Amber Sky (C.O.I.L.S Of Copper and Brass Book 1)

by Claire Warner

  “The girl knows nothing.” There was a pause. “Or she’s very well trained. But regardless, I can see no reason to hold her. She has clearance and no record.”

  “I’m not willing to release her yet,” Kail replied, the sound of something metallic hitting the wood. “Not when I’m this close to breaking James.”

  “I doubt you’ll get him,” the other replied. “And, you will certainly lose the rank through marriage.”

  “You think so?” Kail laughed in a strangely flat tone. “His Father makes the rules, not him. I think he’d throw his son to the wolves, particularly if I promise to keep it quiet.”

  “That’s foolish,” came the sharp response. “You can’t accuse him without being open about it, and that will lose you the betrothal.” The sound of footsteps paced across the floor. “You can arrest as many nobles for sedition as you like, but it’ll never get you what you want. They won’t allow it.”

  “Maybe you’re right, but I do want something on him.” Another creak as Kail vacated the chair. “Just let me try?”

  “Very well.” The library door opened. “We’ll sort it out now, while the others are still in the conclave.”

  Tay waited for the duo to leave the library before she moved out of the passageway. Carefully, she moved over to the library door, sneaking out into the corridor. She had no doubt that Kail was talking about Beth. The backs of Kail and one of his guards could be seen in the far distance. Tay hesitated at the door. The corridors were devoid of other people, any attempt to follow would be easy to spot. The duo moved down another corridor and out of sight. Tay gritted her teeth and made up her mind. She couldn’t wait for Darius. Decision made, she moved out into the corridor and began to follow, always keeping them far ahead.

  Kail led her deeper into the Palace, down corridors and halls that were unfamiliar. The windows were fewer here, the lighting gloomy and sporadic. Tay moved slower along the passageways, trying to calm the panic that was building within her as she counted the turns she had taken. Ahead, her quarry strode around another corner and out of sight.

  “Alright, let’s see if you’ll talk now.”

  Tay flattened herself against a wall, coming to a stop as Kail’s voice sounded from just ahead.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say.” Tay’s heart gave a lurch as Beth’s voice sounded nearby. “I don’t know anything.” Anger began to burn within her at the scared note to Beth’s voice.

  “We can do better than that.”

  Tay crept closer to the open door, her heart thumping painfully in her chest as she plucked up the courage to peek through the entrance.

  Both men were standing, facing a chair with Beth lashed to it. A bruise stood out livid on her cheek and blood oozed from a cut on her lip, but she otherwise looked unharmed. Beth, staring forward, caught sight of Tay, and swallowed the look of hope that had started to crease her features, clearly not expecting a rescue. Whatever plans Tay might have conceived of were discarded in that one, still moment. Fury seared through Tay’s mind and obliterated rational thought. She stepped into the room, burying her fear of Kail beneath scalding hot rage.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Both men whirled to face the door, startled by her sudden entrance. Stunned by her own actions, Tay continued to brazen it out, allowing the burning rage to drive her. “On what charge are you holding this girl?” Quick steps carried her closer to Kail and the strange man beside him. Tay’s gaze raked his form. Where Kail was rake-thin and austere, he was rotund with a florid face. Small, watery-blue eyes scanned the scene with a disquieting interest.

  “None of your concern.” Kail snapped back, his face lost the startled look and in its place something ugly took hold. “I have the authority to question whoever I wish.” He took a step toward her. “Leave now, or do I need to question your loyalties?”

  “No.” Memories of the previous night played through her mind, but Tay stood firm, secure that Kail had no real power. “You’ve already called my loyalties into question.” Beth stared at her, hope burning in her eyes. “And as I was vindicated, you can’t be so foolish as to attempt to strong-arm me a second time?” Kail took a step forward, his height towering over her small frame. “Don’t come near me.” The rage was beginning to fade, as fear of her situation began to increase. She was alone with two men, and at least one of them meant her ill. Swallowing nervously, she kept going, not willing to let them see her fear.

