A Prelude to Penemue (4 page)

Hester gazed at them, at their earnest faces. These were her battlefield companions; they had each entered into a pact with the rest, unspoken yet binding: the willingness to lay down one’s life for the other. No one had ever done such a thing for her. Sequestered away from the rest of the
Grigori
—the rest of the
Nephilim
, even—Hester had spent her days learning elocution, music, embroidery, languages...and to what end?

She thought of Kitty’s face, triumphant as the great mechanical thing went down into flames and ashes. She thought of Marius and her own dear baby. He had taken her away from her staid life of nobility, he had given her what she had always wanted; he had given her happiness. She owed it to him to claim it for herself once more.

“All right, then. Lady Hester
Regalii
shall be no more from this day forward. For all anyone will know, she died here with her beloved family.” Cadmus clapped is massive hands and Emile nodded. She managed a small smile. “So, then, we shall be off? I have no baggage; I can leave when you are ready, Master Cadmus.”

“The day is still young. If we leave now and press hard, we shall be home by supper time.”

“Home.”
Hester breathed the word, for it still felt so new in her mouth.
“Home to
Penemue
.”