A Clockwork Fairytale (40 page)

“Get away from me.” Dante shook Gregorio’s hand off his shoulder and jumped up. “If you had acknowledged him as your son and let him assume royal status he wouldn’t have been driven to this.” With tears running down his cheeks, Dante sprinted away toward the south.

Melba pressed her cheek against Turk’s chest. Tears filled her eyes, mainly tears of relief that the threat to Turk was over but also tears of sympathy for Dante.

***

Four weeks later, Melba’s punt drew up at the quay outside Waterberry House and she jumped out without waiting for Antonio’s help. In recognition of the young Royal Guard’s bravery in protecting her, the king had made him her personal guard. She liked Antonio because he was loyal, skillful with his sword, and he did what she told him. He clambered out of the punt after her as she ran up the steps and knocked on the front door.

After what felt like forever, the door opened and Gwinnie scowled down at her. “Not you again. Poor Turk ain’t getting a minute to himself to recover.”

Melba ducked past her and unfastened her cloak before throwing it over the newel post at the bottom of the stairs. As Antonio followed her in, Gwinnie knocked his cap off his head. “Ain’t you got no manners, boy? I don’t like bluejackets, even hoity-toity bluejackets who guard the princess. I especially don’t like ’em when they got bad manners.”

Poor Antonio picked up his cap and twisted it nervously in his hands. He was terrified of Gwinnie and she knew it. “Don’t be such a grumpy old bag, Gwinnie,” Melba said. “Take me guard to the kitchen and give him some ice cream.”

“Got a smart mouth on you now,” Gwinnie grumbled. “Getting stuck up like your ma were.”

“I ain’t stuck up and you know it. I just ain’t gonna take no cheek from you no more.” Melba grinned to herself as she jumped aside, avoiding the swipe Gwinnie aimed at her backside.

“You’re the cheeky one, more like. Don’t you go waking Turk. He’s had a lot of visitors this morning and he’s tired.”

Antonio cast her a pleading glance as she turned toward the staircase, but she knew he would be all right. Gwinnie was all bark and no bite. She hiked up her skirts and ran up the stairs, her heart thumping at the prospect of seeing Turk again. She visited him every day and when she wasn’t with him she thought about him.

She opened Turk’s bedroom door softly so as not to disturb him. The breeze played a tune on the sacred tubular bells hanging in his window as she tiptoed to the bed and stared down at him. The bandages wrapped around his broken ribs peeped above his covers. A mottled pattern of bruising ran along one cheekbone. His black eye was healing and only a few scars were left where his lip had been damaged. His nose was still a little swollen and crooked from the break and it looked cute.

She brushed her fingers lightly over his forehead, smoothing away his shaggy black hair. She loved him so much she felt as though it would burst out of her chest.

Leaning over, she kissed him light as a flutterby’s wing on his lips. Then she slipped off her shoes and stretched out on top of the bedcover beside him.

He stirred and turned his head. “Melba?”

“Well it ain’t Gwinnie just gave you a kiss.”

He laughed and winced. “Don’t make me laugh. It hurts my ribs.” He gave her a sideways glance beneath his long dark lashes and a tingle of pleasure passed through her. “You can kiss me again to make up for it,” he said.

Melba turned on her front and propped herself up on her elbows. “Mayhap I will.” She tried not to grin as she leaned over and kissed all the sore places on his face, giving extra attention to his lips. Then she dropped a trail of kisses from his jaw to his shoulder before resting her head there. She lay dreamily for a few minutes enjoying the brush of his presence across her mind like silk over her skin.

“So who you had visiting this morning?” she whispered.

“Dante and Steptoe came to discuss the refuge for the trash tykes. Steptoe’s getting started on it and Dante’s helping him before he leaves.”

She raised her head to see his face. “Where’s Dante going?”

“He doesn’t want to stay here after what happened with Vittorio.”

Melba settled her head back on Turk’s shoulder and released a breath tight with sorrow. She could understand Dante wanting a fresh start somewhere else, but he was her cousin, the nearest thing she would ever have to a brother. She would miss him. “He ain’t been to visit me at the Palace.”

“He tried to see you, Melba. The guards wouldn’t let him in.”

“Oh.” Her father must have left instructions to deny him access. That was not surprising after what Vittorio had done, but it wasn’t fair. Dante had helped her and he was nothing like his brother. “I want to see him before he leaves.”

Turk reached up and stroked her hair. “Best if you meet him here next time he visits. But we must be discrete. We don’t want to do anything to upset your father when I’m about to ask if I can marry you.”

She leaned up on her elbows again and stared longingly into his dark brown eyes. “How long ’till you can ask?” She was fed up with only seeing Turk for a few hours each day. She wanted to be with him all day and all night.

“Soon, love. He touched her cheek with his fingertips. “I was only living half a life until I met you. The Great Earth Jinn led me to you to show me what I was missing. You and I are meant to be together.” He reached under his pillow, withdrew a red velvet box, and placed it on the bedcover.

Melba ran her finger over the soft velvet with a tingle of excitement. Then she picked up the box and lifted the lid. A solid silver bracelet decorated with a silver serpent was nestled in the white satin.

She touched the silver and felt the vibrant Star alive inside the metal. A tiny gasp burst from her lips and her gaze jumped to Turk. “Sweet Earth Jinn, thank you.” She leaned down and kissed him. “Where d’you get live silver?”

“Each time a southern merchant brig docked during the last few weeks, Dante asked the captain to call on me. Most of them refused but lucky for us, one of the captains was female and Dante charmed her. She sold it to me.”

Melba slipped on the metal band and connected with the tiny Star inside the silver. Turk laid his hand over hers and smiled. “Summon the Jinn as you would from a flower. Only you don’t have to give it a form, the silver has been fashioned into a serpent already.”

She touched the shining Star with her mind and drew the spirit out of the metal gently. Her eyes opened to see a miniature version of Turk’s Silver Serpent emerging from the thick silver band, the tiny scales unfolding as the Jinn lifted its finely crafted body from the bracelet and slid into her cupped hand. Its silver-rope tongue flicked out to taste her skin. She squealed with delight, hugged Turk, and smothered him in kisses. “It’s so tiny and cute,” she said, breathless with delight. “The southerners have far better doodads than us. I love it. Thank you.” She kissed him some more, and for a few minutes she forgot the Silver Serpent. The new Jinn was wonderful. But nothing was as good as kissing Turk.

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