Iron Kin: A Novel of the Half-Light City (32 page)

But it seemed they weren’t going to discuss things any further. Bryony gathered up her bag and the cloths and then opened the door. “Please escort Lady Adeline back to her quarters,” she said to the Templars outside the door. “Saskia, you will come with me, please.” She swept out of the room without a backward glance and I had to half-run to catch up with her.

“Why does Ignatius want Fae women?” I asked. I didn’t think she would tell me but it was worth a try.

As I expected, she didn’t answer my question. “I have to find Simon,” she said. “Do you know where he is?”

I bit back my protest at her change of subject. There was no point trying to wring information out of a Fae who didn’t want to tell me. Fae couldn’t lie, but they could avoid answering just like anyone else. And I had no desire to be zapped into oblivion because I’d angered Lady Bryony.

It didn’t take long to home in on the little spark of sensation that told me Simon’s direction. It was bright and strong, a blue-edged yellow feeling that pulsed calmly in a way I associated with him being at ease. “He’s in his office. I think Lily may be with him,” I added.

Bryony halted abruptly. “You can sense Lily?”

I shook my head. “Not exactly. But he feels more content when she’s nearby. I don’t know how to explain it better than that.”

Bryony tapped a finger on her chain. “One day you and I need to have a conversation about this ability of yours.”

“I’m not the only metalmage who can do it.” Some of the other ironmages shared my ability.

“No, but you are the one I see most often. Still, it saves me going looking for Lily as well. You should go back to your family. You need sleep.”

It was a dismissal, but I was hardly sleepy. Not when my brain was suddenly putting together a whole new and disturbing possibility. Adeline had told us that Ignatius was taking Fae women, and the first people that Bryony wanted to see were Lily and Simon. Not any of her fellow Fae, not sending a message to the Veiled Court, but my brother and Lily. Lily the wraith.

A wraith, who like all her kind, had a parentage that was shrouded in mystery. Born of Fae and . . . Sainted bloody earth. What if Ignatius was trying to breed more wraiths?

Chapter Nineteen

S
ASKIA

I
wasn’t ready to return neatly to bed as Bryony had ordered. I was too alarmed by the possibilities that my suspicions had aroused. And, though I was ashamed to admit it when there was so much going on around me that was far more important, I wanted to see Fen. To breathe in the scent of him for a while. I missed him, I realized. Missed those moments we’d shared when we’d been skin to skin but sated. Of course, I missed what came before as well, but that wasn’t what I longed for just now—I just wanted time alone with him.

Perhaps we could find a private nook somewhere. We hadn’t shared anything more than the sedate touches that Simon and Guy expected of us since the night after the explosion, let alone a conversation that didn’t involve the negotiations.

I sent my powers roaming again. I couldn’t sense Fen in the same way I could my family, but the iron around his wrist should be detectable. Though here in the Brother House, there was probably more iron and steel than almost anywhere else in the City, except for the railways and the Guild of Mechanizers. The Templar armory was worth a fortune. They used other metals—the best that the metalmages could come up with—but nothing was as true as cold iron and steel for swords and armor. As well as the silver they had for weapons used to subdue Beasts and Blood.

If one had a suicidal desire for wealth, stealing Templar arms would be a quick source.

Not that anyone in the history of the City had ever been quite that stupid.

I sorted through the various metalsongs, searching for the thread of Fen’s chain. Finally I found it . . . after I widened my search toward St. Giles. I should have thought of that sooner. He was in the hidden ward. With Reggie.

* * *

“All I’m saying is that you should ask him,” Fen was saying as I opened the door to the outer room of the hidden ward. I paused, door still in my hand. Fen was standing with Holly, both of them looking tense and tired.

“You don’t even know if they’ll help,” Holly replied.

“They won’t if he doesn’t ask,” Fen snapped.

Holly flinched and I stepped forward, not wanting to see any more arguments tonight. “Ask what?”

“Simon should ask Adeline about blood-locking,” Fen said. “It might help him find a cure.”

“It’s not exactly a subject that you can bring up in casual conversation,” Holly said. “You don’t talk to the Blood about the locked. It isn’t done.”

Fen dismissed this with a flick of his fingers. “When is there going to be a better time? She needs us right now, so she’ll have to cooperate.”

“He has a point,” I said, thinking of Adeline’s conversation with Bryony. “Without us, Adeline and her friends will wind up dead.”

Fen nodded. “It’s important, Holly.”

Holly threw up her hands. “So is not having our own version of a blood war here at the hospital if the Blood decide to take offense. Or have you seen something?”

“Can you even see down here?” I asked curiously. I would have thought that the doors were enough to give a boost to the chain around his wrist. Maybe that was part of the reason he spent as much time here as possible.

