“Recovering.” Styrr smiled. “He is in a healing sleep. I will stay here with him and guard Katherine.”
“Where is she?”
“She has gone to her mate. He was vexed that she wanted to travel. They argued, but she is now acquiescing to his logic.”
“They argued here?”
“No,” Styrr said. “In another room. My hearing is more acute than yours. I would hear if she were in danger. I can guard her and this one”—he gestured to Francis—“without being in the room where she is.”
Jack nodded, as if the idea of hearing whatever Katherine was doing in another room wasn’t unsettling. He considering telling Styrr not to mention his “acute hearing” to her, but bloedzuigers didn’t lie outright, so Katherine would find out sooner or later. “Right,” Jack said. “I’m going to head out then. If she returns . . .”
“I’ll tell her you’ve gone.”
Once the small party of Arrivals had reached the privacy of the desert, Jack told Melody and Hector, “It looks like Soanes is working with Ajani, the brethren, or both.”
“Why?” Hector asked.
Melody sighed and ran a hand over the short-barreled shotgun she carried like an infant in arms. “We’ll ask him.”
Jack almost felt bad for the governor, but then he thought of Mary, who was dead, and Francis, who was blind. If the governor had been working with the monks or Ajani, he’d need to answer for that—and Jack wouldn’t be feeling too much guilt over unleashing Melody to get those answers. He tried to live a righteous life, but doing the right thing sometimes included a few ugly moments.
It was hard to tell whether it was because of Melody’s enthusiasm for the potential violence ahead, the lingering Verrot in their systems, or Jack’s own eagerness to understand what was going on, but they traveled to Covenant at a remarkable speed. By the time they’d reached the governor’s offices, Jack’s temper was no more in control than it had been when he’d stood in the desert with Katherine and Garuda.
Although Jack had been there a few days prior, he didn’t recognize the man who waited inside the reception area. On some level, Jack wondered if he was more comfortable with bloedzuigers than with humans, but it wasn’t all humans that he found unnerving. Ajani and Governor Soanes were on the list of those he found unsettling; Garuda was on a very short list of beings he trusted.
The man, a person of both miner and human heritage by the looks of him, scurried over to Jack and held out his hands. “Mr. Reed.”
For a moment, Jack looked at him in confusion. He didn’t remember any custom that involved shaking both hands, nor did he have a coat or hat to hand the man. He didn’t extend his hands, and the man, who seemed to be some kind of assistant of the governor, stood there at a loss for a moment.
After an awkward pause, the man said, “This is not a good time.”
Jack weighed his words for a moment. “It’ll have to be.”
“I’m sorry, but the governor is indisposed.” The assistant moved to stand between them and the door to the governor’s office. In his hand, he clutched a key ring with oversize brass keys. “You can’t go in.”
“That’s not a very wise plan,” Melody murmured in a voice that Jack knew meant that she was moving into whatever less stable place she went to mentally when the prospect of violence was upon them. Hector, usually the only voice of reason she would hear once she was in her zone, didn’t speak to caution her. He simply withdrew one of his knives and smiled. Every member of the team had strengths, but when it came to coercion, Hector and Melody were well matched. Hector’s silent intimidation complemented Melody’s obvious madness.
A loud crash sounded inside the office, and Jack stepped forward. “Open it.”
The assistant shook his head. “It would be more unwise to open that door, Mr. Reed. I won’t do it.”
Hector and Melody came to stand behind Jack, one on either side of him. “I like bad ideas,” Melody murmured gleefully. She lifted the short-barreled shotgun. “Can I open it?”
Hector said nothing.
“I’m not necessarily here to kill him,” Jack reminded her.
Melody sighed, and the gun barrel dipped. Then she lifted it and aimed at the assistant. “What about him?”
Jack met the assistant’s gaze. “Depends on whether he’s going to try to stop us.”
“I warned you,” the man said, but instead of trying to stop them, he handed Jack the key ring and walked past the Arrivals without another word.
