Bloodfeud (The Scarlet Star Trilogy Book 3) (18 page)

Merion ignored the preposterous suggestion. ‘So my father changed you, is that what you’re saying?’

Gunderton sighed. ‘Almost.’

‘Explain.’

‘I stopped rushing human blood. Being bred into Brothers from birth, it was hard to shake off. We’re designed to last centuries, not just mere decades. It did something to my mood. Made me erratic. Three years ago I visited the owner of a shipping firm, a man who Karrigan suspected of importing slaves from Indus. He was right of course, as he always was. None of them were over fifteen, and were so scared when I tore open their crate, one of them gave up on life right there and then. I ripped the owner to pieces. Turns out he hadn’t a clue. The slavers were buying off the firm’s guards, letting them stow the children in the crates under darkness. Karrigan would have none of it. Seeing as I could no longer protect you, Merion, or him, he turned me loose. He cut my contract short and sent me on my way. I’ve been living in London ever since, torn between that life and this.’

‘Doing what?’

‘Existing. I carried on with Karrigan’s work for a time, roughing up the same old wrong people now and again, fighting the Order when I could. But without the blood I started to age. I stopped rushing human blood two years ago, and by the time I realised I no longer wanted to be a Brother, I found I wasn’t one any more. Time’s a jealous beast. The debts were starting to mount, revenge was starting to pay me visits in dark alleyways. Even the law took an interest in me. Since then I’ve been hiding, watching Karrigan from afar. When I heard he’d died, I knew you would be sent to your aunt, as he planned. I waited here, ready for the day when you’d return. Unfortunately, Witchazel had other ideas. Now, can we lower the gun, please? I don’t like the sound of what Mr Lurker said.’

Merion allowed himself to relax. The man certainly made an interesting case. Whether he was ready to believe it or not, he didn’t know. Trust had to be earned, not offered. He handed the Mistress back to Lurker, who swiftly stowed it away. They all sat back in their chairs and took a collective breath. It was a lot to take in.

The boy clapped his hands together. ‘So what now, Gunderton?’

The old butler rubbed his bushy beard for a moment. ‘You’re Karrigan’s son. It’s my duty to serve you, no matter what he said.’

Merion nodded, an idea blossoming.

‘Well then, you can start by telling me of Witchazel. Did he sign the estate over to Dizali?’ He had boiled for hours on the subject. In the dark hours, staring at the thatch, he had considered marching straight to the Emerald House and setting the whole thing ablaze just on principle. But, no. Too rash. The best fires are the ones that burn low and quiet until they find the right time to roar.

Gunderton looked at the floor.

‘He was captured by Dizali before I left to find you. All this time, that worm had hidden under Karrigan’s nose.’ He sounded disappointed. ‘Witchazel was taken to a house in Cheapside and tortured by some of Dizali’s men. From what I know, the Prime Lord must have forced his way into your estate, found evidence that could brand your father a traitor, then made Witchazel sign the estate over.’

‘And Mr Witchazel caved,’ said Merion, a sharpness to his tone.

‘Torture, Merion,’ Lilain reminded him. ‘The man was tortured.’

‘I tried to rescue him, but I couldn’t. And once I realised Dizali was behind it all, I came to save you from the other half of his plan.’

Merion sighed. ‘Yes and you did a great job of that. How many days late were you?’

Gunderton’s eyes turned hard. Merion saw too much of Gile and Gavisham in them. He shuddered.

‘The Bulldog’s son or the Bulldog’s estate. No easy decision. Took me a while to make it. Don’t blame me. Blame Dizali.’

‘Well, thank you for trying,’ Merion said, and he truly meant it; more so than his tone suggested. The man before him was a strange one, but by now he knew full well there could be blessing in strangeness. The finding of a half-dead faerie in a rhododendron. Three faces in an ancient tree. The mercy of a scarred girl built of hatred. And now, a Brother turned loyal old guard. There is a magic in the unexpected that throws you off by a step, and sometimes that is exactly what is needed. It’s that sort of stuff that kept boys alive. Merion decided he would trust the man.

And thank the Almighty he didn’t have to fight him
.

There was a moment of rumination. Chins were scratched, eyes sent to search the cracks and vacant plaster in the walls, brains still processing. And to think that all Merion had wanted to do that afternoon was take a lie down. Tracking down shades and lords was a tiring task.

‘So when do you tell us all about you master plan then, Nephew?’ Lilain queried.

Merion just tapped his nose at that. ‘All in good time, Aunt. All in good time.’

‘For Maker’s sake. Whatever you and Miss Bloodthirsty have come up with, I expect it to be good. I think you’re making a mistake trusting Calidae. She could have already told Dizali. He could be waiting for you to drop into his lap. She is a lamprey after all.’

‘And she has as much hatred for the man as I do,’ Merion told her.

Gunderton spoke up. ‘Karrigan guessed her father sat at the Order’s table, but could never prove it.’

‘She said as much on the
Black Rosa
. We’re using that legacy to our advantage.’

Lilain worked her jaw, chewing over decisions. ‘Fine. We’ll trust you on that, so long as we know what we almost went swimming in the Iron Ocean for.’

The boy raised an eyebrow. ‘What did I miss?’

