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing a long dressing gown over her white nightgown. Weasel nestled close to her leg and draped himself in the pink velvet of her robe.

  “Oh, good, you’re awake,” Jared said. She descended the stairs with a bemused look on her face. Weasel stayed put, surveying the raucous scene without becoming involved. “Allie will definitely need a hand getting to bed. And plenty of water.”

  “She’s drunk?” Eloise looked at her friend in horror. “You were supposed to be on a serious mission, not out drinking.”

  “Drunk like a skunk!” Duncan piped in, before handing Allie off to Eloise, who took her friend’s arm before she could escape.

  Eloise shook her head at Duncan and Jared. “I think we will have words in the morning.” She turned and ushered Allie up the stairs to their rooms.

  Jared gave Duncan a push in the same direction. “You need to head to bed as well.” He watched Duncan navigate the stairs, each foot taking two attempts to find the tread before he headed to his room.

  He lay in bed unable to sleep. It wasn’t thinking of the mission that kept him awake, or the thought of using his best friend as bait, but the kiss with Allie. He could still feel her pressed against him and her warm skin under his hands. The smell of her lingered in his nostrils and the taste of her in his mouth. He played the moment over and over in his mind, until exhaustion swept him away to sleep.

  Wednesday, 28th September.

  ate the next morning, Allie descended the stairs to the dining room. Zeb returned from the military base so he could join them for breakfast. His armed escort cooled their heels out in the garden and stables courtyard, waiting to deliver him back to headquarters as soon as the meal concluded.

  She found Zeb reading the morning paper, blindly reaching out a hand for his cup of tea from behind the newspaper. He never saw the affection with which Eloise poured and placed it in the exact spot for his grasping him. She thought they presented such a lovely picture of domestic harmony.

  All they need are grotesque half alive mechanical pets sitting at their feet.

  “Good morning.”

  Eloise started but on seeing Allie’s pallor, she immediately reached for the water jug. Pouring a tall glass, Eloise handed it to her friend as she dropped onto a chair. Jared dished up his breakfast, keeping his back to Allie.

  For some reason, the light in the dining room seemed unnaturally bright and pounded its way through her skull. Allie took the offered drink and put the cool glass of water to her forehead. For a moment, the dull headache retreated.

  Duncan bounced into the room with all the energy of a Labrador who knows he is about to go for walkies.

  “How dare you look so enthusiastic,” Allie muttered. “In fact, how the heck can you be so bouncy after last night?”

  “Bigger mass,” he said, tapping his chest. “I think you tried to match me drink for drink for about, oh, five minutes.” He laughed. “Did nobody ever tell you not to get into a whisky drinking competition with a Scotsman?”

  “Somebody seems to have failed to pass on that vital piece of information. I guess I’ll have to stick to beating you with a blade instead.” She poked her tongue out at him and went back to nursing her glass of water.

  “I can’t believe you two got Allie drunk.” Eloise fumed. “It’s not exactly gentlemanly behaviour.”

  “I don’t recollect anyone holding her down,” Duncan retorted, heading to the buffet. “In fact I seem to remember her being a willing participant.”

  Allie rolled her eyes at Eloise. “Don’t worry Eloise, last night is a lesson I’m not keen to repeat. And I take full blame for my actions, I just can’t exactly remember what all of them were. I recollect the count plied me with vodka and then a fog descends.”

  Duncan chuckled as he grabbed the largest plate he could find and started heaping it with haggis, eggs, bacon, and black pudding.

  “How many girls did you dance with last night anyway?” Allie took another sip of water. “I dimly seem to recollect a whirl of colours and skirts around you, and I think there were even feathers involved at some stage.”

  “Lots.” He beamed. “Unlike somebody else, who only had eyes for one girl last night.” He threw a glance at Jared, who finished dishing up his breakfast. Jared swung his head around and fixed his cousin with a cold gaze, halting Duncan’s hand mid reach for the toast.

  Allie moved the water so the glass cooled another part of her forehead.

  The two boys returned to the table and seated themselves either side of Zeb. Duncan’s plate was piled high, Jared’s more restrained, but both contained far more food than Allie cared to see. The mere sight of the eggs and haggis made her stomach do strange flip-flops.

  Any further conversation halted as Matisse entered the room with a steaming mug which he placed in front of Allie.

  She inhaled the rich aroma swirling off the cup. “Matisse, you are a saviour angel emerging from the mist of my misery.” She put down the water and cupped her hands around the rich, dark Turkish coffee. “How on earth did you know?”

