Adelaide and Aiana met me at the door. Adelaide’s face was pale and drawn, and I slipped my arm around her as we left to eat. “Everything’s going to be okay,” I said automatically.
“It was awful, Mira. Awful.”
The biased tribunal hadn’t allowed Cedric to fully tell his story, and the line of questioning had assumed he was already guilty. They’d accused Adelaide of deceit and loose morals when she testified. Warren, however, had been met with sympathy. He’d had time to polish his story, and his men had backed it up.
The afternoon session proceeded as the morning one had. When the trial ended for the day, only a few witnesses were left to testify. They’d have to do it first thing in the morning, which disappointed the crowd. Governor Doyle had said he’d see the sentence carried out immediately, and many had hoped to see an execution today.
When Aiana and I returned to Wisteria Hollow, I was in no mood to hear gossip. I slipped into my room and stayed until after midnight. Only then did I creep out in search of food. I hadn’t had an appetite for most of the day but was ravenous for the stale tarts I discovered. A shadow appeared in the kitchen doorway, and I jumped.
It was Gideon Prescott, the young man from Grashond. He and the other Heirs of Uros had lingered to wrap up some trade in town and kept saying they’d be leaving soon, but there was always some new delay. “I’m sorry,” he told me. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Did you just get in? There’s some food over there.”
“Thank you.” He accepted a tart. “I was in town later than I expected to be. I . . . I think I helped your friend. Miss Bailey. At least, I hope I did. I’m not sure.”
I set my food down. “What do you mean?”
“I approached her tonight, offering to help. I was friends with Tamsin—Miss Wright, and I just felt like it was something she’d want me to do.” He looked away for a moment before continuing. “Anyway. I suggested Mister Thorn buy a share in a new colony called Westhaven—”
“I already know about it. How he’d get amnesty in Denham.”
“Miss Bailey knew too. What she didn’t know was that there are some representatives of the Westhaven charter in Cape Triumph right now.”
“But she doesn’t have the money for it yet.”
“She seemed to think she could get it.”
“Well, yes, there’s a deal in place, but there’s no time to—” My breath caught. “Mister Stewart, what was she doing when you left?”
“Getting the money, I think. She said she was going on a short ride. I gave her my horse.”
A short ride! She was going to get the painting and try to close the deal. Walter Higgins, scrupulous with forged art, had stashed the painting in a village south of Cape Triumph. Adelaide would have to go there first and then back up to Crawford. She’d be on horseback all night.
“Was anyone with her?”
“No. She was alone.”
Adelaide. Alone. Riding in the dark.
“When did she leave?”
“I . . . let’s see. I’d say three hours ago. Almost four.”
“Thank you, Mister Stewart,” I said, rushing past him.
“What are you going to do?”
I didn’t answer. I ran up the stairs to my room and began looking for the starry cloak.
CHAPTER 32
“LADY AVIEL,” TOM SAID COOLLY. “I THOUGHT YOU retired.”
I stormed through the Dancing Bull and slammed the coin he’d given me down on the table. “I’m calling in my second favor. Now.”
The other men seated around him fell silent, their eyes wide at my tone. I’d run the entire way from Wisteria Hollow and hoped my exhaustion didn’t show as I glared at Tom. “I’d forgotten you had that,” he remarked. “In retrospect, I’m not sure that scuffle during the Flower Fest really warranted it. I think I was just caught up in the moment.”
“Don’t play games with her.” Two seats away, Elijah got to his feet. “What do you need? I’ll help you.”
“You certainly will not,” snapped Tom. “Sit down, and finish the assignments for tomorrow. I’ll deal with this.”
For a few seconds, the two men were locked in a silent showdown that made the others shift uncomfortably. I recalled how upset Elijah had been about Tom’s actions the night of the storm, but I’d assumed that had all faded. Elijah was one of Tom’s longtime followers. When Elijah did finally return to his chair, his expression stayed vigilant and wary.
Tom let some suspenseful silence drag out before standing up. “Let’s speak in private, my lady.”
“We can do it outside,” I told him, as we walked from the table. I nodded at the door. “All I need is a horse.”
“That’s all? Once again, you’ve asked for a boring favor. The coin’s wasted on you. Come along, then.”
He led me out to the tavern stables, and I was pleased to see my favorite horse there. “Are you asking to keep her?” he asked.
I began saddling her. “Only borrowing.”
“Boring.”
“I don’t need her for long. I’m just riding out to Crawford and back.”
Tom cocked his head speculatively. “You aren’t by chance pursuing the much-talked-about Lady Witmore, are you?”
I paused in my work. “Why would you say that?”
“Because this is the second time I’ve heard that little town brought up tonight, and I can’t think it’s a coincidence. There’s a man who frequents the Bull—a man of ill repute, not like the rest of us—who came running in not too long ago and gathered up some of his cronies. He said he’d seen Lady Witmore riding north on the border highway. You know there’s a reward for her, right? Put out by her family?”
I did know that. It was why Adelaide had worked so hard to hide her true identity. If she was riding north already, she’d made good time. She must have the painting, but that was irrelevant if she had brigands in pursuit. I worked more quickly.
