Casting Souls

by Becca Andre

  The glow dimmed, then faded away entirely, leaving the red scar down the center of his sternum the only blemish on his otherwise human chest.

  She pulled back into herself, breaking the connection. A wave of dizziness washed over her and she swayed.

  “Briar!” Grayson caught her shoulders.

  A couple of blinks, and the world came back into focus. “I’m fine.”

  His hands tightened on her shoulders. “You’re sure? I don’t feel any soul iron, but—”

  “I’m all right. Truly. A touch light headed, but fine.” She smiled to reassure him. “Let me see your back.”

  He studied her a moment as if afraid she might fall over if he released her. Finally, he relented and carefully turned to show her his back. Once again, it looked just as it had after his final casting. The damage he had done stopping Orson’s, and possibly Felipe’s devolvement was gone.

  She pressed a hand over her mouth, but couldn’t stop the tears.

  When he turned back, there were tears in his eyes as well. “You brought me back,” he whispered, “and I didn’t have to take another’s humanity.” He looked her over. “Are you sure you’re well?”

  “Yes.” She laughed. “You were right. I’m just Scourge enough that you can’t change me, but I have enough ferra that I can channel my soul through you.”

  He understood. “But unlike the ferra, you don’t have an iron soul.”

  “My soul is human.” She gripped his hands. “Together, we can save the others. You stop their devolvement, and I restore you.”

  He pulled her closer. “I like the restoring part.”

  “We don’t have to—” She gestured between them, her cheeks burning.

  “I’m going to insist we do.” He winked.

  She didn’t get to protest before he kissed her, then pushed her back against the rumpled sheets. He continued to kiss her until he’d tugged open the belt on her dressing gown. He leaned back and looked down, but the smile immediately faded. Frowning, he traced a finger along the tender flesh over her sternum.

  “You promised,” he whispered.

  “What did I promise?”

  “That you would let me heal you after we beat this thing.”

  “Oh, that promise.”

  “It’s only fair. You healed me, now I get to heal you.” He looked so hopeful, she couldn’t tell him no—not that she’d go back on a promise.

  “All right.” She barely got the words out before the skin along the wound began to tingle. An ache she hadn’t fully acknowledged faded, and she sighed in relief.

  “That’s better,” he said a moment later. The corner of his mouth crooked as he took in all of her. “So much better.”

  “Grayson!” She knew she was blushing all the way to her toes.

  “You never did tell me what you planned to do with the ferromancer in your bed.”

  “I didn’t?”

  “Not a word.”

  “Hmm.” She looped her arms around his shoulders. “How about I show you?”

  “That’s an excellent idea, Miss Rose. Actions speak louder than words and all that.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Shut up and kiss me.”

  “Yes, Captain.” He did as she commanded.

  Briar placed the clean plates in the cabinet and turned to face Grayson, who was stacking the freshly washed pans. He had made breakfast as usual, but it had been just the two of them at the table in the cargo hold. The meal had been leisurely, and afterward, they took their time cleaning up. She was in no rush for this morning to end, but unfortunately, it must.

  “I suppose we should get back to Andrew’s place,” she said. “Solon probably thinks we fled.”

  “I really don’t care what he thinks,” Grayson answered, a hint of ferromancer coolness in his tone. “But yes, we should get back.”

  She nodded and turned to the table. “Lock?”

  The little dragon looked up from the salt shaker he was investigating, his gemstone eyes glittering in the sunlight streaming through the cabin windows.

  “Time to go,” she said.

  Springing into the air, he flew to her shoulder. He pressed against the side of her neck, and a static-like tingle enveloped her throat. She reached up and touched the multi-stranded choker, sliding her fingers over the engraved medallion hanging from the bottom strand. She didn’t need to look in the mirror to know that the engraving was an exact replica of Lock.

  She looked up and found Grayson watching her, an amused smirk on his lips. “What?” she asked.