  “One moment Kail,” the other man said. “This is Lyana James?” The insincerity was well-hidden, but Tay could see it was there, buried beneath the courtesy.

  “And you are?” Tay acknowledged him with a brief nod, wondering if she should have heard of the name.

  “Jackson Prentice.” He extended a sweaty hand, which Tay took gingerly. “What brought you to this part of the Palace?”

  “I was exploring.” Tay shuddered at the slimy touch of his fingers. “Though some of the others are expecting me for lunch.”

  “I see.” Jackson held Kail’s gaze. “But I believe he is right, this is none of your concern.”

  “This was my maid,” Tay continued, sweat building on her brow. “I was told she was transferred. There was no mention of interrogation.” A line creased Jackson’s forehead. “I thought you need cause to question people within the Palace,” Tay continued, sensing victory. “You have made no accusation, and you didn’t even declare that you were holding her.” She folded her arms across her chest and crossed her fingers, hoping that sheer audacity would see her through. “You should have learned from last night.” A triumphant note entered her voice at the awkward look on his face. “Perhaps I should ask Father to end our arrangement.” Kail took a small pace back and she congratulated herself on pressing the right button.

  “I have every right to question possible subversives,” he blustered, frustration in every syllable, though he sounded less certain of himself.

  “Without evidence?” A sneer settled on her lips. “I’m certain the Prince wouldn’t look too kindly at that.” Tay’s voice brightened, as though the idea had just occurred to her. “Why don’t we ask him?”

  “Miss James is quite right,” Jackson noted, voice oily with obsequience. “Perhaps Mr. Tanton has been over-zealous in the application of his duties.” Kail made to speak, but stopped at one look from the other man. “Please.” He reached down and undid Beth’s bindings. “Take her with you.”

  “Thank you.” Tay helped Beth to her feet and they both started for the door.

  Kail took another step forward, but Jackson took hold of his arm.

  “We apologise for the misunderstanding.” Tay reached the door and walked through it.

  “Thank you,” Beth whispered as they quickly walked down the corridor.

  “Don’t thank me,” Tay replied, in her most imperious tone of voice. “The maid they sent to replace you was a disaster.”

  Chapter 26

  “You could have been hurt.” Darius’ voice bounced off the papered walls. “You were alone there.” Concern layered every syllable. “What if he had decided to dispense with the pleasantries?”

  “Because he still needs the marriage,” Tay replied, “I figured he couldn’t just make me disappear.”

  “No?” Darius took a slug from the glass in his hand. “And what do you think happened to Annetta Chanlin?” Tay stared down at the carpet, shuffling her feet. “What you did was extremely risky.”

  “But I had to do something.” In the background, Beth looked between the pair of them, following the argument without comment. “He could have…” Her voice trailed to a halt.

  “I know.” Darius moderated his tone, allowing a measure of gentleness to enter his voice. “But it was still dangerous.”

  “He may think that Father will continue the match, but if I go missing…”

  “There’s no positive for him.” Darius nodded and stepped closer. “Alright, I suppose it worked out, so I can’t really complain.” Tay felt a smile lift th
e corners of her mouth. Darius looked at the clock on the mantel. “I suggest we pack and get ready to leave first thing in the morning.”

  Darius reached the door of his room before Tay caught up with him. “Is it over?” she whispered, relieved, but strangely regretful at the thought.

  “Looks like it.” A soft smile lit his mouth. “You didn’t do a bad job.” He reached out a hand and ruffled her hair affectionately. “You even said Father.” A chagrined smile crossed her features as he gave a small laugh. “Don’t forget we still have the ride home.” Darius glanced over at Beth and gave a small nod. “Now let’s get some sleep and get out of here.”

  Beth walked up as the door closed behind him. “You like him,” she noted, making Tay turn to face her in shock. “Don’t even try to lie.” Beth glanced at the closed door. “He’s a decent guy.”

  Tay followed Beth into the suite. “Yes,” she replied. “And who is he?” She began to remove her clothing. “Just because I’m not immune to his charms, doesn’t mean I can do anything about it.”

