by M. J. Scott
“Maybe.”
“Yes.” Guy and Lily spoke at the same time as Simon. Apparently they too thought Simon was being overly optimistic. Which made me feel somewhat relieved. At least I wasn’t the only one struggling with the news.
“But if the Blood know, won’t they try and use this against us in the negotiations? A cure is . . .” I had no idea of the legal implications of seeking to release those who were blood-locked. I knew that the locked were considered different from normal humans under treaty law. Once they were addicted, they forfeited their rights to protection. That meant the Blood had some claim on them, didn’t it?
“We don’t know,” Simon said. “It somewhat depends on who is in charge during the negotiations. They could be one united bloc or they could still have factions. Atherton says there are still those amongst the Blood who don’t agree with what Lucius was doing. Those who want to try and live alongside the humans and not rule over us.”
“It’s likely to be Ignatius Grey, isn’t it? That’s what Fen said. He saw Ignatius.” And Ignatius Grey didn’t want peace with the humans. I had been paying attention to the news and rumors afoot in the City in the lead-up to the negotiations. Ignatius Grey would be a new Lord Lucius if he gained control over the Blood Court. He was power-hungry and ruthless. There were other, more moderate, factions within the Blood, but until one of their leaders played the game as ruthlessly as Ignatius to get what they wanted, it seemed unlikely that they would defeat him. If they didn’t . . .
“It’s starting to seem that way, yes,” Simon said.
“Which is why we wanted to keep you out of this,” Guy said. “This isn’t going to be a picnic. It’s dangerous. We don’t know what’s going to happen during the negotiations.”
“You think Ignatius will try something?”
“I’m not making any guesses as to what anyone will do,” Guy said.
That was a lie. It was his job—his duty—as a Templar to try and outflank the enemy, to be a few steps ahead of them. Which meant that, as usual, they were still trying to keep things from me. My fingers curled and I relaxed them with an effort, feeling heat run through my prentice chain. “Surely no one will try actual . . . violence with the Fae there. The Veiled Queen would crush anyone who did.”
“We have to hope that you’re correct in that assessment,” Lily said, “but we don’t know.”
“Which is why you need to think about whether you still want to be part of this,” Simon said.
“The alternative being to sit in my room while I wait to find out what’s happening or for war to break out?”
“You’d be safe at the Academy,” Simon said. “I want you to consider this carefully, Sass. If not for your own sake, then think of Mother and Hannah.”
A low blow. “I can’t be wrapped in cotton wool because Edwina died. That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t. So please, think hard. You know too much now,” Simon said. “If something happened . . .”
“I won’t tell.”
“Not willingly,” Guy muttered.
Lily shot him an exasperated look. “Stop trying to scare her.”
I shivered suddenly. Did Guy really think it might come to that? Being coerced to tell what I’d learned here? Did that mean Fen was in danger too?
“I—”
“It’s late,” Guy said. “There’s nothing more we can do here. We should leave Simon and Bryony to do what they can for Reggie. The rest of us need sleep. We can talk more in the morning. Saskia, you should go back to Mother’s. Lily will go with you.”
I felt my jaw clench. Dismissed again, like a schoolgirl. I was starting to understand Fen’s anger all too clearly. But I wasn’t going to convince Guy or Simon that they should let me stay. There wasn’t anything I could do to help. I looked to Lily, who was watching me with an odd expression. “All right,” I said. “Lily, are you ready to go?”
She nodded, and after kissing Simon and stopping to squeeze Holly’s shoulder briefly, she led me out of the ward. I was quiet as we made our way back to the main tunnels. Lily moved soundlessly, as she usually did, looking formidable in her black leather, her hair still braided tightly. I hadn’t seen her wear it like that since the first few weeks after Lucius died. She’d seemed to be growing more relaxed amongst our world, but tonight she was on alert, her body telegraphing the same readiness for action that Guy’s usually did.
As we turned out of the tunnel that held the first door, she glanced back the way we’d come.
“Did you leave something?” I asked.
“No.” She tilted her head at me, as if considering something.
“Did Simon send you with me to see if you could convince me to do what he wants?”
“No. To keep you safe.” Her smile flashed briefly, lightening her expression like a flame leaping to life. “But safety is not the only thing that’s important. I think you should do what you think is right. Your brothers do too, deep down. That’s why they’re so busy trying to convince you to stay out of things. They know you’re too much like them.”
“That’s hypocritical.”
“They’re men. They don’t always make sense. They just want to keep you safe.” She hesitated.
“Is there something else?” Lily didn’t usually prevaricate. She either stayed quiet or said exactly what she was thinking.
“It’s about Fen.”
I hadn’t expected that. “What about him?”
“The vision he had at the warrens. It was . . . painful.”
My skin chilled. “How painful?”
“From where I stood, very. Enough for him to take Bryony’s potion without arguing. And I’m not sure that stopped the pain entirely.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Your touch helps. Perhaps you should go to him.”
I stared. “Simon and Guy would throw a fit if they found out.”
“I thought you didn’t care what your brothers thought.” Lily’s eyes held a challenge. “Fen was brave tonight. It’s not easy to be the outsider stepping into this fight.”
