The Spider

by Jennifer Estep

  Finn opened the screen door and used the cloud-shaped rune knocker to rap on the interior door, while I supported Fletcher’s weight. The old man never made a sound, although I could hear how strained and raspy his breathing was, as though one of his lungs had partially collapsed. Each slow, shuddered breath was like a knife in my own heart. Because I’d done this to Fletcher. Oh, I wasn’t the one who’d broken into his house, beaten him, or put a bullet in his shoulder, but my hands were stained with his blood all the same.

  Just like they were stained with Cesar Vaughn’s blood.

  Familiar footsteps sounded, the front door creaked open, and Jo-Jo stuck her head outside. Since it was creeping up on three in the morning, she had been in bed, judging from the pale pink housecoat she wore and the pink sponge curlers that ringed her head like a plastic helmet. Jo-Jo looked from Finn to Fletcher to me, her clear eyes sharpening as the last dregs of sleep left her.

  She opened the door without a word, then turned and headed to the back of the house. Finn put his arm under Fletcher’s shoulder again, and the three of us followed her.

  Instead of the sitting room that one might expect, the back half of the house doubled as a beauty salon. Cherry-red chairs sat in a row close to the back wall, while tubs of makeup, shampoo, conditioner, and other beauty products could be found on a counter that ran along the far left wall. Glossy magazines with smiling models were stacked on the end tables next to each one of the salon chairs and the hair dryers. The air smelled faintly of all the chemicals that Jo-Jo used to curl and dye her customers’ hair, along with the sharp tang of nail polish.

  Finn and I helped Fletcher over to one of the salon chairs, and he groaned as he sank down onto the seat. More footsteps sounded, much heavier than Jo-Jo’s light tread, and Sophia appeared in the doorway, wearing a fuzzy black terry-cloth robe covered with bright pink skulls.

  “What happened?” Jo-Jo asked, moving over to the sink to wash her hands.

  “Sebastian Vaughn played me for a lovesick fool.” I couldn’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. “That’s what happened.”

  Finn had already heard my sob story, but I quickly filled in Jo-Jo, Sophia, and Fletcher on everything that had happened. When I finished, I turned my attention to Sophia.

  “Do you think you can take care of the mess that Finn and I left at his apartment building?” I asked. “We got most of it, but the bodies definitely need to be moved to a more permanent location.”

  Sophia nodded and left the salon without another word. I let out a breath. Well, that was one problem solved. Now to see to Fletcher.

  Jo-Jo pulled a chair over to him, along with a freestanding light, which she clicked on. The dwarf leaned over him, peeled away the towel bandages, and peered at the hole close to his collarbone, the one that blood was still trickling out of.

  “Sorry, darling,” she said. “But the bullet is still in there, and getting it out is going to hurt as much as it did going in.”

  Fletcher nodded. “Best get on with it, then.”

  He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, while Jo-Jo held her hand up. The feel of her Air magic gusted through the salon, making me grimace. Even though it wasn’t directed at me, I could feel tiny, invisible needles stabbing into my skin as Jo-Jo gathered up her power. Like Mab’s Fire, Jo-Jo’s Air power was the opposite of my own Ice and Stone magic, and it simply felt wrong to me. Of course, the irony was that Jo-Jo was using her magic to heal instead of to destroy, as Sebastian had destroyed the mausoleum. But the feel of his magic hadn’t bothered me at all, since he was gifted in the same element that I was. Not even when he’d been trying to kill me with it.

  Jo-Jo’s eyes burned a milky white in her lined face, while the same bright glow coated her palm. She leaned forward and began to move her hand over Fletcher’s body. Back and forth and up and down. Slowly, the bruises on his skin faded from purple to green, then disappeared completely. The cuts and scrapes that dotted his knuckles closed together, then healed.

  Once the minor things were taken care of, Jo-Jo moved on to the bullet still lodged in his shoulder. She reached for more and more of her magic, and the feeling of pins and needles intensified, so much so that I had to dig my fingernails into the spider rune scars in my palms to keep from snarling. But I didn’t say a word. I didn’t want anything to interrupt her concentration. Not when Fletcher was hurting so much.

