“Don’t I?” She winced at the bitterness she heard in his voice. “I saw my father send my younger brother to the Mine for daring to suggest better working conditions. Everyone here”－he indicated the building with a wave of his hand－“believes my brother is dead, but I saw my Father throw him into bondage.” Tay took a step back as the words poured forth. “You find him terrifying, but you don’t live with him.” He took a step closer. “You want to talk about living on a knife edge, try keeping your rebellion sympathies from a man who would sell his own mother for higher status.” Tay froze, mesmerised by the intensity in his face and voice. “At least you could keep your head down on the streets and be yourself at home.” He stopped talking, and visibly tried to get his emotions under control.
“Darius… I…” She tried to say something, anything that would ease his pain. For the first time since she had met him, she saw through his mask of calm indifference.
“If I could have left you out of this, I would have.” He continued to speak, his voice reverting back to the calm, languid tones that she had become used to. “This business is hard enough without involving someone reluctant.” She watched as he stepped back from her, and returned to his chair at the table.
“I don’t need your sympathy or understanding.” A steady hand picked up a fresh cup from the table. “I just need to know if I can trust you to do this.”
Tay looked down at her feet, at the swirling patterns on the carpet. Expectation hung in the air between them and she wished she could refuse this role she had to play. Her thoughts flickered back to her home, to the faces of her father and siblings. Even if she had never wanted to join the rebellion, she couldn’t let her sister take the same route to self-destruction that her parents had.
“My Father.” Darius’ head twitched in her direction. “How did they find him?”
“I think we have a traitor,” he answered, in those same quiet tones. “Or at the very least a leak.” He took another sip from the cup of tea and regarded her thoughtfully. “Whoever it is, doesn’t seem to know about me.”
“That’s lucky for you.” Sarcastic tones greeted his statement, and he raised an eyebrow.
“Do you think I enjoy seeing people like your father go to the Mine?”
“I wouldn’t know what you like,” she grumbled, pain driving her words.
“Would you try to find out?”
She was spared from answering as a loud tap sounded from the main door. Darius beckoned her forward and pointed at the breakfast table. Tay got the point and sat down at the place which had been laid for her. The delicious scent of bacon, egg and sausage assailed her nostrils, and her mouth watered. Despite the frustration of this morning’s argument, her appetite had not been affected. She lifted the cover on the plate before her and began to eat as Darius opened the door for the visitor.
“Kail.” He nodded at the newcomer and returned to his chair, picking up a piece of toast from the rack. Tay glanced up at Darius’ decidedly neutral tone, and froze as her eyes connected with the man before her. Rail thin yet muscular, the man filled the room with nervous energy, which brought a sense of unease to her already rattled senses. Like many of those she had seen in the castle, he was well dressed, and several expensive items made by the Clockwork Temple adorned his person.
“Darius.” Nodding, Kail returned the greeting and moved to stand before the fire. “I’ve come to see if you’re still listed for the sleigh race this morning.” His voice was steady but cold, the lack of emotion sending a chill about the room. Tay swallowed her mouthful of bacon and glanced at Darius, noting the taut set of his shoulders as he spoke.
“Of course.” Neutral, bland tones laced his voice. “I’m looking forward to it.” The barest hint of a sneer rippled from his lips, and Tay resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow at the suppressed hostility she could sense from him.
“Of course you are,” Kail answered, before he turned his gaze to Tay. “And is this your sister?”
Darius nodded, his face blank, yet Tay could feel the tension radiating out from his seemingly impassive form. “Lyana”－he waved a hand across at the other man“this is Kail.” Tay reached forth a slightly unsteady hand. “His father runs the Guard.” It took all of her self-control not to pull her hand away as the impact of what Darius said struck her.
“Delighted.” He lowered a pair of dry lips to the skin on the back of her hand and gently kissed.
“It’s a pleasure,” she replied, trying to control the shiver of fear that slid down her back.
