Chaos Broken (15 page)

The gate opened on well-greased hinges and Crowhurst and I hurried through, the guard still groaning on the ground behind us.

Crowhurst massaged his fist. ‘This has got to be one of the stupidest ideas you've ever had, Lora. We're going to get arrested for trespassing if we're lucky. If we're unlucky, we'll be killed by a hoard of Reapers.'

‘I doubt that.' I pinched Sucker Punch Special from my work-belt. ‘The dog patrols will be back any second, so I'm sure we'd get eaten alive first.'

We hurried towards the house, boots crunching on the white rocks. The patrols soon came into view and began shouting at us, the charge led by barking dogs.

‘What now?' Crowhurst demanded as the dogs were let loose. They barrelled towards us, frothing and snarling.

I hoped all those new spells I'd been practising with Orella over the last year would finally come in handy. I'd been learning because I was sick and tired of getting my butt kicked all the time. Kalin and his gang might have gotten the drop on me at Pendergrast, but for this fight I was ready with my best knock-'em-out spell.

The mixture sprayed from my fingers, sparking bright orange flares as the spell shot forward. The power slammed into the dogs and they dropped with muffled yelps, twitching on the ground with dazed eyes.

Crowhurst raced for the door, pulling me with him. Glancing back, I saw some guards had been hit by a residue of the spell and lay writhing on the ground behind their dogs, caught in the agonising incapacity hex. More guards emerged from the side of the house, racing to head us off. Crowhurst stopped and I slammed into him; we were surrounded. I cast with another handful of Sucker Punch, repeating the spell and making a sweeping motion with my hand. The power followed the arc and points of light smashed into one guard, after another, knocking them back. Popping another pocket on my work-belt, I snatched up some more of my specialty mixture.

‘The roof!' Crowhurst shouted. I knew the kind of weapon a guard would have from an elevated position and flung the mixture upwards. A word from my lips solidified the air around us a second before a bolt shot hit the hardened spell and bounced to the ground, followed by six others.

‘Anon's balls, Lora.' Crowhurst stared at me. ‘Where did you learn that?'

I had no time to answer before more guards were racing towards us, running past their co-workers who still lay moaning on the ground. A headache pulled at my temples, a sign I'd reached my limit. I grabbed Crowhurst's arm.

‘Run.'

‘Don't need to tell me twice.' Crowhurst sprinted ahead of me, heels kicking up stones. We reached the house, Crowhurst taking the stairs two at a time, before slamming a fist against the closed front door. I was still struggling up the staircase when the front doors opened. The muzzle of a flintlock poked out and Crowhurst raised his hands.

‘We're seeking an audience with Seth Hallow.' He inched around, forcing the person inside to open the door wider. A grim-faced Reaper stepped out, pistol aimed between Crowhurst's eyes. Seth appeared in the doorway, face furious. He touched the Reaper's shoulder.

‘It's fine,' he said. The guard grunted and stepped aside. I'd reached Crowhurst now and my lungs burned as much as my bad leg. Leaning on my cane, I gasped for breath as Seth began yelling at Crowhurst, and I tried to ignore the painful throbbing in the middle of my forehead.

‘Don't get mad at him,' I puffed. ‘This was my idea.'

Seth's angry gaze swung to me. ‘Of course it was your idea. I didn't think for a second it wasn't. But he should have talked you out of trying to storm a house that's crawling with killers. Most of the men wouldn't blink before slitting both your throats.'

‘I need to talk to you.' I straightened and winced as a sharp stitch pulled in my side and my legs trembled from the intense exercise. Seth's mouth worked a few times, as if he was too amazed at the stupidity of what we'd just done to form any words.

‘This is important,' I told him. ‘And it can't wait. I sent you a message.'

‘I didn't get it.' A muscle in Seth's jaw jumped, then he motioned for us to follow him. ‘Get inside, before I change my mind.'

Crowhurst followed close on my heels as we tailed Seth into the foyer, the man with the flintlock watching us closely. The room was large and a spiral staircase circled around to an upper floor. The walls were lined with expensive wallpaper and gilded chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

Passing under the staircase, we moved into a receiving room with lounge chairs and a deep mahogany desk near a window that overlooked a beautifully landscaped courtyard.

