by Lauren Dane
“Is it all right to speak in here?” she asked Julian very quietly.
Of course Vincenz heard her because he was that attuned to her. “Yes. We’re still a considerable distance from the palace. And we’re surrounded by rock. Can’t even be detected by someone standing right above us.”
“Who made these passages?”
“And why doesn’t my father know about them?” Vincenz kept walking, appreciating the distraction. “I only know bits and pieces from my YaYa, my paternal grandmother. Originally, the first Family who held Caelinus was aligned with the Federation. That was many, many generations ago. The family was the Cuomo Family and they held all the ’Verses from here to Silesia. There was a difference of opinion with House Lyons and they declared themselves independent. One of his daughters married a Fardelle and took over what had been a palace, which he constructed into a keep of sorts. He monitored the comings and goings of everyone, especially his family.”
He kept going, on the look out for any other traffic or signs the passage had been discovered or used by anyone recently and found none.
“His wife had these tunnels made as a way to get away from her husband, who tended toward fits of rage. She wanted to be able to go where she wanted whenever she wanted. She passed this down to the next Fardelle wife and so on. My grandmother showed them to my mother, who showed them to Carina. Carina and I were very close and she showed them to me. In the end, it was me who used them to escape and leave the Imperium.”
Hannah was silent for some time. Vincenz knew she was filtering through everything he’d said, most likely drawing conclusions and making predictions because that’s what she did.
“Why didn’t your mother escape?” It was Julian who asked.
“She was brought up to believe her place was at her husband’s side, no matter the cost. They brought her here at a very young age. My grandmother raised her more than her own mother had. And my grandmother may have shown us the passages, but she stayed too.” Bitterness washed through him.
“If she’d have left, who’d have taken care of you and your sister? She stayed to keep you safe. Even after you left.”
He sucked in a quick breath at the truth of that.
“Which isn’t your fault.”
He smiled, though she couldn’t have seen it. Smiled because she knew him so damned well.
“She did what she thought was right. What she was raised to believe. Helping you both get out was her job as a mother and she did it. That was her duty. That she didn’t leave as well, where would she go?”
She could have come to him.
“I suppose you imagine she might have come to you. But would she know that? Would she have the contacts left to get out? And if so, how would she hide her absence from the palace? She’s trapped. Not because of you two, but due to circumstances. So she did what she could to make things different. Better. And that is her gift. We can bring her back with us.”
In just a few minutes Hannah had waltzed into his brain and beaten back every single doubt he’d had. Every resentment. And she’d provided a solution.
He took a deep breath and kept going.
* * *
They’d been steadily climbing for some time when they reached a junction in the passage. “We head left here. Each one of these has an outlet in the palace somewhere. As I don’t know exactly how the keep may have changed since Carina escaped, I’m opting for the stables. They’re likely to be unchanged. It’s still early enough that it should be quiet with few people around. We’ll change clothes when we get there.”
And so that’s how he found himself wearing the clothes he’d grown up in for the first time in eight years. Hannah was so lovely in the bright green dress he’d brought. Julian handsome in his simple trousers and shirt.
“Fancy enough that we could easily work inside the palace, but not so fancy we’d be looked at twice. Though of course Hannah is so beautiful people will look twice anyway.”
She quickly braided her hair, leaving some wisps at the temples. She rarely wore it away from her face when they were outside the house, but he loved the way she looked right then. Her eyes wide with a little bit of fear, but more curiosity and excitement. Certainly a great deal of temerity. He grinned and kissed her hard enough to leave her lips pink and swollen. “Now you look even prettier.”
Julian scratched over his scruffy beard, the bristles sounding loud in the quiet at the door. “I’d do you both right now if that wouldn’t be wildly inappropriate. And we know I’m never inappropriate.”
She took both their hands and squeezed. “We’re here.”
He opened the door carefully and they found themselves in the high hayloft. Alone in what would be the last hours before dawn.
They crawled out and stayed put until he got some readings.
He had some contacts left in Caelinus so they’d need to get to the marketplace, which would be setting up.
* * *
Hannah loved the large courtyard they headed out into once they’d left the stables. Dawn was beginning to imagine itself off in the distance and the first bustle of early morning had begun as the market stalls began to fill up with their wares.
The sky smelled different here inside the walls of the large keep. The electricity of the filters across the walls and ramparts around them hummed. Ozone, she remembered. Similar to Asphodel, but different. There was a repressed wildness, struggling all around her. Disconcerting while at the same time feral and comforting.
This place was where Vincenz was made. She could see it, could see his joy even though he tried to hide it.
She’d tell him later, when it was safe, just how much she liked it.
He straightened and raised a hand to hail a man setting up a dairy stall. “Hoy there, Ross.”
The man’s eyes lit at the sight of Vincenz. Curiosity ate at her belly. Wanting to know who these people were to him. How they knew him. What they meant to him. She hungered to understand Vincenz and these people had a part of him she’d never seen until now.
“Hoy! It’s been some time.” The man, stout and wide as a tree trunk, grinned.