“So, I’ll see you at the stables?” Kail stepped back and addressed Darius.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Darius replied, managing to mask his disinterest in the activity.
“Good.” Kail stepped back to the door and opened it. “In an hour and a half then.” Nodding once more to Tay, he stepped through the door and out into the corridor. Darius continued to smile politely as the door swung closed.
“What…” Darius held up his hand and stopped Tay from speaking. He drew a finger to his lips and pointed at the door. Tay nodded with understanding and focused back on the plate before her.
“It might be fun to race,” Darius continued. “Though after my performance last year, I’m not holding out much hope.”
“You raced last year?” Tay asked, helping him to maintain the fiction of bored nobility.
“Yes.” He stood up and took several small steps toward the door and stopped. “I came fourth, after Kail.”
“Do you think you can beat him this year?” As she approached the door, she lowered her voice slightly.
“I can try.” Darius leant closer to the door. “Hopefully this year I’ll win.”
From the other side of the door, they could hear the sound of retreating footsteps. For several moments more, they continued their conversation, waiting for Kail to leave. As they heard the distant sound of the lift, Darius breathed a huge sigh of relief.
“His father runs the guard?” Tay’s voice said weakly, as she returned to her seat.
“That’s what I said.” Darius ran a distracted hand through his hair.
“Is he the one watching you?”
“One of them.” Another breath whistled through his lips, and he visibly got his emotions back under control. “I’m not saying be paranoid but…”
“…be careful.” Tay finished his sentence as she reached down to finish eating her now cold breakfast.
“Exactly.” With a glance down at the timepiece on his wrist, Darius stood up. “I am sorry for the deception.” Dropping his napkin to the table, he reached out for the jacket that hung on the stand in the corner of the room. “But you already agreed to steal the information, so”－with a shrug, he drew the coat about his shoulders－“you’d better get on with it.”
Tay watched him leave the room without saying a word. She dropped her fork onto the china plate and pushed herself upright, heading for her suite.
Several dresses were still draped across the bed and chair, remnants of the aborted morning. The clothes on the bed were rumpled, creased from her earlier crying fit. Tay carefully picked them up and laid them over the back of a chair.
“Try the blue.” Beth’s voice sounded from the door, and she turned to face her friend. “You’ll look good in that.” Light steps carried her across the floor, and she picked up a simple but richly coloured dress in royal blue. She folded the dress over her arm and approached Tay, her face filled with apology.
“When did you know?” Tay asked, as Beth began to arrange the dress layers. At Beth’s look of incomprehension, she clarified. “About me having to steal these records?”
“Not until Darius discovered that Lyana was pregnant,” Beth answered, as she held out the first layer of petticoats. “Before then, I didn’t know how involved you were.”
“Why couldn’t you tell me?” Tay turned, and Beth began to lace the back of the dress. “Didn’t you trust me?”
“Did you trust me?” Beth said, as he
r fingers deftly tied the dress shut. “Did you tell me about your father? About Darius?”
“No…”
“Well then”－she finished lacing the dress and reached out for the set of matching shoes－“we both lied, and it was for necessary reasons.” Tay held out her foot, and Beth laced the first shoe. “But I can say that there will be no lies after this.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Tay said, as Beth finished with the second shoe. “So now what?”
“Now you go down to the library and hope that you find that recorder,” Beth responded, as she began to tidy away. “With any luck, no one has spotted it.”
