Shadow City

by Francesca Flores

  With that, she stood and walked away, only pausing to take the knife from the dead Jackal’s throat. She didn’t bother to look back—after she’d humiliated Arman, shooting her with her back turned was the last thing he’d do. Nothing would make him look like more of a coward.

  The lights in the Dom were still on when Aina returned. She wrung rainwater out of her hair before entering. When she did, she noticed the glow of candlelight spilling out from the office’s open door, and walked toward it. Part of her was desperate to go to sleep, but she needed to find out what had happened at the Dom after she’d left, and she didn’t know how well she’d sleep with her new arrangement with Kohl at the front of her thoughts.

  Inside the office, Tannis sat on the floor in front of the desk, tossing a throwing star in the air repeatedly and catching it deftly between her fingers each time. A single candle’s light glinted off the bottle of firebrandy she held in her other hand. When Aina knocked lightly on the doorframe, Tannis’s head flicked up.

  “What happened?” Tannis asked, her eyes going to the bandage around Aina’s calf. “I was about to go looking for you.”

  A smile lifted one corner of Aina’s lips at those words; Tannis had been worried about her. But her heart sank quickly after—she was about to lie. Aina sat on the floor across from Tannis, her muscles sore and her eyes heavy. She took a deep breath before speaking.

  “Well, I just punched Arman Kraz in the face; he’s still convinced he has some nobler reasons not to want us in charge, but really it’s because we’re girls who are younger than him and we’re not Sumeranian. But he’ll leave us alone for a while. When I left here earlier, I caught up with the messenger and more of Kohl’s men cornered me. I fought them off, and I got information from one of them about what Bautix is doing.” She looked at the carpet then, like she had every time she’d lied to Kohl about her whereabouts when she’d been selling diamonds on the side—hating herself for doing the same to Tannis. “What happened to the Jackal you cornered on the roof—Kerys?”

  “You won’t believe it.” Tannis scoffed. “She knocked out Markus and fought me for a bit. I gave her a nasty cut, but she head-butted me, and when I fell back, she jumped off the roof.”

  Aina blinked. “I didn’t see a body on the ground when I came in.”

  “She rolled right out of the landing and ran down the street, half-limping. I had Markus and Johana get rid of the other two,” Tannis said, then smirked. “At least Kerys can run off and tell Kohl we’re stronger than he thinks we are.”

  Aina gave a small laugh, trying to keep her features blank.

  “We are,” she said softly. She watched Tannis out of the corner of her eye for a moment, battling the guilt she felt. They’d both been mistreated by Kohl before and were supposed to stand up to him together. But this partnership was between her and Kohl alone. If she told Tannis, it would seem like she was going back to Kohl, like he was hurting her again instead of the other way around. She could handle him on her own—she had to prove to herself that she could.

  “I’m worried Bautix is going to come for us next,” she said, hoping to change the subject slightly. “You saw the note he left us.”

  Tannis shifted uncomfortably, her brow furrowed as she thought. “He will eventually. But now it seems like Kohl has turned on him.”

  “Exactly. That means Kohl isn’t focused on us. We should fight the enemy we know is coming.” When Tannis looked uncertain, Aina added, “The information I got is about those Kaiyanis men we saw in the Sacoren’s apartment. Bautix brought them from overseas and, if they fight for him now, he’ll help fund a coup they’re planning.”

  Tannis’s shoulders slumped and the light in her eyes dimmed. “They don’t care what happens here, and he doesn’t care what happens there. Allying makes sense for both sides. But I don’t trust Bautix with them. He’ll only take advantage and dispose of them when they’re not useful.”

  The way she clenched her hands around the neck of the firebrandy bottle told Aina she was more bothered by this than her words alone would indicate. Before she could stop herself, or wonder if it was the right move, she reached over and took Tannis’s clenched hand, smoothing it out. Their eyes met over the bottle, and Aina’s heart flipped at the warmth in Tannis’s gaze. Aina wanted to tell her things would work out. But she had no idea if that were true, and she wasn’t about to add another lie to her list.

