Prince of Secrets and Shadows

by C. S. Johnson

  Brushing off my blows, the man grabbed me and trapped me from behind.

  He laughed, his chest rumbling with delight as he held me. “The boss will be happy to have an extra,” he said as he laughed. “Might get paid more if you prove to be amusing.”

  I squirmed but said nothing; I did not know if he knew me or not.

  The chloroform grew stronger. I held my breath, grabbing for my dagger.

  My fingers looped around the hilt, and I pulled the blade free. Squeezing my eyes shut, I stabbed him in the thigh.

  He screamed and let me go, just as I felt a sense of lightheadedness take over. I pulled my weapon free from him, noticing that in the moonlight, the dagger glowed a vicious purple.

  There was blood dripping down the tip now. I knocked the man down to the ground and held him there, placing the blade at his throat as I stuffed his handkerchief into his face.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered as his body went limp. I slowly stood up, using my skirt to wipe the sweat off my face. Glancing around, I saw I was alone.

  I wiped my dagger on the man’s coat, cleaning off the blood, silently thanking my mother for her help in protecting me. I knew I still needed a lot of work to master the skills, but I was glad to see I was able to hold my own against an attacker, even if my stomach twisted at the thought of harming him.

  I looked down at my hands for a moment, wondering if the man’s injury would lead to his death. The sickness inside of me burned even more, but I had to push it aside.

  It had never bothered me to hurt Alex. He was the one who was terrorizing me, and it was worth it to hurt him in order to protect myself.

  I was worth it. And so was Ferdy.

  I hurried back to where he had left me—only to see the rest of Alex’s crew carrying a limp form between the three of them. I slammed myself back around the corner, my hand pressed into my racing heart.

  “Ferdy.”

  In the background, I thought I heard the city clocks chime, ringing with an ominous delight as the last of the evening passed away into night.

  “Help me, Lord,” I whispered. Praying was the only thing I was certain I should do at this point. Karl would be unhappy with me for failing to show up at Count Potocki’s, Lady Penelope was still missing, I had no way of contacting my other colleagues, and the man I loved was in the hands of my wicked stepbrother.

  Whether I was prompted by the divine or not, it took me less than half a second to follow after the men. I did not know if I could free him on my own, but I could not handle losing Ferdy, not after I had found him again.

  Lady Penelope and the others would just have to wait. And if Karl did anything to any of them, I would make him suffer so much, he would wish he had never been born.

  I made that silent vow as I hopped across the lane, hurrying after Alex and his minions as they made their way down toward the docks.

  The men were loud and boisterous, and it was so evident I was certain that it was part of their plan. They appeared to be just another group of friends, carrying the one who managed to drink himself into a stupor.

  The one carrying Ferdy on his back grunted as they began walking toward a ship. “What’re you going buy with your cut, Will?”

  “He can’t afford to buy anything, not with his gaming habits,” another man said, sending the rest of the group into a round of laughter. I could see Ferdy’s body shake in their grasp, his copper hair glowing in the small sliver of moonlight.

  Their banter angered me as I trailed after them. All of them, save for Alex, of course, eagerly continued to discuss what they were going to do with their reward. None of it would be appropriate in any context I could imagine. It also saddened me that, when Alex finally asked about their friend, the one I had managed to fell, the rest of them shrugged and immediately cut him out of their payment.

  So much for honor among thieves. Lady Penelope had said before that everyone had their own system of honor, but she had yet to meet these people, clearly.

  I looked up at the side of the ship and choked.

  The name on the bow read Salacia.

  Lumiere’s ship. I pounded my fist on my chest, trying to swallow the rest of my coughing. I should have known.

  “What was that?” A new voice from Ferdy’s group of captors crackled against the calm night.

  I sucked in my breath quickly, nearly sending myself into another coughing fit at the chilly air. It was much cooler down by the water. I put my hand over my mouth, noticing that my fingers were slightly numb from the cold.