Chapter 18
In daylight, the library seemed different to the shadowy, dangerous place of the night before. As she walked into the book-filled space, she was relieved to note that nothing appeared out of place or disturbed. Pretending to read the spines of the books, she moved through the library toward the front of the room. The curtains that had covered the large windows were now drawn back. The same snowy landscape that she saw from her window stretched out before her. Stopping for a moment, she stared out at the seemingly endless grounds. Could she run? Thoughts of escape running through her mind, she was tempted to open the windows. Her fingers hovered over the window latch, itching with the desire to fling it open. It was a hopeless dream, she knew that. Even if she could escape unscathed, there was nowhere for her to go. A resigned sigh escaped her lips, and she returned to her examination of the room. The books that had been laid open on the tables last night had been cleared, and the sick sensation rose once more in her gullet. She forced herself to move slowly as she hunted through the library for the missing recorder. With every step she took away from the seats, she felt her stomach lurch. There was little chance the recorder had fallen so far away. With diminishing hope, she found her way back to the fireplace. The tunnel’s entrance held her attention as she seized on the hope that the recorder had fallen out within the narrow passageway. She ignored the little voice that pointed out the tunnel’s frequent use.
“Hello again.” She glanced up at the voice and stared as the young man from the night before walked closer.
“Do you live in this library?” Her words slid from between her lips, stunned into speech by his appearance.
“No. Do you?” He threw the question back to her with a smile.
“No.” Tay glanced down at her feet, troubled by his teasing manner.
“You look like you’re looking for something,” he noted, in the same teasing voice. Tay froze and tried to school her expression into something bland. “Something you dropped?”
She opened her mouth and shut it again just as quickly. The last thing she wanted to do was indicate how much she needed the recorder.
“It’s a nice little recorder,” he continued. “I wonder why you’d need it this morning?”
“It’s my brother’s,” Tay answered, thinking quickly. “He loaned it to me, and he’d be furious if I lost it.”
“Who’s your brother?” With languid grace, he moved to one of the chairs they had been sitting in the night before. “Maybe I could pass it along to him.”
“He’s not here.” Tay wished she could have had more time to concoct a better story, but she couldn’t give him Darius’ name, particularly when she had lied about her own. “I can take it back.”
“You seem a little jumpy.”
“And you’re a little nosy for someone who hasn’t given their name,” Tay shot back, deciding that aggression would be the best route at this point. “Besides which, that recorder is not yours, and I’ve asked for it back, so would you mind?”
“Fair point.” With a smirk, he reached into his coat pocket and drew the recorder from within. Sounds of movement could be heard from the library entrance, and he handed over the instrument. “Call me Talon,” he said, as she pushed the recorder back into her pocket. As the noise from the doorway grew louder, Talon stepped back. Several of the girls from the night before breezed into the room, their chatter disturbing the peace. Talon pressed the button for the tunnel and quickly walked out of sight.
“Lyana,” Annetta called across the room, and Tay reluctantly went to join them.
“So have you heard about the sledge race?” Amira spoke excitedly, as they sat around one of the circular tables that were dotted about the room.
“Yes,” Tay answered quickly, and blushed as they all looked at her. “It’s being held in approximately”－she glanced down at the timepiece that she had been given－“an hour.”
“What do you say, girls?” Cara spoke to the group. “Do you fancy going?”
“In this weather?” Amira pointed out of the window to the snow-laden sky. “It’s far too cold.”
“Chicken,” Cara retorted, as she turned from the window and stared across at Tay. “What about you Lyana?”
“What?” Tay had been staring across the room at the hidden door, thinking about Talon and his strange manner.
“Are you going to the race?” Cara spoke in slow, measured tones.
“I, err…”
“Oh come on,” Annetta called, her voice jollying and enthusiastic. “You’ve got a brother in the race, you should cheer him on.”
“I don’t know.” Tay hated the hesitancy in her voice, but she could not help it. If it were down to her, she could watch the race with ease, but as things stood, she couldn’t risk it. She had taken a massive gamble meeting the girls here. The more contact they had, the more likely her ruse would be discovered. She tried to tell herself that what could happen to Lyana would be none of her concern but that didn’t sit well with her.
“Lyana.” Annetta drawled her name with frustration. “Don’t be such a spoilsport.” She indicated the other girls around her. “Everyone else is going.”
“Even Amira?” Tay pointed at the other girl.