They clasped forearms and Hannah noted Ross had given Vincenz a packet of some sort. Vincenz tucked it away in one deft movement. Sneaky and clever, her man.
“You must be hungry.” Ross turned and rifled through a tub until he held up a small bundle wrapped in wax paper and tied with black string. “Get yourselves some bread at that stall there. Purri and nectarine season. Makes a fine breakfast.”
“Thank you,” Vincenz said, meaning more than the cheese.
“It’s been far too long. I’m glad to see you well. Keep it that way.” Ross turned back to his stall and Vincenz led them toward the bread stall.
That’s when she saw the Skorpios strolling down the wide promenade, heading their way.
She shoved away the small furry animal fear that lurked in her gut. Or pretended to anyway. She cast her eyes downward because that’s how it was when she’d dealt with them in the past.
Vincenz put an arm around her waist and held her to his side as they walked along. She found her breath as her heart beat loud in her ears. The comfort of his touch helped. Julian moved to her other side, staying close as well. That also helped.
The soldiers appeared to make everyone in their path nervous. Lots of heads going down. People busied themselves with anything but the men dressed all in black. She bet Vincenz had looked very handsome in one of those uniforms though.
It was that thought that helped her continue on even as she felt the regard of the soldiers on them. They were, after all, out of place. If they were watching this place as closely as she imagined, one of them might realize the three of them were not from around those parts.
Vincenz had used a pill to darken his usually pale hair. His beautiful eyes were brown to match. And yet he was still beautiful, still turned heads. Julian, well, of course he did too. Only he had a manner that made people approach him all the time. For such a well-guar
ded man when it came to his personal life, in public, when he was working, it was as if people were drawn to him so they could give him information. Remarkable.
They got to the bread stall and the woman there paused as she’d been placing crusty loaves into baskets. Her gaze quickly flicked over to the soldiers, but she continued her work.
“We’d like a loaf of that one there, with the seeds on top.” Vincenz pointed and his hand went to the small counter and he tucked something into a small crack. He did it so quickly and stealthily she would have missed it had she not been watching him the way she was.
The woman picked out a loaf of the seeded bread and handed it to Hannah, who nodded her thanks in Imperial standard. The woman’s mouth rose into a smile, transforming her face.
“Most welcome. My son made those fresh this morning.”
Julian watched Hannah with the bread seller. Watched Hannah break down walls of distrust all by speaking to her in her own language. He knew she spoke Imperial. Her mother had been from here and she’d worked at the cross-border initiative. But hearing her here was different. She had a confidence, even as he knew she’d been frightened by the Skorpios prowling all around, that translated out to others.
He also noted the woman giving Vincenz something along with his change after he paid for the bread and the deft way Vin secreted it on his person.
“Do you have papers?” One of the Skorpios stopped, blocking their path to the fruit seller down the lane.
Vincenz handed over the packet of papers. He’d taken care to be sure the leather case they were in was worn and well used. A small detail, but important.
“Why are you here?” The Skorpios looked over the paperwork and then over to each one of them.
“Shipment of grain from Monteh. My wife is carrying our first babe; she wanted to come and see the palace.” Vin pointed to the stamps on the paperwork that indicated they’d offloaded the grain at the portal a day before.
“Where are you lodging?”
“Last night at the Portal city. We planned to take our breakfast back to the public house at the second gate. My brother-in-law recommended we stay there.”
“Second gate is a bit crowded these days. Black smoke from the plant might bother your wife. If you don’t mind the walk, try the Dancing Bear. Rooms are cheap and clean. Nothing fancy as the Portal city hotels, but it’s quiet and the air is cleaner.” The soldier handed the packet back to Vincenz.
“Thank you.” Vincenz inclined his head and they made their way past the soldier.
“Some fruit and I think we should try this Dancing Bear. Check in and perhaps rest for a while.”
The tension radiated from Hannah, but Julian only knew this because he understood her so well. Outwardly, she looked like any other woman visiting the palace for the first time. But he saw the way her mouth flattened from time to time. Knew her heart pounded and her thoughts jumbled. He wanted to pull her close and smooth a hand over her hair. But he couldn’t so he had to hope she knew he wanted to anyway.
After they’d procured the fruit and Julian imagined, the last bit of intel they needed, Vincenz led them up a small rise. “The public house is just over there.”
The streets had filled in the hour or so they’d been there already. Men pushed water carts and Vincenz bought some. Women stood at stalls, calling out their specialty items as people passed by. The air was filled with noise, but none of it was communication. There was no real hum of conversation.
Like he noted every time he went to Nondal back in Federated Territory, or anywhere here, people kept a reserve in public. Especially where there were soldiers about. And they were out in abundance. Not just regular soldiers and polis, but Skorpios as well. It was clear there was a war on. Clear the keep itself was well defended. Thank the gods they had the passageways or this would have been a far more dangerous mission and he would have agreed with the need to keep Hannah back home.
Vincenz pushed the door open. They’d wanted to stay at the other place, near the second gate. Julian knew Vin felt it was safer. But once they’d been directed here by the soldier it would have been suspicious to have gone elsewhere. They’d manage it.