  “You know that wearing my construct in such an open way is going to piss off the others.”

  She shrugged, then imitated his cool tone. “I don’t care what they think. You’re mine. They’ll just have to deal with it.”

  He laughed, then walked over and slid his hands around her waist. “I don’t think it has to do with defending me. They’re just jealous.”

  “Perhaps, but maybe they’ll be more forgiving when they learn what we can do.” She grinned.

  He returned her smile, his gaze dropping to her mouth.

  She stepped closer, ready for one last kiss, when footfalls thumped across the gangplank. She stepped out of Grayson’s arms and turned to face the open door, expecting one of her crew. Perhaps Benji, judging by the rapid pace, but it wasn’t he who appeared in the doorway. It was Solon.

  His gray eyes met hers. “Where’s your oath-sworn?”

  That was not the question she expected, nor Solon’s disheveled appearance. He wore wrinkled trousers and an untucked shirt. No coat, tie, or even a glove to cover his metal hand.

  “Answer,” he commanded.

  Grayson stepped forward. “Easy. What’s going on?”

  “The chimera found us sometime during the night.”

  Briar pressed a hand to her heart. “Did it—”

  “Damn thing came in through the back door. Unlocked it and walked right in.”

  “How do you know it was the chimera?” Grayson asked.

  “Mr. Rose tried to stop it, but failed.” Solon’s hands, one metal and one not, curled into fists. “Tristan is gone.”

  Briar lifted her hand to her mouth. “Gone?” Oh God, no.

  “Missing,” Solon clarified.

  “The chimera didn’t kill him?” Grayson asked, sounding as relieved as she felt.

  “No,” Solon answered, his soft words turning furious as he continued. “It took him.”

  Chapter 11

  Solon crossed his arms, his gaze moving to her. “Where’s your oath-sworn?” he repeated.

  “They took rooms at a hotel,” she answered. “Why?”

  “Perseus will know something of chimera.” He stepped to the side and gestured at the open door, expecting her to lead the way.

  She glanced up at Grayson, who gave her a faint nod. Like her, he didn’t seem to know what to make of this situation.

  “All right,” she said to Solon. “But I don’t know which hotel.”

  “We’ll check them all.”

  She looked him over. Yes, that would work. A man with a metal hand walking through every busy hotel lobby in town. “Why don’t you go back to the house, and we’ll go find them.”

  A muscle twitched in Solon’s jaw, but she continued before he could voice a protest.

  “You’re not looking all that human at the—”

  “I don’t give a shit about that. We need to—”

  “No, you don’t,” she cut him off. “Go get cleaned up, and we’ll meet you at Andrew’s place.”

  “Briar’s right,” Grayson spoke up. “You’re liable to grab the maître d’ and turn him soulless just to get him to answer your questions faster.”

  “So?” Solon glared at him for one long moment, then huffed. “Fine. Then go. We may not have much time.”
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  She wasn’t going to argue with that.

  Briar and Grayson split up in order to check the nearby hotels faster. With the ability to communicate over a distance, they could let the other know once Perseus and Kali had been located.

  They would search the hotels closest to where the boat was docked, then work their way out from there. Since Perseus and Kali didn’t know the town, Briar expected them to take rooms in one of the nearby establishments.

  It turned out to be a good idea to split up when the surly desk attendant in the first hotel she visited refused to be helpful—once he learned that she would not be renting a room. Briar was about to jump the counter and punch the guy when Grayson reached out to her.

  Found them. Where are you?

  Third Street. Give me a minute. I’m about to bury my fist in this desk attendant’s obnoxious mouth.

  A burst of amusement answered her. Perhaps you could return and finish him later? We should probably get back to Solon.

  Very well. Meet you on Market Street. It was a central location to their respective positions.

  Grayson agreed, and she left the desk clerk in mid-sentence.