“That didn’t sound promising,” Hector took the keys from Jack’s hand and walked to the door. He slid the key into the lock and turned it. In his other hand, he held a knife at the ready. “Muzzles up, kiddies, he said as he yanked the door open. He stepped to the side as he did so, giving Jack and Melody a clear shot into the room.
Jack stopped short at the sight that greeted them, trying to make sense of the contents of the room. It looked like the governor had redecorated. The walls were partially coated in what looked like fresh red paint; after the split second of shock, Jack’s mind filled in the correct interpretation. Not paint, but blood. A monk stood beside the governor’s chair, which had been turned so that its back was to the door. In the chair, the remains of Governor Soanes slumped to the side.
As Jack’s mind finally allowed him to process the sight and scent of the room, he realized that the governor was long dead. Viscera hung all around the room like some sort of macabre party decoration, and the unpleasant scent of violent death permeated the air. Whether or not the governor had been working for the enemy—and if so, why—wasn’t something that he would be able to answer.
“Demon-filled,” Hector said, not taking his gaze off the possessed monk.
“He ate the governor,” Melody added in what Jack could only describe as a petulant voice. “Damn it! I had plans.”
She emptied both barrels. The blast went through his chair and through the governor’s body, but the demon-possessed monk simply stared at them. Melody’s shots didn’t hurt the demon inside, and monks never reclaimed their bodies once they allowed possession. Demons wore the bodies until they were bored or the bodies were too broken—unless the bodies were anchored. Then the demons could be injured or killed.
Jack withdrew the pistol on his right. The rounds in it were filled with salt and small bits of brass. They weren’t as effective as spellwork, but they could anchor the demon to the body.
“Open fire,” Jack said levelly.
Hector had switched to a handful of throwing knives with brass bands that he’d had made for such occasions, and Melody packed her own shells with “a little bit of this and that” so she could use her preferred gun against most of the Wasteland monsters.
As Melody fired, Hector released two knives in quick succession.
The demon-possessed monk moved more like the thing inside of it than like a human, darting serpent-quick and leaping agilely to avoid their attack. It seemed more interested in evading them than in attacking, which wasn’t all too surprising. It had a body and had obviously already completed the job of silencing the governor. Once it was free of them, it could go enjoy having a physical form.
Melody drew a pistol from her hip and emptied all six rounds.
Hector launched several more knives.
The creature shrieked twice as both knives and bullets hit it, but with so much blood covering it, there was no clear indication of where it had been hit. If they could anchor the demon to the body with brass, they could permanently kill the demon. If not, they could hopefully at least destroy the monk’s body.
As they all tried to anticipate which way things would go, the monk evaded most of their shots. The sight of the bleeding monk darting around and contorting his body into improbable positions to avoid their bullets and knifes was odd. So far they were successfully stopping it from escaping, but that only lasted a few moments. The creature knocked Melody onto her back, leaving a bloody handprint on her chest, and fled.
Hector rushed after
it.
Jack reached a hand down to Melody, who scrambled to her feet as quickly as she could and raced after the monk too. As they burst out of the building, Jack saw Hector rounding a corner.
“Melody!” Jack pointed.
The three Arrivals followed the creature and saw it scurry up the side of a building, leaving dark handprints as it went. Hector grabbed a window ledge and continued pursuit. Still on the ground, Melody broke the barrel and reloaded. Jack scanned the rooftops.
After several moments Hector dropped back to the ground, and Melody lowered the gun.
“It’s gone,” Jack said. Free-ranging demons were fast enough to be a mile away by now, and a strong enough monastic host and a possession-experienced demon wouldn’t be much slower.
“Well, that was unexpected,” Hector said.
“Fucking demons,” Melody grumbled.