“No and no,” Fen admitted. “It’s just a feeling. Don’t you want to see Reggie cured?” He aimed the last at Holly.

“Of course I do,” she said with a scowl. “But that’s not the point.”

“It’s the only point,” Fen said. “Reggie is our sister. If there’s a chance of finding the cure, you need to ask Simon. And you need to make sure he tries whatever he comes up with on her.”

Holly bit her lip. “What if it makes things worse?”

“She’s stuck down here, hidden from the world, barely conscious. It can hardly be worse,” Fen said with a shake of his head that made the gem in his ear spark green.

His voice was strained—edged with guilt? Anger? I couldn’t quite tell. I moved closer still, wanting to reach out and touch him. But I didn’t. I didn’t know if he’d told Holly about us, but if he hadn’t, I didn’t want to be the one who gave us away. “Fen,” I said, “give Holly a chance to think about it. You’re both tired and worried about Reggie. And it won’t make any difference tonight. Everyone’s going to bed.”

He took a deep breath and his face eased. Holly looked relieved. “Why are you here?”

I thought fast. “I was on my way back to the hospital. I thought Simon might be here. Bryony is looking for him.” I hoped neither of them would remember that I could tell where Simon was without any need to come and look for him.

“You came here alone?” That brought the frown back to Fen’s face. “You shouldn’t have. Not with the Blood here.”

“The Blood are all safely in the Brother House.”

“So we hope,” Holly muttered. “I’d imagine they could get past a bunch of Templars easily enough if they wanted to. Atherton almost threw a fit earlier when Simon told him what had happened. He made us promise not to tell them he was here unless it was absolutely necessary.”

“Is he scared of Adeline?” That was not a good sign, if it was true. Atherton had been amongst the moderates of the Blood Court before Lucius had tried to kill him. If he didn’t think Adeline was trustworthy, then perhaps we should pay attention.

“I think it’s more a case of him not particularly trusting any of the Blood,” Holly said, pushing back her hair. “I don’t blame him.”

I didn’t either. And I had to admit I hadn’t given much thought to exactly how the Templars intended to keep the Blood contained, other than relying on the vampires’ goodwill. The Blood can wrap themselves in shadow—not as a wraith does, stepping into another world—but they are very good at illusion and concealment.

Which gave me the perfect excuse to ask Fen to escort me back to St. Giles. Surely we could find an empty room somewhere along the way and spend just a little time alone.

“Perhaps Fen could walk me back,” I said, trying to sound nervous. Hardly difficult. “Holly, are you staying here?”

“I’ll sit with Reggie a while longer,” she said. “Guy is patrolling tonight. I probably wouldn’t sleep well anyway.”

I knew that worry all too well. Guy had been a Templar for a good portion of my life and I’d never gotten entirely used to the anxiety. I squeezed Holly’s hand, then tilted my head at Fen. “Well?” I asked. “Care to play escort?”

His face was shuttered, eyes dark and unreadable. He glanced at the door that led to the inner door as though torn.

“You should go,” Holly said. “You have long days ahead of you. I promise I’ll think about what you said. You take Saskia to her room, then get some sleep yourself.” Her voice was soft but somehow big sisterly. I realized I didn’t know exactly how old Fen was. He looked about the same age as Holly and Simon, but with Fae and Beast blood he could easily be older. I would have to ask him. But not right now.

I faked a yawn. “Come on, Fen,” I coaxed. “I’m going to fall over if I don’t sleep soon. And then you’ll have to carry me.”

* * *

We didn’t speak until we were back in the corridors, safely past the junction that led to the hidden ward and able to shed the invisibility charms that I still hadn’t quite gotten used to.

I moved closer to Fen, slipped my fingers through his. “Holly will come around,” I said. “You’re right. Simon should talk to the Blood. My guess is he will. He’s determined to . . .” I looked around, conscious that we could be overheard. “Well, you know.”

Fen’s hand was warm around mine. “I know. I just don’t like feeling helpless. Reggie—”

“I know,” I said soothingly. “Let’s just walk.” I leaned my head against his arm for a moment, wishing I could curl up somewhere with him and fall asleep. Perhaps that would make my dreams easier. They were full of nameless unpleasantness that had me bolting awake at least once a night. I didn’t have clear memories of them, but I was grateful that most nights I was too tired to worry too much about them before I fell asleep again. I was thinking about where there might be an empty room, sighing a little as Fen dropped a kiss on the top of my head when we turned a corner—and almost ran into Guy.

I dropped Fen’s hand and straightened, but it was too late. Guy’s expression turned thunderous.

“I thought you were patrolling,” I blurted, hoping to stave him off.