  Anxious to get back to the others, and on to finding Tristan, Briar crossed the street then cut down a narrow alley that ran behind several closely built houses. She had almost reached the far end when a voice hailed her from behind.

  “Briar Rose.”

  The female voice was familiar, but it wasn’t until she turned that Briar recognized the figure walking toward her.

  “Da said you were in town.” Hester Darby lumbered down the alley.

  Just the sight of the large woman made Briar’s blood boil. Gradually, her words permeated through the red haze that had instantly shrouded her brain.

  “Your dad sicced you on me again?” What was this? Was Darby trying to find a way to hurt her without disobeying Grayson?

  “I don’t have to be sicced,” Hester said with a sneer. “I’d fight you for my own pleasure.”

  Briar sighed. “As much as I’d like to oblige you, I’m expected elsewhere.”

  “Coward. I ain’t giving you a choice.” Hester pulled a knife from the sheath belted to her ample waist. The large hunting knife looked new.

  “I’m not armed.”

  Hester’s smile widened. “Even better. I wasn’t lookin’ for a fist fight.” Without warning, she lunged at Briar, taking a wicked slash at her midsection.

  Briar jumped back, narrowly avoiding the gutting swipe. “You cheating cow.”

  “Ain’t cheatin’ if it’s my fair due. You’ve tormented my family long enough. This was the last straw.”

  “What was?” Did she know that something had been done to her father? Not that Briar expected her to know what the soulless were, but maybe Hester had noticed the difference in him.

  “Don’t think I don’t know that you’re behind it.” She moved closer, and Briar took a step back.

  “Da sold the boat and left Ma.” Hester’s voice broke, and she had to stop and swallow. “Said he’s goin’ to work for your fancy man. But I know you’re the one put that dandy up to hirin’ Da.”

  She sprang at Briar again, taking another slash with her knife.

  Briar wasn’t able to elude her completely this time. The knife caught the front of her waistcoat. It cut the fabric, but she didn’t feel the bite of the blade.

  The close call sent Briar’s heart racing. This wasn’t to be a beating or a maiming. Hester meant to kill her.

  Briar stumbled back as she came at her again. Catching her heel on a loose cobblestone, Briar lost her balance completely and fell on her backside at Hester’s feet.

  Hester gave her a triumphant grin and lifted the knife high.

  Briar scampered backward, but knew she wouldn’t be able to get clear before Hester fell on her. Maybe if she could—

  Hester froze, her eyes going wide a moment before the knife tumbled from her hand.

  Briar rolled to the side to avoid the falling knife and saw a figure standing behind her attacker.

  Hester fell forward, doing nothing to catch herself, and landed hard on the cobbles where Briar had just been sitting. The handle of a large knife protruded from Hester’s back, just inside her left shoulder blade.

  Briar shoved herself to her feet and stared at Dale Darby. “What…” She couldn’t get the rest of her question out, too stunned by what had just happened.

  “You’ll tell the master what I done, right?” he asked her. “Tell him that I protected you like he commanded.”

  “But she was your daughter,” Briar whispered.

  Darby looked down at Hester’s unmoving form, and a worried frown wrinkled his forehead, his expression somewhere between surprise, regret, and resignation. He shrugged. “Had to be done.”

  Running footsteps echoed in the alley, and Briar turned with a gasp, only to find that Perseus, Kali, and Grayson had joined them.

  “See,” Kali declared. “I told you Briar was here.”

  “Master!” Darby exclaimed as he saw Grayson. “I done as you commanded. I protected Miss Rose. Kept her safe from harm.” He stared at Grayson with rabid eagerness. If he were a dog, he would be manically wagging his tail.

  “Isn’t that…” Grayson met Briar’s eyes.

  “His daughter, yes. She jumped me.”

  “She had a knife,” Darby explained. “She was going to gut Miss Rose—till I stepped in.”

  “Dear God,” Kali whispered.

  Grayson rubbed a hand over his face.