  “Stop getting distracted. You’ll have your money soon enough,” Alex said, his cultured tones much more distinct as he ordered the men onto a gangplank.

  I watched as they boarded the ship, praying they would stay at the port. I did not know if they were there for long. Given my own mixed signals with Lumiere, the sense of urgency never left me as I scoured the deck, hoping to see a way to climb onboard.

  As Ferdy’s limp figure disappeared onto the Salacia, I closed my eyes and fell forward, dropping my head into my hands.

  Could this night be any worse? I wondered.

  Lady Penelope’s sharp voice, the part that had made itself home inside my head, answered me.

  It might be worse than you wanted, but you’re not making it any better by standing there, moping.

  I sighed as I straightened. She was right about that. It was not the time to indulge in my hopelessness.

  “What would Lumiere want with Ferdy anyway?” I wondered, trying to think through everything clearly. Lumiere had told Amir he was friends with Ferdy, but Ferdy did not seem as agreeable.

  I thought about Alex. His reappearance was strange and worrisome, but only because I had no idea his role in this whole situation. Glancing up at the ship’s name, so proudly carved into the bow of the ship, I frowned.

  “Why would Alex be helping Lumiere?” I pushed back my hood, letting my loosened curls flutter freely.

  As if to provide an answer, I felt a pinch on my shoulder. There was someone else standing next to me, someone I had not noticed.

  Immediately, I had to muffle a scream. My mind went reeling, wondering if I would be knocked out and taken aboard, or if I was lucky enough that Ferdy had managed to wake up and escape on his own.

  Since I knew chances of that happening were nonexistent, I was in trouble.

  “Who are you?” I demanded.

  There was no answer as a hand reached out for mine, grabbing my wrist. But when I felt the familiar pattern of wrinkled flesh, roughed with scars and patches of peeling skin, I realized why the stranger had failed to reply.

  “Tulia?” I whispered, astounded.

  Immediately, I got another pinch from her other hand. As she held onto me, she moved her fingers to spell out a snarky welcome.

  “Oh, thank God it’s you,” I said, reaching out into the darkness and hugging her. “I was so worried for you.”

  She patted my back patiently before I slipped free and took her other hands. I jumped eagerly, like a little child happy to be back with her mother. “I’m so glad to see you again,” I said before I snickered. It was impossible to make out any of Tulia’s features against the night.

  She grabbed my hand again and asked me a question.

  Is it?

  “Of course,” I said. “I thought you ...”

  Then it hit me; Tulia was here of her own free will. She was well enough to move, even if she was older and still recovering from the burns she had sustained before.

  Tulia was here by choice—working with Lumiere. She had been called for, by Dr. Artha and Father Novak. Lumiere was here for the League. He was here to help Karl and Lord Maximillian.

  Tulia was working with the League.

  I backed away from her, and she followed me out of the shadows.

  I saw her face highlighted in the dim lighting. Her eyes were dark as she shook her head. Her fingers flicked across my vision briefly.

  I’m sorry.

  And then I felt her hand a
round my neck, an impossible amount of pressure. I thought about screaming, but my cry was cut short as I fell into darkness once more.

  *22*

  ◊

  “Psst. Ella. Can you hear me?”

  The sound of my name seemed to come from miles and memories away, but I jolted awake at the familiarity. I lurched forward, accidentally slamming my face into the floor. “Ouch!”

  I did not have to open my eyes to know I was not at home. From the slight bow in the floor and the dry wood, I had a feeling I was on the Salacia, and I could only hope we were not heading out for open waters.

  “You need to keep your voice down.” This time, the voice was clear. “Someone might hear you.”

  “Ferdy?” My voice was low and quiet, but my relief was blatant.

  “I’m here,” he said, talking to me from the far right. “Over this way.”

  “I’m so glad you’re here.” I tried to rub my eyes, but I found that my hands were tied together. From my position on the floor, I could see a small window on the opposite side of the room. It allowed in enough light that I could just make out my surroundings.

