Gates of Thread and Stone

by Lori M. Lee

  When I was younger, I used to pretend my powers had been a gift from some higher being. Or that, maybe, these powers had a purpose. That I had a purpose. I had toyed with the idea that I was mahjo or, possibly, even a distant relative of the Kahl. But the history texts never spoke of mahjo with the ability to slow time, and once I got older, I came to accept that I was probably just a freak accident. I didn’t know if or how that connected to my memory loss or why someone had left me on the riverbank, but these were questions I had stopped asking years ago. No point torturing myself.

  Once, when Reev was at work, I had watched a farewell ceremony through the paneless stone windows of the temple. After the candles were blown out, the caretakers collected the body and transferred it onto a long, enclosed wagon pulled by a Gray. Led by Watchmen, they’d taken the body outside the walls to be released into the sea beyond the cliffs. The city that stood here before Ninurta had burned its dead and scattered their ashes to the sea, but the tradition had been somewhat streamlined.

  I had wondered: Is this what happened to my parents? Had their bodies been sent down the final leg of the river, dumped over its edge into the depths below?

  The man who answered the door gave me a quick once-over. His lip curled. He covered his hands with a cloth before accepting the package. In return, I rolled my eyes and dusted my clothes off on his doorstep.

  Glad that was over, I searched the Upper Alley for another couple of hours until the soles of my feet screamed and every step felt like walking on thorns. The sky had grown dark, and the shadows between buildings stretched black fingers into the open street. I trudged back home, forcing my thoughts to center on the pain in my feet instead of the panic in my chest.

  All the while, I held on to the hope that Reev had spent the day with Angee and forgotten to let me know. But when I pushed open our door, I found the place as empty as I’d left it.

  The entire day had passed without a word or message from Reev. I had no more doubts that something was wrong.

  Reev’s shift at the Raging Bull had started hours ago, but I knew he wouldn’t be there. He was late once to work—I had been helping Avan wash his shop windows while guessing what his soapy stick figure drawings were supposed to be, and Reev hadn’t wanted to leave the apartment without knowing where I was. I got back to the Labyrinth in time to see two of Joss’s men arguing with the residents and demanding to be let in. The only reason Joss hadn’t fired him was because Reev agreed to work a month without pay.

  But today, Joss’s lackeys hadn’t come around.

  I didn’t think about what I had to do. Thinking would lead to doubt, and doubt would lead to hesitation. I couldn’t hesitate. Not on this. Not for Reev.

  I packed the bare essentials, which was pretty much all I owned. Most of my shirts—loose, long-sleeved tunics mainly—had been hand-sewn by Reev. It cost less, and he could charm the textile workers in the Labyrinth to sell him fabric for cheap.

  The only food in the cupboard was the leftover sandwich and a few packages of dried fruit. I gathered them up as well. Then I stopped by the bank and went to see Avan.

  I found him sitting on the curb outside his shop with his friend. I was too worried about Reev to let Avan distract me—much. His long legs were clad in gray pants, and he held a cup of water in his hand. He looked like he belonged on a White Court poster, the ones with people too pretty to be real.

  “Come on, Avan, we need you there,” his friend was saying. I think his name was Wen. Aside from inviting me to a couple of parties—I always had to turn them down because of Reev—Avan’s friends never had much to do with me. “Jag’s got this new brew she wants us to try.”

  Avan rested his cup on the stone beside his hip. “You guys can go without me. I’m over it.”

  He waved when he saw me, his eyes lighting up. The sight made my breath catch.

  Wen flung an arm around Avan’s shoulder. “You’re getting boring.”

  Avan shoved him off with a smirk. “And yet I’m still more interesting than you.”

  “Ass,” Wen said, laughing. He jumped to his feet and brushed off the seat of his pants. “We’ll look for you in case you change your mind.” Before taking off, he acknowledged me with a playful salute. I returned the greeting by pretending to doff an invisible hat.

  “Hey, Kai,” Avan said in that voice that hinted at a smile even when he wasn’t wearing one.

  When he wasn’t behind the counter serving customers, he was more subdued. I preferred him like this. It felt more real, even though I had no idea if it was. Avan had always been difficult to pin down.

