Chaos Bound (11 page)

As Grogan’s speech about his daughter wound down, he inclined his head to someone in the crowd.

‘Tonight is twice special for me,’ he continued, as a masked man joined him on stage. ‘For I have lived long enough to see my lovely daughter blossom into the beauty she is today.’ He raised his glass to the crowd. ‘It is with the greatest pleasure that I announce her engagement to my old friend, the greatly esteemed Master Elmore Deckkart.’

The man removed his mask, revealing a skull-head tattoo that overlaid half his own face, and eyes that were chips of ice. Old and mean, he stared hungrily at Nicola, who had gone pale.

Oblivious to Nicola’s distress, cheers erupted around the ballroom, and Grogan and Deckkart clapped each other on the back. My neck prickled again and I tore my eyes from Nicola’s devastated face to see Lander staring at me. He gave me a happy smile, suggesting he hadn’t forgotten about me. I looked away. I'd dealt with enough bullies to not wet my pants every time someone threatened me, dead rats or not.

‘His daughter doesn’t look too pleased,’ Roman murmured.

‘I'm not surprised. Deckkart is the leader of the Reaper Street Gang,’ I said. Conversation around us resumed and the band started up a jaunty tune. ‘Gideon told me Deckkart was retiring soon and Grogan was pursuing the role. Guess this marriage would help seal the deal.’

Roman touched my arm. ‘What do you think your benefactor is up to? He has a very strange look on his face.’

I followed Roman’s gaze until I found Gideon, who was striding purposely across the ballroom, a bottle of bubbly in his hands. Tracking his line of sight, I found his point of interest. The Mayor of Harken stood near the musicians, clasping a large wine goblet. He was dressed as Anon, the God of War, complete with a leather tunic and a green crown of frilly oak leaves, and was lording over a knot of people, all hanging off his every word.

A nasty thought popped into my mind. ‘We’ve got to stop him.’

‘Why?’ Roman tracked the swiftly moving satyr.

‘He’s heading for the Mayor.’

‘What does that matter?’

‘Trust me. It matters.’

Dodging a servant carrying a tray of glazed duck, and tossing my glass to a passing server, I hurried to head Gideon off, Roman close behind me. Stepping directly in his path, Gideon was forced to skid to a halt. A guilty look slid over his face.

I lifted a warning finger. ‘Don’t.’

Gideon puffed his chest out, swaying, and tried to hide the bottle behind his back. ‘Get out of my way, Lora.’

‘I know what you’re up to,’ I said. ‘You’re intending to tell the Mayor about the exorcism on his daughter. You’re going to cause huge trouble for us if you say anything.’

Gideon’s expression turned crafty. ‘The bill was never paid. I have a right to seek settlement, and acknowledgement of our good work.’

‘Think, Gideon. We performed what he would consider blasphemy. Who knows what he’ll do when he discovers his wife hired us?’

‘Surely you would not betray a lady you gave your word to?’ Roman spoke from behind me. ‘That is not honourable.’

‘What are you, a fucking shining knight of propriety?’ Gideon parried Roman’s accusation with a snarl. ‘That would be a first, Regulator. Thought your kind only murdered women. Both of you get out of my way.’ He shoved the empty bottle into my hands, and barrelled past me.

Roman gave me a helpless shrug. It was clear nothing short of physical restraint would stop Gideon, which would just get us more attention. I watched with horrified fascination as Gideon elbowed his way through the small crowd around the Mayor. The group’s conversation withered to silence as Gideon gave the Mayor a bow and nearly lost his balance. He straightened with a haughty look. ‘Well met, Lord Mayor Corelli. Allow me to introduce myself.’

The Mayor gave Gideon a beady look. ‘Do I know you?’

‘You have not yet had the pleasure, Lord Mayor,’ Gideon said. ‘But your wife has, and your daughter.’

‘Excuse me?’ The Mayor frowned. ‘What are you talking about?’

Sensing he’d caught the Mayor’s attention, Gideon’s voice rose, and he twirled a hand theatrically, lace flapping. ‘I wanted to convey to you how pleased I am that Blackgoat Watch was able to assist you with your little problem a while back. Even though there was significant misunderstanding of the bill in the end.’

‘What bill? What problem?’ The Mayor eyed Gideon’s peculiarly bent legs.

I debated tackling the old goat where he stood, but the Mayor’s personal guards had already appeared. They eyed Gideon blandly, hands resting on their wheellock pistols at their hips.

Gideon’s voice dropped to a stage whisper. ‘Why, it is your daughter’s terrible affliction I speak of. Possession is much more common than people would think.’

