I lowered my voice to a serious note. “I’ll be fine, Rowan.”
“Still, I’d rather that you could easily contact me without attracting attention.” Rowan raised his right hand. The veins there glowed red as crimson mist swirled about his arm. Within seconds, the haze solidified into a little robin that sat quietly on his palm. “This bird is one of my familiars. If you need to get a message to me, call her name, Tamu. My magick will do the rest.”
The little creature hopped onto my shoulder. Her tiny claws pricked my skin before she flew away. “I will. Thank you.”
Rowan opened his mouth to say something and then closed it just as quickly. I glanced over to his hands. He was wearing his heavy leather gloves once more. I couldn’t help but wonder… Did he ever wear his mating band? For one full day, our souls had been connected through those rings. Did that mean as much to him as it did to me?
My hand settled onto the base of my throat where my own ring hung under my gown. I knew it was weak of me. Even so, I treasured this band. Wearing it with Rowan was one of the few moments in my life where I felt truly linked to another person.
Rowan noticed my hand, and his features became unreadable. An itchy feeling moved over my skin. When we were talking just now, Rowan admitted to hiding something for his King. What could it be? Part of me wanted to press for a full answer, yet I held back. I couldn’t afford to get any more involved with Rowan than I already was.
My mission lay elsewhere. I needed to save Ada and the other Necromancers. Straightening in my saddle, I nodded toward the town. “It’s time for me to leave.”
Rowan shifted his horse onto another path. “Be safe.”
“And you as well.” I clicked my tongue, and Smoke took off for Jaxminster.
2
For hours now, I’d been shouting at the front gate of Lady Amelia Masson’s estate. My hands ached from gripping the iron bars so tightly.
No one seems to be home.
Leaning forward, I rested my forehead against the iron bars and angled for a better view.
Still, nothing to see.
The courtyard beyond the gate lay empty. This was unbelievable. What self-respecting Royal didn’t have any guards? Maybe this one really was crazy.
If I didn’t know for a fact that Lady Amelia Masson still lived here, then I might have moved on a while ago. Especially since the darkening clouds threatened rain.
Finally, a light step sounded on the forecourt. A servant walked into view. She was older and petite, with a shrewd face and golden hair that had been pulled into a tight bun. “What do you want?” Her voice was clipped.
“Is the Lady Amelia Masson here?”
“Yes, she is.”
“May I speak with her?”
She pursed her wrinkled lips. “Your name?”
“Lady Elea.”
“No, it’s not, girl.” She used the pronunciation that the farmers did—gurl—which had a little twang to it. She knew I was lying.
Here we go again.
I gripped the skirts of my gown. This was supposedly the latest fashion. My hair was perfectly coiffed and styled. Still, something about me screamed farmer. I suppose it was better than screaming Necromancer. Still, it meant that I rarely got introduced to the various Lady Amelias I was trying to meet. Even worse, the few times I did greet them, they always had Fantomes in their houses, so I couldn’t cast any spells for easy answers. Well, not without risking exposure, anyway.
My fingers itched to empower an incantation. This mansion was one of the few that didn’t have any Fantomes in residence. Still, that didn’t mean they weren’t lurking nearby. The Vicomte was known for sending Fantomes to remote places on a whim. I couldn’t take the risk.
All my previous Amelia encounters had ended with me being shown the door and quickly. Afterward, I always had to find house servants and secretly interrogate them. It was painstaking work, not to mention nerve-wracking. At every moment, I could have been detected.
The woman at the gate began to turn away.
No, no, no.
There was nothing left to do but say who’d sent me. Not that it had ever helped before.
I cupped my hand by my mouth and raised my voice. “I know Veronique.”
The woman paused. “Who?”
“Mademoiselle Veronique Adeline Josephine de Haverville. She’s the one who told me to find Amelia.”
Seconds passed. The woman turned around and eyed me carefully. “How would you know our Veronique?”
A weight lifted off my chest. Our Veronique. This was the first time anyone had shown a glimmer of recognition when I mentioned that name. “She’s in dire trouble.” My voice wobbled. “Please. This is life or death.”