  “Working hard, I see.”

  “My dad’s got it covered.” He pushed a hand through his hair—an action I’d imagined myself doing too many times to count—and regarded my pack. “Moving?” He grinned, flashing his dimple at me in a way I knew was completely deliberate. Heat filled my face anyway. “There’s space in the freight yard. I could show you around.”

  “I need a favor.”

  The teasing disappeared. I studied his features—I’d long since memorized them—before looking away.

  “I’m giving you shared access to my credit balance,” I said.

  For a second, he didn’t react. Then his eyes narrowed. I wasn’t sure how he’d take this news, but I wanted him to understand that I trusted him.

  The thing was—before knowing Avan, I’d known his reputation. According to the rumors, Avan used to refuse to go home, crashing with whoever would have him and paying with whatever they asked from him. Girls. Boys. He rarely objected, even though he was beautiful enough to be as selective as he wanted. It was why I’d been suspicious the first time he’d slipped some apples into my grocery bag.

  I didn’t think I’d ever stop feeling ashamed for having doubted him.

  “Just go to the bank and tell them who you are,” I continued. “I’ve already arranged for it to be approved once they verify your ID with the registry. I’ll need you to pay our next month’s rent, and if you don’t hear from me after that, then … well, keep the credits. Consider it late payment for all the free food.”

  I had covered a lot of ground today, but the North District was large enough that it could take a couple of weeks to explore fully on my own. I didn’t know how long it’d be until I found Reev. Days or weeks or … No. I refused to consider the possibility of not finding him at all. But if I couldn’t find him in the North District, then I would have to leave it. Which meant leaving Ninurta.

  Something turned unpleasantly in my stomach, but I ignored it. One thing at a time.

  Avan stood. He wasn’t quite Reev’s height, but standing next to him still made me feel small. I avoided his eyes, dark and searching, and instead focused on his lips. They were great lips. Quick to smile, but just as quick to tighten into an unreadable line. Like now.

  “What are you planning? Where’s Reev?” He touched my arm. This was the closest we’d been in weeks.

  “He’s—” I choked on the word gone. He wasn’t gone, just— “Not here. I have to do something important, and you’re the only person I trust not to blow the credits on something stupid.”

  He arched an eyebrow with a steel bar pierced through it. “I’m flattered, honestly, but I don’t think you’ve considered—”

  “It doesn’t matter what you think,” I said harshly, because I was letting him distract me. I shook off his hand and swallowed the guilt.

  “You don’t care about my opinion, but you want to give me access to all your credits,” he said flatly. “Makes a lot of sense.”

  I forced myself to meet his eyes. Despite the cool disdain in his voice, I saw concern there. I didn’t know if he’d ever shown me his real self. I wanted to believe he had.

  “Look.” I could try to reassure him, but there was no point. “If you don’t want the credits, that’s fine. Just keep your mouth shut about it, okay?”

  “Kai—”

  “Take care of yourself.” I hurried away. I didn’t look back, and he d
idn’t call my name again.

  The front desk was still empty. I hoped nothing bad had happened to Angee, but my concern was for Reev. I had no idea if Joss knew anything, and I doubted he would tell me if he did, but I had to try.

  I didn’t think the Raging Bull ever closed, but with no receptionist and no security guard, it felt unnervingly empty. I could tell it wasn’t, though, by the smells. A mix of soured sweat and overly sweet perfumes.

  Joss’s door was closed. I dropped my bag and leaned it against the desk. I wiped my hands on my pants, then slapped my palm on the little bell at the corner of the desk.

  Joss sauntered out of his office, brown liquor bottle in hand, followed by another of his security guards. Reev had introduced us once. I forgot his name, but I remembered the guard had an easy laugh.

  When he spotted me, he immediately looked away. My hands curled into fists.

  “Knew you’d come back,” Joss said.

  “Where’s my brother?”

  Joss scratched his forehead with the bottom of his bottle. “I told you. He left.”

  “Reev hasn’t come home yet. Did anyone actually see him leave?”

  Joss clucked his tongue. “Really should leave it alone.”

