Sharpest Edge: Mercenaries and Magic

by Alessa Thorn

  “We have the day off. I suggest you go back to bed. I can keep working on this and wake you up if I find anything,” Iz suggested.

  Silas wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Come with me.”

  “I won’t let you sleep at all if I do,” she said.

  Silas kissed her neck. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

  Iz watched him walk down the hall, wanting to go after him. No, no, no. She knew her self-control was non-existent when it came to Silas. She absently flicked her hand and made a small flame appear. Smiling, she got back to work.

  An hour later, Iz’s phone buzzed with a message from Julian: Be at Athena’s warehouse at 10 a.m. tomorrow. There’s going to be a delivery that you’re not going to want to miss.

  18

  Silas woke the following morning with Izabella curled into his side. He had slept a lot the previous day. Izabella woke him up to feed him again before they watched a movie and went back to bed.

  It was domestic and comfortable in a way that made him love her more. She had never been hard to hang around, and they had always enjoyed comfortable silence. Silas had to admit, the quiet was a lot nicer when he could have his arms around her.

  Maybe don’t get too used to it until you know she wants you permanently. It was too late for that. He was too far gone.

  Silas was still embarrassed that he had cried in front of her, but Izabella hadn’t made him feel lesser for it.

  They walked hand in hand until Athena’s warehouse came into view. Izabella stopped walking and tugged him into a side street.

  “What’s wrong—” Silas began. Izabella silenced him with her lips. Silas wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer and plundering her mouth. They were breathless when they pulled apart minutes later.

  “What was that for?” he asked.

  “I just wanted to taste you on my lips today, that’s all,” Izabella replied, cheeks flushed with color.

  Silas shook his head. “Damn, Bella, you’re dangerous when that romantic streak comes out.”

  “You don’t like it?” she asked with a teasing smile. Silas loved that smile; it made everything in the world seem a little less shit.

  “I don’t like the hard-on I’m going to be dealing with all day.”

  Izabella laughed and danced out of his reach. “Come on, Jefe, let’s see what Julian has sent us.”

  Athena was up and pacing when they arrived. She looked like she hadn’t slept, but at least she was calm.

  “Hey, Dad,” she said, hugging him tightly. The fact she wanted to be hugged was a good indication she was still raw about what had happened the day before. Silas held her and rubbed her back.

  “Hey, kiddo. Any idea what Julian’s up to?” he asked.

  “Nah. He’ll be here soon, though.” Athena looked at Izabella and back to Silas, her head tilting curiously. “So, Iz, the camera signal came from Toulouse?”

  Silas took the opportunity to slip away to see Kon. He was in his office, nose in a book where it was most days.

  “How is she?” Silas asked from the doorway.

  Kon looked up, blinking rapidly to come back to the present. “As good as she can be. She’s worried about whether or not she killed everyone the night you found her. I’ve been looking through Liddell’s stuff, trying to find the magic he used to get everyone to kill each other.”

  “Any luck?”

  Kon shook his head. “No. There’s nothing here. Maybe we were wrong. Maybe there was magic used in Russia and that one trip I took to Ireland, but it wasn’t something that made people attack themselves. Did you suspect she was responsible when you found her?”

  Silas nodded. “Yeah, I did, but I dismissed it because of the weird smell and vibe in the air. I didn’t know it was magic at the time. She was the only one left alive.”

  Kon toyed with the pendant around his neck, a bit of a tic he had developed when he was thinking too hard. “And you still took her? You weren’t afraid?”

  “Not as afraid as she was. She was so confused, so lost and bloody. I couldn’t walk away. My current theory is that the magic I sensed could’ve been a spell put on her to kill everyone. Her memories confirmed that the bastards weren’t above doing magical experimentation on her,” Silas replied, folding his arms.

  Kon’s eyes hardened. “No, they weren’t. It’s a good theory, Silas, and considering that I can’t find any evidence of a madness curse, it looks like it’s the right one. I don’t know how to explain what I saw in Ireland, though. It wasn’t like Athena was there.”