  But the way Tannis looked at Aina a moment later, her eyes bright, showed Aina there was more she wanted to say; more she wanted to share. Maybe Aina couldn’t open up about her work with Kohl, but she could give Tannis an opportunity to share her thoughts—to show she could be there for her.

  “Do you believe in their cause?” Aina asked, leaning next to Tannis against the desk.

  “I don’t know. There are more people there who support the king than those who don’t. Those who don’t support him hated the way his tyrant father ruled and they think he’ll be the same, but he’s only been ruling for a year. It’s too early to tell, in my opinion. I think that their staging a coup will only bring more violence to the country.” She let out a heavy sigh. “This is my home now, and I’ll fight them and Bautix if they’re a threat. Look at what happened tonight; I took you all to see Gevann, and then the Dom was attacked and the recruits were almost killed. I can’t lose focus like that, and I can’t care too much what happens to my old home. There’s nothing I can do for them anyway,” she finished, her voice tinged with a bitter regret.

  “I know it must be difficult for you,” Aina said in a low voice. “But the attack tonight wasn’t your fault.”

  Tannis shook her head and straightened against the desk, like she pushed aside all those worries so easily. Aina’s heart ached at the sight—shoving aside fears was something they’d both learned to do working with Kohl for so long.

  “I can ask Mirran to help us look into places where they and the Jackals might be hiding; she’s going on a job tonight, so I’ll ask her before she leaves.” Then Tannis passed the bottle of firebrandy to Aina, their fingers brushing as she did. “You look like you need that. I’m going to get some sleep.”

  Once she left, Aina placed her lips on the rim of the bottle and was about to drink from it when the gleam of candlelight on her mother’s white porcelain horse knickknack caught her eye. She let out a long sigh, a heavy sadness weighing on her chest. Maybe it was grief for the little girl she’d been when she’d last seen that horse, the girl who hadn’t yet been hurt. Or maybe she wished she could feel her mother’s warmth for a moment to replace the chill of Kohl’s breath on her skin.

  Reaching out, she picked up the horse for the first time since Kohl returned it to her. She ran a finger along the pink ribbon painted around its neck. The candlelight hit its side when she tilted it, revealing cracks lining the horse’s body.

  Frowning, Aina turned it over and found more cracks on its stomach. Kohl must have dropped it and put it back together. He’d called it his good luck charm, but he’d clearly broken it. So why had he kept it for so long?

  No matter how brutal he was, some part of him still felt something toward her—even if it was only his old guilt for orphaning her.

  When she met him tomorrow, she’d use that against him. She didn’t need him at all; in the end, he’d be the one begging for mercy, and she would never be the frightened one again.

  10

  The next day, Aina woke to Mirran walking into the bedroom they shared with Tannis, who’d already left. Bags were under her eyes and she yawned as Aina sat up.

  “How was your job last night?” Aina asked.

  She shrugged while twining her long blue hair into a braid. “Stole a few thousand kors from some unsuspecting businessman at a fancy party, the usual. Some Jackals almost knifed me on the way home, also the usual.”

  Aina raised an eyebrow. “Where are they now?”

  “In the river where I left them. I’m happy to stab anyone who’s trying to stab me, but I’m worried about
our recruits.”

  “Me too,” Aina admitted, thinking of Kushik, Markus, and Johana. They were better at defending themselves than most other kids in the city, but the Jackals’ attacks had only been growing more ruthless, and she couldn’t help the spike of fear she felt for the three recruits. “Did Tannis ask you to look into the Jackal hideouts?”

  Mirran nodded, then sat on the floor next to Aina’s mattress. “I actually heard something from the men at the party last night. When they think you’re a silly little girl, they don’t really pay attention to what they’re saying around you.” With a smirk, she continued, “There’s a Diamond Guard named Arin Fayes, have you heard of him?”

  “He’s a captain, isn’t he?” Aina asked, dredging up from her memory what she knew of the man. “Works in the prison. I’ve heard one of his favorite hobbies is making the prisoners fight one another and taking bets on it.”