  “I’m glad you’re happy now, because you likely won’t be for long.”

  Using my shoulders and legs, I twisted around and sat upright. All of those hours sitting with Harshad going over stretches seemed much more useful. In the dim lighting, I saw Ferdy was sitting on the floor not far from me. His hands were tied behind him, too, but he was also tied to a pole behind him.

  “I’m glad you’re willing to get us in trouble, all for the sake of teasing me,” I replied, scooting over on my knees. I grimaced as they pounded against the coarse, unforgiving floor, but I forgot all about that when I arrived in front of him.

  The ropes around him were thick and rough, no doubt similar to the ones binding my hands behind my back, but I did not pay them any attention as I leaned against him.

  “I’m glad you are awake,” Ferdy whispered, lying his head on top of mine. We were unable to embrace, but just having him beside me was enough of a comfort for me. “I was worried when they brought you in. I wasn’t sure how long it would be until the chloroform wore off.”

  “I wasn’t knocked out with chloroform,” I said. “Tulia did something. She grabbed me by the neck and that’s all I remember.”

  “Tulia?” Ferdy pulled back and looked at me. “Your companion?”

  “Yes.” I groaned. “I had no idea she was on Lumiere’s side. But I guess it makes sense, in a way. Father Novak was murdered after he reached out to her and Lumiere.”

  “How many murders are we dealing with here?” Ferdy frowned. “I remember you were interested in that doctor’s death before.”

  “I’ll tell you all about it,” I promised, “but it will have to be later. There’s just too much going on. Right now, we need to get out of here. You’re not safe here.”

  “We are not safe here, Ella.”

  I barely heard him as Lady Penelope’s training, coupled with Harshad’s lessons and Amir’s insight, began to take over, and I started to make a plan.

  The first thing we have to do is get out of our ropes, I thought. I cheered at the thought of using my dagger. It was sharp, and I knew just how sturdy it was now, since I had used it to protect myself.

  Guilt seeped through me as I struggled to reach for my blade. I had to push off the guilt of killing a man, especially since he would have easily killed me, too.

  Or maybe he wouldn’t have killed me, I thought. Maybe he and his friends would have brought me here with Ferdy just the same.

  Either way, I have to stop this. Feeling bad won’t change things.

  I had been worried before, when Ben started to sound more like Lady POW; hearing my own thoughts echo her reasoning, I was even more frightened.

  But, like my guilt and everything else, I would have to worry about it later. I had Ferdy to rescue.

  I began to shuffle around the pole where Ferdy was tied. “We need to get out of our ropes. I’m going to move into a position where you can get my dagger out of the sheath. Can you feel it?”

  “I can feel plenty,” Ferdy replied innocently. I made a mental note to hit him later as he playfully felt around my waist and hips before latching onto the hilt of my dagger. “Got it.”

  “Good. Now pull it out and hold still. I’m going to rub my ropes against the blade. You have to hold it tightly, or one of us could get hurt.”

  “I know.”

  “Well, good. Then I know for sure that it’ll be your fault if I cut myself.” I tried to give him a warning look, but he only raised his brow at me.

  A few moments passed as I pushed my bindings against the blade, sawing up and down, glad no one could see me. No doubt, I looked like a clumsy fool. It did not help that I felt like one, too.

  “There.” I cheered as the ropes fell from my wrists.

  Gratitude poured out of me, thankful for my mother’s protection once more. As I rubbed the feeling back into my wrists, I glanced down at the sharp blade, wondering all over again how it was that I was here. If my mother had lived, if she would have taught me how to wield the weapon of an Order member, or if she would have dedicated herself to decorum?

  I also wondered why I had my weapon in the first place. It struck me as odd, as I held it, that I still had it on my person. Tulia would have known about it, and it was not hidden from sight as I wore my spy costume.

  Either way, it is better I have it, even if I do not understand why it wasn’t taken from me.

  I shook my head to clear my thoughts, hurrying to cut Ferdy out of his bounds. The ropes fell easily at the dagger’s cut.