  Silas thought for a long moment. “It doesn’t mean someone else wasn’t handy, and Liddell used them to do his dirty work. You said that he was after something, and the deal went bad. What if he grabbed the nearest thug and did the magic to make him a killing machine to get him out of the fight?”

  “It would be quite the spell,” Kon said thoughtfully. He rubbed at his eyes. “I’ll keep looking. Fuck, I hate this. I really can’t wait until we find one of the bastards to interrogate. I know I should’ve kept Liddell alive for questioning….”

  Silas let out a sigh. “No point in pouting over it, Basty. You did what was right at the time, and you saved Athena that night. We will find Gadal and the others Athena remembers. That I promise you.”

  The lady in question came up behind them. “Come on, boys. Julian is here and looks smug as shit.”

  “That’s never a good sign,” Silas said with a grin.

  “I heard that, asshole,” Julian called out. He was standing in front of a wooden crate, dressed in one of his expensive suits and with a crowbar in his hands.

  “Hold this for me, would you, love?” he said to Izabella, taking off his jacket and passing it to her before rolling up his sleeves. “Gather round. I have a present for you all.”

  “Why do I have a feeling when you say present you actually mean problem?” Silas replied, coming to stand beside Izabella.

  Julian’s blue eyes glittered. “Trust me, Edgeworth. It’s a good one.” He wedged the crowbar into the lid and started to lift it. “Talking to dear Iz yesterday about the Cathars got me thinking about an auction I went to in Tel Aviv four years ago. There was an item owned by the last Templar Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, that I wanted. I was outbid by a snotty little weasel who refused to part with it in a private sale. He was twitchy and said that he already had a buyer lined up for it that he wouldn’t turn on for all the money I offered him.”

  “And how is this relevant?” Athena asked with a frown.

  “Because, Cub, that weasel specializes in Templar and Cathar antiquities, especially the order that was in France and was executed by the king,” Julian continued. With one last push, the wooden lid popped off. They all bent over to have a look.

  A sweating, ruffled man in a ruined suit was bound and gagged inside. From the smell of things, he had already pissed himself and the straw packed around him.

  Julian’s smile was all shark. “Everyone, meet Mr. Ian Roberts, the snotty little weasel. Please take the time to admire my knotwork, I’m getting rather good at it.”

  “Quick question, why is he tied up at all?” Izabella asked with a frown.

  “Because, love, when I attempted to have a polite conversation with him at his office in London, the fucker tried to shoot me. He knows something useful. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared. I brought him here so you lot can ask him your questions,” Julian said and passed the crowbar to Kon. “Hold this, darling. Silas and I will get our guest out.”

  Athena grinned. “I’ll get the plastic sheeting.”

  Silas helped Julian tip the crate over, and the collector tumbled out and started to wriggle along the floor like he had a chance of getting away. Silas placed a boot on his back to keep him pinned down as Athena rolled out plastic, and Kon placed a metal chair at the center of it.

  Silas risked a glance in Izabella’s direction, debating whether or not he should tell her to leave. Izabella seemed to know exactly what
he was thinking because she folded her arms, her dark eyes daring him to try and make her. Damn, that attitude made him want to do dirty things to her.

  It’s not like she hasn’t seen you do worse. Hell, she helped you dump body parts in Scotland a month ago.

  Maybe sex really had fucked with his brain if he thought he could start shielding her from what he was now. He couldn’t hide anything from her and didn’t know if that was a good thing or not.

  Silas lifted the collector into the chair and waited for Julian to secure the ropes to hold him. When Julian was done, he punched the collector in the nose.

  “Really? You’re just going to start like that with no warm-up?” Silas demanded.

  “He fucking shot at me for no good reason,” Julian replied, stepping back. Silas shook his head at him and pulled off the collector’s gag.

  “You fucking people have no idea who you’re dealing with,” he said, spitting out blood.

