by A. D. Winter
“Well, regardless …” Nelson fixed his white gloves. “He’ll be buried with honors. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Thank you.” My voice was barely a whisper.
He was about to say something else when he was interrupted by a young initiate with a shaved head. Kalligan, I think his name was. He was handing him a file when Luis snatched it from his hands.
“My lord,” Luis said, handing the high inquisitor the file. “The preliminary estimation of the damages.”
The high inquisitor frowned as he took the report. It must’ve been horrible, because his face quickly paled, and for a second, I worried he might vomit.
“Would you excuse me, please?” he said before turning away and grumbling his frustration.
I looked up as I felt a body standing over me.
Luis was glaring down at me with a grin, his neat appearance now a memory. His jacket was torn where he’d been slashed by a vampire, and part of his neck was scabbed over, a deep gash that was still healing. Even his neatly combed hair was a mess.
It was he who’d led the inquisitors into battle and now had the wounds to show for it.
I was sure he was already fantasizing over the promotion he would get.
“I have to hand it to you.” Luis gestured to the smoking building behind me. “You really do know how to leave your mark on a city.”
“What can I say?” I shrugged despite the pain in my shoulder. “When I let loose, I let loose.”
“Look,” he began carefully. “I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but I’m sorry about the old man. I know how much you loved him. And more importantly, I know how much he loved you.” He scratched his chin, looking away in shame. “I was actually kind of jealous of it.”
“Kind of?” I asked, shooting him a stare.
“Okay, maybe a lot.”
I snorted. As big a jerk as Luis was, it was actually pretty nice of him to say all of this. “Thanks,” I said.
“Sure.” He was about to turn away when he suddenly paused to look back at me. “There’s something I wanted to ask you.”
“No, I won’t marry you,” I told him.
He snorted. “You wish. But seriously, the note you left with the workers … why did you address it to me and not Barton?”
I arched a brow at him. “Because even though I knew you hated me, I knew that deep down in that little ambitious, go-by-the-book heart of yours, you actually cared.”
He stared at me for a moment, his mouth agape. He couldn’t believe what I was saying. But then, as he thought about it a little more, he realized that I was joking and burst out laughing. “Rat droppings,” he said. “You knew I’d do anything to bust you.”
I gave him a shrug. “More or less. But in all honesty—” I flung a pebble at his chest “—thank you for coming.”
He inclined his head at me. “I’m glad that I could be of service.”
“For once, at least,” I said.
He laughed.
When Nelson was finished with the report, he handed it back to Luis. “Thank you, um …”
“Aguilar,” I told him, making sure to pronounce his name loud and clear. “Luis Aguilar. He’s a good inquisitor. Almost as good as me.”
Luis smiled at the gesture, and Nelson nodded in acceptance. “Very well, Aguilar. I’ll be sure to remember it.”
He was about to hand Luis the file when a gust of wind blew by us. It knocked the file from his hand, and the pages threatened to separate. Without thinking, I reached out a hand and caught them all before they could be stolen by the wind.
Both Nelson and Luis stared at me in astonishment.
“Sorry,” I said, bowing my head in embarrassment. “I’ve been working out.”
They exchanged a glance and Luis left.
It was the spirits, I knew. Mainly Greta's. Its extensive power was now mine, and the last thing I wanted to do was arouse suspicion, especially from the people who I'd betrayed.
Besides, there was still so much left for the Order to do that I didn’t want to distract them. Collecting evidence, examining data, following up leads. It was just the beginning.
For them, at least.
For me?
That was another matter.
“So,” I said, “what’s next? The cells? A public execution? Let me guess—the dreaded scaffold?” I mimicked pulling an imaginary rope around my neck and made a gagging sound.
“If it were up to me,” Nelson began, “I’d return you to your cell for the rest of your life. You’ve caused millions of coins in damage, put the city at risk, and nearly cost the lives of the richest class in the city.”
“But?” I asked, casting him with a hopeful gaze.
He took a long and steadying breath. “Considering that you’ve single-handedly unearthed a vast conspiracy to undermine the Council of Light, it would seem unsuitable for me to hand out any punishment. Besides, I doubt the elite class would stand by while we hanged the one person who had saved their children.”
Saved their children. The phrase seemed eerie now.
“What about my job?” I asked.
He drew a piece of paper from his coat and unfolded it. It was my ex-communication order, I realized, the one that Barton had signed in his office. Holding me in his gaze, he tore it in half and let the pieces fall to the floor.
“You know you just littered, right?”
His lips drew into a thin line. “Thanks to you, we were able to locate all of the potions. At the moment, we’re searching Igama’s quarters, where we’re sure he kept the recipe. It won’t be long until we find it.
“Unfortunately, it seems that some of the Thorns escaped tonight, and according to your testimony, it appears that the Listeners are still out there. If we’re going to stop them, we’ll need our best people to find them.”
“Well, I guess you’ll all have your hands full.”
“Indeed we will.” He nodded at Kalligan, and the young man handed me the velvet bag holding my nunchucks.
