Ferran's Map (39 page)

“No,” Caprion agreed, “but we just saw him
with Cobra.”

Sora’s thoughts were slow and sluggish.
Although she secretly hoped Crash’s appearance was an illusion, or
simply a trick played by her eyes, Caprion had seen him as well.
How could she justify that? She had no explanation, but she knew in
her gut that Crash wouldn’t betray them. Not after everything they
had been through together.

“It must be a trick,” she muttered. “Magic
of some kind, or an impostor. The Shade are cunning, they would
want us to turn on each other….”

Caprion remained silent. His unwavering gaze
made her suddenly angry.

“Was no one guarding the ship?” she asked.
“Did anyone see who took the weapons?”

“I did,” Caprion said. “I couldn't see the
man’s face, but he was one of the Sixth. And he had Viper’s height
and build.”

Sora found herself becoming defensive.
“Obviously the Shade have been watching us,” she said stubbornly.
“They must have seen where we hid the weapons. They sent someone to
steal them. We couldn’t have seen Crash with Cobra. He wouldn’t
betray us…not with Burn’s life in the balance.” The sickening knot
in her stomach grew tighter.
Burn. Crash promised to save his
life.
Would he actually go to the Shade on his own, without
telling her…?

No,
she thought.
No, he’s not that
foolish….

Again, Caprion didn’t respond to her
outburst, but she thought she saw pity in his eyes. She hated that,
and had the sudden urge to cover her ears and scream.

“I came here to check on your safety,” he
repeated, “and I’m glad I reached you in time. We should return to
the manor and keep you indoors. Cobra will come back if we wait
here long enough. He might bring more warriors.” His eyes returned
to the rooftops. Without further explanation, he grasped her gently
by the arm and started back to the main road. “We should
hurry.”

His concern was obvious, but Sora resisted.
She wanted to argue for Crash’s honor, and convince Caprion that
the assassin was not their enemy. The two had hated each other
since their first meeting. She wanted to know why; it couldn’t just
be prejudice.

She dug her heels firmly into the snow.
Caprion came to a stop.

“Why are you always against Crash?” she
asked fiercely. “Assuming we really saw him—perhaps he has good
reason to go with Cobra. Perhaps he is trying to rescue Burn, or
gather information, or do
something
useful while I'm forced
to squander a full day, shopping in The Regency!”

Caprion took her firmly by the elbow, and
walked her toward the main street. Sora tried to resist again, but
he was too strong.

“If that’s the case, then why didn’t he tell
us his plan?” the Harpy asked logically. “He gave the sacred
weapons directly to the Shade’s leader. That sounds rather
counterintuitive, doesn’t it?”

Sora scowled. “Perhaps he went to barter for
Burn’s life.”

“Then why has he not returned? We would know
by now if he was successful.”

“They must have tricked him somehow…coerced
him into helping Cobra….”

Caprion chuckled dryly. “Now who sounds
far-fetched?”

She twisted toward him. “You don’t know him
the way I do!” she said vehemently.

Caprion gave her a pointed look. “True,” he
said. “But consider—perhaps you are too close to him, and perhaps
that makes you blind.”

Sora bit her lip. Caprion’s words caused a
small crack in her heart. She knew deep down that her eyes hadn’t
deceived her. She knew who was standing next to Cobra; she would
recognize him anywhere by his posture alone. But why would he go
with the Shade? Why had he not helped her fight? Why hadn’t he
protected her life?

More than anger, she felt confusion. Didn’t
he swear to watch over her in The Regency? Didn’t he promise to
save Burn’s life? Why would he take the sacred weapons to the
Shade? Why would he leave without telling her?

She continued to walk numbly through the
snow toward the street.

“What are you doing out here alone, anyway?”
Caprion asked.

Sora sighed—she had almost forgotten her
quest to find Lord Seabourne. She didn’t feel like explaining her
entire sordid history to Caprion. “I’m looking for someone, but I
didn’t find him,” she said briefly.

“Someone connected to the Shade?”

“No,” she snapped, annoyed. She picked up
her skirts and walked faster, trying to leave the Harpy behind. She
didn’t want to think of Crash, where he was now, or what she had
just witnessed.
This has to be a mistake. He’s back at the manor
with Ferran. Cobra is trying to trick us.