  “Lady Eloise mentioned you spent some time in Egypt. Given the late hour and rowdiness,” he managed to convey quite a lot of meaning into that one word, “of your return last night, I thought a coffee might be in order this morning. Might I suggest, Miss, you also keep up the water consumption?”

  “Thank you.” Allie took a sip of the hot sweet beverage.

  Matisse bowed and retreated from the room.

  “You’ve got until this afternoon to lose the hangover.” Jared tucked into his br
eakfast.

  Eloise buttered a piece of toast and handed it to Allie, who stared at the bread before taking it and biting off a corner. She had the vague uneasy sensation something important happened with Jared the previous evening but she struggled to put her finger on it. Or more accurately, it was hidden under the veil of her hangover. She decided to keep quiet, drink her coffee and wait for the enveloping fog to lift.

  After a brief breakfast, she headed back upstairs, nursing a jug of water and planning on a few more hours of rest, leaving the boys to make their plans.

  Eloise helped Allie dress in her walking outfit, which she thought more suitable for a meeting in the Gardens. She fussed with the finer details of the outfit and refused to release Allie until the veil of the small top hat sat exactly right.

  Allie waved away the fussing hands. “Remind me to go hunting and find you some critters to experiment on. Then you can leave me alone.”

  Eloise pressed her best parasol into Allie’s palm as she left.

  Jared had the carriage waiting at the bottom step and handed Allie up in silence. Duncan already lounged on the seat, his large form taking up most of the available space. Allie thought they looked like they were out for a quiet afternoon ride, not going to dangle their friend in front of a Reaper agent.

  Her pounding headache retreated but an incessant nagging remained. Something wasn’t right about the arrangement between the Reapers and the Whisperers, but she couldn’t lay her finger on the problem. With her father every sentence concealed a double meaning. The Whisperers often spoke in rhetoric and riddles.

  What am I missing?

  They headed out of the courtyard and Jared urged the horses on to a faster pace. Turning for the military base, it was a short trip and they never slowed. Allie was grateful for the rush of fresh air and the numerous pins holding her hat to her head.

  Jared brought the carriage to a halt under the portico and two young grooms stepped forward to take hold of the horses.

  Duncan jumped down and held out a hand for Allie, with a smirk on his face at the gentile roles they played.

  Allie smiled at him and whispered between her teeth. “I’m going to hurt you for this. And I will be drawing blood.”

  He laughed aloud. “It will so be worth it.”

  The on-duty soldiers observed their arrival and waved them through the main doors.

  Once again Lieutenant Harris and the general awaited them. Today he played with markers on an enormous map of the British Isles. “Harris tells me you were successful.”

  Jared stood in front of the table top map with Duncan standing slightly behind and to his right. “Yes. We have a meeting this afternoon. He wants to verify we possess a certain package and then we conclude the deal.”

  Harris crossed his arms. “The agent wants to sight Lithgow. We’re going to dangle him as bait in exchange for the location of his father.”

  The general scratched his chin for several long and silent moments. “I don’t like it. Why doesn’t he just take him?”

  “I believe there is some underlying agreement between the guilds that dictates delivery of Zeb.” The same thing bothered Allie. Why had Le Foy insisted she deliver Zeb to where the Reaper agent held his father?

  Galloway held her gaze for several long seconds and then he gave a curt nod. “All right, you can have young Lithgow for an hour. But we’ll have men stationed, discreetly, around you. Then you report straight back here.”

  The lieutenant moved to the door and held a quiet conversation with the soldiers stationed outside.

  He sat back down in his chair and tented his fingertips. “Apart from dangling young Lithgow, why will this agent reveal anything to you?”

  “I’ll ask nicely,” Allie said “He likes me.” She gave a smile and cast her eyes downward, letting her long lashes brush closed.

  “Allie made quite an impression on him last night.” Harris’ gaze lingered over her form.

  The general gave a bark of laughter. “It’s been a while since we had a decent woman operative. You forget how much better they are at gathering intelligence. I expect you all back here within two hours.” With the matter settled, he turned his attention back to his papers.

  Allie, Jared and Duncan turned to leave. Lieutenant Harris put his hand out to Allie.

  “I need to talk to you,” he said as she turned to face him, while the others paused by the door.

  She met his blue gaze. His hold over her vanished after the passage of so many years. “Do we have anything to say to each other?”

  He looked hurt at her tone. “I know I left you, but you got out. God, look at you, Allie. I barely recognised you. And last night—” he swallowed under his tight collar.

  She wondered if the count was the only person she made an impression upon.

  “You’ve changed and seem to have landed on your feet.”