“I thought you were in bed,” he said. His icy blue gaze turned to Fen. “Care to explain?”

“Fen was just walking me back to St. Giles,” I said.

“I didn’t ask you,” Guy said. “Fen?”

“I don’t owe you an explanation,” Fen said.

“Really? Because it looked to me like you were taking advantage of my sister.”

I rolled my eyes. “Good grief, Guy. I’m not sixteen.”

Guy ignored me, his eyes still on Fen. Fen’s face was equally stony.

“Saskia and I are—”

Guy held up a hand. “Do not say what I think you’re about to say.” His free hand curled around the hilt of his sword. “Is this the thanks we get? For including you in our—”

“Oh, am I meant to be grateful that I’ve been dragged into this debacle?” Fen snarled. “I thought I was helping you.”

“And I thought you were trustworthy. But now I see I need to reconsider that opinion.”

“Guy!” I snapped, appalled. “Shut up.”

“This is between me and Fen.”

“I’m standing right here,” I pointed out.

“You don’t know any better. He should. He knows the rules when it comes to—”

“What, human girls?
Hai’salai
scum like me shouldn’t soil them with our touch? Is that what you think, Guy?”

The fury in Fen’s face had me rocking back a step. Oh, my
idiot
brothers. The links of my prentice chain suddenly warmed against my neck as my temper climbed to match Guy’s.

“I think you shouldn’t be taking advantage of girls half your age,” Guy said. “Especially not my sister.”

“I’m hardly half his age,” I snapped.

“Be quiet, Saskia. Let your brother say his piece.” Fen’s voice was a rumble of ice. “I’m interested in knowing the truth about what he thinks of me.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Guy snarled. “I should have seen this coming, I guess. Well, I know better now. This changes things.”

“Fine with me,” Fen snarled in response. “I know when I’m not wanted.” He turned on his heel and strode off down the corridor, leaving me gaping after him with a rapidly growing ache in my heart. I turned back to Guy.

“You
moron
!” I yelled. “How dare you speak to him like that? Do you want him to leave the delegation?”

“We’d be better off without him,” Guy snapped. “He can’t be trusted.”

“I trust him,” I ground out.

“You’re not thinking straight, he’s seduced you and—”

“Maybe I seduced him! Gods, Guy, you are such a hypocrite. You’re with Holly, Simon’s going to marry a wraith, and I’m not allowed to see Fen?”

“It’s different.”

“Don’t make me set your helmet on fire,” I warned. “Because I’m starting to think that would be the only thing that might make you see sense. It’s not different. I am a girl but I am a mage. And a person in my own right. I’m not going to follow all those neat little paths that you and the rest of human society seem to think I should.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” he said. “He’s turned your head.”

I smacked his shoulder then. Hard. Then winced as my hand throbbed after connecting with the mail beneath his tunic. “I am not an idiot. Unlike my male relatives. Nor am I a simpering virgin who’s been taken by a pretty face. For your information, I’ve never simpered and I lost the other qualification for that particular title quite a few years ago.”

Guy’s mouth dropped open. I wanted to hit him again. “Honestly, Guy. What world do you live in? Even you Templars have sex. Simon wasn’t exactly celibate before he met Lily and I don’t think you were either, before Holly.”

“I love Holly,” he said stiffly.

“Really? And you were in love with her the first time you slept with her?”

“That’s not up for discussion.”

“Then pay attention. Neither is my relationship with Fen. It is my choice and my business. And I swear on the earth that binds us, Guy, if you’ve chased him off, I will never forgive you. And I’d imagine that Father Cho isn’t going to be very impressed with you either. You need Fen. You need his visions.”

Guy squared his shoulders. “Not that much.”

“You want to risk it? Besides, I need him and you’re just going to have to get used to the idea.”

“Sass, listen to me. I know his history. Fen is not the type who settles down. He’s a . . . He’s fickle.”

“That’s my problem, not yours. For now, I’m choosing him. If I get my heart broken, then that’s also my problem and you can say I told you so as many times as you like. But you can’t blame Fen. And you can’t treat him like you just did, no matter what happens. What do you think Holly would have to say about it?”

That made him grimace. “Holly would understand.”

“No, she wouldn’t. Fen’s her family. Have you thought about that? Holly would never cut him out of her life. You’re going to have to put up with him no matter what.”

Guy stayed silent for a long stretch, his lips pressed together. “I don’t want to see you hurt,” he said finally.

“I know,” I said. “But as I keep telling you, that’s not your job. You can worry about me—the same as the rest of us worry about you every fucking time you go out on patrol—but you don’t get to tell me how to live my life. You just get to be on my side when I need you.”