Lilain tapped her nose and Merion tutted. Sharing secrets worked both ways, it seemed. He made to get up. He wanted to go and wander the riverbank for a while, to clear his head and reorder his plot; but his aunt held up a hand.

‘Just do me one favour.’

‘And what, pray, is that?’

‘Tell me this ain’t some sort of suicide mission.’

Merion pulled an offended face. ‘Almighty, no. Aunt Lilain, I intend to be laughing about this year of my life when I’m old and grey, boring my grandchildren half to death with stories of magick and blood. I decided that on the journey over here, and I’m going to stick to it. I think I deserve it.’

That seemed enough for Lilain. She went back to poking the dregs of her tea. Merion tucked his hood over his head and stepped out into the gaslit gloom.

*

Lilain watched Gunderton as he went about cleaning up the spilt tea and shards of cup. For a man of his apparent prowess he seemed surprisingly quiet, even timid at times. Karrigan had clearly cut him deep with his sacking. Perhaps he’d never fully recovered, and that was why he was so intent on helping Merion; as though Karrigan could forgive him from the grave. Lilain couldn’t blame him. Her brother had a magnetism for loyalty.

Time to break that stubborn ice
.

‘So you’re a letter, too, I take it? Being a leech and lamprey at the same time, I guess it would just round it off?’

‘I dabble.’ Gunderton found a smile. ‘Brothers have to learn how, just in case we’re in a tight spot.’

Lilain mused on that. ‘What have you got on you?’

Gunderton shifted his cloak aside to display about half a dozen bottles, browns and reds. No labels adorned them. ‘Ox. Bat. Carp. Bullfrog. Salmon. Lupus.’

Lilain leaned so far forward she almost fell. ‘Lupus?’

‘Indeed. For special occasions.’

‘You and I need to talk,’ she said.

Lurker rolled his eyes and hoisted himself to standing. ‘In that case, I’m goin’ to check on the boy, ‘afore I get bored to death.’

Lurker ducked the grimy sock that flew after him and slipped out of the door just as Lilain and Gunderton descended into a duel of letting knowledge.

*

After lighting a match against his stubbled chin, Lurker sucked on his cigarette and strode to join Merion at the edge of the riverbank. The boy was leaning over the stone railing, staring down at the rippling waters. There was a stench of fish-heads and silt in the air.

Lurker stood beside the boy, and turned his back to the river so he could watch the scattered people moving to and fro.

‘Don’t blame you, y’know,’ he finally said, when the cigarette was almost smoked to the bone of his finger. ‘I see why now. Don’t need to explain keepin’ loved ones safe to a man like me.’

‘Lilain said you would need a lot of convincing,’ Merion replied quietly. ‘Looks like you’ve got soft in your old age.’

‘Hmph, I ain’t a cold man. Quiet, but not cold.’

‘It was never going to be forever. Just until I was finished here.’

For Lurker, apologies were awkward, pointy things, best passed quickly and then dropped.

‘Why you all glum, then? You regretting it already?’

‘I’m trying a new tack. No regrets. Besides, it’s not that.’ Merion sighed. He stood up straight and patted Lurker awkwardly on the shoulder. ‘Imagine if you were rushing at a buffet, and all the smells and scents were attacking your senses at once. That’s what it feels like to have all these strings to pull.’

‘Don’t think I ever been to a buffet. You just didn’t know how much you needed us, is all,’ Lurker replied with a sly smile.

Merion nudged him with an elbow. ‘I have everything sorted, even without you.’

‘Do you now? Where is that lawyer of yours, then?’

Merion snorted, and walked away. ‘I’m still working on that.’

Lurker chuckled. ‘A man can be a peninsula, but he can never truly be an island. Family is too strong a bond, no matter how strange and unorthodox. Or at least that’s how King Lincoln put it to me. I guess he meant you should never refuse help when it’s offered.’

Merion looked back over his shoulder with a suspicious glint in his eye. ‘You said “man”, not “boy”. Does this mean you’re finally listening to me, John Hobble?’

Lurker produced another cigarette and lit it. When his weathered face reappeared from behind its smoke, he was grinning. ‘Your aunt told me to be nice.’

Merion mimed the cracking of the whip before disappearing down the alleyway.

*

In the murk of the alleyway, Merion missed the door-handle twice before managing to snag it. He pushed his way inside, and was welcomed by the talk of blood and shades and history. Gunderton’s, apparently.

‘…And then I knew a letter in Constantia, when I fought in the Crimea. Marvellous man. He could do wonders with blood. Made blends you would never believe. I saw him once make a rusher breathe fire. Taught another how to catch a bullet from the air. He showed me a few things here and there, I’m pleased to say. But there are still a few letters of London, Lady Hark. More than you would think.’

Merion clapped his hands together. He had been listening at the door, taking his time to undo his shoelaces.

‘That, Mr Butler, is exactly the kind of help I’m looking for. Seeing that you’re here, I have a task for you.’

‘Will you tell us your glorious plan in return?’ Lilain asked.

‘I will.’

‘What, then?’ they chorused.

Merion put a foot on the chair and leaned on his knee. ‘I need the Fae shade.’

Eyebrows were raised. ‘Why do you want that?’ the Brother asked.

‘For my glorious plan, why else?’