Taliesin Ascendant (The Children and the Blood) (27 page)

She nodded again.

“Huh,” he allowed. Inside his coats, he shifted in a loose approximation of a shrug. “And you’d really let me kill them?”

“We have to find them first.”

The statement seemed to strike him as funny, and his lips pulled back, revealing yellowed teeth. The displeasure coming from Nathaniel was palpable, but she ignored it.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“Mud.”

Her lip twitched. “Nice to meet you.”

He gave an uneasy snort. “Yeah, right. So now what?”

Elias cleared his throat. “Can I talk to you for a second?” he asked under his breath.

Reluctance hit her, but she looked over at him, turning partly from the circle of wizards.

“You’re not thinking of bringing him with us,” Elias whispered. “Are you?”

She raised an eyebrow. “What’s our other option? Leave him out here?”

He frowned. “No, we find a place for him to hide–”

“With no protection?”

“It’s your protection I’m worried about.”

“And having cripples with us is part of that. He can see Blood wizards, Elias. And if Detective Harris is any indication, they’ve graduated from wanting to capture me to wanting me dead, so…”

Frustration moved over his face. “I get that. But it doesn’t mean I want someone who is possibly unstable hanging out in one of the few places we’ve got to hide you. What if he…?”

He trailed off, unwilling even to say it.

“What do you suggest?” she asked. “If the Blood get close to where we’re staying and there’s no one to see them…”

She glanced back at Mud. The man was scratching at something beneath his coats, while casting surreptitious looks to the wizards nearby.

“It’ll be worse than this,” she finished, trying not to grimace. “Trust me.”

Elias followed her gaze. “What makes you think you can trust him?”

“Nothing. But we still need his help.”

Reservations heavy in his expression, Elias regarded the cripple for another moment and then drew a breath.

“Then he’s staying under guard,” he said. “As is any other cripple we find. And they’re not going near you unless you’ve got defenses against guns up and there are at least two other wizards in the room.” He looked at her pointedly. “Agreed?”

She paused. More than she’d ever seen it, his expression was utterly intractable.

“Agreed.”

“And we’re still heading back to the hideout.”

She looked away angrily, hating how perceptive he could be.

“I mean it, your highness. Just because we have a cripple with us doesn’t mean these Blood wizards will suddenly show up. And it doesn’t change the fact you need sleep. Hell, the guards do too. We’ve all been up for nearly two days straight.”

She didn’t answer. His face darkened.

“Fine,” she surrendered bitingly.

“Good. Then I’ll go secure us transportation.”

Before she could speak, he turned, motioning sharply to the guards. “Search him,” he snapped, and then strode toward the street.

“What’s going on?” Mud called, eyeing one of the guards uneasily as they came close.

Her jaw tightening, Ashe watched Elias a moment longer and then glanced back. The guard prodded the misshapen lump of a man and then retreated, looking vaguely ill as he nodded.

Uneasiness moved through her, and she pushed it away.

“We’re getting out of sight,” she told him. “Care to join us?”

He shifted in what she could only assume was a shrug. “Okay.”

Without another word, she turned and followed Elias, Mud coming shuffling after.

Turning on the leather seat of the SUV, Ashe glanced back, checking the location of the other car. Through the windshield, she could see Mud sitting squarely in the middle of the sedan’s back seat, his head moving like a wind-up toy as it ticked back and forth between the wizards in front of him.

With a dry expression, she shifted back around, only to catch sight of a fluffy stuffed animal wedged by the trunk door. She grimaced. “You sure you’ll be able to return the cars after we’re done?”

“We’ll put them somewhere the police can easily find,” Elias said, as though he hadn’t already told her twice.

She looked to the window, feeling vaguely embarrassed, though Nathaniel and the other two guards gave no sign of having heard.

Beneath the brilliant gold of the setting sun, the suburb rolled by. Storefronts glinted in the light and signs for fast food restaurants flickered to life between one blink and the next, while traffic rushed along, bringing commuters home.

Two police cars flew past, their lights wheeling.

Uncomfortably, Ashe looked away.