  “Yeah, that one. The party was on one of his boats in the northwest harbor. He also owns a few apartment buildings on Lyra Avenue, and he was whispering with some of his colleagues about how they were offering free rent to any tenants willing to hide people there and keep their mouths shut about it. I found out where all the apartments are.”

  From her pocket, she withdrew a folded-up piece of paper and then spread it out on the floor. It was a simple map of Lyra Avenue, showing the cross streets where the apartments could be found. Four of them. With Fayes offering free rent to anyone agreeing to house people from Kaiyan, he’d probably gotten a lot of volunteers. With Kohl’s information that Bautix was hiring Kaiyanis rebels to fight for him … Her pulse raced at the sight of the map—this was more than a decent lead to start shutting down Bautix’s plans.

  “You’re amazing, Mirran,” she said, folding the map and tucking it inside the pouch of poison darts at her belt.

  “I know,” she said, leaning against the wall with her arms folded behind her head. “Can I have a raise?”

  Aina took a gold kor out of her pocket and tossed it in the air. Mirran caught it easily and winked one of her own gold eyes.

  * * *

  The summer heat hit Aina like a brick to the face when she stepped outside. She brushed hair away from her eyes, finding it already sticky with sweat. It was barely noon, and the day would only get hotter.

  Every time she turned a corner on her way to the Center, she glanced over her shoulder to check if anyone was following her. If any of the tradehouses found out she was working with Kohl, they would never trust her again; if Teo or Tannis found out, they’d realize she’d lied to them last night. The closer she got to the Center and the train station, the more alert she grew, checking the crowds around her for familiar faces.

  Blending in with the hordes of passengers would shake off anyone tailing her. People ran past her to ticket booths and platforms, hauling heavy luggage in their arms and sweating in the crowded, sun-drenched station. With a nod to the bribed security guard, Aina slipped past the ticket barrier.

  Unlocking the door to the darkened service stairwell, she made her way to the second floor.

  When she neared the train station’s tower, Kohl was already there. She kept her footsteps and breath quiet as she peered around the corner, wanting to watch him for a moment before speaking.

  He waited for her on the edge of the windowsill, legs dangling over the side, his dark brown hair blown back by the wind. It was strange to see him so exposed, unaware she was there—she’d never had this opportunity while working for him, and something about it now felt personal, intimate. They’d spent hours here together when she was still training to become a Blade; he’d told her everything he knew about the city, and she’d grown used to his voice, his presence, all the secrets he kept. Half of her wanted to stand here and watch this man she’d spent years trying to figure out, while the other half wanted to shove him out of the window.

  But she had to make him trust her again before killing him and proving to him that she’d never needed him at all. If she wanted her revenge, this job with him, to be worth it … she needed to be patient.

  “I found out who the Diamond Guard traitor is,” he said without turning, and she stiffened. How long had he known she was standing there? “He’s been close to Bautix for years—they both came from army families and were stationed on the same base in the south. He’s a captain, one of only four who works in the prison, and now he’s helping Bautix build secret entrances into the Tower.”

  Crossing her arms as he turned to face her, she said, “Let me guess. Arin Fayes.”

  “How did you know that?” He raised one eyebrow as he stood to walk toward her.

  “One of my employees found out he’s also the one who owns the apartments on Lyra Avenue where all the Jackals and the Kaiyanis men are hiding.”

  “One of your employees for the next few weeks, you mean.”

  His gaze leveled at her and she stared back at him, refusing to blink or show any frustration at what he’d said. He’d come close enough that he blocked out the sunlight streaming through the window, leaving the half of the small room they stood in doused in shadow.

  “If we can stop Bautix from getting any more weapons and take out Arin Fayes, we’ll win this before he really starts fighting,” she continued. His eyes flashed briefly at her words.

  And then it’ll just be you and me.

  “I’m going to go look at the apartments today and see what I can learn.”

  After a brief pause, Kohl said, “I’m going with you.”