  There was a challenge in his eyes, daring me to push him despite his warning. He did know something.

  “What did you do to him?” I asked, my voice shaking.

  “What makes you think I did anything? I’m his boss, not his babysitter.”

  “You almost fired him the last time he was late. His shift started hours ago, he’s not here, and you don’t seem to mind.”

  “Maybe I gave him the day off.”

  “You’re lying,” I said, slamming my fist against the desk. Reev had never been given a day off in all the years he’d worked for Joss.

  For a long moment, Joss stared at me.

  “All right,” he said, tilting his head and jutting out his chin. “If you want to know so badly, I sold him.”

  I repeated the word in my mind—sold, sold, sold—but I didn’t understand its meaning. “What?”

  “You know, exchanged for credits,” he said slowly, as if I was an idiot. “Peddled. Bartered. Pitched.”

  “To who?” How was this possible?

  “The Black Rider. Ever heard of him?”

  The Black Rider wasn’t real; he wasn’t—

  “Gave me a price I couldn’t turn down. I’m a businessman, after all. I know how to spot a deal.” His eyes trailed down my body.

  I crossed the room in an instant. The guard grabbed me. I thrashed, fists aiming for whatever they could reach. I could see only Joss. The smug curve of his mouth. His eyes on me. Gloating.

  Something dark and wild twisted inside me.

  “Calm down, Kai,” the guard said, his soft voice countered by his hands like steel binding me. “This won’t end well for you.”

  “I’ll kill you. I’ll drekking kill you!”

  The guard grabbed my flailing wrists and secured them both in one hand. He clamped his arm around my shoulders and chest, lifting me and pinning me against him. Joss watched me struggle, taking a languid sip from his bottle.

  I immediately stopped. He enjoyed seeing me like this. My heart raced, pounding against the arm that held me immobile.

  “You know, I was willing to give you time,” Joss said, leaning close. “Time to realize that working for me was your best option now that big brother’s gone. But I’m glad you came back. Expedited the process, so to speak. And let’s not kid ourselves here. I know you want this.” His breath was thick and cloying against my cheek. “I’ve seen it in your eyes. You’ve thought about it.”

  I spit in his face.

  At first, he did nothing. Then pain burst in my jaw, my head knocking into the guard’s shoulder. My vision blurred. I could hear a low buzzing laughter.

  I groaned and blinked. My face throbbed. Only the arm around me kept me upright.

  “Didn’t know you had a temper,” Joss said, leaning close again.

  His fingers dug into my chin. I couldn’t stop the tiny moan of pain that slipped past my mouth.

  “Look at your pretty face. Now we’ll have to wait for you to heal up. But we’ll open the bidding in the meantime. Those eyes ought to intrigue a good number of clients—never seen blue that pale before. And you’ll need some training.”

  It was taking way too long for the spinning to stop. I squeezed my eyes shut, senses extending around me. My mind skipped across the threads, waiting. Time vibrated against me, as if in anticipation. But the guard still had me pinned. I wasn’t sure I could break his hold even with time slowed.

  The front door opened. Maybe if I shouted for help—but if it was a customer, I doubted he’d care. If anything, he’d probably start the bidding.

  CHAPTER 6

  “KAI?”

  Avan! I spun my head around, the sudden motion making my jaw ache. I craned my neck, twisting my body, but I couldn’t see past the guard’s burly shoulder. What was he doing here?

  The guard turned. I saw a dark shape, then there was the crack of knuckles meeting cheekbone, and the arm around me slackened.

  My mind jumped at the threads. Time crawled. I dropped to a crouch, wrenching my wrists free. Then I spun around and kicked out at Joss.

  My grip on the threads slipped. Time flew forward. My foot smashed into Joss’s knee, and he went down in a tumble of limbs. His head smacked the floor. I grabbed for time.

  Everything slowed again. Behind me, Avan and the guard grappled. My fingers wrapped around the neck of Joss’s fallen liquor bottle. I brought it up in an arc just as time rushed forward. The bottle shattered against the guard’s head. Glass spewed through the air, so rapidly that the shards looked like an explosion of lights.