  “You’re right, Ian, we don’t. How about you enlighten us?” Silas replied with a smile. “Come on, you want us to be afraid enough not to fuck with you, right? Better start talking.”

  “I don’t know, Jefe. He doesn’t look like he would know much,” Izabella said, pulling a face. “Maybe we should put a bullet in him and save ourselves the hassle.”

  “Do it, bitch, and—” the man screamed as Silas stuck a knife in his leg just above his knee cap.

  “Call her a bitch again, and I’ll start carving pieces off of you and feed them to you,” Silas snarled, holding another knife under the man’s chin.

  Julian chuckled behind him. “Now, who is overreacting?”

  Silas ignored him and twisted the blade. “Apologize to her. Now.”

  “S-Sorry,” the collector spluttered, face contorted in agony.

  When Silas pulled back, Izabella looked at him with wide eyes and enough heat to increase the temperature in the room by a few degrees.

  “Where’s Gadal?” Athena asked. She sat on top of the wooden crate, fingers twisting a knife.

  The collector’s eyes focused on her for the first time. “Who are you people?”

  “I’m Athena Edgeworth. This is Kon, and if you don’t start talking, I’m going to use this nifty little knife to start skinning pieces off you,” she replied cheerily.

  Kon grinned. “You are so very good at it, my love. I kind of hope he doesn’t talk.”

  “You supporting me makes me so hot,” Athena growled, grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him closer.

  The bleeding man watched the exchange, and Silas saw the second the penny dropped in his brain. “Fuck, you’re the ones that killed Liddell.”

  “He knows something after all,” Julian said, his smile widening. “Spit it out, Ian, and you might walk away from this.” He looked at the knife still in his leg. “Well, maybe not walk.”

  Sweat was pouring off him, his eyes never leaving Athena. “I don’t know anything. I only heard that Liddell was killed by some mercenaries and that there’s a price on their heads.”

  Silas laughed. “When is there not?”

  “You pissed off the wrong people this time. It’s not some simple bounty. If anyone sights her, they are meant to report it. Not engage her. Just report.”

  “Report to whom?” Silas demanded.

  The collector’s mouth slammed shut, a final streak of defiance in his eye. Silas’s temper flared, and he looked at Julian. “Alright, have your fun.”

  The Butcher took off his belt, wrapped it around his knuckles, and started laying into the collector. Silas knew all the stories about what Julian used to do and do well. It was a good idea to let the psycho blow off steam occasionally.

  “Well, well, this looks like a party,” a calm female voice said behind them.

  Altun was immaculate in a silk suit, a small cigar in an elegant black holder dangling from her fingertips.

  She took in Julian’s bloody belt, and her smirk widened. “What did he do?”

  “He knows something about Gadal. He’s his buyer,” Athena answered, her eyes cold.

  Altun clicked her tongue. “You mercenaries are so barbaric. There are easier ways to do this.”

  “But not as satisfying,” Julian said, stepping back from the pulped man. “You’re welcome to have a shot, gorgeous.”

  Altun stepped around him, tapping her cigar ash so it landed on his polished shoes. She leaned over and started to softly whisper in the collector’s ear. In less than a minute, he was sobbing uncontrollably.

  “There’s a gallery in S-St. Petersburg,” he blubbed, tears and snot and blood pouring out of his face. “It’s one of Gadal’s fronts. I don’t know if he’s always there, but he might be there for a party in another week. They have a new exhibit opening, and a lot of it is his private collection.”

  Silas’s eyes widened. “Well, that wasn’t so hard, was it. Anything else?”

  The man’s swollen eyes slid back to Athena. “Kill that unnatural freak before they get here, or there will be no stopping them.”

  Athena snarled, the blade leaving her hand and lodging into the man’s eye. He slumped in the chair, dead.

  “At least he was useful,” Julian said, breaking the tense silence. He raised a brow at Altun. “What did you say to him? Did you offer to sleep with him or something?”

  Altun blew smoke at him. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

  “What are you doing here anyway?” Kon demanded.

  “I wanted to check how far your Gadal search has gone.”