  “What?” she snapped. “I thought you wanted to lie low. Someone will see us.”

  He raised an eyebrow, then pulled a black kerchief from his pocket with a dramatic flourish. While she frowned at him, he tied it around the lower half of his face as a makeshift mask.

  “You really think people won’t recognize you like that?” she asked flatly.

  “Not everyone has worked as close to me as you have for the past six years,” he pointed out, his voice slightly muffled by the cloth. “The only Jackals I’ve personally spoken to are the ones on my side. Besides, you need me there, since half of the people we’ll probably end up spying on are Kaiyanis, and I’ve learned their language. You haven’t.”

  As he spoke, he tugged down the sleeves on his shirt to cover his Vulture tattoo, the bird hung by a string of diamonds, the marking of his old gang. He made a good point, but going to Lyra Avenue meant traversing half the city—there were too many chances someone would see them.

  “My employees will recognize you if they see us together,” she said in a low voice.

  “What does that matter?” he asked in an icy tone. “If you’re a good boss, they won’t question you, and if they do, you’ll put them in their place—won’t you?” He paused. “Nice bosses get their throats slit, Aina, you should know that by now.”

  Aina gestured for him to follow her, turning so he couldn’t see her expression. But her ears burned as she led the way down the stairs, back into the train station, and then out into the Center.

  This is what he does, she reminded herself. His taunts wouldn’t get to her if she stayed on her guard.

  For the first ten minutes of their walk, she stayed ahead of Kohl, trying to put the crowds between them and checking every rooftop and alley for a sign of anyone who might see them together. He said nothing as they walked, but every time she glanced over her shoulder, he was at the same ten feet of distance, always watching her.

  She decreased the distance between them as they approached Lyra Avenue, knowing it would be easier to blend in with the crowds once they reached the bustling district. As soon as they got there, they moved in perfect tandem, taking the same steps to avoid pedestrians and the hawk-like eyes of Diamond Guards patrolling the streets. She watched Kohl from the corner of her eye, finding it strange to work alongside him again now that they were equals.

  She’d dreamed of being at his side for years, not taking orders, but truly working together. Before she’d learned to stop trusting him, she’d hop
ed that one day, he might see her as more than a colleague. Something of that old, naive hope sparked curiosity in her—how would he act toward her now? For a moment, as they meshed with the crowds of Lyra Avenue like shadows in the night, she let herself feel the brief exhilaration that came when you moved at the same speed as someone and worked with the same skill. In minutes, they slipped through a group of Marinian tourists and reached the casino where she’d gone last night.

  Kohl tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to the alley next to the casino, where a fire escape led to the upper floors. Together, they stepped off the main road and into the alley. Wrinkling her nose against the scents of piss and garbage, Aina walked up to the fire escape and jumped to catch the lower rungs.

  “That’s a lot of apartments to search,” Kohl said below her. “Four stories, six windows each floor. Let’s look through the windows, then do a quick sweep of the halls.”

  She nodded, then lifted herself up onto the fire escape stairwell before climbing to the next floor. The window ledges were rather narrow, but would be enough to stand on. The difficult thing would be scaling between each window, using only the space between the bricks as footholds and handholds.

  While she examined the distance between the fire escape and the first apartment window, Kohl started climbing over with an utterly relaxed expression on his face as if this were a stroll through a field. Cursing herself for hesitating, Aina found what purchase she could on the wall. She moved slower than she normally would, her bullet wound from yesterday throbbing when she put too much pressure on her left leg. She scaled her way over to the first apartment window and then glanced inside, gathering what details she could—it was just a family’s apartment. An old woman napped in a chair. A door opened within the apartment and a younger woman walked out in house clothes. Aina quickly stepped to the other side of the window to avoid being seen.

  It took an hour for her and Kohl to check all the windows, and by the time they finished, Aina was covered in sweat. Kohl, however, barely looked ruffled. When they met on the fire escape landing of the top floor, she held back a huff of frustration. This would have taken double the time if she were alone.