The woman stepped closer and cracked open the gate. Leaning out, she scanned the thin street outside the mansion. All the rickety wooden buildings appeared deserted. No one was walking along the rutted road. She stepped back inside. “You’d better come to the garden. My Lady will want to see you.”
My knees turned rubbery beneath me. At last, a Lady Amelia who knew something and was willing to talk. I only hoped she wasn’t as crazy as Bartley had claimed.
The servant marched off across the cobblestone courtyard. “I’m Clothilde, by the way. Close the gate behind you.”
I slammed the massive thing shut and followed Clothilde toward a massive mansion made of rose-colored marble. Clothilde strode up the front steps and yanked the mighty door open with ease. The front entrance led to an elaborate reception room made of shining wood. The arched ceiling was painted with images of a family coat of arms—a longsword wreathed in red roses. Strange. I’d never seen a crest like that before. I scanned the space around me. It was even stranger. No other servants seemed to be about. A mansion this large should be full of them. “Is Amelia the only lady of the house?”
“Save your questions for her.” Clothilde led me through a warren of passageways that led to a lush garden. Flowers burst from their small plots of ground, a riot of purple, pink, and green. Scaled trellises arched through the air. It couldn’t have been more different from the gray, cramped look of the town.
Lady Amelia sat on an overlarge wooden swing. She had the face of a doll, what with her porcelain skin, wide eyes, and bow-shaped mouth. Long curls spiraled over her shoulders. Her dress was the large-skirted variety that all the Royals seemed to favor. Its pink satin was the perfect shade to highlight her bright red hair. She looked up from the small leather book on her lap. “What’s all this?”
“Your Ladyship, someone to see you. Says she knows Veronique.”
Amelia shooed the servant away with her fingertips. “Thank you. You may go.” She closed the book, and a whirring noise filled the air. The volume was covered in tiny gears that had clicked into place, locking the book up tight. I’d known how Royals were obsessed with new machines and odd fashions, yet I’d never seen anything like that book before. Perhaps this contraption was of Amelia’s making? She was a master machinist, after all.
“I’d like to stay at your side, my Lady.” Clothilde shot a wary glance in my direction. “You’ll want to be careful what you say to this new girl. Especially what you show her, if you catch my meaning.” Her frown deepened with the word “show.” What could Amelia have to share? I decided to save that question for later. “This one says she’s a lady, but she’s fresh off the farm.”
I suppose I could be insulted. Even so, Clothilde’s words made me feel a little more confident about Amelia. The girl had clearly inspired her servants to care for her welfare. That had to count for something.
Amelia waved her dainty hand. “I’ll be fine.”
“As your ladyship requests.” Clothilde turned back toward the house.
Amelia scooted over, making room for me beside her on the swing. “You may have a seat.”
“I’ll stand, thank you.”
Amelia stared at the path that led to the greenhouse. “Clothilde’s not gone far, you know.”
“Good.�
�
Amelia narrowed her pretty blue eyes. “You fear for my safety?”
“No, I’m pleased to see that someone else does.”
“Well said.” She folded her hands neatly in her lap. “Who are you?”
“A friend of Veronique’s.”
Amelia’s eyes widened. “Do you know where she is? She disappeared.”
“No, I don’t. That’s why I’m here. I’ve been trying to find her. Can you help me?”
Amelia drummed her fingers atop the metal gears of her book. Her mind seemed just as sharp and interlocked. She wasn’t replying. Yet at least I could be certain she wasn’t insane. She exhaled a long breath. “How could I help you? I don’t know where Veronique is.”
“You may know something that can assist. May I ask you a few questions?”
“If you must.” The wary look in her blue eyes said she might not answer, however.
Still, I couldn’t believe my luck. This was he furthest I’d gotten with any Lady Amelia. Sad to say, I hadn’t planned much past getting through the front door. I eyed the girl before me carefully. Veronique’s last words were for me to find someone named Amelia. Still, was this the person she’d really meant? And even if it was, how much could I trust this stranger?
