Archon's Queen (9 page)

drift in a breeze as listless as she was, Annabelle’s hair brushed at her cheeks. Legs dangling through the balcony railing, she stuck her head through and gazed down past her toes at The Ruin, thirteen stories below. London cowered beneath an overcast sky; she couldn’t tell if it was before noon or almost dusk.

“You okay? Ye were all sixes and sevens last night.”

Anna pulled her head out from between the bars and glanced up at Penny, her face a mask of accepted disgrace.

“Had ta cop off with Plonk again when I came to, said the first wasn’t good ‘nuff since I was as good as brown bread. He wouldn’t let me leave till I
paid
him back.”

Penny stooped behind, pulling Anna’s hand over and smirking at the derm. “You ought to quit these, girl. They’re not an Elastoplast for the heart.”

“I can’t.” Tugging her arm back, she hid handcuff marks in the folds of an over-large nightshirt.

The breeze picked up, making her shiver. Penny tugged at her until she got up and went inside, and then closed the sliding door to shut out the gale. Anna flopped on the bed and tried to rub some warmth into her arms.

“Budge up then…” Penny sat as Anna scooted to the side. “I’m just worried about you. You’ve never been the chipper sort, but you’re a bit stroppy as of late.”

Anna pulled the bedclothes over her bare legs, basking in the warmth. The little things giggling at her from under the bureau whispered about her. They gave voice to Anna’s shame at Penny seeing the red lines around her wrists. Knowing the whispers to be a product of the drugs, she tuned them out.

“Your hair’s nice,” mumbled Anna.

“I’ve ‘ad my hair like this since we’ve met. It’s not changed.” Penny sat on the edge of the bed, nudging Anna’s eyes open wider with a thumb. “Oi, you’re wrecked, aren’t ya?”

Anna grinned, stroking her fingers through her friend’s long, ebon locks. “I love this black.”

“You know they ‘ave dye. You could change it.” Penny crossed her arms, feigning jealousy. “I don’t see why you would though, yours is so much prettier. You should let it grow out again. You’re not runnin’ with that Carroll gent anymore.”

“Right.” Anna let her hands fall in her lap. “Long hair just got in the way.” Tears welled up in her eyes as her face warped in preparation of hard sobbing.

Penny threw an arm around her and patted her back. She rubbed Anna’s shoulder for a while until the sadness weakened.

“Hey, it’ll be okay.” Penny squeezed. “Did something else happen wif Plonk? I haven’t seen you like this since I found you in a rubbish bin.”

“Been thinkin’ about my dad.” Anna burst out laughing, wiping her cheeks dry. “I must’ve been a sight, aye. Guess I loved the bastard after all. Maybe I shouldn’t ‘ave killed him.”

“Killed him?” Penny gasped. “Your Da? You said it was an acci―oh… The food ‘sem, did you make it blow up?”

Vacant blue eyes regarded Penny for a full minute as Anna’s brain caught up to what had slipped out of her mouth. Anna was thirteen when they met; ten years was an age in Coventry time, most did not survive that long. She wanted to confess about the thing in her head, but that sort of truth could ruin even the quasi-sisterhood that kept them alive.

“I-I.” She shivered, staring at Penny. “He used to beat the hell out of me. I dunno why ‘lectronics fritz around me. I got bad luck or something.”

Penny, to Anna’s surprise, did not recoil away. “Oh, Pix… You’ve been blaming yourself for an accident all these years?”

Lying to her only true friend hurt as much as murdering her father, even if it had been self-defense. Penny comforted her through another bout of tears.

“No, Pen, I really did it. I wanted the machine to kill him.”

“You were twelve, and you witnessed it. I can’t imagine the kind of nightmares you must’ve had. I don’t believe for an instant it was your fault.” Penny ruffled her hair the way she used to, ten years ago. “You really ought to get off that shit.”

“It’s better if I keep on with it. I can’t afford the hospital and there’s nothing at the chemist’s for this.”

Penny offered a comforting glance, begging her without a word to open up. A scrape of ice ran through her chest from the guilt. More so when Penny jumped at the faltering lights. If there was anyone Anna could trust in the world, it was Penny. She wanted, no
needed,
to tell her the one thing she had kept to herself. Anna looked up, crying again when they made eye contact. It would be safer for Penny not to know about her. If
they
ever came for her again, not knowing would keep Penny alive.

Anna remained silent. After a pat on the back, her friend got up to leave.

“Stay in bed, hon, you still look like death warmed over.”

“Pen.”

Halfway to the door, the older woman turned with a flourish of hair. “Yes?”

Anna grimaced, staring.

“You’re either going to shit the bed with that face or you’re dumping me.”

She buried her face in her hands, laughing and crying at the same time. “I don’t want you to hate me, but I can’t take it anymore.”

Penny rushed over. “It’s that Carroll bloke, you’ve killed for ‘im ‘aven’t you?”

“Yeah, but… not like assassinations or anything, just bastards trying to shoot me.”

“Well…” Penny sat again. “Spawny’s popped a few East Enders, not tha’ big a do.”

Anna clamped her arms around Penny as if she were a five year old waking from a nightmare, whispering, “Pen… I’m psionic. I can’t do it anymore; I can’t keep lying to you.”

The expected stiffening happened. Anna braced for rejection.

“I know, luv.”

“What.” Anna’s head snapped up. “You know?”

“Oh, get off it, girl. You talk in your sleep. All the stuff what breaks around you? I’ve seen the sparks.”

Anna sniveled.
She knows and didn’t leave?
She whimpered through crying, “I’m so sorry I never told you, I thought you’d hate me. My dad was a piss-artist, and in rare form that night. I practically got drunk just from breathin’ the same air. He broke my arm and had me in the kitch against the cabinets. I…”

“Shh.” Penny kissed her on the forehead. “It’s okay, I believe you.”

