He’d been shot with more prah-filled arrows.
The Queen was convinced Sebastian was dangerous. She’d already agreed to give him over to Augustine. She even knew about the Sobrasi and their plans for the shadowen. What reason did Augustine have to keep doing this to him?
Nadya Corsi’s words came back to me with a jolt.
The danger lies in this: We don’t know what might happen to Sebastian, when the prah of both the head and the body of La Gargouille join together within him.
That’s why the prah wasn’t having the same effect on Sebastian as it had with the others. He was something entirely different. Zindelo and Nadya’s fears were taking shape right in front of me, and I had no clue how to stop it.
‘Josephine?’
For a millisecond, I thought it was Sebastian, and my heart skidded to a stop. But it wasn’t him. I jerked my head up to find Quentin studying me from a few feet away, just inside the opened door.
‘Are you okay?’
‘Yeah,’ I said coldly. I got to my feet and brushed off my jeans. ‘Wish I could say the same for Sebastian, but I can’t.’
Donani and the Queen entered the room behind Quentin, and her four personal guards followed closely behind. The room suddenly felt cramped and stifling. Thalia approached, raising her hand to settle the Marksmen, who had instantly stepped forward as well.
‘You see,’ she said. ‘It’s exactly as I told you.’
‘No, it isn’t. This isn’t him, Kralitsa.’ I looked over my shoulder. Sebastian lay where he’d collapsed moments earlier, his massive wings like a cocoon. ‘You said you saw him when he first arrived. You have to see the difference. He won’t talk, he doesn’t even acknowledge me.’
She sighed, but it wasn’t a sound of sadness or even disapproval. If anything, it was resigned. ‘As the old verse says, a leopard cannot change its spots. Neither can a shadow creature.’ The Queen looked inside the cell. ‘Perhaps this one was just able to hide them from you for a while.’
It was useless. The Queen had made up her mind with the same finality as Quentin. I couldn’t talk sense into them, even if I had all the time in the world. ‘No, you don’t understand,’ I said, anyway. ‘Augustine did this to him.’
‘And what if he did?’ she replied with a shrug. ‘What difference does it make? His fate will be the same, regardless. He is a shadowen. And that is enough.’
‘But he’s more,’ I shot back.
The Queen’s forehead lifted. ‘Meaning?’
I gulped down my next words before they left my mouth. If I told her about La Gargouille in front of a room full of Marksmen, Sebastian would be dead in seconds. My heart burned seeing him like this. But he was alive. And as long as he was alive, there was hope.
‘He’s my guardian,’ I replied instead.
My aunt sighed. I heard disappointment in the sound. ‘I am sorry that your goodbyes were not as you hoped, Josephine. But perhaps it was better this way. A clean break is sometimes the easiest.’
‘So, that’s it. I’m just to go back to the Circe now and pretend none of this ever happened.’
‘Not yet,’ said the Queen. ‘The Gathering Celebration begins in two hours. The Court of Shadows is already growing full of Outcasts from throughout the kumpania. And you, Josephine, must represent the Romany clan. Quentin has already spoken to Nicolas and told him of the arrangements.’
‘Oh, I’m sure he has,’ I said icily.
‘I don’t have to remind you,’ she added. ‘It’s your duty.’ She placed her hand on my shoulder. ‘I intend to make an announcement to all the bandoleers, which will quell their fears and restore their hope. If all goes well, they will return to their clans with the assurance that they will never be threatened by the shadow world again.’
I turned my attention to Sebastian. His wings shook in tiny tremors, and I wondered if he even understood anything going on around him.
‘Are the Corsis going to be there?’ I asked suddenly.
‘Pardon me?’
‘Sebastian’s family. The Corsi clan from Sixes. Are they going to be present at the Gathering? I mean, I would assume they would be, since every clan is represented.’
Quentin stepped forward. ‘The Corsis are being detained at the moment, Kralitsa. We believe they had plans to try and rescue this gargoyle. It was a preventative measure, to keep them from breaking any laws they might regret. They are safely in their home and being looked after.’
I kept my eyes on my aunt. ‘Their absence would be noticed.’