Chapter 33
Chloe had spent a quiet evening talking to Daniel. Kitty hadn’t appeared, so late that night, Daniel had sent another courier to the Gulch House. Chloe hadn’t really expected Jack to come after her, but she’d sort of hoped he would. It was foolishness: she wasn’t sure what she’d say if he did, but she still wanted him to. She wanted some sort of explanation that would return them to that moment before he’d called her his dead lover’s name. Admittedly, Chloe also felt like she was coping somewhat better than the last time she’d had an awkward separation—at least she hadn’t crawled into a bottle like she did when she’d caught Andrew screwing her boss.
“I’m sure they’re just busy,” Daniel said consolingly as he led Chloe into a sitting room. “Kitty isn’t the most considerate of women.” He gave her a sad grin. “She’s wonderful, of course, but not always thoughtful or particularly refined in her social graces.”
“You know her well, then.”
“We’ve known each other for a long time.” He motioned to a servant, who brought in a tea tray and set it on the table. Once the servant left, Daniel continued, “I consider her one of the finest people in the Wasteland, but that doesn’t mean I forget that she has faults. Her temper is horrible, and she is quick to the trigger.”
“Not a bad thing around here, from what I saw today.” Chloe poured herself a cup of tea. “The desert and the town both seem to be filled with trouble.”
“True.” Daniel looked at his empty cup, grinned, and poured some tea for himself. “Times have changed in your world, I see.”
“Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “My social graces aren’t very refined either, are they?”
“And your temper?”
Chloe gave Daniel an innocent expression and sipped her tea. He laughed, and she shifted the conversation to mundane topics, happily telling him about the world she’d left behind. The next hour was peaceful and comforting. Then the courier returned.
Daniel accepted the message, read it, and handed it to her, saying, “Kitty and Jack had to tend to business. They’ll be back in Gallows in a few days.”
Chloe read the message, which said little more than that. It mentioned that Melody and Hector were still in Gallows, but they would be headed out to their camp in the morning.
“Do you want to stay here tonight? I’m sure my host won’t mind,” Daniel offered. “It’s more comfortable than the inn.”
“I don’t know,” she hedged. “I think my room there was paid up.”
“If they didn’t leave funds for you, I can help. You are Kitty’s friend, so it’s not as if I couldn’t find you.” His voice was teasing as he offered her money, but she still felt her lack of independence keenly. She had no money, nowhere to live, and no job. If the Arrivals chose to cast her out, the only other person she could turn to was Daniel.
“Chloe?” Daniel prompted.
“I’ve only just arrived here, and it all feels pretty overwhelming,” she admitted, feeling strangely dismissed by the Arrivals. On the other hand, going to the camp without either Jack or Kitty wasn’t appealing. “If you’re sure your friend won’t mind, I’ll take you up on the offer. I should probably head back in the morning.”
“Or wait here until they’re back,” Daniel countered. “I can escort you to the camp then.” When she opened her mouth to object, he held up a hand and added, “You can think about it tomorrow. Honestly, Chloe, you’re very welcome here.”
She gave him a suspicious look, but she didn’t have any reason to distrust him. “When did you see Kitty last?”
“She and Jack were over in Covenant after Mary died,” Daniel answered. “Right before you arrived, I expect.” He returned his teacup to its saucer and glanced at the doorway, where the same servant who had brought them their tea was now standing.
“Dinner is served.”
“Let’s get you some decent food, Chloe.” Daniel gestured for her to follow the servant to the dining room. “Everything will be clearer after a good meal and some good sleep.”
Chloe wasn’t sure that clarity would be so easily found, but she didn’t have a better plan for her evening.
Over breakfast the next morning, Daniel suggested that she might enjoy his host’s library while he went out to take care of an errand. It wasn’t a very welcoming room, seeming more out of place than any other room she’d seen in the Wasteland, but it was filled with books and scrolls detailing history, creatures, and geography. The sheer extent of information made it easy to overlook how uncomfortable the chairs were and how stiff the decor seemed.
That’s where she was later that afternoon when Ajani opened the door to the room.
“I trust you slept well, Chloe,” he said by way of greeting, closing the door behind him.