“And,” Tom added, “saving a tragic, romantic figure like her is exactly your style.”
“I have to go now.” I climbed up and took the reins. “Get out of my way.”
Tom sighed. “Wait a moment, and I’ll go with you.”
“Get out of my way,” I repeated. “I don’t want your help.”
“Yes, but you need it. There are five of them. You’re good, but you can’t take them alone.” He glanced at my belt. “Especially not with that ridiculous knife. Did you get rid of the dirk out of spite?”
“I lost it in the storm when you abandoned me. Now move!” I growled. “So help me, I will run you down.”
Tom grabbed a saddle and started working on his destrier. “I’m going. And we’ll grab another dirk on our way out.”
We left the city under a gibbous moon and thundered up the border highway. Fury boiled inside me, and I was glad our pace didn’t allow for conversation. I didn’t want his prattle. I didn’t want anything from him.
But I wanted Adelaide safe.
For that, I’d swallow my pride. Tom was right about the numbers and my knife. If having him along bettered my odds, so be it.
“We have to move faster!” I shouted at one point. “We have to overtake them!”
“We will,” he called back. “I’ve seen their horses. They’re adequate but nothing like these. They can’t maintain this kind of gallop.”
Maybe not, but it still seemed like they had too big of a lead. I berated myself for not having thought to finish the painting deal myself. I could’ve done it all in one day, but we hadn’t known about the Westhaven representatives in town.
Tom slowed, and I started to chastise him when I caught sight of a light ahead of us. A lantern sat on the road, illuminating a cluster of men and horses.
“Told you,” he said.
We raced forward, and the men turned at the sound of our horses
’ hooves. Just behind them, I spied Adelaide standing in the road. She looked unharmed, and a man near her clutched his calf in pain.
Our presence set the brigands into disarray.
“Pirates!”
“Tom Shortsleeves!”
“And Lady Aviel!”
Tom and I drew our blades. “You have something we want,” he said. “Leave Lady Witmore with us, and go.”
Two of the men actually started to run away, abandoning the horses they’d dismounted. Maybe image really was everything. A broad, burly man—less intimidated by us—strode forward, a knife in his hand. “She and her reward belong to us. Get out of here before we—”
Tom slammed his sword’s pommel into the man’s head. I charged forward into another of the brigands and stabbed his shoulder with the dirk. He grunted and reached into his coat for something. A gun? A knife?
I jumped off the horse and jabbed at his stomach. He made a lot more noise this time and pressed one hand to where I’d hit. His other hand still kept moving and produced a gun from the coat. I struck his arm with the dirk, and a kick to the knee brought him down. A follow-up kick to the head made sure he stayed down.
I spun around, searching for someone else to hit, but only Tom stood there. He regarded my fallen foe with interest. “Well, well, it looks like you have a dark side after all.”
“Where is she?” I demanded. “Where did she go?”
“Not far. She got on her horse during the fight and went north.”
The remaining brigands were either unconscious or wounded. Tom slapped their horses, sending the animals back toward Cape Triumph. “Just to make things a little more difficult.”
He and I rode on and came upon Adelaide pretty quickly. Her horse was hobbling. “You don’t need to worry about those men anymore,” Tom told her.
“Dead?” Her posture and voice were both filled with distrust.
I averted my face and made sure my Belsian accent was strong. “Maybe. Or they ran.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter. I wasn’t going with them, and I’m not going with you.” Her defiance made me proud.
Tom mostly seemed amused. “We don’t want to take you away. Wherever you’re going, we’ll help you get there safely. We’re your escorts for the night.”
“Why?” she demanded. “What do you want?”
“Nothing that you need to worry about. Our interests are our own. All you need to know is that you’re safe with us.” He tilted his head to get a better look. “Your horse is lame?”
“Not yet,” she said. “But she threw a shoe.”
“Then we’ll have to take you on ours,” Tom said.
After looking between us and her hobbled horse, Adelaide reluctantly agreed. She tied Gideon’s horse to a tree, and I was forced to ride with Tom so that she could share the mare with her painting. After one more uneasy glance at us, she gave a nod, and the three of us set off toward Crawford at a brisk pace.
When we reached the village’s outskirts, we all agreed that Adelaide should go on alone while Tom and I waited by the road. Masked strangers skulking in the night could be taken the wrong way.
As soon as she was out of sight, I jumped down and paced. “Am I that bad?” Tom asked after a while.
I turned my back to him. “Just stretching my legs.”
“Aviel, I wish you didn’t hold such a grudge.”
“Stop talking. I didn’t even want you here tonight.”
His voice grew uncharacteristically serious. “I’ve always meant it when I said you have potential. I really wish you’d reconsider. We all miss you. So much is about to happen, and you should really be a part of it. In fact, I’ve actually got—” The sound of hooves cut off whatever he was about to say, and he turned to watch Adelaide ride up. “All done? Then let’s get you back. Dawn is coming.”
The tired horses managed an aggressive speed to Cape Triumph. The eastern sky was already lightening to purple, and the trial would be resuming soon. Adelaide still had to complete the transaction with the Westhaven representatives.