‘Donani,’ she said, sweeping her long dress aside as she moved. ‘Please see to it than the Corsis are in attendance this evening. All Outcasts should be present.’
He and Quentin exchanged looks.
‘Of course,’ Donani replied, bowing his head.
The Marksman left the dungeon. Quentin narrowed his eyes at me.
‘Now,’ said the Queen, walking to the door. ‘If you’ll be so kind as to escort my niece back to the bedroom I assigned her. I’ll have the proper attire sent along.’ She looked me up and down. ‘Then you will join me for tea, Josephine. We have much to discuss.’
I watched her walk out, followed by two of the guards. Inside the cell, Sebastian made harsh, grating sounds with his claws. I approached the bars and tried to communicate once last time. I touched the pendant at my neck and put all my efforts into speaking inside my head.
Sebastian, say something. Let me know you’re still there. Please.
This time, he moved. I held my breath as he propped himself onto his elbow and twisted his neck just enough to focus his solid eyes on me. Then he flashed his teeth in a vicious snarl.
‘Let’s go, Josie.’
Quentin reached out and took my arm. Sebastian suddenly launched at the doorway. His clawed hands burst between the iron bars, nearly catching Quentin. The force of his wild spring shook the framework of the door. I heard the creak of bending metal and popping bolts. Quentin pulled me back, his eyes betraying his trepidation.
The two remaining guards rushed up beside us, their spears jabbing into the cage until Sebastian retreated into the corner, his body disappearing into the dark shadows. It was the last I saw of him.
We left the dungeon and walked back through the tunnels. Quentin kept his arm on me, his touch firm enough to remind me he was there. As we neared the bedroom, he suddenly leaned into me and pressed his lips into my hair.
‘What do you think you’re going to accomplish,’ he whispered harshly, ‘bringing the Corsis to the Gathering? They’re not going to be able to help you. Or the demon.’
‘Maybe not,’ I said, pulling away from him. ‘But they deserve to know what’s going on.’
Quentin opened the door and stepped aside, waiting for me. I pushed past him into the room. ‘I’ll see you shortly,’ he said. He snapped his fingers and the two Marksmen took up their places on either side of the door.
‘Posting guards,’ I said. ‘Really.’
He bowed low, his face twisting into a sweet smile. ‘For your protection,’ he replied. ‘I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.’
Quentin closed the door, and I heard it lock behind him.
36. Josephine
I studied my reflection in the mirror.
The traditional clothes Aunt Thalia had sent to the room were a perfect fit, I had to admit, even if I hated having them on. I was getting ready for a party, while Sebastian was lying cold and alone in a nasty dungeon cell. The idea that he might not know what was going on wasn’t much consolation.
I adjusted the long skirt. The burgundy and orange fabric was covered in tiny yellow dandelion print, and it swished over the tops of my boots as I reached up to finish off my hair. I tied the red ribbons that I’d woven into my braids. They hung low across my blouse, which had a scooped neck and flowing sleeves.
I may not have been a prisoner exactly, but I certainly wasn’t free either. For the first time in my life, I couldn’t see a clear option ahead of me. I fiddled
with the dandelion pendant at my neck, drawing strength from the sclav that had joined me to Sebastian, even though the glass casing felt cold as ice.
The door lock turned. Quentin appeared in the doorway. He’d changed clothes in the time he’d been gone. Even though he still wore black from head to toe, it was nicer than his usual uniform. His hair was slicked and styled, his face recently shaved. My stomach hurt like I’d eaten something bad.
‘You look beautiful,’ he said suddenly.
‘That’s comforting.’
Quentin studied me carefully. ‘The Queen requests your presence in her private chambers.’
I glanced over his shoulder at the two Marksmen guards standing silently in the passageway. There was nothing remotely resembling a request in this. I looked back at Quentin.
‘Well, I guess you win,’ I said.
He almost looked surprised. ‘Oh, yes?’
‘I can’t go against the Queen’s wishes, and you’ve got my father wrapped around your every word. It doesn’t leave me a lot of choice. I’ll attend the Gathering. I’ll represent my family like the honorable bandoleer’s daughter.’ I stepped closer. ‘But don’t think for one second I’m going to forget any of this.’