  “Thank you, Ella.” He embraced me quickly, giving me another kiss.

  “We don’t have time for this,” I warned him, already softening against him.

  “I told you when we met again, I would allow us to have a proper reunion.”

  I laughed. “This is hardly what I’d call proper.”

  “When our lives are at stake, there’s nothing more proper than a man telling his true love how he feels.”

  “But not at the cost of our lives.”

  “Better my life at stake than my heart,” Ferdy argued, but he allowed me to step away from him.

  “I should have known you would say something like that.” I headed for the door, pressing my ear to listen. There were plenty of sounds that grew louder as I concentrated on them; the sound of soft footsteps, the movement of men as they hoisted goods aboard. I heard the clatter of dishes and the different calls of seamen between floors. Cautiously, I tried to turn the knob. It was locked.

  “I’ve never been on a ship before,” I admitted to Ferdy. “I’ve never had to escape one, either.”

  “We’re likely in a spare cabin,” Ferdy said, glancing around at our surroundings. He walked over to a desk, one that was tucked away in the corner of the room. “This would be one of the servants’ quarters.”

  “Are you sure? It seems large for a servant’s room.” The window caught my attention again. Swiftly but silently, I walked over and examined it. It was not big enough for us to escape through.

  “Lumiere has expensive tastes, but he is actually quite generous. He would keep his crew in good order.” Ferdy picked up a bag from under the desk. It was full of what looked like dark-colored balls; when he pulled one out into the moonlight, I could see it was a coconut. “Especially since it seems he’s been visiting the Hawaiians.”

  “How do you know for sure?” I asked. “It could be from the Caribbean colonies.”

  “There’s also a wedding announcement from a few months ago.” Ferdy picked up a scroll of stationary. “Archibald Cleghorn and his bride, Miriam Likelike.”

  “Who is that?”

  “She’s a princess of Hawai’i,” Ferdy said. “I’ve never met her, but I know of her. She’s just a little younger than you. I’m not surprised that she invited Lumiere to her wedding. They’re both rumored to be very conscious of fashion.”

  I tho
ught of all the exotic dressings and decoration of Lumiere’s performance at the Estates Theatre. Were those flowers and clothes from Hawai’i? I decided it seemed likely, but there was something else I wanted to say. “Ferdy?”

  “Yes?”

  “Please don’t say things like he’s someone to be admired.” I wrinkled my nose. “He made the arrangements to kill you earlier. I don’t think I’m going to like him, even if you are friends with him.”

  “I would not say we were friends. I met him in Paris, in a gaming club, if you must know.”

  “Somehow I am not surprised.”

  “You don’t need to be so prudent all the time,” Ferdy teased. “We were playing against each other in a card game, for high stakes, and in the end, when he won, he would take none of his winnings. He said he played for the game, not for the prize.”

  “He was more likely playing, so he had a chance to talk to you.”

  “You’re right—that was his real gamble, and he took it.” Ferdy smiled. “Just like I took a gamble in saving you from that thief when we first met.”

  “If you credit Lumiere for allowing us to meet, I think I might beat you. Does it not mean anything that he is the one responsible for Philip’s death, and that we’re being held on his ship as captives?”

  “It means a lot to me,” Ferdy replied, his voice soft and deadly. “But I’m only pointing out that Lumi has his weaknesses. And we can use them to our advantage.”

  “Unless we’re going to play cards, I’m not sure how we can use that information.”

  “We aren’t playing cards, but we are gambling with our lives.” Ferdy glanced back toward the door. “There’s no chance we can get through the window. It’s too small. Now that we’re free, we will have to find a way to sneak off the ship.”

  “I wish Ben was here,” I admitted. “He would know how to pick the lock.”

  “We could always wait until someone comes to see us.”

  I arched my brow. “Do you think someone will come?”

  He shrugged. “They’ve got to feed us, don’t they?”

  “What if we’re out to sea before then? What if they just let us starve here?”