I looked up at Nelson. “What’s this?”
“An incentive,” he replied.
“For what?” I asked.
“To return.”
“I’m back?”
“With honors,” he said reluctantly. “Effective immediately.”
I gaped at him in amazement.
“Come Monday, Luis will be answering to you,” he said, “as well as an entire squad of initiates, which you can pick out personally.” He tugged at the ends of his gloves. “The Listeners know who you are now. And believe me, there are far greater monsters in the dark than vampires. You’ll need to be prepared.”
I glared at the nunchucks in my hands, feeling a sense of completeness. They were mine now. No more turning them in at the end of the day. And a promotion? I couldn’t believe it. For the first time since I’d joined the Order, I was finally getting some respect. About time.
“You’ll need people you can trust,” Nelson said. “People who’ll protect you when you need them. People who are reliable. Remember, this isn’t a job you can do alone.”
I looked out across the square, at the healing stations, where the shamans were looking after the wounded. Dryden, Crag, and Sophie were grouped together by one of the carriages, alive and seemingly okay. Seeing them brought a smile to my lips.
“Well?” Nelson asked. “What’s your decision?”
39
Ivy
I pushed my way through the healing stations, anxious to reveal the good news.
Crag was sitting on the ledge of a carriage with Sophie, while Dryden was off to the side, adding his aid to the shamans who were helping the wounded.
They looked beat-up and battered, exhausted from the past couple of hours. But they’d been given tea and blankets, and bandages for their wounds.
Sophie perked up as she saw me, then nudged Crag in the ribs. The dwarf looked up and, in turn, spoke a word to Dryden.
“Well, well, well,” Dryden began, wiping his hands on a wh
ite cloth. “If it isn’t our fearless leader.”
I shrank beneath their gazes, unsure of what to say. It was because of me that they were like this, and because of that, I doubted that they could ever forgive me.
“Hey,” I said with the wave of my hand. “Are you guys all right?”
“We’ve been better,” Dryden said, raking a hand through his hair. Even exhausted and dirty, he was still gorgeous.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean for it to come to this.”
He gave a derisive snort, while Crag arched a brow at me.
“Okay, so maybe I did,” I confessed. “But we’re still alive, right?”
“Alive?” Dryden was incensed. “We barely survived. Crag was beaten to the point of death, Sophie was nearly forced into suicide, and it’s going to take me at least a couple of spells to regrow my hair.”
“That is unfortunate,” I said, wincing at his strange haircut.
“Leave the poor girl alone,” Crag said. “This isn’t her fault.”
“It’s not?” Dryden asked.
“No,” Crag replied. “It was the Listeners who started this entire mess. They came to our home, killed the Laurents, and cursed the princess. If anything, we should be grateful to her. It was because of her that we saw this through.”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling vindicated.
“But that doesn’t mean we are,” Crag said. “The wizard is right, my dear. We all nearly died. So, considering everything, I think we’re even.”
“Good enough for me,” I said.
“There’s still one other issue,” Dryden said.
“And what’s that?” I asked.
“You lied to us.”
“That is true, my dear,” Crag said behind a reproachful stare.
I scrunched my face up as I scratched my head. “Did I lie? I mean, technically, you never asked me directly if I was still an inquisitor, so …”
Crag tilted his head forward, warning me to stop while I was ahead.
“Okay,” I finally conceded, “so I lied.”
“That’s better, my dear,” Crag said.
“But I promise you,” I said, meeting their gazes, “I won’t ever do it again. That part of my life is over now.”
Dryden snorted to himself, while Crag’s mouth curled into a suspicious grin. Even Sophie appeared amused, her tiny mouth lifting into a half smile.
“I’m serious,” I said.
Crag raised his hands in surrender. “I didn’t say a word, my dear.”
“So, now what?” Dryden asked, leaning against the carriage and crossing his toned arms. “Is this where we’re finally dragged to the cells for aiding an escaped prisoner?”
“Actually,” I said, squinting an eye at them, “that’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.”
The three of them perked up, as they were suddenly intrigued.
“Is there a problem, my dear?” Crag asked.
“Not so much a problem as a development,” I replied.
“What are you talking about?” Dryden asked.
“The high inquisitor,” I said. “He’s just issued pardons for all of you, not to mention commendations for bravery. In fact, as crazy as it may sound, I’ve just been offered a full reinstatement.”
Dryden’s brows shot up in surprise, while Crag and Sophie exchanged a glance.
“A reinstatement?” Dryden was in disbelief.
“A promotion, really,” I said.
Their surprise was evident, but I could sense a hesitancy on their parts, as if they were reluctant to celebrate my good fortune. But I couldn’t blame them. They’d risked just as much as I had in defeating Greta and the Thorns. It was selfish to dangle my good fortune before them. At least, it would’ve been.
“Well,” Crag said, finally breaking the silence. “I believe congratulations are in order.” He raised his cup in a toast and forced a smile. Sophie capitulated as well, offering me her blessing with an inclined head.