Suddenly, she heard a shout from the street.
Horses whinnied and a carriage rolled past. She spotted the
Seabourne crest on the door.

“Damn!” she cursed, picked up her skirts and
took off running. She sensed Caprion following. She had to see
where the carriage went. Perhaps she could follow it in the
Ebonaire coach.

Sora sprinted through the rest of the alley
and around the corner of the Gentleman’s Club—and skidded headlong
into an unexpected pedestrian.
Wham!

She yelped as her nose smacked against a
hard forehead; her foot slipped on the ice and she started to fall.
Thin arms grabbed her, but the short stranger couldn’t hold her
upright. They stumbled awkwardly to the cobblestones, falling
together.

“Bells!” Sora cursed angrily, trying to
untangle her limbs from the stranger's. She felt her skirt rip, and
wanted to tear the rest of it in frustration. Lord Seabourne was
long gone by now; she stood no chance of catching him.

“By the North Wind, forgive me, Lady, I’m so
sorry!” a voice twittered in her ear. The girl disengaged herself
and got back on her feet, took Sora firmly by the arm and helped
her up.

Sora put a hand on her stinging nose. The
stranger immediately began adjusting Sora’s dress, mindlessly
apologizing all the while. “Forgive me!” she repeated. “Oh, no,
your pretty dress is torn! But never you mind, a maid should be
able to hem that in a quick minute!”

Sora finally refocused. Standing before her
was a young woman dressed as a serving girl in pale blue skirts
covered by a simple white apron; a handkerchief tied back her dark
brown hair. Long bangs hung low across her forehead in a stylish
cut.

“I can’t apologize enough!” the girl
babbled. “I admit I wasn’t paying attention. We’re out of flour,
you see, and the cook sent me across the street. I didn’t see
you...” then she was silent. “By the Goddess,” she whispered in
awe. “Sora?”

Sora’s mouth opened in surprise. “Lily?” she
stuttered.

They stared at each other.

Sora tried to think of something reasonable
to say, but her mind was a blank. Lily had served as her handmaid
for twelve years. They grew up together on the Fallcrest estate.
Lily was the closest Sora ever had to a best friend. In fact, Lily
would remember the night of her kidnapping and her father’s
murder.

Sora realized that. Lily would know all the
tawdry details of her disastrous Blooming, the warrant for her
arrest and her mysterious disappearance into Fennbog swamp….And
perhaps she had more information about Lord Seabourne and the fate
of the Fallcrest estate.

“Um, Hello,” Sora managed.

Lily frowned. “Hello?” she demanded.
“
Hello?
I haven’t seen you in years! You were declared dead!
What are you doing here?”

“I can’t explain it all right now,” Sora
stammered, remembering Lord Seabourne’s vanished carriage. “I mean,
I
can
explain, just not here. Please. We have to leave right
now!”

Lily gave her a suspicious look, then
glanced around. “Why?” she asked. “Are you hiding from someone? Are
you in trouble? Well, you’re in a world of trouble, I suppose—your
obituary was published a year ago. By the four winds, Sora, you
have to tell me what’s going on!”

“What is an obituary?” Caprion’s voice
interrupted.

Lily looked over Sora’s shoulder at her
attractive male companion, Lily's eyes widened and her jaw went
slack. “Oh,” she said. “Is he with you?”

Sora grabbed Lily by the arm and began to
walk her up the street. Lily tried to resist but Sora was much
stronger. She practically lifted the poor girl off her feet toward
the Ebonaire coach. “It’s a long story, and should be told in
private,” she said. “By the way, what are you doing in The
Regency?”

Lily glowered. “Well, I had to find work
somewhere after you ran away!” she huffed. “That dratted uncle of
yours fired me last year, sold off his townhouse and left the
city.” Lily continued to stare at her former mistress, as though
she couldn’t quite believe her eyes. “I knew it,” she muttered
fiercely. “Everyone thought you met a horrible fate in Fennbog
swamp, but I knew you weren’t so foolish! You’d never set foot in
that place!”

“Right,” Sora agreed.

“Goddess,” Lily continued to grumble, “the
entire Fallcrest staff owes me a fortune in bets right now….”

Sora’s eyes combed the street, hoping for
another glimpse of Lord Seabourne’s coach, but it was long gone.
She cursed loudly. “But how?” she exclaimed. “How did he sneak back
to his carriage without me noticing?”