I looked at the clock. “It’s almost four a.m.”
“You’re always telling me you don’t want to be just a well-behaved human girl. So why do you care?”
Definitely a challenge. I wondered why she was encouraging me to do something that Simon would disapprove of. They were most often a united front. But apparently Fen had won her respect. Or else she had a different agenda in making sure that he was all right.
“You think I should go to him?”
“Yes.”
“He seemed very angry.”
“All the better that someone try to talk to him before he has a chance to do something stupid because of that anger.”
“He might not want to listen to me. I am Simon’s sister, after all.”
Lily smiled at that. “Oh, I think of all of us, you probably have the best chance of persuading him. Except maybe for Holly, and she’s too busy with worrying about Regina right now to worry about Fen too much. Not to mention calming Guy down.”
“Guy . . . he doesn’t like what Simon is doing?”
“No, he doesn’t. But that’s something that Guy and Simon have to deal with. They’ve dealt with philosophical differences before.”
“Whose side are you on?”
She cocked her head, studied me in her unnerving way. “I’m not for Ignatius Grey, or for the Blood destroying the treaties. The rest is semantics. Whose side are you on?”
Mine. But then I saw Fen’s face again. Not just mine perhaps. It seemed my night was not yet over.
* * *
The night felt very dark, pressing in around the ’cab despite the fact that we were still in the relatively well-lit streets of Greenglass, deep in the human boroughs. We hadn’t even reached the border boroughs yet.
What was I doing?
Well past the middle of the night and I was going to seek out a man and offer him . . . what exactly?
I didn’t know him
terribly well.
Didn’t know why I wanted to help him.
Didn’t even know if my help would be welcome.
Crazy. I should just tell the driver to turn the ’cab around and go home. Tomorrow would be soon enough to seek out Fen.
Tomorrow would be soon enough to face all this craziness.
But if I went home—back to my mother’s house, or back to my room at the Guild—then I would be doing exactly what everyone wanted me to do. Playing it safe. Staying out of trouble. Following the rules set down by my brothers. One of whom had been breaking the rules all along.
And Fen would be left alone and hurting.
I tightened my grip on my purse and set my teeth. Simon had been lying to me. Would probably keep lying to me if he thought it would keep me out of trouble.
Fen, on the other hand, seemed willing to tell me the truth.
The ’cab hissed when the driver slowed as we hit a rut in the road. A quick glance out the window revealed that we were passing into Brightown.
Even at this hour, there were taverns and theater halls doing business, their lights spilling out across the darkened streets, mingling with the sounds of laughter, music, and frivolity—though the crowds were thinner than usual, thinner even than the lateness of the hour would explain. I had been in this part of the City before in the early hours, out with fellow students or attending one of the performances at the Gilt, the largest of the theater halls.
There had always been more people than this. I shivered and clutched my wrap around me. Despite the warmth of late summer, there seemed to be a chill in the air. I told myself that the weather must be the reason for the lack of people, but I knew it wasn’t true. No, the real reason that was keeping people off these streets was plain and simple.
Fear.
I knew how they felt. Fear was riding with me in the ’cab right now. Fear for my brothers, for Reggie, for the whole damned city. And, more pressingly, fear of how Fen might react to me turning up on his doorstep. Nerves jittered through me like angry wasps. Only when the ’cab came to a halt outside the Swallow did I look across to Lily, who had insisted on accompanying me this far. She nodded encouragement and I managed a smile before I opened the door and stepped out into the night.
The ’cab driver took off in a hurry after I’d alighted, leaving me facing the wide double doors of the Swallow’s Heart. Where hopefully I would find Fen.
I hesitated, studying the windows of the tavern’s upper levels, trying to remember if Fen’s faced the street. But the windows were uniformly dark, curtains tightly drawn and letting out no light. In contrast, lights shone on the first and second floors of the Dove.
I tried not to think too hard about what the occupants of those rooms might be doing. I had come here to see Fen, to make sure he was all right. That was all. Wasn’t it?
Two large men leaned on either side of the door, seemingly relaxed. But they came alert as I walked closer, studying me carefully. One of them smiled at me.
“Not smart to be out so late alone, miss,” he said. “Ain’t safe.”
“I won’t be alone for long,” I said, then regretted my choice of words as his grin widened and a knowing look came over his face.
“If you’re looking for customers, love, then you’re in the wrong place too. The Figgs don’t take kindly to poaching.”
I gave him my best imitation of one of my mother’s withering looks. “I am not a prostitute. I’m looking for somebody.”
“Oh? And who would that be?”
“Fen—” I realized with a start that I didn’t know his last name. If he even had one.
The grin changed again, and this time his friend joined in with a laugh. “Him, huh? Guess you told the truth, then. That one doesn’t pay for it.”
“Is he here?” I wanted to cut them off before I heard more about Fen’s preferences than I wanted to hear.
“He came in a while ago,” the first man said thoughtfully. He stroked the waxed tips of his moustache. “Whether he’s still about is anyone’s guess. Tricky, our Fen is.” He made a half bow. “Why don’t you go in and find out? Tell you what—if he’s not, you come back here and we’ll see you get home safe.”