Crowhurst collapsed in one of the comfortable-looking chairs and scrubbed a hand over his face.

Seth glared at me. ‘Talk.'

Suddenly, words failed me. My eyes trailed over the room, fixing anywhere but on Seth.

‘Lora.' Seth said my name like a warning.

‘I've got trouble with a kid,' I forced myself to say. ‘He did something terrible.'

‘Since when do you come to me for help?'

Taking a deep breath, I was about to explain just who this kid was, when a woman entered the room. Her eyes ran over Crowhurst before resting on me, and a frown rippled her forehead. It took me a moment to realise why she seemed familiar. The last time I'd seen her she'd been wearing a skimpy black leather outfit at Gorath's club, and had been hanging off Seth.

‘This isn't a good time, Dana,' Seth told her. ‘I need ten minutes.'

The woman ignored Seth and gestured to me. ‘Why is she here?'

Seth sighed. ‘Dana, you remember Lora Blackgoat.'

‘How lovely to meet you again,' Dana purred, draping an arm over Seth's shoulders.

I'd never thought I had much smarts when it came to body language, but Dana's was pretty clear. Seth was hers. In a microsecond, I was angry at the notion she was trying to warn me off someone I had a history with. But then I took a breath and the emotion faded to nothing. I had bigger issues. Limping over to Crowhurst, I sat down beside him, massaging my aching bad leg.

‘Relax,' I told her. ‘I'm not here to steal your man. He's all yours.'

Dana looked surprised, like she'd been expecting a different response, or at least a bit of venom. I supposed that after the way I'd behaved at our last meeting, there was no reason for her to think any different. I fixed her with a straight look and tried to sound as honest as I could muster.

‘I apologise if I was a bitch last time we met. It was inappropriate.'

The room was silent as everyone stared at me.

Crowhurst leant towards me. ‘Are you feeling alright?'

‘Never felt better,' I said, trying to ignore the killer headache from my earlier casting. Trying for nonchalance, I laced my hands behind my head. ‘And I meant what I said.'

‘Fascinating.' Seth whispered something into Dana's ear. She flushed and her face turned smug.

‘I accept your apology,' she told me.

Seth hesitated, then said, ‘Dana, please, if I could have a moment alone with Lora?'

Dana brushed her lips over his, then stalked out, hips swaying. When the door closed behind her, Seth heaved what sounded like a relieved sigh.

‘She seems…' I groped for a word that didn't sound insincere. ‘Suitable.'

‘Dana's one of the city's best pick-pockets.'

For a moment all the barriers that had risen up between us crumbled away. I relished that single moment, because I knew if I started looking at it too closely, I'd see it had the shakiest of foundations.

‘You were talking about a kid who was bothering you?' Seth frowned, as if he was trying to remember. He didn't fool me though. He didn't forget anything.

‘That's right,' I said. ‘He killed a client of mine, before trying to kill me.'

Seth sat in a chair opposite and nodded like he got it. Someone tried to kill good old Lora Blackgoat. Must be Tuesday.

‘This kid, his name is Kalin, he's from the Applecross Orphanage.' I plucked the photo of Seth from my belt and held it up. ‘He's your son, isn't he?'

Seth's expression froze. He hesitated, then took the photo and studied it. ‘Reuben, will you please excuse us?'

‘Gladly. I'll meet you outside.' Crowhurst hurried to the door, shooting me a warning look before pulling it closed.

Seth turned to face me, expression blank. ‘Where is he?'

‘No one knows. I thought you might.'

‘I don't.'

‘But he is your son?'

Seth's face darkened. ‘Yes. It wasn't something I wanted.'

‘Hardly his fault.'

Seth made an impatient motion. ‘What did he do, exactly?'

‘Murdered an innocent civilian. A client of Blackgoat.'

‘Why?'

‘I don't know the reason, but he tried to kill another innocent as well. Another kid. Someone I knew, and he used her to draw me out.' I stood with a little difficulty. My leg had stiffened and I stretched it out. ‘Why did you never tell me you had a son?'

‘He was an error of judgement,' Seth said in the coldest of voices. He handed me back the photo.

‘That's pretty harsh.'