“Perhaps he was in a hurry,” Caprion
offered.

“Who was in a hurry?” Lily asked.

“Lord Seabourne,” Sora said.

Lily’s eyes grew large. “Ooh! Wait, why
would you want to speak to Lord Seabourne? He’s the last person you
want to see! He organized a manhunt after you—”

“I know,” Sora snapped.

Lily fixed Sora with a searching gaze. “I
don’t follow,” she finally said in confusion. “If you’re alive now,
then you never died, which means Lord Seabourne might….”

“What?” Sora asked. “Arrest me? Confiscate
my fortune? Denounce my title and nobility?”

Lily blinked. “Ah,” she said with a grin. “I
see. Well, if you’re so set on meeting him, I know where to find
him.”

Sora raised an eyebrow.

“He’s in charge of security for the winter
solstice parade,” she said, and gave Sora a mischievous wink. “I
know the tavern where he meets his men. I can take you there
tomorrow before the parade begins.”

Sora clasped her friend’s hand eagerly.
“You’re certain?” she asked.

“Of course!” Lily said. “But I’ll have to go
with you as an escort.” She eyed Caprion again, her smile bright
with approval. “And I’d like a proper introduction to your
friend.”

Sora found herself grinning. “Don’t you have
a job?” she asked, indicating Lily’s uniform.

Lily untied her apron. “Nonsense,” she said.
“And risk never seeing you again? There are more important things
than money, you know….” She paused. “And if I’m not mistaken,
aren’t we standing outside an Ebonaire coach? Is this your
transportation?”

Sora blinked and realized they had been
standing there for some time; the driver was impatiently checking
his pocketwatch. “We’ll be just a minute,” she said to him
hurriedly, then turned back to Lily. “Yes, I’m staying at the
Ebonaire manor…and I see you’re still quite the opportunist,” she
said dryly.

Her former handmaid winked.

“I suppose I could use a real handmaid,”
Sora mused, though she wondered how that would go over with Ferran
and the rest of their group. Still, Lily’s presence was comfortably
familiar. She needed people she could trust…and she needed to meet
Lord Seabourne.

“We’re not staying in the city for long,”
she said slowly. “I don’t think you should leave your job for
this….”

Lily rolled her eyes. “There’s no shortage
of jobs in this city,” she said. “Don’t worry about me.”

Sora found herself sharing another warm
smile with her old friend. She introduced Lily to Caprion and all
three climbed into the carriage. The driver cracked his whip, and
the coach jolted forward down the icy road, back to the Ebonaire
manor.

CHAPTER 23

Lori arrived at the Ebonaire estate that
afternoon. The sky was dark and overcast, making the hour seem much
later in the day. The size of the manor was overwhelming at first,
but she had lived and worked in such places before. She gazed out
at the wide lawn, with its maze-like hedges and marble statues, as
the coach traveled up the slushy front drive.

She adjusted her long white Healer’s robes
and held her summons tightly. Her eyes scanned over its curling
script for the tenth time.

To Mrs. Lorianne Ebonaire:

Dear sister, although we have not met, I
extend my warmest welcome to you. It is my desire that you come to
stay at the Ebonaire residence for the remainder of winter
solstice, and indefinitely, as you wish. Please arrive posthaste as
Lady Danica Ebonaire has fallen ill, and your skills as a Healer
are sorely needed.

Fondly, your brother,

Lord Martin Ebonaire III

Her eyes roved over the first line:
Mrs.
Lorianne Ebonaire
. Ferran’s wife, and with a proper surname, at
that. Ferran must have been successful in reconnecting with his
brother.

She swallowed hard, and cursed Silas a
hundred times for concocting such a ludicrous story. The Dracian
captain couldn’t possibly know about her shared past with Ferran;
her guise as his wife was cruelly ironic. She didn’t know if she
could pull it off. Perhaps if Ferran never told her of their time
together, she could simply act her role and be done with it.
Instead, his possible link to Sora remained constant in her
thoughts. They crossed a line on his houseboat when he cared for
her after she was wounded; their friendship had changed. She wasn’t
sure what Ferran truly wanted, or how she felt.

The coach rolled to a stop and she walked
stiffly to the front door. Her stab wound twinged uncomfortably
with each step, but the pain was tolerable.