  “Master?” Darby prompted, concern quickly washing away his eagerness.

  “Next time, try to find a way to protect Miss Rose that doesn’t involve murder.”

  “Of course, Master.”

  “And get rid of the body.”

  Darby quickly agreed. He scooped Hester off the cobblestones and slung her over his shoulder with ease. “What shall I do with it?”

  Briar cringed at his use of it instead of her.

  Grayson sighed. “Take her back to her family and tell them she died in a knife fight.”

  Darby nodded, then hurried away.

  Briar slumped against the wall of the alley, unable to even formulate a response, let alone speak it. Even knowing what the soulless were and after watching Andrew devolve, this still left her speechless. Darby had always been a rat, but his one redeeming quality was his devotion to his children. To watch him kill one in eager anticipation for his new master’s approval…

  Grayson was watching her. “Briar?”

  Darby’s deed had been horrifying, but what made this so much worse was the fact that he was Grayson’s soulless.

  He stepped closer. “Are you all right? She didn’t hurt you, did she?”

  Briar suspected he asked that question because, like her, he wasn’t mentally ready to address what was truly wrong.

  “I’m uninjured,” Briar answered, aware of Perseus and Kali watching. Later, she would discuss with Grayson what should be done with Darby. “We should get moving. We need to find Tristan.”

  “Absolutely,” Grayson agreed, seeming relieved to leave the problem that was Darby for another time.

  Briar would have shared that relief if the problem facing them wasn’t worse. Oh God, if anything happened to Tristan… She gave herself a mental shake to dispel that thought. “Come on, let’s go.”

  They didn’t speak much as they jogged along the streets, dodging pedestrians, carriages, and wagons. Briar led them through a few back-alley shortcuts and even darted through a busy lumberyard at one point. Within minutes, they arrived at Andrew’s place.

  Grayson jogged up the front steps, but didn’t bother to knock. He turned the knob and pushed open the door, hurrying inside before Briar could ask if it’d been locked.

  They found Solon pacing the front parlor
with Orson, Felipe, and Urs huddled over near the window, watching Solon with concern.

  “Finally,” Solon said when they stepped into the room. “What took you so long?”

  “We’re here now,” Grayson said. “Let it go.”

  Solon looked past him as Perseus and Kali crossed the threshold, but stopped just inside the doorway.

  “What is this?” Orson demanded. “They’re Scourge.”

  “He’s a bright one,” Kali muttered. Fortunately, Orson didn’t hear her.

  “I asked them here,” Solon cut in. “They are Miss Rose’s oath-sworn.”

  “What?” Orson exclaimed. “I thought she wasn’t ferra.”

  “I’m not,” Briar answered. “I just share of few of their abilities.”

  “Perseus,” Solon said, turning to him. “Tell me about chimera.”

  “Perseus?” Orson asked in surprise. “The Perseus?”

  “Yes,” Solon answered.

  “Do you know how many of our kind he has killed?”

  Solon waved him to silence, addressing Perseus once more. “Chimera?”

  “A twisted experiment I haven’t seen in a very long time. They are, in essence, a construct created from a half-blood.”

  “How is that possible?” Urs asked. “Cut out the heart of a half-blood, and it doesn’t survive.” He didn’t say it with any malice, but there was something about his cool, matter-of-fact tone that sent a chill down Briar’s spine. Did he have personal experience in the matter?

  “Exactly,” Perseus answered in the same cool tone. “He or she does not survive, but the construct survives, in most cases, unbound to the soul that birthed it, and often uncontrollable.”

  “Uncontrollable?” Solon demanded. “Are you saying it wanted to take my son?”

  “I have no way of knowing. Its actions could be the residual impetus from the soul that gave it life.”

  “It was once Scourge, and it continues to hunt ferromancers,” Solon concluded, his tone flat.

  “But it also went after Tristan in the train yard,” Briar said. “Was it just a coincidence?”