“Room for three please.” Vincenz managed to make it sound as if they did it for economy and not that they were all going to sleep in the same bed. The clerk watched Julian from under her lashes and Hannah made a quick but sneaky step to her left to block her view. Julian held back a smile at that small jealousy. It made him feel better that she felt that way about him. The way he did every time a man paused to take a second or third look at Hannah.
Once they got upstairs and settled, Julian managed to do a surreptitious sweep of the room for eavesdropping devices and found a small bug that would transmit conversation. He left it in place but gave Vincenz a sign to let him know it was there. They’d give a show, talk about stupid mundane crap and then he’d jam it with a feedback loop of sound so they could have a little more freedom to speak. Though not much.
“Sit down, darling. Why don’t you get us some bread and cheese while I get the water.” Vin pulled the rickety chair out for her and she sat, busying herself with getting a meal together. Smart to distract her and to get some calories into her as well.
Julian sliced the fruit and fed her slices, leaning in to lick over her bottom lip to catch the sweetness of the nectarine.
She smiled back at him, handing a thick slice of bread and cheese his way. “Eat. Both of you.” She did the same with Vincenz, who also dipped down to claim a kiss.
“I need to keep my strength up.” He winked and she laughed.
Julian toyed with the end of her braid as he thought, running through all the options as they looked over the roughly drawn map to where the labs most likely were located.
Chapter 26
Vincenz tried not to think about how stupidly dangerous it was to have Hannah there with them. He stood at the window of their room and ran through the map in his head. He knew there’d be more appropriate clothing for them in the hayloft. The labs were near his father’s offices. In fact, they appeared to be two floors above it. Accessible only by an elevator located in his office.
That would be the tough part.
“We should see if we can find her.” Hannah stood behind him, her arms around his waist, her lips very near his ear. He knew she meant his mother and the need to see her, the ache he had to simply put his arms around his mai one more time nearly took him to his knees.
He shouldn’t be there. He was too close to the mission. He knew it. But he also knew no one else was better for it than he was. And so he would do it. He’d get them all three out of there alive and well and maybe, if he did it right, his mother too.
Esta Fardelle should live to hold her grandchildren. Live to breathe free. He wanted to give her everything for all she gave up for him and Carina.
He said nothing. Knowing Hannah would understand. Knowing she most likely followed the mental conversation he’d been having with himself.
Julian had put the jammer out just a few minutes before. The suns were at their zenith and people began to come inside to take refuge from the heat and take their midday meal and drink. He’d go down in a bit, see what he could see. But for now, he was there with them both.
“You did well today.” He turned slowly and encircled her with his arms, swaying slowly.
“I love dancing with you. Everything else gets quiet and all I hear is our hearts.”
He kissed the top of her head, loving her so fiercely it seemed to tear through him.
“We need to do it more often then. When we get home I promise to dance with you every day.”
She tipped her head back to look up into his face. “That would be very fine indeed.”
Julian came back into the room holding a basin. “Victorious.” He placed it on the nearby table. The one they’d had had been cracked and wouldn’t hold water. Hannah had protested, saying she was just fine to use a wet cloth to clean away the dust, but Julian had taken the o
ld basin and disappeared, on a mission to get one she could use.
She twirled from Vincenz’s arms and over to Julian, who she kissed soundly. “Thank you.”
Vincenz and Julian lay back on the bed and watched as she removed the shirt, leaving the thin chemise beneath, and began to wash with the cloth. The water slid down her skin and she made happy sounds of pleasure as she washed away the grime of travel.
She loosened her hair and let it fall around her back and shoulders like a drape. It stole his breath to watch her like this. So beautiful. This private, simple and yet intimate moment. And when she turned, she paused, smiling in her way.
“You two make my heart pound in my chest. Make me short of breath.”
Vincenz couldn’t take his eyes off the front of her chemise. Wet from her impromptu bath, rendered transparent. The darkness of her nipples dried his mouth and brought his cock to attention.
“We don’t have to be anywhere for a bit.” Julian stood and began to disrobe. She moved to him quickly to help. “I’d rip that right off you if you had more than one.” He slid a finger between the strap and her bare shoulder, pulling it down, baring her left breast.
Vincenz got up to help remove the skirt and the underskirt. Leaving her in her panties and stockings.
“Gods above and below.” Julian raked his gaze over her.
“Indeed.”
Vincenz disrobed quickly, wanting to be in her, on her, touching her in any way he could. Wanting his lips on Julian, those strong, bold hands on him.
“Do you know what?” Julian nearly purred it and Vincenz’s heart skipped just a little at the promise in his tone.
“No, but I’m sure I’ll like whatever you say next.”
“On the bed on your back.”
Vincenz obeyed quickly, anticipating whatever it was Julian had in store.
“Panties off and then I want you on his face.”
Hannah blinked quickly, her hands shaking for just a moment. Vincenz’s cock grew impossibly harder at the sight of it.
“Sit on his face, beautiful. I’ll be busy with his cock.”