“She said it was far too cold.” Tay noted.
“She was just kidding,” Cara insisted. “You’re coming with us, aren’t you?”
Amira gave a sigh and nodded. “Just let me get hold of something warm.”
Cara then turned to face Tay with a smug grin on her face. “See.”
“Alright.” Unable to find any more excuses, Tay agreed.
“Excellent.” Annetta swept past her and walked back to the door. “See you outside in an hour.”
Silence settled over the small group as Annetta swept out of the room. For one long, uncomfortable moment, they looked at each other without saying a word.
“I don’t really want to go,” Amira said finally, as she sank into one of the soft chairs beside the fire. “It’s going to be cold out there, and I bet it’s going to start snowing.”
“Then why did you say yes?” Cara asked, her fingers picking up a candied sweet from one of the jars on the table. “You could have gone back to your room.”
“And miss everything?” the other girl retorted. With a sigh, she stretched her feet out toward the fire. “We might actually get to see our betrotheds before the ball tonight.”
“I thought they kept the candidates out of the race,” Linnett called.
“No.” Resting a hand on the back of Amira’s chair, Cara tugged on the other girl’s plait. “They relaxed that rule last year.”
“I guess everyone will be outside,” Tay noted, as she tried to keep the tremble from her voice.
“And they’ll serve spiced wine,” Cara continued, her fingers teasing the feathers from Amira’s headdress as she spoke.
“Stop that.” Amira stood and moved away from Cara’s fingers. “That took an hour to put in, I don’t need you shredding it.”
“It looks awful.” Another feather fell from her fingers and drifted to the floor. “Feathers don’t suit you in the slightest, I’m doing you a favour.”
“I could do without this kind of favour.” Amira slapped at Cara’s hands and pushed her away. “Go and bother someone else.”
“Fine.” A sigh of exasperation escaped her lips as Car
a moved away and sat in the other chair. “I offer my fashion expertise, and I’m cruelly rebuffed.”
“You’re not the one left with a headdress that looks as though a bird’s pecked at it,” Amira retaliated, as she removed a small mirror from her bag and examined the damage. “I’m going to have to go and get my hair redone.”
“What’s the point?” Cara continued in. “You’ll be wearing a hat outside.”
“It’s the principle of the thing.” With a grimace, Amira tucked the remaining feathers across the bald section of the headdress. “I look like a plucked goose.”
“Oh for heaven’s sake, here.” Cara picked up the handful of feathers and began to repin them to the fascinator.
“Do you know if Talia’s joining us?” Tay asked, remembering the unpleasant girl from the night before.
“She’ll be there for the race,” Cara noted, after a moment’s thought. “Are you missing her?” A rich vein of laughter flowed through her voice as she spoke.
“I was actually hoping that she’d come down with something unpleasant,” Tay replied, answering the amusement with some of her own.
“No such luck,” Amira broke into the conversation. “I heard…” She stopped speaking as her eyes took in the clock on the mantel. “Time to go I think.” As Cara voiced her disapproval, she pointed at the time. “The race starts in just under an hour, and I’ll need to get dressed.” Amira smoothly got to her feet. “I’ll see you all out there.”
“I’d better go too,” Cara noted, and followed Amira from the room. Tay waited for a few moments more, allowing the others a head start before she too left the library.
As she made her way back to her room, she focused her thoughts on the man who had called himself Talon. Not for one moment did she think that Talon was his name and the obvious subterfuge made her uneasy. Despite the aid he had given her, she could not trust that he was harmless. When she could barely trust those who maintained her secret, it was even harder to trust others. This trip had become much more than she had anticipated and she could barely wait to return to the drudgery of the Frazers’ and a life that did not promise an early death. As she pushed open the door to her chambers, she resolved to find the information and get out of this nest of vipers before she got bitten.
Amber Sky (C.O.I.L.S Of Copper and Brass Book 1) Page 17