“What you know about Veronique?”
“Almost everything.” Amelia kicked her foot against the ground and began to gently swing. Her features softened as she talked about her friend. “Vee loved yellow gowns and handsome boys. She was clever with anything that had gears; not that she’d ever let you know it. The girl was selfish and shrewd. Even so, you’ll never meet anyone with a stronger heart.” Amelia looked up at me through long lashes. “Your turn. What do you know of how Veronique disappeared?”
It didn’t feel right sharing too much. After all, I’d only just met Amelia. I decided on an answer that was both truthful and vague. “She was taken.”
“Now that’s an avalanche of information.” Amelia rolled her eyes. “Perhaps this will free your tongue. I’m a Necromancer.” She quickly lifted her arm. Her pretty features scrunched up in agony as a flash of blue light skittered across her palm. She shook out her hand. “Damn, that always hurts.” She lowered her voice to what was supposed to be a menacing level. “But don’t think I won’t use my power if I have to. I’ll get the truth from you, one way or another.”
My mouth hung open for a moment before I was able to school my features again. I couldn’t believe it. Was it only a day ago that I was threatening thieves with the same logic? The gods have a sense of humor. “I admire your spirit, but that wasn’t Necromancy.”
“That’s what you think.” Amelia lifted her chin. “Answer my questions or I’ll strike you down.”
I worked hard to hide my smile. You want to strike me down? Get in line. Still, her display did prove one thing. Amelia was desperate to find Veronique. I sat down beside Amelia on her swing. “You can’t go around showing off blasts of blue light like that. You’ll get dragged in by the Fantomes. In fact, I’m amazed they haven’t pulled you in already. I thought anyone with Necromancer power was drained ages ago.”
“I was adopted by the Vicomte, same as Veronique. All of us so-called children have Necromancer power. We use it to build things for him.”
This supported my theory about how the Vicomte planned to take in Necromancer magick with a device. Having machinists with some Necromancer abilities would only help him figure out how to take in power from a totem ring. I leaned forward. “And you used some of your magick to build the clock tower.”
“Precisely.”
“It still doesn’t explain the risks you’re taking right now. I’ve heard stories about the Vicomte and his adopted children. Most of them came to a nasty end.” Like Veronique.
“I’m the only child he actually adopted. His sole heir. And I have magickal wards that protect me from him. Otherwise, he’d have sent me away ages ago.” Her gaze turned pleading. “That’s what happened to Vee, isn’t it? He sent her off.”
The question hung in the air. What happened to Veronique? My Necromancer training was clear on this point. Evade all straightforward answers, even to another Sister. Yet I wasn’t feeling very logical today. My heart wanted to trust Amelia. After seeing Rowan leave again, I desperately needed someone I could rely on in this mission.
I’ll tell her the truth.
“I was once a captive of the Midnight Cloister. Veronique was imprisoned there with me. The Mother Superior at Midnight meant to kill us, yet she didn’t. I escaped. The Vicomte took Veronique away.”
Amelia’s lower lip wobbled. “And what’s he doing with Vee? Are the rumors true? Is he draining her?”
My soul ached for Amelia. She desperately wanted to find her friend. I knew just how that felt. “He’s trying to. But we can get to her first.”
Amelia fiddled with the gears on the cover of her book. When she spoke again, her voice was low. “But you don’t know where he’s keeping her.”
“I was hoping you might know something that could help find her. How well do you know the Vicomte and his court?”
“I’m the Vicomte’s first and only child, in the legal sense, anyway. He’s my Daddy Dearest.” The words “Daddy Dearest” dripped with venom. She leapt off the swing and paced a line on the garden path. “Veronique was my best friend until that heartless snake stole her away. I want her back. You’ve no idea how long I’ve searched with nothing to show for it. I’ll do whatever is necessary.” She paused and turned to me. “What else do you want to know? I’ll tell you anything.”