Penny sat with her, rubbing her back until she faded through the high and got drowsy again. Anna popped awake at the sound of her door opening, unsure of how much time had passed. Penny entered with a mug of spiced chai, followed by a younger girl with blue hair who appeared to be around thirteen. Her face seemed childlike, a sharp contrast to the imitation leather jacket, t-shirt with the image of zombies in tutus, spiked chains, and ganger boots. Her eyes glimmered with a collage of inexperience mixed with a put-on sense of toughness.

From the look of her, Anna figured the girl had been out of a proper home less than a week. The overall effect of her black-and-white striped sleeves gave the feel of a suburban kid trying to act like a street tough. She still had meat on her bones and smelled of fruity shampoo.

Anna took the tea, cradling the warm cup to her chest for a moment and basking in the bouqet of cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and ginger steam before sipping it.

“Who’s that?”

Penny shook her head. “Little miss tough hasn’t said much. Spawny’s taken to callin’ her Twee.”

Anna chuckled. The girl bristled at the term.

After a sip, Anna winked at her. “If you don’t like it, speak up.”

The girl’s blue hair expanded upward, blowing in a breeze that did not exist. The concentric black and white rings on her arms started moving like barber poles and the undead on her shirt went into a mosh dance. Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Anna groaned.

“Cripes, this one’s strong… What’s it been? Six hours and I’m still seeing shit.”

“Faye.” The girl fidgeted.

Lost to uncontrolled giggles, Anna laughed to the point where Penny had to stabilize the tea. The blue-haired girl frowned and blushed.

“Why is that funny?” Penny smiled at the new arrival, trying to make her feel better.

“I’m Pixie… She’s fey.”

“Don’t mind her, luv.” Penny gestured at Anna with both hands. “This is why you shouldn’t do drugs.”

The young girl’s voice carried a surly undertone, some of the venom leeched by unfamiliar surroundings. “This place is a grotty shithole. Um, can I use your shower? Do you even have one?”

Anna stopped giggling as if a switch had been thrown, sitting up with a straight face and taking her tea back. “I suppose. You should run a clean cycle first so you don’t get any Plonk on you.”

Faye whirled with a raised brow. “The eff is Plonk?”

“You don’t want to know.” Penny and Anna spoke at the same time.

“Why is she here?” Anna held the now-empty cup tight in an effort to extract any remaining warmth.

Penny’s gaze followed raindrops down the patio door. “She needs somewhere to stay.”

“I know that.” Anna made a playful batting gesture. “I mean she’s so little… Why does she need to be
here
?”

She doesn’t have a little monster in her head. She can go to the police.

Penny sighed. “Some nonsense with her parents… Isn’t it always?”

It occurred to Anna she was almost the same age when she’d made herself homeless.

Penny’s words stalled from the impact of Anna draping herself over from behind and hugging the wind from her sails.

“You kept me alive.” Anna sobbed. “I never said thank you. I’ve showered three times today, but I can’t wash the dirt off.”

Faye backpedaled, pointing over her shoulder with a thumb. “I’ll just, um, give you two some privacy. Yeah…” She darted into the bathroom and closed the door.

Returning the hug, Penny comforted her friend’s drug-fueled burst of emotion. “I know. Some stains soap can’t get rid of. I’ll always be here for you.”

Anna’s eyebrows shot up when Penny’s breasts whispered soothing things to her.

“I shouldn’t be this up. I must’ve taken another patch when I left.”

“Go on then, hon. Get some sleep.” Penny put a hand on Anna’s forehead. “You still look a mess and you’re a tad overheated. I’ll take ya into town tomorrow.”

Anna relinquished the tepid cup, smiling at Penny as she slid into the warm bed. Listening to the repetitious thrum of the autoshower, she was out before the lights.

Soft sobs nearby cracked Anna’s eyelids. She lay curled on her side and took in the faint glimmer of morning lighting the horizon. It had been many years since she had been awake this early. Something about it seemed unnatural even if she had gone to sleep at four in the afternoon.

Rolling left, she found Faye curled on the other side of the bed in her undergarments. As Anna moved, the crying quieted.

A small whisper broke the silence. “Sorry if I woke you.”

“If you’re gonna pinch my bed, at least use the covers. You’ll freeze.”

The girl crawled under the blankets, smiling through runny eyeliner. “Thanks. Penny said it would be okay. T’other flats on this level are a mess, and Spawny didn’t want a kid watchin’ em shag.” She frowned. “Not that I’d wanna see him anyway, the man’s a hairy mess.”

“I’m surprised the bastard didn’t suggest you join them.”

Faye shot her a dire look. “He’s not one of
those
is he?”

So strong was the fear, Anna’s atrophied telepathy pulled at the child’s surface thoughts―she’d been pawed at by a neighbor. The man’s pasty face leered at her, superimposed over her mind. Anna sat up and put a hand on her face.
Ugh. Zoom’s gone. I’d almost forgotten how to listen to that.

“No, Faye, he’s just a horny idiot that’s been after me for months. I can’t even tell if he’s serious or takin’ the Mick.”

Anna took a deep breath, letting her body adjust to the reality of being awake at seven in the morning. When she touched the shivering girl’s shoulder, the child cringed away, and then offered an ashamed look.

“Sorry…” Anna knew the reaction. “Who was it then? Your father?”

“Nothing happened.” Faye was quiet for a long time before she broke into crying again.

“Figure it must be your dad if you’re out here at your age. Mine died when I was twelve.”

The girl quieted. “Mine’s not dead, he just doesn’t believe me. Sorry ‘bout yours.”

“Don’t be.” Anna patted her shoulder. “He deserved what he got.”