I didn’t know exactly how to take that. I decided to pretend I didn’t know there was more than one interpretation. “Thank you,” I said. “That would be very kind. I’ll be sure and tell Holly that you were so helpful.”
Their demeanor changed somewhat. “You know Miss Holly?”
“She’s a friend of my brother’s.”
One of them went pale. “Your brother wouldn’t be Guy DuCaine, would he?”
“Yes.”
They exchanged a look. “Right. Well. Like I said, miss, if that Fen ain’t in there, you come out here and we’ll get you another ’cab or a hackney quick enough. We take care of Miss Holly’s friends here.”
Or took care of women whose brothers had swords almost as tall as they were, I thought cynically, but I summoned a pleasant smile. “I will.”
They stepped back to let me pass and I walked into the Swallow. Here at least there was a crowd. The room was awash with light and sparkle and noise and the almost overwhelming stink of too much perfume, cigars, and spilled beer and whiskey.
Not all that different from the last hours of a ball, actually.
I let my eyes adjust to the bright lights and started to look for Fen.
It was difficult in the crush to see more than a few feet past where I stood. So I took a punt that he might be at the bar and headed toward the lines of people who I assumed were trying to get their drinks made up.
I drew a few odd looks and one leering proposition that I dealt with by applying the heel of my boot to the instep of the offender. I could have set his ugly brass tiepin on fire, of course, but I was trying not to draw too much more attention to myself.
I wormed my way through the crush to get to a point where I could at least see the bar.
No Fen. Damn. Or words even less polite than that. I hesitated, wondering whether I should go up to his room or just take the more sensible route and go home.
I was halfway back across the room toward the exit when I paused, a vision of the pain on Fen’s face floating before my eyes for a moment.
Was I a coward to leave when I could help him?
No, just sensible.
Well. It might be sensible, but I also knew that Lily had been right. It was the right thing to do to come here. I could help him. And if I helped him, he might actually decide to stay in the delegation, which I needed him to do. If he backed out, I had little doubt that my brothers would try to sideline me again.
So being a coward would just hurt him and me.
I braced myself to fight my way back through the crowd to the staircase that I thought led to the rooms over the Swallow rather than to the entrance of the Dove and its services. That would be a mistake I didn’t want to have to explain.
On a normal night, in a normal time, I might have admitted to some degree of curiosity as to what the inside of a brothel looked like, but tonight I couldn’t afford the distraction.
I chose correctly and soon enough found myself at Fen’s unassuming door. Unassuming except for the wardlight turning it to glimmering silver. I couldn’t remember if the wards had been active when I was here before—I’d been too angry to really pay much attention at the time. Still, surely he was unlikely to have anything too harmful. I raised my hand to knock, then paused again. Or was he? He’d seemed so angry when he stormed out.
I still wasn’t sure why. I didn’t like the fact that Simon had kept me in the dark, but I could see that there was some merit to finding a cure—if they could find a true cure rather than one that required killing vampires. But something had obviously touched a nerve with Fen. Touched it to the quick.
Before I could make up my mind, the door swung inward to reveal Fen glaring at me. “Do you always stand around in hallways in the middle of the night making people’s wards buzz?”
&nbs
p; “I—” I’d woken him. Again. He wore a pair of trousers—loose black cotton, not quite buttoned properly—that I couldn’t imagine him wearing in public. No shirt.
Which left a lot of bare Fen available for my perusal.
For a moment, I couldn’t quite remember why I’d come. Rake and border boroughs half-breed hedonist he might be, but he obviously did something to keep his body well honed. He was lean and muscled and there was an intriguing trail of dark hair leading down his abdomen and disappearing under the waistband of his trousers.
“Why are you here, Saskia?” he asked, not sounding pleased.
I dragged my wits back together. As attractive as I might find him, right now it seemed the sentiment wasn’t returned.
“I thought you might need me.”
“Oh?” His voice deepened and his look of sleepy irritation turned altogether more speculative.
I decided to ignore both the look and the little answering jump of my pulse. “I thought you might be in pain,” I said. “Lily said your vision at the warrens hurt you.”
“I’m fine,” he said bluntly. “I took Bryony’s potion.”
I studied him. His pupils were large in the dark green of his irises, their darkness echoed by the circles under his eyes. He didn’t look like a man feeling no pain. Rather more like one fighting his demons. “I think you’re lying.” I dropped my gaze to his wrist. The chain wrapped around it. “And that tells me I’m right.”
He blew out a breath, rested his head briefly against the doorjamb, then lifted it again. “Saskia, I’m tired. I’m not in the mood to deal with any DuCaines right now.”
“Isn’t that cutting off your nose to spite your face?”
“It’s my nose.” He tilted his head. “Do your brothers know you’re here?”
“Why do you care?”
“I think there’s enough tension in this situation right now without adding fuel to the fire. Don’t you?”
“I think that I can help you and that what Simon and Guy don’t know won’t hurt them.”
“Is that the family motto?” There was an edge of bitterness to his tone.
“Let me in and we can talk about it.”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”