‘Is this man drunk?’ The Mayor looked bewildered at those around him.

I cringed as someone quipped, ‘I don’t think it’s human.’

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, casting curious looks at the satyr. I caught the word otherkin being tossed around and looked for a clear path to pull Gideon away.

‘I was so pleased when we were approached for the exorcism.’ Gideon paused to cover his mouth with a fist and burp delicately. He blinked a few times at the Mayor, as if trying to remember what he was saying. Unfortunately, he remembered, and went on. ‘Perhaps this is an opportunity to show all of Harken the usefulness of those of us who are considered different. An opportunity to address the grave injustice done to Harken’s full-bloods.’

‘This is insanity,’ the Mayor spluttered.

‘Insanity?’ Gideon’s bushy eyebrows rose. ‘I've long thought so myself.’

‘Enough,’ the Mayor yelled. ‘Get this abomination out of my sight!’

The Mayor’s indignation finally got through to Gideon, and he began bowing again. ‘I can assure you, sir, I am no abomination. My breed is honourable. I come from a long distinguished line of satyrs who —’ But he was cut off, this time by the Mayor’s guards, who grabbed and frog-marched him out of the ballroom.

People gathered around us whispered in small groups as Gideon was ejected from the ballroom. Roman pulled me away. ‘Don’t get involved,’ he whispered. ‘Or you’ll be keeping him company in a cell tonight.’

I opened my mouth to tell him I needed to leave, when someone touched my arm. Turning, I met Seth’s tawny eyes through a red leather mask. His gaze flickered to Roman, then he took my hand and pressed his lips firmly against my knuckles.

‘Lady Blackgoat,’ he said, eyes twinkling. ‘What a ravishing dress you’re wearing.’

‘I don’t think ravishing is the word you’re looking for,’ I said.

‘Take your hands off her.’ Roman moved closer to me, voice low.

Seth’s grip on my hand tightened. ‘Not a tone to take with me, Regulator.’

I tried to pull away. ‘Don’t cause a scene, Seth. There’s been enough of that tonight.’

Seth’s eyes remained locked on Roman. The Regulator had stilled, his breathing deep and measured. Seth made a disgusted sound and dropped my hand. ‘Lora, if you could forego your gentleman friend for just a moment, I would request a conversation with you in private.’

‘No.’ The word was a low rumble in Roman’s chest, laced with warning.

Seth took a swaggering step towards Roman. ‘Press your luck no further, Regulator. Last time I checked, she didn’t take too kindly to people telling her what to do.’

Roman’s eyes moved to me, suddenly unsure. ‘Don’t go.’

‘Don’t tell me what to do,’ I said as gently as I could, but let him see I meant it. Whatever was happening between us, it would die a quick death if he started trying to order me around. Roman frowned, but said nothing more. Seth offered me the crook of his arm. ‘Allow me escort you, Lady Blackgoat.’

I rolled my eyes, gave a haughty sniff, and took it.

Seth guided me through a doorway and out into the cool night air. We walked to a deserted courtyard, hemmed with an evergreen hedge. Honeysuckle flowers laced the greenery, and sweetly perfumed the air. I let go of Seth’s arm and half tripped over to the far side of the courtyard, taking in the property that lay beyond. The estate gardens stretched out before me on a gentle downwards slope, covered in a beautiful tapestry of lawns, rose gardens and a sprawling hedge maze, all lit by elegant gas lamps. I caught glimpses of patrolling guards, some with crossbows slung on their backs, others with holstered flintlocks at their waist.

‘Gideon looked a little worse for wear,’ Seth commented.

‘He was drunk. Sparkling wine does it to him every time. I'll bail him out in the morning after he’s slept it off.’

‘You’d best keep an eye on the Mayor,’ Seth said. ‘Whatever Gideon was talking to him about, he didn’t look too pleased.’

‘Tell me something I don’t know.’

I peered into the darkness, tracing the hedge maze’s shadowed twists and turns. Seth was silent for long enough that I wondered why we’d come out in the first place. Then he cleared his throat and I turned from my scrutiny of the gardens, my hat sliding forward. I shoved it back with an impatient hand.

‘Spit it out, Seth. Something’s obviously bothering you.’

‘Are you sleeping with the Regulator?’ Seth’s voice was cold.

‘That’s none of your business.’

‘He can’t offer you anything, Lora, and you can’t trust him.’

‘And I can trust you?’ I bit out. ‘Don’t make me laugh.’