A glint appeared in his dark eyes. ‘Of course, Rani.’
His words dripped with every bit of the sarcasm that mine had.
‘Then let’s go,’ I said, smoothing out my skirt and starting forward. ‘I know my aunt would be highly disappointed if I was late.’
We turned left at the end of the hall. The corridor was lined with tapestries on either side. Quentin knocked on a thick wooden door.
‘Come in,’ my aunt said.
He opened the door for me. The Queen’s private rooms reminded me of something out of an old-timey Hollywood movie. There was a receiving room and her bedroom lay behind a thick curtained door. The Queen sat on one end of a couch. On the coffee table in front of her was a tray with tea and cookies, along with a glass of water and a bottle of prescription pills. She motioned me inside. Quentin started to move, but I stepped in front of him.
‘I can take it from here,’ I said crisply.
Quentin’s eyes narrowed, but he flashed his perfect teeth at me in an overly pleasant smile and bowed. ‘Of course,’ he said, stepping out of the way. ‘But I’ll be close by, should you need me.’ He shut the door behind him.
‘Have a seat,’ said the Queen.
I sank into the cushions of the couch. She leaned over and poured a cup of tea for me, adding a lump of sugar and some milk before handing it over. I took it dutifully and stirred the contents with a fancy teaspoon.
‘I trust you’re pleased with the clothing,’ said the Queen as she placed a few cookies on a plate. ‘It suits you.’
‘Yes, thank you Kralitsa.’ Everything inside me felt like it was screaming. I wanted to be out there, back in the dungeon with Sebastian, not stuck in layers of billowy clothes, having tea with my aunt like it was an ordinary day. I raised my teacup to my lips.
‘Quentin Marks cleans up quite nicely, doesn’t he?’ she said, nodding towards the door as she offered me the plate. ‘He’s quite respected among the Marksmen as well, Donani tells me.’
‘I don’t doubt it,’ I replied.
The Queen shot me a knowing look as she took a sip of her tea. ‘Give it time, Josephine. I know you’re angry with him, but he’s only doing what I would expect from any Marksman who had pledged to look out for the interests of the Outcasts. You would be wise to consider him in your future plans.’
‘Aunt Thalia,’ I said, brushing off her comments. ‘I ask you once last time, please don’t let Augustine have Sebastian. If you do, I’ll lose him forever. I can’t let that happen.’
‘Josephine,’ she replied levelly, her voice slightly clipped. ‘I allowed you to see the gargoyle in the hopes that you would realize what is painfully obvious. He isn’t a guardian. Nor is he even a gargoyle.’
‘What’s happened to him is Augustine’s fault. He’s not like that. Sebastian is good and kind. If you would just let him go back to the Corsi clan, they could find a way to fix him. I know they could.’
‘What’s done is done,’ she replied. ‘You have other things to attend to.’
I sat back, working to control my face. ‘What do you mean?’
The Queen set her teacup aside. ‘As we speak, the Gathering Celebration is underway. Bandoleers from every clan are in attendance. Representatives from all the head families and Outcasts from the city have come.’
‘Yes,’ I said warily, trying to figure out the switch in conversation. ‘That’s why you sent me these clothes. I’m attending the Celebration.’
The corners of her eyes tightened. ‘No, I’m afraid you aren’t. You need to take that time to prepare.’
‘For what?’
‘The midnight service,’ she replied. ‘I’m announcing you as my successor at its conclusion.’
I almost knocked over my tea. ‘I don’t understand.’
The Queen touched the edge of her headscarf, pulling it back just enough for me to see the baldness underneath. ‘Josephine, I have been battling for many years, but my health has decided that it no longer wishes to join me. I don’t know how much time remains for me, but in this one thing, I still have control.’
‘But I’m not an adult yet,’ I said. ‘I’m not married.’
‘You will in time.’ She smiled. ‘Don’t worry, I have no intentions of dying immediately.’ She smiled. ‘The throne will remain mine. But you need a push in the next direction. Naming you publically will usher in this next chapter of your life. What you decide to do with it, however, is up to you.’ She sat back in her chair, and for the first time, I noticed the weariness in the lines of her face. ‘As soon as the Gathering meal is finished, everyone will make their way to the Cathedral of Saints for the service. Quentin Marks will accompany you there.’
