Let Hatchet-face question him. She was too tired for her mouth to form the words, though. Maybe later, when she had rested, she could suggest it.
Amos still knelt beside the wounded officer. Ash had gotten to his feet. He hung back, swaying a bit and glowering at Chaff’s back.
Unaware of the daggers being glared into him, Chaff took Maeko’s hand and turned it to look at her arm. “Sorry about this, Pigeon.”
A prickle of trepidation raced up her spine seconds before he yanked the sliver out of her arm. Pain shot from the wound, and she would have hit him if her limbs weren’t rendered useless by the sedative. He cringed in sympathy and kept hold of her hand while Em wrapped a rough bandage around the arm.
“Reuben, take Mr. Folesworth, Asher, and the rat in my coach to get their injuries seen to. We’ll get these two,” Em scowled at Joel and the officer each in turn, “into the steamcoach and get them locked up.”
Lucian looked at Maeko and his lips pressed into a tight line in his troubled face. “Detective Emeraude, there are some important documents in the crate next to the door if you would grab them for me. I need to get Macak.”
Em nodded again, holstering her gun, and turned to do his bidding. Maeko wanted to offer her admiration at how easily he got the willful detective to obey, but she could barely keep her eyes open.
“I’ll help get Maeko to the coach,” Ash offered
He and Chaff exchanged a long, silent look, then Chaff nodded and they lifted her between them amidst several pathetic whimpers of pain that she was appalled to discover were coming from her. They walked her out to the detective’s coach, Reuben striding ahead to open the door.
A familiar figure leapt down from beside the driver, sticking an awkward landing on his fake leg, and threw his arms around Ash who left Maeko in Chaff’s care to return the embrace.
“Sam!”
The younger boy buried his face in his brother’s shoulder, muffling his response, but she got the feeling it was meant to be between the two brothers anyway.
Chaff supported her up into the coach and she sank into the seat.
“You!” Em’s voice rang out. “The healthy rat! Come help throw this offal into the Lit coach.”
Chaff grinned. “I guess she means me.”
“Don’t let her take you to JAHF,” Maeko managed to mumble through her rather uncooperative lips.
“She promised not to earlier.”
She fought her sinking eyelids. “Remember…” She had to pause for a breath. “You can’t squeeze between the bars.”
He chuckled and brushed his fingers over her cheek. “I’m going to help the peevish bird load her baggage, then I’ll come find you. You’ll be fine, Pigeon. I’ll see you very soon.” He ducked out of the coach.
Sam went back to the driver’s seat, grinning delightedly while silent tears ran down his cheeks.
Maeko managed to sit up, making room for Ash to climb in beside her. He hesitated on the step, meeting her eyes.
“You did it. You saved my family. You are the most amazing person I’ve ever met. I hope you’ll give me the chance to show you how much this means to me.” He started to look away, then made himself meet her eyes. “How much you mean to me.”
Her throat tightened. Only moments before, Chaff had stood on that same step. She couldn’t choose, not yet. She managed to struggle out the words through the fog of sedative. “I care about you, too, Ash. But…”
She trailed off when he held up a hand.
“I’m not asking you to choose right now.” He paused. “But I’d like a chance to convince you when you’re up to it, if that’s not too much to ask.”
She hoped her smile looked more encouraging than drunken, though it felt more like the latter. “I think we could arrange that.”
He looked at her for a moment, then climbed in and sat beside her. “Then let’s get you fixed up and go from there.”
She smiled, hoping her gratitude showed.
Lucian with Macak and Rueben climbed in next, sitting on the opposite seat. Reuben reached for the door, but Em caught it from outside.
She leaned in to pass some rolled papers to Lucian, then gave Reuben a stern look. “See you take care of them. The little rat especially. With her skills, she’d make a fine assistant.”
Maeko closed her eyes and leaned back. She rather fancied the idea of being a detective’s assistant, but she couldn’t focus on such things right then. The throb of her wounds, the ache of hunger and drowsiness from the sedative were more than enough to hold her attention.
“I think you should leave the young lady out of your affairs,” Lucian stated.
“She’s no young lady,” Em countered.
Maeko heard the door thud shut.
“She could be,” Lucian murmured.
Maeko sank to one side. An arm slipped around her and pulled her close. Her head came to rest against Ash.
“You plan to help Maeko then, Mr. Folesworth? Seems like she’s done an awful lot for you.” Ash’s voice sounded muffled with her head against his chest.
“I do owe her a great debt,” Lucian agreed. “It will be repaid. I can assure you of that.”
Something cool and moist touched Maeko’s nose and she forced open her eyes. Macak stood on Ash’s legs, staring into her face. He meowed once, a soft, inquisitive sound, and licked her nose again.
She smiled weakly. “Brilliant job, mate.”
Macak curled into a ball on Ash’s lap and began to purr. She shifted one hand, finding enough strength to flop it onto the cat’s side before her eyelids sank down again. Ash kissed her head and Lucian said something, perhaps more in response to Ash’s question. They were things she should be paying attention to, things that might have an effect on her life, but the sedative was in control now, its lure irresistible after so many exhausting and stressful days fighting off sleep.
There’s only so much a rat can do.
A faint sense of satisfaction warmed her. Maybe she was only a street rat, but she was a street rat who had just helped save Ash’s family and the life of one of the most important men in London. If nothing else, she’d earned a bit of rest.
Later, she could deal with boys, debts, and all the other things. Chaff. Ash. Her mum. For the first time, she knew she wasn’t alone and it felt good.
She settled into Ash’s patient embrace and drifted off into a blissful sleep.
THE END
Acknowledgments
To my husband Michael, for letting me read every book to you, often several times, and for being an amazing brainstorming partner. Thank you for bearing with my bad moods when writing isn’t going well and always supporting me in my pursuit of my dream (possibly for your own sanity as much as mine).
To my mom Linda, for encouraging me, believing in me, and reading chapters one at a time as I wrote them. I know it can be frustrating waiting for the next installment and always get a little pleasure out of you pestering me for more.
To Rick and Ann for being two of the best friends, editors, and fans a person could hope for. I am very lucky to have you both.
To my good friend and fellow author Eldritch Black. Thank you for sharing long rides to the coffee shop full of cathartic rants and commiseration every Thursday and for being an amazing writing companion.
To Aradia, for knowing I would succeed from the first time we met and being an inspiration in your dedication to your own art.
To my other mother Nancy, for being an early reader and offering encouragement for my work.
To my agent Emily and my editor Stephen, thank you both for believing in this story and helping me accomplish my dream.
To all the other amazing friends and loved ones I missed above who supported me along the way, your belief in me keeps me plugging away no matter how frustrated I get. Thank you.
Lastly, thanks to my sixth grade teacher, Mr. Johnson, for being so pleased and excited when I told you I was going to be an author and to my eighth grade algebra teacher, Mr. Siebenl
ist, for almost letting me flunk because you were so delighted that I was writing books in class rather than notes.
About the Author
Nikki started writing her first novel at the age of 12, which she still has tucked in a briefcase in her home office, waiting for the right moment. Despite a successful short story publication with Cricket Magazine in 2007, she continued to treat her writing addiction as a hobby until a drop in the economy presented her with an abundance of free time that she used to focus on making it her career.
Nikki lives in the magnificent Pacific Northwest tending to her husband and three cats suffering varying stages of neurosis. She feeds her imagination by sitting on the ocean in her kayak gazing out across the never-ending water or hanging from a rope in a cave, embraced by darkness and the sound of dripping water. She finds peace through practicing iaido or shooting her longbow.
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