“How familiar are you with the lands of the Royals? I’ve learned that the Vicomte is hiding Veronique and other Necromancers on the estate of one of his courtiers.”
Amelia’s brows lifted. “Other Necromancers?”
“Of course. Veronique wasn’t the only one taken.”
That calculating look returned to Amelia’s doll-like face. “That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? You care for another Necromancer like I do for Veronique.”
She is a clever one, I’ll give her that.
“Yes.”
“Who is it?”
I sighed. “Why do you want to know? I’ve decided to trust you. Isn’t that enough?”
“No, I want to understand what you get from all this. Most people hate Veronique. The gods know I certainly did when we first met. Why risk yourself to save her?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. This conversation kept digging me in deeper. Now I’d have to reveal everything. Taking in a long breath, I raised my left arm and pulled Necromancer power into my soul. The delicate bones in my left hand shone with sapphire-bright light. I made each bone glow in succession like fireflies. This was a trick only the most advanced Necromancers could manage. “I’m a Grand Mistress Necromancer. All Sisters and Brothers are my concern.”
Amelia’s face turned slack with shock. “I’ve heard of you. You’re the one Daddy Dearest wants to meet. Everyone says you’re in hiding.”
“I don’t want to be found. There’s a difference.” I lowered my palm and stopped the spell. “I wish to free as many of my fellow mages as possible. Some of them are my friends. Others aren’t. One is a child. Above all, I wish to save her. She’s an innocent.”
Amelia nodded slowly. “All right. I understand. You said Veronique was being kept on Royal lands. What kind of estate are you looking for?”
“Someplace large with a great dungeon. It would be a newer mansion, something built or rebuilt within the last five years. Any ideas?”
“Two estates come to mind.”
Excitement sped through my bloodstream. “I need access to look around those places. I can’t seem to get past the front door of any Royal. Can you assist me there?”
She looked me over from head to toe. “I might be able to help.”
Clothilde stepped back up to the edge of the clearing. “Would you like luncheon, Your Ladyship?”
Once more, Amelia made shoo fingers at her servant. “I’
m quite well, and the farm girl hasn’t tried to kill me yet. We’ll go to the cottage when we’re ready to sup.”
I didn’t bother to hide my smile. Amelia had a lot of spirit. I was starting to like her.
Clothilde curtseyed. “As you command.”
Once Clothilde was gone, I returned my attention to Amelia. “How exactly will you help me?”
“I can take you around the estates.”
Disappointment weighed heavily into my bones. “That won’t work. The Vicomte has seen what I look like.”
“As in, how you look now?”
“In a way. I was dressed in Caster leathers when I went after the Tsar. The Vicomte was there.”
Her eyes sparkled with interest. “That sounds like quite the tale.”
“It’s the main reason the Fantomes want me, but it’s a story for another day. In any case, I don’t think the Vicomte could forget me.”
Amelia laughed, and the sound was as lively as a bubbling stream. “You don’t know Daddy Dearest like I do. He doesn’t notice women, and if he did, he’d only have seen you as a Caster and an outlaw. Wait until I get you ready for court. You won’t recognize yourself. And Daddy Dearest will certainly never put two and two together. He’s not interested in people, you see. Only machines.” She twisted a lock of red hair about her finger. “I didn’t catch your name.”
“Elea.” My stomach growled, and I realized I’d been standing outside for longer than I thought. “How about we discuss it over luncheon?”
“I’d like that. Tomorrow, I can show you my laboratory. All of us children have one.”
“You can’t show me now?”
“It’s boarded up and covered in sheets. Clothilde and I will need all morning to open it up. Don’t worry. You’ll see it soon.” Her eyes narrowed. “In the meantime, there are a few taverns in town. Stay at the Autumn Arms. No one will notice you there.”
“Are you certain?”
“Positive. I’d love for you to stay with me, but that would cause gossip. Best for all of us if we keep this quiet.”
I scanned her carefully. “Best for all of us.” Amelia was risking so much for Veronique and me. “Are you certain about helping me? I’m a wanted criminal.”
Concealed Special Edition Page 3