  “Why? It’s not like you gave a fuck before,” Silas demanded.

  Altun raised a brow at him. “I didn’t have a vested interest in finding Gadal before, and now I do. I have questions for him.”

  “You can get the fuck in line,” Athena replied.

  “Is that how you respond to all offers of help, little wolf?”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, is that what you were offering? Sounds like you want us to do all the work and take all the risk so you can have a tête-à-tête with him.”

  Altun hummed. “You seem to be forgetting I just helped you get your best lead yet.”

  Julian looked at the body and then at Silas. “You got this, old chap?”

  Silas nodded. “Sure. Cub and I can set a new record.”

  “Excellent. That means Izabella is going to be free to take me to lunch for my outstanding gift,” Julian replied, and Silas went cold. He willed his temper down before he lost it.

  Izabella frowned at him and quickly shook her head. “Maybe some other time, Jules, when I don’t have a psycho and his gallery to hunt down. I’ve been waiting for a lead like this for weeks.”

  Julian wiped off his hands with a silk handkerchief and rolled his sleeves back down. “Your loss, love. I found an exceptional hidden bistro off the Grand Bazaar.”

  “Theodora’s? With a mosaic replica of the empress on its facade?” Altun asked.

  “The very one,” Julian said, impressed.

  Altun smiled. “Try their testi kebab. They make it following an old Cappadocian recipe and source the clay pots they use to cook it in from there. It’s the best in the city.”

  Julian’s smile widened. “Come eat some with me, and I might be inclined to tell you about the crystal ball of John Dee’s that I might have.”

  “You want to do some business, Butcher?” Altun’s eyes sparkled in amusement. “What else do you have?”

  Julian held out his arm for her. “You’ll have to come with me to find out.”

  “Fine, but you better impress me,” Altun replied, taking his arm and letting him lead her out of the warehouse.

  “That might be the most dangerous meeting happening in this city today,” Kon muttered, shaking his head.

  19

  Silas was still forcing down his temper as he pulled his knife from the dead man. “You got a kit to deal with this, Cub?”

  “Of course. I’ll go grab it,” Athena said, jumping down off the crate.

  Silas glanc
ed at Izabella. “You don’t need to hang around for this if you want to go back to the apartment,” he said, a little too gruffly.

  Izabella frowned. “It’s not like I haven’t watched you chop up a body. Kon? Can I use your office? I’ll call Leo and get him onto this new info as well. We need to start narrowing down which galleries in St. Petersburg have exhibits going on and which one could be a possible candidate for Gadal.”

  “You’re welcome to it. There’s actually something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about the problem with your cards,” he said, and they went off, talking about magic.

  “What’s got you glaring like that?” Athena asked, coming back with a large, heavy-duty suitcase.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Silas grumbled, taking the coverall she tossed at him.

  “Zeus, you got your murder face on.”

  Silas cut the dead man’s bonds and tipped him back onto the plastic. “You did just watch us interrogate this guy, right? What about any of it should I be happy about?”

  Athena pulled on some gloves. “The fact we have a really good lead? I know I killed him probably too early, but I don’t like being called a freak. You only got that face after Julian flirted with Iz.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Bullshit. You shouldn’t let Julian get on your tits so easily.”

  “I don’t.”

  Athena went through the man’s pockets and took off his signet ring. “Yes, you do. Maybe instead of pouting, you should just tell Iz how you feel already.”

  That made Silas stop and really look at her. “And how do you think I feel, Cub?”

  “Don’t use that tone on me when I don’t deserve it,” Athena snapped, pointing a finger at him. “And don’t try to lie to me. You like her. Maybe more than like her. You’re always watching her even when you’re not looking at her, and when Julian asked her out just now, you looked like you were kicked in the balls. They go to lunch whenever they are in the same city. It’s just what they do.”

  “Doesn’t matter. She’s a grown-ass woman and can do what she likes with whoever she likes,” he replied, not wanting to talk about his irrational jealousy.