Doppelganger (31 page)
"I'll knock you out, if you need," Mirage offered. Her tone was light, but Miryo had no doubt she meant it. Then the Hunter started in her seat. "Warrior's teeth. I forgot about Eclipse."
"Another Hunter?"
"A year-mate. I'm working with him on… well, it would take too long to describe it now. I've got to go talk to him. Otherwise he's going to find out I was kidnapped by Thornbloods, and then there'll be
real
trouble."
She did not say it, but the words still hung in the air.
Do you trust me enough to let me leave
?
Miryo looked at her doppelganger, weighing it in her mind. This would be a perfect chance for Mirage to flee. But then again, she could hit Miryo over the head and stroll out at any time, if she really wanted to escape. So there was little reason to assume that she wouldn't come back.
"This house is on Lilac Row," she said finally. "Go left out the front door, and you'll be on Lord's Way." Mirage nodded. "I'll be back soon."
Mirage got several streets away before the shaking overtook her.
She leaned against a wall and closed her eyes, trusting her instincts to warn her if trouble came. Her first thought, oddly enough, was that she should go back and apologize to those men in Enden.
Them, and damn near everyone else I've known in the past twenty-five years. Well, twelve really; I got to dye my hair black when I was a Dancer.
That was irrelevant, and she knew it. Her thoughts refused to behave, though. A suspicion she had been denying her entire life had suddenly burst into reality; that was enough to send anyone into shock.
Warrior's teeth. I
am
a witch. Well, not a witch, but damn near. Part of me is. Goddess. I was expecting the other shoe to drop, but I thought it would have to do with the assassination. Instead, a steel-toed riding boot I never saw materializes out of nowhere and kicks me in the head
.
And
there's
a whole different kettle offish. Can I tell Miryo about the commission? Regardless, how am I supposed to continue with that
and
find a way out of this lovely mess we're in
?
A chill ran down Mirage's spine, and she opened her eyes.
Tari-nakana was tracking me. I wouldn't want to bet this had nothing to do with it
.
She needed some time to sit alone and think all of this through, but it would have to wait. The sun was setting; Eclipse would be taking Angrim apart stone by stone before much longer. Mirage pushed her roiling thoughts down, straightened her shoulders, and headed for the Cracked Oak.
The common room had been straightened up; there was no sign of the battle that had disrupted it earlier that day. None of the patrons so much as glanced up as Mirage passed through the common room.
Eclipse was not upstairs, although her lost sword was. Mirage swore and headed back down, strapping the blade on as she went. The innkeeper, when she hunted him down in the kitchens, had no idea where Eclipse had gone.
Void it. He's gone after the Thornbloods already.
Miryo paced back and forth in the study, using the beat of her steps to organize her thoughts. That was the idea, at least. It was failing miserably.
How do I explain this to the Cousins ? How do I explain it to the
Primes?
I've got to find Ashin, and ask her what she knows. She knew that Mirage was alive
—
but there was more to it than that. She was anticipating something, I know it. But I have no idea what it is
.
She kept pacing mostly as an outlet for the quivering that threatened to overtake her muscles. After all that preparation, steeling herself to kill her doppelganger, this sudden change in her path was more than a little disorienting. She had no second thoughts about her decision; she had known, when she looked in Mirage's eyes, that she faced a person. Not a copy. And she couldn't kill her without at least trying to find a different solution.
Dealing with the consequences wouldn't be easy, though.
Miryo made herself halt, put her hands over her face.
She took two deep breaths, steadying herself. She needed to stop this nervous mental twitching and come up with a useful plan.
She didn't make very much progress before a hand clamped over her mouth from behind.
"Do not move," a low voice growled. "And
don't
try to sing. I'll take your throat out before you can get two words into your spell."
Miryo felt a dagger point prick her neck and did not doubt him. She was torn between nodding to show her agreement, and remaining still, lest he think she was trying something. She decided not to move.
The hand vanished, but an instant later he was prying her jaw open and a shoving wad of cloth into her mouth. It choked Miryo, but she kept silent. When she was securely gagged, her attacker spoke again.
"Don't make a sound," he said, voice grim. "You will nod yes or no to my questions, and make no other movement. Did you hire Thornblood Hunters today?"
How am I supposed to answer that? It was yesterday, not today, and
The man had no patience for her indecision. He grabbed her shoulder roughly and swung her around to face him.
Her worst fears were confirmed. The intruder was a Hunter, fully uniformed. And while she didn't think he was one of the three men from earlier in the day, she had no doubt that the rest of the Thornbloods were less than happy about the treatment of their own. The look in his eyes was cold as steel, and as unforgiving.
For a moment, at least. Then his eyes shot open, and his knife hand dropped to his side.
At that instant, the door swung hard into the wall. The Hunter spun around, drawing his sword. Miryo tried to yell a warning and choked on the gag. Without even looking, he snapped his left arm around and put the dagger back to her throat. She froze.
Mirage took one look at the two of them and fell against the door frame laughing.
Should I be relieved, or offended?
"Eclipse," Mirage said when she had air to speak, "take that gag out of her mouth. She's not going to cause any trouble."
Eclipse? Her partner. I'd better not tell him I thought he was a Thornblood.
"What's going on?" he said roughly, not moving either blade an inch. "Who in the Crone's name is she? Are you even who you look hike?" His sword arm extended as though he expected Mirage to attack.
"Take the gag out, Kerestel," Mirage said, not laughing anymore. "I understand that this looks strange, but it does have an explanation, however odd. I
was
waylaid by Thornbloods, but that's over with, and we can deal with them later. I promise Miryo won't cast a spell."
Miryo's earlier trust in her was repaid. Eclipse wavered for a moment, then reluctantly sheathed his blades. He pulled the gag none too gently from her mouth, and did not apologize for the rudeness.
"Sit down," Mirage said. "This will be a shock."
A long stretch of explanation later, Eclipse had not ran screaming from the room. He even seemed to accept what they had to say, at least provisionally. Mirage was relieved. Although she had allies, he was one of her few friends; she would need his support to get through this. Especially since he too was blood-oathed to the commission.
And I have yet to figure out where I stand with Miryo. Or where she stands with me.
The witch was, as far as she could tell, being completely forthright. And her attitude had changed since their encounter in the hallway; she
saw
Mirage now, as a person instead of a thing.
Although I have the feeling that her prior attitude didn't come easily to her. It was something taught to her by the Primes, not something she believed in herself. Which is lucky for me, since it meant I could bluff her.
The three of them were sitting in an arc in the study, looking at their boots or the wall or random spots on the ceiling. No one had spoken for a while. The only sound Mirage could hear was the buzzing of an insect against one of the windows, fighting to get out into the darkening sky.
"There is one other thing," Miryo said at last. Mirage looked at her sharply. "I haven't mentioned it before now because I'm still not sure what it means. But before I was tested, one of the witches at Starfall was acting strangely. Ashin-kasora, the Air Hand Key. She was very much on edge about my testing. It looked like she couldn't decide whether I was fated to sprout wings or die on the spot. It sort of makes sense now; she knew you were alive, Mirage. And she must have known I'd be sent to kill you. But still it feels like she's expecting… something else. I really don't know what. My best guess is that she suspected we'd endup where we are now."
"In cooperation. Where is she, do you know?"
"No idea. Askavya, I was told, but that was a while ago. She disappeared right after my test, you see, before I'd even woken up."
Mirage glanced at Eclipse, who was looking alert and thoughtful. "We could try to find out where she is."
He returned her glance with interest when she said that. Mirage knew what he was thinking. But could they trust Miryo that far?