We left her near Cape Triumph’s main entrance. “Thank you for your help,” she said as she dismounted. “I couldn’t have done this without you. Either of you.”
“Our pleasure.” Tom made as much of a bow as he could from atop the horse and made up for the lack of cape flourish by sending her off with an old Lorandian farewell that Osfridians and Sirminicans often used. It meant, “May Ariniel guard you.” Even though I knew Tom was showing off, I repeated the words in my head and hoped the angel was listening. Adelaide had a strength I’d underestimated, but she still looked small and alone as she walked away.
I returned the new dirk to Tom, turning down his insistence I keep it. “This is Lady Aviel’s last outing,” I told him. “I mean it this time.”
“Then be someone else if you want, because I’ve got one more job for you.”
“Tom—”
“Just listen. No stealing, no attacking. Defensive, not offensive. I’m the one moving goods this time, and I need able-bodied men—and women—for protection. I’ve got several wagons heading out to Alma today. You’d be assigned to one, and if all goes well, the worst you’ll experience is a boring ride there and back. If things don’t go well—that is, someone takes an interest in our cargo—then you’ll help send them on their way. It’s easy.”
“You always say that, and it’s never true! And Alma’s three days away.”
“Eh, closer to two. We’re barely going over the border.”
“It doesn’t matter. Even if I had that kind of time, I’m not doing any more work for you.”
He nodded his head toward the gate. “If you’re worried about Lady Witmore, you can wait and see how the verdict turns out. I plan to. It’ll be easy catching up to the others.”
“No.”
“The money—”
“No, Tom. For the last time, stop asking.”
His green eyes weighed me for long moments. Here, in sunlight, they reminded me of the sea along Sirminica’s western coast. “Whatever you’re caught up in is something foolish and sentimental, isn’t it? Such a waste of talent.” He urged his horse forward and led the one I’d ridden. “I won’t ask anymore, but I hope we meet again. Farewell, angel.”
A cloud lifted from me as he rode off toward one of the city’s more discreet entrances. Life would be easier without Tom Shortsleeves—and Lady Aviel—in it. I flipped my cloak inside out and took off the wig and mask before entering the city, but I needed something better. Pants were a rarity for any woman, let alone one in the Glittering Court. I had to find something else to wear before going to the courthouse.
No one answered Aiana’s door, so I picked the lock and hoped she wouldn’t mind. Inside, the lingering smell of tea told me I’d probably just missed her before she’d headed off to work at Wisteria Hollow. I helped myself to breakfast and found one of the dresses we’d procured for Adelaide. The fit wasn’t great, but it was better than nothing. I finished the last of the bread and prepared to head over to the trial. Hopefully, I could just slip in with the other girls before anyone noticed that—
A rap at the door made me jump up. I glanced around frantically for one of Aiana’s knives, but all I could spot was her crossbow. Then, a familiar voice called, “Sekem! Ta qi.”
I flung open the door and found a very bedraggled—and surprised—Grant standing outside. “What are you doing here? Where’s Aiana?”
“Where have you been?” I exclaimed, pounding my fist against his chest. “Do you know how much I’ve worried?”
And then we were all over each other, kissing our way into the room—which seemed to be something we did a lot. I couldn’t get close enough to him. I needed to hold on to him and feel that he was real.
He broke the kissing with some reluctance, keeping one hand tangled in my hair and the other on m
y waist. “Look, any other time you want to attack me in a dress that’s too small for you, you can go right ahead. But we don’t have the time.” He glanced down. “Really too small. Why are you wearing this?”
I put my hands on the sides of his face and turned his gaze back up. I was still stunned that he’d just walked through the door. “Grant . . . I’ve been so worried about you.” My voice started to crack as all the anxiety and terrible imaginings that had tormented me this week came crashing down. “I didn’t know if . . . that is, if something had happened to you . . .”
That sardonic humor vanished as he met my eyes. He didn’t move away, but he suddenly felt tentative in my arms. “No,” he groaned. “Don’t look at me that way.”
“What way?”
“That way. The way you looked when you asked about the scar. The way you looked when you thought I was dead. The way you looked when you were supposed to be giving a shallow explanation for wanting to sleep with me. The look that says . . . you like me.”
I stared at him for a long moment. “I don’t like you, Grant. I love you.”
He pulled away and began pacing, so I knew I’d struck something. He wasn’t mad, but he was clearly at a loss. “No, no, don’t say that. Mirabel, I don’t know how to—that is—argh.”
The words had been waiting inside of me for so long that they’d slipped out before I could stop them. I wanted to say more, to make him face them, but then my gaze fell on a bundle of papers he’d dropped when we’d grabbed each other. The weight of what was at stake today returned, and so I gave Grant the escape he wanted.
“What are these?” I asked, crouching down to retrieve the papers.
He took a few seconds to collect himself, and then his business face slid into place. “We’ve identified most of the ring and started arresting some,” he said, more comfortable grasping facts than feelings. “One man gave a great confession, and the paper evidence just keeps growing and growing. I was coming to ask Aiana to give these to you to check something.”