  Jo-Jo reached forward, and a small piece of metal seemed to float to the surface of Fletcher’s skin and then up into her hand. She held it up between her fingers so that Finn and I could see the bullet. It was a large caliber, and I bit back another curse. The giants hadn’t been fooling around when they’d come after Fletcher. If that bullet had hit his heart, he would have been dead before he dropped to the floor. I wondered what Sebastian had told his men about why he wanted Fletcher and Finn dead. But I supposed it didn’t much matter, since we’d killed all the giants.

  And I was going after Sebastian next.

  Once Jo-Jo got the bullet out, she finished healing Fletcher a few minutes later. He drew in deep breaths, his lungs free of the rasp that had strained them before, but a sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead. He was worn out from everything that had happened. He wasn’t the only one.

  But Fletcher still turned his head to stare at me, his green eyes soft and kind, far kinder than I deserved.

  Jo-Jo stood up and touched Finn’s arm. The two of them left the salon and headed into the kitchen, leaving me alone with Fletcher.

  “I know what you’re thinking, and it wasn’t your fault,” he said. “I knew that there was something wrong with the job from the get-go. I should have found out exactly what it was before I let you go anywhere near Cesar Vaughn—or Sebastian.”

  I shook my head. “There are always doubts about any job. This one just happened to have more than most. Besides, I was the one who pushed and pushed to do the hit. Not only that, I was the one who was sloppy, who let Sebastian see me outside the library in Dawson’s mansion. If not for that, he might have never discovered who we are and what we do. At the very least, he wouldn’t have found out about you and Finn.”

  It sickened me that I’d failed both Finn and Fletcher so completely, that I’d failed to protect them from a dangerous enemy, one I’d happily, carelessly invited into our lives. The whole reason I’d become an assassin was to protect the people I cared about, but I hadn’t lived up to my own promise to myself. Not at all. The only thing that hurt worse than that was knowing that I’d taken Charlotte’s father away from her, the same way my mother and sisters had been taken away from me.

  Fletcher reached out and took my bloody hand in his. “It’s not your fault, Gin,” he repeated. “Don’t you think for one second that it is. I know the risks as well as you do. Better than you do, because I’ve lived with them longer. Besides, I’m the one who dragged you into this life in the first place.”

  I nodded, although I knew that I’d never forgive myself for the hurt I’d caused him tonight or especially the hurt I’d caused Charlotte, for the rest of her life.

  Charlotte. My stomach churned. I hoped that she was okay. I hoped that she had stayed in her room like I’d asked her to.

  I hoped that Sebastian wouldn’t take his anger at me out on her.

  Fletcher cleared his throat, getting my attention. “And now I have to tell you something, Gin. My contact called me earlier tonight, right before the giants attacked. He confirmed a few things for me about the job.”

  That must have been why his phone was busy when Finn had tried to call him.

  “Like what?”

  “Like the fact that Sebastian was the one who paid for it.”

  I thought of all the sad, knowing looks he’d given me over the past few days, especially the one right before I’d left the house tonight to go to the Vaughn estate.

  “Did you know that Sebastian was behind all of this?” I whispered.

  He hesitated. “I suspected.”

  “When?”


  He cleared his throat again. “The day Sebastian picked you up at the Pork Pit for your first date. He seemed so . . . smug, like he’d just gotten everything he’d ever wanted. It didn’t sit right with me, so I started investigating him.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” I couldn’t keep the hurt and accusation out of my voice.

  “Would you have listened?” Fletcher kept his green gaze steady on mine.

  “I . . .”

  I wanted to say, Of course I would have, but that was a lie. Because I’d spent the last two weeks pointedly, repeatedly not listening to Fletcher—and Cesar Vaughn had paid the price for it.

  “No,” I admitted. “I wouldn’t have listened. I would have thought that you were being paranoid.”

  “I was hoping that I was wrong . . .” Fletcher’s voice trailed off for a moment. “But I was going to talk to you tonight about everything. When you got home.”