‘What do I have to do to convince you?’ Seth asked. ‘I've always been there for you, always looked out for you.’

‘You’ve always looked out for yourself,’ I shot back, then paused as footsteps approached. A guard entered the courtyard, looking at Seth expectantly. Seth made a small motion with his hand and the guard nodded, then retreated quickly.

‘Don’t tell me you’re moonlighting for Grogan.’ I raised my eyebrows.

‘That arrogant prick?’ Seth barked a laugh. ‘I'd rather gnaw my own fingers off.’

‘Then what was that about?’

I wondered if Seth was spying on Grogan. Or possibly working with him. If Grogan wanted the seat of power within the Reapers, he probably needed all the help he could get. Promising his daughter to the old boss was a pretty damned good start though.

Seth wagged a finger at me. ‘Don’t look at me like that. Just drop it. Nothing’s going on here that you need to be concerned about.’ He walked over to the hedge and plucked a honeysuckle flower between two fingers.

‘Why are we out here? Or did you just come here to warn me off Roman?’ It wouldn’t be the first time Seth tried to scare off any potential love interest I had.

‘Hardly.’ Seth crushed the flower between his fingertips. ‘I've set up a meeting with the collector in the Outlands, the one who has a copy of the Aldebaran.’

I felt relief he wasn’t going to bang on about Roman. ‘When and where?’

‘Tomorrow night. Around the east coast of Australia. You still interested?’

I suppose I could have said no. After all, I still wasn’t sure what kind of favour Seth was going to ask in return. On the other hand, what choice did I have? He was offering something I wanted badly: to return my life to normal. No threats of prophecies to be fulfilled. No Dreadwitch, or Howling Kings.

‘I'm interested,’ I said. ‘I want that book.’

Seth dropped the flower. ‘I know.’

‘Why are you still helping me?’ I demanded.

‘That’s what friends do, don’t they?’ Seth’s smile was sad. ‘You say you don’t love me. But you did once. You say you don’t trust me. Maybe I can change that. Maybe I can’t.’ He gave a low laugh. ‘What kind of man would I be if I just stopped trying?’

With my better judgement screaming in my ear, I nodded like I understood, which I guess, in a way, I did. Seth was one of the most stubborn men I'd ever met. I opened my mouth to tell him so, when a scream split the night, coming from the ballroom.

Our eyes met, then Seth was sprinting back inside. I rushed after him. I couldn’t see Roman, and Seth was soon swallowed in the crowd. Then a commotion in the far corner of the room sent people scattering. Something tall, dark and hairy was moving fast, long arms slashing the air. I could hear cloth tearing and a low growl vibrating through the air. When I finally got a view, I stopped short, not believing what I was seeing.

‘What is it?’ Roman appeared beside me like a phantom, his solid presence reassuring. Guards rushed around the ballroom, pulling their weapons on the raging beast.

I pulled the salt pouch from my cleavage. ‘I think it’s a griorwolf. But it looks…wrong.’

The beast had a humped back of mutated muscle, its fur knotted in rough patches. Knuckles brushed the floor and one leg was shorter than the other. Blood-clotted eyes swept the ballroom, and jaws full of jagged teeth snapped at anything that moved. I pushed through the panicked crowd, trying to get closer. To Roman’s credit, he didn’t try to stop me, though he kept close.

My mind raced, trying to understand. How had a griorwolf got in here? Was it one of the guests? Some guards appeared and began attacking the beast with swords. Some idiot fired a wheellock, missing the beast and wounding another guard directly opposite.

‘We need to leave.’ Roman’s eyes were trained on the beast. Seth appeared, wheellock in his hand.

‘You’d have to drag her out, Regulator.’ Seth winked at me. ‘Wild, rampaging beasts are her specialty.’

A group of guards rushed the griorwolf, trying to drag it to the ground. The beast gave a howl and shook them off. With a thrust of mismatched legs, it leapt high, long arms grabbing one of the crystal chandeliers overhead.

‘Look out.’ Roman leant over me, protecting me against the shower of broken crystal. I pulled away, pinched salt and scribbled a hex in the air, hurling it towards the beast. The spell shot out, smacking against its flank and the griorwolf yelped, losing its grip on the chandelier. It fell, landing heavily on its feet, loops of saliva swinging from its jaw. With another massive leap, it cleared the guards' heads and smashed through a door leading outside. The guards shouted and took pursuit. I moved to follow, but Roman pulled me back.

‘This isn’t our problem,’ he said.

‘Still trying to convince her to stay in the kitchen, Regulator?’ Seth grinned. ‘You don’t learn too fast.’