  “I know.” Beth folded the set of clothing. “But it would be nice to think about it, right?”

  “Yeah.” Tay clambered into bed and drew the covers up to her chin. “Are you returning with us tomorrow?”

  “No.” Beth sat on the edge of her bed. “I’m going back with the other staff in three days’ time.” Beth reached out a hand and caught Tay’s fingers. “Just be careful on the trip home. I know Kail won’t be able to do anything, but”－her fingers pressed painfully down against Tay’s skin－“people don’t always make it home from every trip to the city. They say it’s bandits, but…”

  “I understand.” Tay reached up and hugged the other woman. “We’ll be careful.” She released her hold. “And you too, I don’t want my rescue to go to waste.”

  “It won’t.” Beth stood up from the bed and finished packing. “Now, get some sleep.” Closing the first trunk, Beth walked across the room and left. Tay switched off the lamp and laid back against the pillows, thoughts full of the day’s events. Despite her desire to go home, she would miss this life. The luxury in the Palace was excessive and unnecessary, but it had given her a perspective she hadn’t thought of. The rating system tied more people into their positions than she had first thought. Tay rolled onto her side and dug her nails into the pillow. Her thoughts turned to Darius. Irrespective of Beth’s words, that was a situation with no future. Darius would return to his life and Tay would return to hers, granted it would be a different life than before, but it was still incompatible. Her teeth nibbled her lower lip, and she screwed her eyes shut. The pillow moulded to her grasping arms as she forced herself to relax.

  Tay woke with a start and stared blindly into the darkness. The room was still, the quiet almost holy, but something caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. Carefully, she pushed the covers off the bed and stood in the centre of the room, listening. Other than the measured ticks of the clock, no sound drifted over her ears, yet she could not relax. Whatever had woken her still played on her mind, the prickling sensations of a nameless fear running through her. Hesitantly, she walked toward the windows and the panoramic view they afforded. Pushing the curtains aside, she stared out at the Palace gardens, and her mouth dropped in shock. The sky was a deep, jet black. Tiny lights sprinkled across its surface, and in the distance… she staggered back, stunned by the vision. In the far distance, she could see a tower, so tall it touched the sky. Stumbling back from the window, she ran from her room and raced toward Darius’.

  “Darius!” She pushed open his bedroom door and slapped on the light. Darius’ bed took up the middle of the room and he was lying within. Despite the light in the room, and her shout, he still slept. In a rush, she moved to the side of his bed.

  “Darius.” She reached out and shook his shoulder. With a grunt, he rolled onto his back, displacing the sheet tangled about his torso. A hiss of shock left her lips as she stared down at his naked chest. Bruising from the fall covered his upper body and she gently reached out to trace the dark blotches. Beneath her fingers, his chest was warm, the muscles taut beneath his skin. Darius flinched, and she removed her hand. “Darius.” She leant forward and caught hold of his shoulder. “Wake up.”

  “Tay?” Darius’ eyes snapped open, their blue depths dark with sleep. He sat up, and the sheet slipped to his waist. Unbidden, Tay’s eyes drifted across his chest. Toned rather than muscular, the smooth skin of his torso was dotted with a light sprinkling of hair that spread downward toward a flat stomach. She caught her breath, feeling her heart beat a little faster.

  “Enjoying the view?” Heat flooded her cheeks.

  “I…” She stammered and stepped back, removing her hand from his shoulder. Another step back and she bumped the back of her knees against the table behind her. “I… just…” Confusion flooded her mind, and she stammered to a halt, wondering what had just occurred. “Look, I just needed you to be awake.” Tay traded confusion for anger as she tried to avoid looking at him.

  “What’s wrong?” He pushed aside the bedclothes as he turned to face her. “It’s”－he picked up his timepiece and stared at it－“three a.m.”

  Tay tried not to stare as his nearly naked body rolled out of bed. Flushing an even deeper shade of red, she tried to return to the task at hand.

  “Look out of the window,” she uttered, returning to the reason for her panicked flight to his room.

