Stormcaster (Shattered Realms #3)(116)

Harper.

“Everyone said you were dead,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears.

Hal patted her back, his own cheeks suspiciously wet, but maybe that was just the rain. “Not yet,” he said.

When he’d counted twenty-five, he called in to Robert, “I have twenty-five, including Mother and Harper, which means you should have twenty-two, including babies and children. Count them carefully, and when you have everyone, follow me to Newgate.”

Hal set out for Karn’s private prison with his charges. He found that it was more like a cat-herding expedition than a forced march. The children broke away and stomped through puddles. They threw their heads back, catching raindrops on their tongues. Mothers and older sisters chased them down, edging them back onto the proper path. As he watched, Harper scooped up a four-year, parking him on her hip and walking him back to the others.

They haven’t been outside for three months, Hal thought, his anger rising. Harper’s been looking out for these little ones all this time.

When they passed the postern gate, it was clotted with blackbirds, armed to the teeth, questioning and searching everyone who passed through. The explosions had been a good distraction, drawing soldiers and guards away, but now getting out was going to be a problem.

When they reached Newgate, Lila Barrowhill was there at the gate, directing them into the small courtyard just inside. As they passed through, Hal counted, and then he counted Robert’s lot when they arrived. They seemed to have one extra person.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He swung around and saw that it was Queen Marina and her daughter, the princess Madeleine, cloaked up like the others.

“Young Matelon,” she said. “I thought that was you. I’m so glad to see that rumors of your death were exaggerated.”

“Your Majesty,” Hal said, totally ambushed. “I didn’t—what are you doing here?”

“I planned this party, remember,” the queen said. “Jarat is more like his father every day—looking for someone to blame for his failures. I’d rather he blame me for the hostages’ escape than Destin. And I really need to get Madeleine away from Ardenscourt before her brother matches her with some monster.”

But now that the queen and her daughter had joined them, there should be forty-nine in all. There were only forty-eight.

Following them through the gate, he counted again. Someone was missing.

His mother grabbed his arm, her face pale and strained. “Have you seen Harper? She was with us, and—I don’t know what happened to her. Do you think she wandered off?”

They both knew better. Harper had too much common sense to wander off—not now.

“I’ll look for her,” Hal said, turning back toward the gate, to find someone standing in the gap. Two someones.

It was Luc Granger, with a knife to Harper’s throat.





47


DOUBLE-CROSS


“Well, now,” Granger said. “How does it happen that, in the confusion after the explosions, the families of the rebellious thanes end up here—at the entrance to Lieutenant Karn’s private prison? Before you passed through the gate, I was able to intercept young Lady Matelon. When I attempted to question her, the little minx pulled a knife on me.” He scanned the crowd. “Now. Where is Lieutenant Karn? He has some explaining to do.”

Harper had her narrow-eyed, scheming face on. Please, Harper, Hal thought. Don’t make any sudden moves.

“She’s just a child,” his mother said. “You cannot blame her for trying to defend herself when she is attacked in the streets.”

“Where she shouldn’t have been in the first place,” Granger said. “An attack on a member of the nobility is a serious offense. It’s a shame, because I’d hoped that—well, so very disappointing.” His smug expression belied his words.

“Let her go, Granger,” Queen Marina said, taking a step toward them.

“Your Majesty!” Granger said. “And little Princess Madeleine. Curiouser and curiouser.” He didn’t look curious, though. He looked delighted.

“My lord,” Hal said. “I think you are misunderstanding what you see. My corporal directed us to escort these women and children here to Newgate where they could be safely held until we have identified and neutralized the threat.” The tactical language, at least, came easily to Hal.

“Is that your story?” Granger’s confidence dwindled a bit, but only just. “Well, we’ll see. Guillaume should be back at any moment with the King’s Guard.”

“In the meantime, Lord Granger, why not allow them to go inside, out of the rain,” Hal said. “If any of them fall ill, my corporal will have my ass.”

Granger licked his lips. “Everybody stays here,” he said, “until we sort this out.” He looked around again. “Where the hell is Karn?”

“Ow!” Harper cried. “You cut me!”

It all happened in a split second. The startled Granger dropped his blade hand away enough that Harper was able to twist in his one-armed grip, seize his hand with both of hers, and plunge the blade into his neck, leaning in so it penetrated all the way to the hilt.

Robert, who’d been edging closer the entire time, barreled into Granger, knocking the thaneling onto his back on the cobblestones, where he lay, both hands scrabbling at the knife, blood bubbling from his mouth.