  Pain sliced through my cheek. I whirled, diving for cover as a crash rang out behind me. I’d managed to knock out the guard.

  I remained where I was, breathing hard. My body trembled. Warm hands gripped my arm. The touch was gentle, but I flinched anyway as Avan helped me to my feet. He peered down at me, his fingers sweeping along my bruised jaw and brushing glass out of my hair. I shuddered again, but for a different reason.

  “Kai, did you—” He looked from me to the men sprawled on the floor.

  The way he spoke my name, combined with the look in his eyes—intense, questioning, uncertain—made me realize. He’d seen it. He’d felt it.

  I couldn’t deal with that right now. I reached for my bag, ready to run. “Why did you follow me?”

  A strangled gasp came from the hall. We both looked to find a woman gaping down at the mess on the floor, her hand pressed to her barely covered cleavage.

  “Come on,” Avan said, touching my waist.

  “You’re Reev’s sister?” the woman whispered.

  I gave her a closer look. She was young, with hair as smooth and white as milk. My skin was pale, but hers was ivory. Her only spots of color were a black streak through her hair and bright-red lips that shone wetly, as if she’d painted them with blood.

  Her eyes were like polished metal, framed by snowy lashes. She looked familiar. Maybe I’d seen her here before. But I was pretty sure I’d remember.

  I crossed the lobby, stepping over the glass. The woman shied away, her gauzy robe fluttering around her thighs. Her hands braced against the wall, and her long hair shielded her face.

  “Did you see what happened to him? Or where they took him?” I asked.

  She kept her face averted. I studied her delicate profile. She probably made Joss a lot of credits.

  “Reev,” she murmured.

  I didn’t like the way she said his name. Like a plea. Like a wish. Was every prostitute here in love with him?

  “He didn’t talk much, but he didn’t treat me like spoiled meat.”

  My nails dug into my palms. I knew how much my brother was worth. “Did you see what happened to him or not?”

  “Yes,” she whispered to the wall. “There were people… . They
moved like shadows. They drove something metal against the back of his neck and”—a shiver ran through her thin arms—“and he seized up. Passed out. They took him.”

  I couldn’t breathe. I stepped back clumsily, glass skidding beneath my boots. My foot bumped Joss’s leg, and I glared down at him. He was still knocked out. Fury blazed beneath my skin. I should throw him in the riv—

  “Kai.” Avan touched my side. His fingers curved against my ribs.

  I jerked away. If this woman liked Reev so much, she should’ve done something to help him. “Do you know who they were? Did you see the Black Rider?” I asked her.

  “I didn’t see any faces, but I think I know someone who might know something.” She bit her lip. “Wait for me.”

  She disappeared down the hall, her feet silent on the dingy wood.

  I looked at Avan. He surveyed the bodies on the floor. Probably thinking the same thing I was: they wouldn’t be out for much longer.

  “Do you think they’re telling the truth? That the Black Rider is real?” For the longest time, I had scorned that name. It had been nothing but a pathetic joke. Now, I didn’t know what to think. People who moved like shadows?

  “We could wake him up and ask,” he said, nudging Joss with the toe of his boot. His eyes flicked over my shoulder.

  “Here,” the woman said from behind me. Apparently, she was used to creeping about the building. With Joss as her boss, I didn’t blame her.

  She held up a folded square. Her fingers passed with a dry hiss over the aged paper as she unfolded it to reveal a map.

  “Where did you get that?” I asked, moving forward to get a better look. It was old enough that the ink had completely faded along the creases.

  Ninurta was little more than a mess of sketchy lines beside the Outlands, but I recognized the city’s general layout. The White Court occupied the lower left corner. A black line bordered the Court, with the southernmost portion of the wall protecting the city from the sharp cliffs beyond. The map didn’t show what existed past them. Maybe the sea. Maybe nothing at all. Looking at it this way, the White Court resembled a prison more than a refuge.

  The river snaked through the lower right corner, separating the much larger North District from the East Quarter, which was taken up almost entirely by freight containers. Beyond the square that represented the Labyrinth was another freight yard, one formed after the founding of Ninurta. Now that area, too, had become residential. Avan lived there.