She stared at him. Details clicked into place in less than pleasing ways. Daniel’s “host” was Ajani. She was in the home of Jack and Kitty’s enemy. No wonder they hadn’t sent much of a message back to her. They also didn’t come after me. They’d been fine with his coming to talk to her, and they’d chosen not to come to her when she was at his house. She felt like a pawn in a game no one had explained.
“I see Daniel didn’t mention me to you,” Ajani continued as he walked farther into the room. He made a small expression of regret, but Chloe wasn’t sure if it was genuine. When she remained silent, he added conversationally, “He’s been hoping to find someone to fill the void Miss Reed left in his life, you know. He was devastated by her rejection so many years ago, but he hasn’t ever brought a woman home since then.”
“He lives with you?” Chloe managed to ask.
“Now and again.” Ajani walked toward her. “He likes his freedom, so he does keep quarters away from me, but when I’m in the same town as the Reeds, I prefer to keep him close.” A look of irritation flashed across Ajani’s face. “His affection for Miss Reed sometimes affects his judgment, and of course, both Jackson and Cordova do like to shoot Daniel.”
“They shoot him?” Chloe repeated.
Ajani waved his hand as if brushing away an insect. “He recovers, of course, but I find it inconvenient when he’s dead.”
Chloe realized she was nodding, as if death were inconvenient, as if the pain of bullets were insignificant, as if it were not troubling to hear that the man with whom she’d recently been naked often shot the man with whom she’d shared breakfast.
Mutely, she walked to a chair and sat. Ajani took the seat across from her. They were silent in this very stiff room, surrounded by books, and discussing death.
“My staff tells me that there was an altercation with one of those demon-summoning cults,” he said after another moment’s pause. “Some of the natives can be such nasty, blood-spilling creatures. That little group of riffraff you were with isn’t much better, though.” He shuddered delicately. “I can’t imagine living in the primitive conditions they prefer. Sometimes they seem not much better than animals bedding down in a stable.”
“They seem to share a mutual dislike of you,” Chloe pointed out. She didn’t add that she wasn’t seeing any reason to like him either. He was arrogant and condescending
, but then again, the Arrivals all had their share of flaws. Although Chloe felt that she would trust Jack or Kitty over anyone else she’d met here so far, she wasn’t so naive as to trust anyone’s blanket condemnation after only a few days of knowing him. She was here now, so she’d talk to Ajani and form her own opinion.
“Daniel tells me that you are seeking a job,” Ajani began. “I have positions available.”
She shook her head. “I’m not interested in being a bodyguard or whatever your people are.”
“I see.” He folded his hands together and looked at her. “I could find a place for you at one of the better brothels instead.”
Chloe snapped her gaze to him. “Excuse me?”
“You said you wanted a job. I’m offering to help you make arrangements if you aren’t interested in a position that requires weaponry skills. Some women are more comfortable with gentler skills.” Ajani’s expression didn’t suggest that he thought he was being insulting. If anything, he looked like he thought he was being considerate.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll pass on being a whore. Thanks.”
He obviously missed her tone completely because he shrugged slightly and said, “The accommodations at some of the upscale establishments are quite comfortable.”
After a speechless moment, Chloe tried to remind herself that she was now living in a different world, but her temper seethed. “I’m a lot more comfortable with fighting than fucking for money, but I was thinking more that I could get a job at one of the shops or something.”
Ajani tsked at her. “The natives don’t hire, especially not one of the Arrivals. They pass their trades on to their young. Your options are limited. The houses typically pass on their trade too, but the Arrivals are enough of a curiosity that you’d be a good earner.”
For a moment, she expected him to laugh, to tell her he was joking, to explain that somehow she had other options. He didn’t. Instead, he continued: “I could have Daniel take you on a tour of the nicer brothels. There are several where you could—”
“No,” she interrupted.
Ajani gave her a patronizing smile. “Are you opposed to the number of clients you’d need to entertain in the brothels? Or are you a virgin?”