I stood and walked to the other side of the room, feeling like a zombie. I knew this was coming. I’d tried to put it off, to avoid my inheritance at all costs. But now, it was staring me in the face. I couldn’t run anymore.
I adjusted my jewelry and the ribbons of my braids. I refused to marry simply for titles and status, though the practice still existed within some of the Old Clans. But the expectation remained, and with me, it had always carried so much more weight.
‘Josephine?’
The Queen looked steadily at me, waiting for my answer. When I didn’t respond, she rose to join me. ‘My niece,’ she said, cupping my chin with her hand. ‘I know the burden you carry.’ Her green eyes softened. ‘If anything, I wish I could take that from you. But neither of us can escape what we were born to do.’
I nodded slowly. ‘Yes, Aunt Thalia.’
‘Good,’ she replied, smiling. ‘You may return to your room for the time being. I have an important meeting I must attend first, but I will see you at the cathedral tonight.’ The Queen took my hands within her own. ‘You are doing a great honor to this kumpania. When I step down from throne, I am confident you will do what’s required of you.’
*
I sat on the edge of my bed, picking at the tray of food my aunt had sent to me. I glanced at the nightstand clock. It was less than two hours before the midnight service would start, and I’d accomplished nothing apart from bending to the Queen’s inevitable wishes.
I studied the locked door in front of me. The man and woman Quentin had posted were still outside, guarding me. Not only were they heavily armed, but they were also trained Marksmen. I’d never be able to overpower them, but maybe, if I could catch them by surprise …
I frantically searched my discarded jeans before remembering I didn’t have my knife. My fingers brushed over the small book in my other pocket, and I pulled it out, stuffing it into the leg of my boot. Then I rushed to the desk and took the lamp. I yanked off the shade and ripped the cord out of the wall. I took a large glass vase from the dresser in my other hand and tested its thickness. If I threw i
t hard enough against the dresser, it would shatter. I just hoped it was enough to bring them running.
Sebastian was in that dungeon. I had to get back to him. We were bonded. If I could just keep talking to him, he’d snap out of it. I’d help him break out of there, and whatever happened after that, I didn’t care.
I took up a position beside the door on the opposite side from where I was aiming the vase. Holding the lamp in my other hand like a baseball bat, I took a big breath and got ready to throw the glass. Just then, two loud thuds, followed by a muffled grunt, sounded from outside. The door opened.
I swung the lamp with all my force. A large figure turned just in time to save his head. I struck again, hitting him square in the back, and then I aimed the heavy vase at him. A hand grabbed the glass just before I made contact.
‘Stop!’
The whispered command came from a familiar voice, and I stumbled back, nearly dropping the lamp.
‘Ezzie?’
She tossed the vase onto the bed. Beside her, the man groaned and reached up to rub his shoulder where I’d hit him. I noted his dark hair, goatee, and tattooed arms and neck.
Hugo Corsi.
‘Thanks,’ he said, looking at Ezzie. ‘She almost took my head off.’
Ezzie smiled. ‘I almost let her.’
I set the lamp aside, feeling my eyes bugging. ‘What … how?’
Esmeralda put a finger to her lips. She and Hugo retreated into the hallway and came back in, each dragging an unconscious guard behind them. Hugo shut the door and spun around to look at me.
‘You weren’t wearing that the last time I saw you.’
I tugged on one of my braids. ‘The Queen’s choice for the midnight service, but it doesn’t matter right now. Is Katie okay? How did you guys find me?’
Hugo jutted his thumb at Ezzie. ‘Ask her.’
‘Katie’s fine,’ she replied, kneeling down to check on the female guard. ‘I got her back to the inn, but we’d only been there a few minutes when we received a visit from a group of Marksmen. They are keeping the Corsis under house arrest. I was able to sneak out the back door, as they didn’t seem to know I was staying there. I retraced our steps to the cemetery entrance, and I tracked you from there.’
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