Dryden, on the other hand, wasn’t as accommodating.
He took a drag of his ciggy and began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“This,” he said, waving a hand at the surrounding mess. “We do all the heavy lifting, and it’s you who gets rewarded.”
“Heavy lifting?” I said defensively. “I fought a vampire goddess, for Danu’s sake.”
“Details, details,” Dryden said.
“Look,” I said, “I just wanted my life back.”
“Well, it looks like you’ve got it,” Dryden said. “And a bit more.”
“Not really,” I said.
“What are you talking about?” Dryden asked.
“I’m not taking it.”
Crag’s mouth fell open, and he began to blink in rapid succession. “And why in Thor’s name would you do something like that?”
“Because I don’t want it,” I said.
“But everything you did was to get back into the Order,” he continued. “I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I,” I replied. “All I know is that the Listeners are still out there, and the only people I trust are right here, right now, with me.”
Astonished, they grew silent.
“You can’t be serious,” Dryden said.
“Why not?” I asked. “We’ve all been tested, and we passed.”
“But we’re not inquisitors,” he said.
“Which makes it even better,” I replied. “We’re not tied down to any rules. We can do what we want without worry. No pestering superior looking over our shoulders every minute of the day. Absolute freedom.”
“Sounds great,” Dryden said. “But you forgot one important detail.”
“And what’s that?” I asked.
“Why would we help you?”
“I could think of a couple of things,” I said.
“Oh yeah, like what?”
“Well, for starters, you still want to help out your mentor, right?”
“So we’re back to that again?” Dryden replied.
“The Order doesn’t review cases,” I said. “But that doesn’t mean that we can’t.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked.
“Give me some time,” I said. “There’s more going on here than we know. But to get to the truth of things, we’ll need to journey into some unseemly places.”
“Sounds dangerous,” Dryden said.
“It is,” I admitted. “But I’ve got a plan.”
Crag spit out his tea as he began to laugh.
“What?” I asked. “I do.”
“A plan?” Dryden shook his head, laughing. “You?”
I gave a half-hearted shrug. “Kind of.”
“Let me guess,” he replied. “Kill as many evildoers as possible?”
“Do you have a better plan?” I asked.
“I might,” Crag said, drawing our attention.
The dwarf took his time as he wiped the spilled tea from his chest.
“This … journey of yours,” Crag began. “I assume it’ll require a lot of resources and time?”
“I haven’t gotten to that part yet,” I said.
Crag stared down at Sophie, and I saw a flash of worry on his bearded face. “The vampires know who we are now.” He looked at Dryden. “All of us. And because of that, I fear that our safety is still in peril.”
“What are you proposing?” I asked.
“As the last living relative of Grand Duke François, Sophie stands to inherit his entire estate and fortune.”
“And as her guardian …” Dryden began with a coy smile.
“I’ll be in charge of taking care of her,” Crag finished.
I cocked my head at the dwarf. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“He’s asking you to go live with them,” Dryden said.
Sophie’s eyes widened in horror, and she quickly began speaking in French, clearly opposed to the idea.
“Only for a while,” Crag assure
d her. “If that’s okay with you, Your Royal Highness.”
Sophie took a moment as she studied me, no doubt remembering how I had tied her to a chair and drugged her. There was also the tiny fact that I was a chosen, a dirty peasant with no ancestry and no real prospects.
But I had saved her life, and regardless of how low I was in her eyes, she knew that I would never judge her for being cursed. At least, I hoped so.
After a while, she finally nodded. “Very well. She may live with us. For the time being. But she must shower every day. And make sure she doesn’t touch anything. Unless it’s for cleaning.”
Crag looked pleased as he brushed the young elf’s hair with his hand. “As you wish, your Majesty.”
It was a strange situation, I had to admit, being invited to live in a chateau in Nouvelle Lumière, the richest quarter of the city. But what else could I do? Now that I’d left the Order, I needed a place to stay, not to mention the funds necessary to bribe my way into the underworld. No. I had to do it. Regardless of how weird it was for me.
I glanced over at Dryden, causing Crag and Sophie to do the same. He frowned as he realized what we were suggesting.
“No.” He shook his head decidedly. “Absolutely not.”
“Oh, come on,” I drawled.
“You’d have one of the best beds in the chateau,” Crag offered, sweetening the deal.
“No,” Dryden continued. “I live alone. Besides, I hate the spring.”
“Are you seriously rejecting an invitation from Princess Sophie Laurent?” I asked, placing great emphasis on her title.
Sophie sat up along the edge of the carriage, awaiting his reply.
He stared at the young girl, clearly shaken by her haughty presence. “Oh, all right,” he finally relented. “But I’m not cleaning. And you can definitely write me off for any laundry.”
“I think we can live with that,” I said.
He nodded as he stared at the ground, taking another drag of his ciggy.
“What about us?” I asked, taking a step forward. “You ready to continue our date?”
Both Crag and Sophie watched us from behind the brims of their cups, their eyes unblinking, as if witnessing the most important scene in a play.