As the sun crept below the horizon, the vehicles turned, weaving into a parking lot. The mammoth sprawl of a shopping mall occupied the center of the concrete expanse, the radiant signs on its sides advertising the countless stores within. Outlying shops dotted the edges of the parking lot, their signs and sale banners dwarfed by the enormity of the building behind them.

Brow furrowing, she glanced to the others as Elias thumbed on his phone to make a call.

“We need to use the door,” he said without preamble. A heartbeat later, he hung up and looked to the driver. “Around back.”

The man nodded.

Circling the massive building, the vehicles headed for a restaurant on the furthest edge of the lot. Dense maple trees backed the building, obscuring the neighborhood beyond, though in the dimming light, the broad front windows gave a clear view of all the customers inside. Beneath the bright sign over the entrance, more people milled around, waiting for a table.

Her eyes narrowed as she read the cheerfully stylized sign. Joe’s, Open Late. She hadn’t seen the place they were staying; they’d taken a portal straight from the basement when they left this morning. But despite the food service boxes and refrigerators, she hadn’t expected their hiding place to be somewhere quite so obviously popular.

Avoiding the busy restaurant parking lot, the driver steered them around to the rear of the building. By the back door, dumpsters sat within a corral of brick walls. Leaning on the enclosure, a busboy smoked a cigarette, his attention on the trees and the sky.

Continuing on, the driver waited till the dumpster’s bulk was between them and the young man before pulling to a stop, the other vehicle right behind.

Elias glanced to her and then looked to the driver. “Somewhere easy to find,” he told the man. “And make sure the police can’t connect the cars to Joe.”

The driver nodded.

Studying the building, Ashe climbed out. No windows covered this side of the restaurant, but the front and back entrances were the only ones she’d seen. She glanced over, biting her lip as Mud clambered from the sedan. If they kept Mud toward the center of their group, their magic might obscure him enough to distract the busboy. But it might not. And then she wasn’t sure what they’d do.

“Come on,” Elias said, breaking into her thoughts. Without looking back, he started for the restaurant door.

She glanced to Mud again, and then followed.

The kid didn’t look over as they came near. Exhaling the smoke from his cigarette, he grimaced, shifting uncomfortably against the brick wall. Tensing, Ashe glanced to Mud. In the shadows of his hood, the man barely seemed to be breathing, his gaze locked on the busboy.

With a clang, the back door swung open. Heart pounding, Ashe looked to Elias as a large man strode from the building. Ruddy-faced with a splattered apron lashed around his middle, he was nearly the height of Nathaniel, though more than twice the girth. At the sight of the busboy, he froze and then turned a deeper shade of red.

“What the hell, Tommy?” he snapped. “If you’re going to smoke, at least get your tail over by the trees where people can’t see you!”

“Huh?” the boy sputtered.

“We’ve had complaints about people smoking back here. It carries through the air ducts. Stinks up the dining area. So from now on, you smoke by the trees, got it?”

“But no one told me about any–”

“You talking back to me?”

“No.”

The man nodded, expecting the answer. “Good. Now get over there.”

For a moment, the busboy eyed him up and down, as though trying to decide if the guy had suddenly lost his mind. When the man’s expression became darker, the kid held up a hand defensively and then shrugged away from the brick wall to head for the trees. Shaking his head, the man watched him go.

“Sorry about that,” he said, glancing to Elias.

Ashe blinked. Though he seemed utterly human, the man was nevertheless looking right at them. Shocked, she glanced back to Mud.

“Blood?” she mouthed.

The cripple looked startled and then shook his head hurriedly.

“Come on in,” the man continued with a jerk of his chin toward the door. “I’ll keep the others distracted while you get your friends downstairs.”

Elias nodded and then followed him inside. Cautiously, Ashe trailed after them.

A wave of heat hit her as she came in, emanating from the kitchen ahead. Pots and dishware clanged in the massive sinks, enormous ovens poured out warmth, and everywhere she looked, people were hurrying around preparing food, picking up food, and depositing dishes still partly covered in food. Past the swinging doors, the dining area was full, and the noise of the restaurant pushed against the general clamor of the kitchen.

