Lockhart's Legacy (Vespari Lockhart Book 1) (34 page)

The Gentleman was dead, and her family avenged. Her vespari master was gone, and she could only blame herself, but even his quest had been satisfied. The beldams and the imposter soul eater would never hurt anyone again. What else was there for her? That’s when Wynonna remembered what Lockhart had told her. He’d left her a message in his journal.

Pulling the book from her pocket and opening it, she flipped through its pages in search of his final message. Near the tail end, she found it, dated immediately after she’d made her decision to pursue the Gentleman despite the danger it would put Lockhart in. Though he hadn’t known of her deception then, he still knew he might not survive. The final words he imparted on her gave her one clear path, and so Wynonna got to her feet and started to move.

***

The road was hard, but she encountered nothing like she had when Lockhart had been at her side. This was fine by her, as all she had to defend herself with was the knife he’d left her with. His silver and pearl revolver hung from the belt around her waist, but she had no bullets to load it with, runed or otherwise. Luckily, the knife was enough for her to hunt food with, and she made do until she reached her destination.

From the Howling Gorge, Wynonna traveled east. She’d never been that far north, nor that far east, but Lockhart’s instructions had been clear enough for her to follow. The town of Covelo. It was one of the few towns in the desert that connected via railway to any of the coastal cities. That meant that Covelo could take her to Alexandria, Lockhart’s home. Anything headed into or out of the desert on the eastern side traveled through Covelo.

Having never been there, Wynonna didn’t know how the train operated - if she could get a ride, or how much it would cost. None of that mattered though. Lockhart had given her a path, and she’d see it done.

Wynonna found her way to the train station and walked up to a small building labeled ‘Train Tickets.’ The man behind the counter counted silver coins in a tray, not looking at her when she approached.

“I’m looking for a ticket to Alexandria,” she told him.

Without looking up, he replied. “Well, you came to the right place. It’s five silver coins for a ticket.”

Wynonna took all the silver from her pocket, including the slivers she’d taken from Lockhart and laid them on the counter. She picked up the bloody silver round that contained Petronila and shoved it back in her pocket.

“This is all I have,” Wynonna told him.

The ticket master looked it all over and went back to counting his own coins. “Well, you don’t have enough. We only take coins. No rounds and certainly no slivers.”

“Maybe we can work out a deal then?” Wynonna asked, pulling the silver back toward her.

“A deal?” the man asked, finally looking up at her. “And just what might you be able to offer me?”

“I’m a vespari.”

“Vespari?” He looked her up and down. “I thought only men could be vespari.”

Wynonna just repeated herself. “I’m a vespari.”

“Well, vespari. We might be able to work something out. You got a proper name or am I just supposed to call you vespari?”

“Lockhart. My name is Wynonna Lockhart.”