  So he’d been going to let me have one more night of my fantasy romance with Sebastian before he told me the truth. A small kindness and far more generous than I had been to him lately.

  Fletcher kept staring at me, expecting me to say something.

  “I understand.”

  “I hope . . . I hope that you don’t blame me for this.” His voice cracked on the last few words, making my own guilt rise to the surface again.

  I reached over and gave his fingers a gentle squeeze. “Never.”

  Even though I tried to make myself sound strong and confident, my voice still felt hollow and empty, just like my heart. But I didn’t blame Fletcher.

  I blamed myself for everything—and I always would.

  29

  After Fletcher and I had said our piece to each other, I went into the kitchen and got the others.

  Finn helped Fletcher to his feet, and then the two of them headed upstairs so Fletcher could take a shower and get cleaned up before crashing in one of Jo-Jo’s guest beds. I waited until I heard the water start running in one of the upstairs bathrooms, then settled myself in the chair that Fletcher had vacated.

  “Think you have enough magic left to use on me?” I asked in a low voice.

  Jo-Jo smiled. “Of course, darling. You know that you never have to ask me that. I’m always happy to take care of you.”

  But I felt like I did have to ask, especially tonight, when all of this was my fault.

  Jo-Jo sat back down in her own chair, raised her hand, and reached for her magic.

  Pins and needles swept over my entire body, stabbing into my skin and then the muscles and blood vessels underneath, as Jo-Jo grabbed hold of all the oxygen in the air, circulated all those tiny molecules through my body, and used them to put everything back where it was supposed to be. I dug my fingers into the padded arms of the chair to hold myself as still as possible, although I couldn’t help but squirm in my seat every once in a while, like a kid trying to wiggle away to keep from having her dirty face wiped clean.

  Finally, Jo-Jo released her hold on her magic. The milky-white glow vanished from her eyes, and she lowered her hand to her side. The last of the pinpricks disappeared. I let out a tired sigh. I hadn’t been shot, not like Fletcher had, but the long night had still worn me out. Jo-Jo patted my shoulder and moved around the salon, washing her hands again and straightening up.

  I left her to her work and headed up the stairs to take a shower and get cleaned up. I was walking down the upstairs hallway toward one of the bathrooms when Finn stepped out of a guest bedroom and closed the door behind him.

  “Fletcher asleep already?” I asked.

  Finn nodded. I wasn’t surprised. Most folks slept for several hours straight after being healed by an Air elemental. That’s how long it took your mind to catch up with your body and realize that you were not, in fact, dying anymore. I’d probably do the exact same thing once I got settled for the night. The only thing that was keeping me from collapsing right now was the desire not to dirty up one of Jo-Jo’s guest beds with all the filth that covered me.

  Finn leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest and putting one ankle on top of the other. “So,” he said, “when are you going after Sebastian? Not tonight, I hope.”

  The idea had crossed my mind, and if I thought there was any chance that I could have killed him, I would have already been in Finn’s car and headed over to the mansion. But that would have been reckless and impatient. So I would let Sebastian savor his victory—for now.

  I shook my head. “No. I’m exhausted. I’m in no shape to go after him tonight. Besides, I want to be careful and cautious about things this time, like I should have been all along.”

  Finn nodded. “Good. But what do you think Sebastian will think when his men don’t come home tonight?”

  I shrugged. “He’ll probably assume that you and Fletcher killed them, not that I’m still alive.”

  “Either way, he’ll be waiting for someone to retaliate.”

  “I know.”

  Finn looked at me. “Just promise me one thing: that you and Dad will sit down and plan how to take him out, okay? Me too, if you like. Promise me that you won’t go after Sebastian by yourself.”

  “Of course,” I said, lying through my teeth.

  Finn had been targeted, and Fletcher had been beaten and shot, all because of me. I wasn’t risking them again, not even to help me get Sebastian. Besides, I was the one he’d made such a fool of, I was the one he’d played, I was the one who’d believed his sweet lies. I had to take care of that—of him—myself, or I’d never be as strong as I wanted to be. I’d never be what Fletcher intended me to be.