Striding on ahead, the large man walked to the entrance of the narrow back door hallway and then paused, surveying the frenetic hubbub like a ruler overlooking his kingdom. Through a sixth sense all their own, the cooks and waitresses seemed to perceive his presence without ever looking his way, and almost instantly, the pace of the kitchen accelerated.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Elias smile. She glanced to him questioningly, but he just turned to the small door beside the rear entrance. Nudging aside a few boxes with his foot, he pulled the door open and then headed down a metal stairway to the basement.

With a last wary look to the man by the kitchen, Ashe followed.

“What was that?” she asked as the door swung shut behind them. “How did he–”

“Long story,” Elias said.

Her brow drew down, but he pretended not to notice as they reached the bottom of the steps.

Katherine emerged from the small room where they were keeping Harris. Wiping her hands as though to rid them of invisible dirt, the woman grimaced and then froze in mid-motion as she noticed their approach.

Carefully, she returned her hands to her sides. “Welcome back,” she said. She paused as Mud came down the stairs. “Who is our guest?”

“He says his name is Mud,” Elias said, his tone barely disguising what he thought of the statement.

Glowering beneath his hood, Mud muttered something unintelligible, and then blanched at a low noise from Nathaniel.

“I see,” Katherine said neutrally, stepping to one side to allow the guards to pass.

“Have you found out anything from Harris?” Ashe asked before the cripple could make another comment.

Katherine sighed. “He remains obstinate.” Her mouth tightened. “I could try to press him a little…”

“No,” Ashe said, her voice sharper than she intended. She paused, regrouping. “No,” she repeated more quietly.

“As you wish.”

Mud looked between them. “Who?”

Katherine glanced to her husband. “I have a cot made up for you in the other room, your highness,” she began carefully.

Ashe shook her head, trying to look reassuring. “I’m not tired. Listen, do you think a few of the others might be rested enough to–”

She cut off as Elias’ expression hardened.

“Who’s
in
there?” Mud demanded, stepping closer. “I mean it. I’m not hanging around if you’ve got bad guys behind every door. Seriously. You–”

“It’s just a human,” Ashe interrupted, forcing the dismissive words in the hope of getting the man to shut up.

“Who works for our enemies and shot her majesty,” Elias said to her pointedly.

“You were
shot
?” Mud repeated to her.

“And I’m fine now,” Ashe retorted, trying to ignore the little man. “Elias, I understand that the others need rest, okay? But I’m
fine
, and Mud being here is the first progress we’ve had all day. I’m not going to just–”

“We had an agreement.”

“Things’ve changed.”

“Not that.”

“Listen, your queenness, if you were just shot, I mean…” Mud eyed her up and down as though shocked she was still standing. “I mean…”

Fury rising, she didn’t bother looking at him. “People are
dying
out there,” she said to Elias. “And now we can finally do something about it. We can’t afford to just sit here–”

“
You
can’t afford to have another assassin get lucky!” Elias snapped. Scowling, he reined himself in and continued more quietly. “And neither can we.”

She looked away.

“We had an agreement, your highness. Just a few hours of rest.” He paused. “Please.”

A heartbeat passed. From the corner of her eye, she could see Elias growing angrier.

“Fine.”

“Thank you.”

Not sure what to say, she turned, heading for the room where she’d woken up that morning. Nathaniel followed.

“How bad was she shot?” she heard Mud ask as she left.

No one answered him.

At a quiet noise from Nathaniel, she hesitated and then stepped to one side, letting him precede her into the room. In a corner, a sleeping bag lay open beneath a pile of pillows. Frustration still gnawing at her, she sank down cross-legged on the soft surface and propped an elbow on her knee. Rubbing her eyes briefly, she sighed, letting her forehead rest on her palm.

Exhaustion settled over her like a blanket, and after a heartbeat she jerked back, realizing she’d drifted off almost instantly. Grimacing more for Elias being right than anything, she shifted around on the sleeping bag and then paused, seeing Nathaniel still standing on the far side of the room.

“You’re just going to stay there?” she asked.

He nodded once.

Uncomfortable, she glanced around the room.

“You really don’t have to. I’m fine.”