  She could see the rekindled interest in his face as he calculated the value of her outfit. The Runner still lurks inside you.

  “I didn’t escape,” she said, remembering her last few days as a runner in London.

  Christian looked confused and Allie shook her head. “I never got out. I died in Newgate prison.” She turned on her heel and left him staring after her.

  t was a short ride to the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. They arrived early for their meeting with Illyich and alighted at the Arboretum Place entrance. Allie noticed the soldiers stationed by the exits and hoped like hell they wouldn’t alert their target and scare him off, although at least they were wearing civilian clothing.

  Zeb looked green around the gills at the whole affair. He was far more comfortable in his laboratory and had never been overly fond of the outdoors.

  Jared helped Allie down from the carriage and offered her his hand, leaving Duncan to escort Zeb. She put up the parasol and placed it over her shoulder before taking his arm as they wandered into the Botanic Gardens. The silence stretched between them, larger than the green manicured lawns.

  Jared worked his jaw back and forth, before asking Allie a question. “What’s the history between you and Harris?”

  Allie thought of the handsome soldier and wondered at Jared’s interest. “Why? Are you jealous?”

  “Yes.”

  The answer was so unexpected Allie missed her step. She considered her response, before taking a deep breath and let another portion of her story free. “I met him on the streets. He was eighteen. I was twelve. Christian was a street enforcer for the Runners, he worked for Fredericks, managing the gang of kids. He used to look out for me. I looked up to him and whenever I saw him he was the bright point of my day.”

  Jared was quiet, his eyes serious. “Did you love him?”

  Allie didn’t have to think about her retort, she shook her head. “No, but I was infatuated. I was starved of attention and he gave it to me. And then one day he simply vanished.”

  “He got out and enlisted.”

  Allie frowned. “But how? He was marked, you don’t leave the guild.”

  Jared shrugged. “Perhaps they can’t reach into KRAC.”

  She made a noise, chewing over how Christian could carry his Runners’ mark and rise in the military. “However he did it, he left me behind. I always imagined he would come back for me and he never did. He just forgot about me and moved on with his life.” She remembered crying at night from the pain of a broken heart, shattered trust and abandonment.

  “I would never abandon you,” Jared’s voice was soft from next to her.

  Allie thought how steadfast Jared was in his friendships and his unfaltering sense of honour. “I’m starting to get a sense of that.”

  “We still need to talk.” His grip tightened on her hand, as though he feared she would take fright and run.

  “I know.” Allie’s heart raced.

  He stopped and turned to face her. “No games remember? I don’t want you as a distraction. I want—no, I need you, as something more.” He reached out and placed his hand on the nape of her neck
, his thumb stroked the sensitive skin as he drew her near. Using the cover of the parasol to shield them from Duncan and Zeb, he kissed her. His tongue danced over the seam of her lips, before he let her go again.

  “We can find a middle ground and work this out, you only have to meet me half way,” he said. He tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow as they continued walking.

  Allie let out a long held breath. She was heading to an encounter where she needed her wits about her and her thoughts had been turned upside down and shaken violently. Her awareness of Jared next to her heightened as she remembered their kiss the previous night and her body screamed out for more. She was being underhanded. There was no future for her and Jared, because she simply didn’t have one to offer him. By defying Le Foy, she resumed her walk to the gallows.

  She had to centre herself, push those thoughts to one side while she concentrated on the task at hand. She needed a distraction, like teasing Jared.

  “There’s no need to be jealous of Christian. Hakim though,” she let out a whistle. “All the women in the harem thought he was very fine looking. And he was the most talented guard at the palace.”

  Jared’s gaze cut through her and his face paled. “Hakim?”

  “Hmmm,” she drew out the noise. “He’s the one who gave me the obsidian blade I always carry.” Allie squeezed his arm. “Don’t worry, I left him back in Egypt, doubt I’ll run into him in England.” She bit the inside of her mouth, to still the laughter wanting to burst forth at his worried expression.

  “How talented a guard was he?” Jared asked of his unknown rival.

  Allie told an embellished story of Hakim’s talents as they walked.

  Jared pulled his watch from his vest. “Two pm,” he said as he replaced the ornate timepiece. They strolled out of the green canopy and the glasshouses came into view. Enormous and ornate with soaring glass panels, they housed the tropical plants.

  Allie noted the count sitting in the sunshine on a white painted bench seat, watching their approach. He wore a camel coloured frock coat, matching pale top hat and a crystal topper on his cane that sparkled in the afternoon sun. He rose and inclined his head to Jared and Allie.