He waved my comment away. ‘A woman tried to trap me into marriage. She died in childbirth and I put the boy in a place that would care for him sufficiently.'

‘How was that better than him being with his father? You abandoned him.'

Seth gave a bitter laugh. ‘That's rich, coming from you. Aren't I some sort of evil villain in your eyes? You know some of the things I've done. And didn't you once accuse me of poisoning your precious nephilim lover?'

I braced my knees. The easy moment between us now was well and truly gone. ‘Fine. I was probably wrong about that. But to be fair, you never really denied it.'

‘How could I? You'd made your mind up about the matter – without proof, I might add.' His face twisted. ‘And now, you come here to ask my help, with
this
, after that mad show outside?'

‘You're mistaken, Seth.' I limped for the door with slow, uneven steps. ‘This isn't me asking for your assistance. I came here as a sign of respect, to warn you about your son. He knows who you are and he has an interest in you. This is a message I'm delivering, between two equals.'

Seth laughed, but I was pretty sure it wasn't from seeing the humour in the situation. ‘I command an army of assassins and control Harken's underworld. You look after a stable of second-rate Runners. And you think we're
equals
?'

‘Like I said, I came here to warn you. I'm looking for your son, and when I find him, he's going to have justice served to him.' I threw Seth a smile I knew he'd find infuriating. ‘And the
show
, as you put it? That's my message, from me to you.'

‘What message?'

‘Not to fuck with me,' I said, then stepped out of the room and closed the door behind me.

Crowhurst didn't say anything as we left. Nor did he talk when we got back in his car. We made a pit-stop by some food stalls for a quick lunch. Sitting on the hood of his car, we munched on bread folded around meat and spiced relish. Wagons creaked past and street urchins crowded around the boot of the car, kicking the wheels and giggling when Crowhurst yelled at them to get lost.

‘That was a really dangerous play you pulled back there,' he finally said, talking through a mouthful. ‘You just can't take risks like that anymore. At least, not unless there's a payday somewhere down the line.'

‘Sorry I got you involved with it,' I said.

‘Sure you are,' Crowhurst said. ‘And I'm sure there's a way to make it up to me.'

‘And how would I go about that?'

‘Hazard pay, boss.'

I rolled my eyes. ‘You're a Runner, Crowhurt. Your entire job is a hazard.'

He grunted and leaned forward to wipe his hands on my pants. I recoiled, slapping his hand away and nearly dropping my food.

‘What the actual fuck, Reuben.'

‘Sorry baby, I'm wearing real leather. Grease stains are a bitch to get out.'

I shoved his shoulder. ‘Jerk.'

Crowhurst's grin disappeared. ‘You know Gideon is retiring soon, if the sly goat hasn't already sidestepped into it. Which makes you the real boss. And the boss needs a good right-hand man.'

I licked my fingers, thinking hard. What Crowhurst was saying sent a tremor of worry through me. The only thing that made running Blackgoat bearable was that it was a temporary measure. Squashing the sensation down, I reminded myself that the old goat and Orella were coming back soon. Then we could all have a sit-down and talk rationally about things. If I had to warm to the idea of taking over Blackgoat, I wanted a gradual shift, a more gentle slide into the leadership position. With plenty of back-up and maybe a healthy retirement plan. As far as I was concerned, when Gideon got back I was taking a nice long vacation. Or at least crawling under my bed for several weeks.

We arrived at the theatre with the city clock ringing an hour past noon. Crowhurst parked behind another clockwork car, a massive machine with tinted windows. He gave a low whistle as he got out to admire it up close.

‘What a sweet ride.'

‘You like it?'

We both turned to see Gorath standing under the scaffolding at the front of the theatre. With Roman warning me about all the civil unrest and Manika's business interests in the theatre company, it shouldn't have surprised me to see him, but it did. His face was laid bare in the sun and I saw the scarring high on his neck that twisted up behind his right ear. A pair of round sunglasses hid his nephilim eyes, and he wore a grey coat with the collar up against the cool air. A cigarette dangled loose in one hand.

We approached but I stopped when I spied slogans that had been painted across the front of the theatre. Someone had started washing them off, but hadn't gotten very far. Gorath noticed my expression.