  I’d never truly be the Spider.

  Finn’s eyes narrowed in suspicion at my easy agreement, but I kept my face blank. Finally, he nodded, satisfied by my false promise.

  “All right,” he said. “Since Dad’s asleep, I’m going to head back to my apartment. I need to do some serious damage control with Roslyn.”

  “Tell her that Gin says hi,” I said, teasing him a little bit.

  He winced. “If she’s even still there.”

  I thought of the way Roslyn hadn’t batted an eye when I’d shown up covered in blood. Most folks would have freaked out but not her. She’d been completely, utterly cool. Still, I’d seen the sharp interest in her gaze as she’d wondered what Finn and I were really up to.

  “She probably is. If nothing else, because she’s curious.”

  He nodded, then flashed me a grin. “Even if she’s not, I can always call her and try to smooth things over. I got her to give me her number even before we left the party.”

  I had to laugh at his utter confidence in his smarmy seduction skills. “Well, if anyone can make a woman forget all about a lot of blood and some big, fat, whopping lies, it’s Finnegan Lane, baby.”

  His chest puffed up with pride. “Damn straight.”

  But his merriment quickly fled, and his handsome face turned serious again. “I haven’t said this yet, but I’m glad you’re okay, Gin. I know that we haven’t exactly been the best of friends lately, but I don’t know what Dad and I would do without you.”

  I leaned over and lightly punched him in the shoulder. “You’re just saying that because you want to get your greedy, grubby hands on more of our money. Without me hanging around, you’d be out of a middleman job and all the sweet, sweet cash that comes along with it.”

  “True,” Finn agreed in a happy voice. “But I’d miss you more than the money, Gin. I hope you know that, that you really know that, deep down, where it matters.”

  Hot tears stung my eyes, and my throat closed up with emotion. All I could do was nod. Finn slung his arm around my shoulders and hugged me to his chest. We stood like that for one precious moment. Then we both drew back, not quite looking at each other.

  “Duty calls,” he quipped. “And so does Roslyn.”

  “Go get her, tiger.”

  Finn gave me a saucy wink before striding down the hallway and out of sight. I watched him go, so proud of him, s
o grateful for him.

  My brother—and my friend now too.

  • • •

  I shuffled into one of the guest bathrooms, stripped off my ruined dress, and took a long, hot shower to wash away all the blood, grime, and gore of the night.

  Too bad I couldn’t slough off Sebastian’s betrayal as easily as I scrubbed the blood off my hands.

  I got out of the shower, dried off, and slipped into an old T-shirt and a pair of pajama shorts that were among the stash of clothes I kept at Jo-Jo’s. Then I got comfortable in one of the spare beds. Despite the long, hard night, my mind kept racing as I lay in the dark and went back over every single moment I’d ever spent with Sebastian. Every word he’d said to me, every smile he’d given me, every lie he’d told me.

  I didn’t think I’d get much sleep, but I must have been more exhausted than I’d realized, because I quickly fell into the land of dreams, of memories . . .

  Even in sleep, though, my mind kept going, churning from one horrible moment of my life to the next. My mother and Annabella disappearing into balls of elemental Fire. The stones of our mansion crashing down all around me. Climbing through the piles of rubble that remained behind, searching for Bria. Finally realizing that she was dead because of me and my magic. My confused, aimless wanderings through the woods that surrounded our house. The moment when I finally stumbled onto a road—a road that would eventually lead me to the Pork Pit and Fletcher, even if I didn’t know it yet . . .

  My eyes snapped open. For a moment, I couldn’t quite remember where I was, but the soft summer sunlight slanting in through the window illuminated the cloud-covered fresco on the ceiling. The splashes of blue and white soothed me, and I realized that I was safe at Jo-Jo’s.

  I let out a breath and put my hands over my face, as though I could dig my fingers into my skull and pull out all of the memories that haunted me. This was the second time in the last few weeks that I’d flashed back to my past in my dreams. I hoped I wouldn’t make a habit out of reliving my life every time I went to sleep. That would be rather tragic—and tiring.