  Darius quirked an eyebrow and crossed the room. He drew the curtain aside and a long, low oath burst from his lips. Tay came to stand beside him, staring out at the deep black of the sky with fear running through her.

  “What is it?” she asked, staring out at the pale landscape in confusion. The tower was not visible from this window, but a silvery orb hung low in the sky, casting a ghostly beam over the landscape.

  “I don’t know.” An awed whisper fell from his lips as he stared out at the strange sky.

  For a moment, they fell silent, dwarfed by the sight before them. Unbidden, Tay’s fingers reached out and closed about his upper arm. They stood quiet and fearful before the unfamiliar sky. It could have been moments or hours that they stood there staring at the shimmering orb casting its light across the landscape.

  “Let’s take a look.” Darius turned from the scene and dragged on his outdoor clothing. “There’s a coat in that cupboard.” He pointed toward the door in the corner and Tay rushed toward it, scared but strangely excited by the prospect.

  The thick coat reached to her ankles, and Darius’ scent lingered about it. As she drew the heavy fabric closed, Darius’ shout of surprise caused her to look around. From the direction of the forest, a spear of light arced high into the air. They both rushed to the window, craning their heads to watch the spectacle. It lit the surroundings in shades of amber and gold as it streaked toward the pale orb. Tay moved closer to the window as she tried to follow the building light.

  “What is it?” Her voice came as a whisper, terrified by what was occurring in the far distance. Beside her, Darius shook his head, the power of speech stolen by the sight.

  The column of light reached its zenith and burst into a thousand strands as it spread across the sky. As they watched, the strands coalesced and solidified, leaving the familiar amber sky in its place.

  Neither of them spoke, both far too shocked at what they had seen. They remained at the window for several moments, the noise of the clock marking time in the background as they struggled to find the words.

  “That book Talon gave you,” Darius said. “I think we’d better have a look at it.”

  “It’s nothing but stories,” Tay replied. “It doesn’t mention…”

  “Go get it,” Darius insisted, his eyes not leaving the window.

  “Alright.” Tay reluctantly stepped away from the window, stopping every few paces to stare back through the glass at the vista that was no longer there.

  Once through his bedroom door, Tay raced from Darius’ quarters and into h
er own. The book was where she had left it, stuffed between the cushions, and innocuous in its blue leather binding. Picking it up, she turned and began to head back. Her fingers reached out for the door handle, only to still at the sound of movement from the main suite. Carefully, and with as little noise as possible, she opened the door. Something smashed in the room beyond, and the noise of several feet reached her ears. Heart in her mouth, she closed the door. She knew that sound; it was the night of father’s arrest, and she was in the attic, listening to the guards ransack their home.

  “Fetch the girl.” The voice drifted through the door, and Tay panicked. She backed up into the bedroom. Locking the door to the main suite, she dragged on a set of boots. Reaching into a drawer, she pulled a pair of gloves free as footsteps sounded from her living room. A blast of frigid air chilled her skin as she flung open the window and clambered onto the ledge. In her haste, her foot skidded on the frozen sill, and it was only thanks to her firm grip on the window-latch that she did not plummet to the ground below. The door to her room shuddered as several heavy blows slammed against it. Trying to control the fear that raced through her, she forced herself to start moving. Reaching out, she seized hold of the sill with her other hand, uttered a brief prayer, and then let go of the latch. For a moment, she hung in the air, kept safe by a tenuous grip. Her muscles screamed in pain as she dug her toes into the wall, trying to find a foothold. Scrabbling against the rough stone, a pained whimper escaped her lips as one of her fingernails tore and began to bleed. Thoroughly scared, she dug her ruined fingers into one of the tiny cracks on the wall. Her feet scrabbled uselessly against the stone, and her shoulder muscles screamed in agony as she tried to cling on. From above, she heard the door to her room smash open, and she pressed herself against the side of the wall.

  “Where is she?” The voice was rough, menacing. Unable to move, she tried to flatten herself against the stone, fervently wishing that they would just leave.