House of Sand and Secrets (Books of Oreyn #2)(69)

“Turn left,” Jannik says, when we come to another set of passages.

I follow his directions, always keeping the magic ballooned around us and the air held still. It’s exhausting me and tight spots of pain are flaring at my temples. My mouth feels gritty, as if I have drunk red desert sand instead of water. I push open another set of doors, and see a familiar room shining darkly with glass. “Saints!” someone shrieks and I lash out without thinking. There’s a vast tinkling crash and the sound of glass and metal and screaming intermingle. The harsh cry is cut short, and the last pieces of broken glass clatter into stillness.

“Oh Gris,” I say and clap my hand over my mouth. I’ve killed someone – a servant. My eyes burn. I didn’t mean it.

Behind me, Isidro fumbles at the mantelpiece. The scrape of a match against stone grates in the shocked silence, and he lights a fatcandle lamp. The wick sputters, and the flame casts dancing orange light over the mess I have made of Garret’s antique displays.

My victim lies in the middle of the remains of its glass cage, neck twisted. Not a servant, at least. The mynah. Silver-grey feathers ripple in a slight breeze. The black eye in the scaly blue face mask is drying, losing the glisten. Slowly, I take my hand from my mouth and breathe out. “We need to leave.” The edges of my magic are faltering and just the thought of taking more scriv tears at the lining of my stomach, sharp as an ulcer. I can already taste blood in my mouth. “Quickly.” I step over the shards of glass and the dead bird. The door leading out is still unlocked and I open it onto warm night air perfumed with honeysuckle and pine resin. I wave my hand for the others to follow me, and lead them down the road as fast as I can, and down to the side street where Master Sallow is thankfully still waiting.

We tumble toward the safety of the carriage. “Master Sallow,” I glance at the vampires, at the hunger lighting their eyes. “As fast as you can, sir.”



He pulls the nervous unis in hand and touches his brow.

“Where are we going?” Isidro says once we are hidden inside the carriage. I pull the curtains closed. He’s shivering badly now, and he looks feverish and gaunt.

“To our apartments.” I glance at Jannik. I want so badly to reach out and take his hand in mine, to feel the warmth of his fingers as we intertwine. I can’t touch him – not until all this scriv is out of my system. “Is he still alive?” I gesture at the boy. Jannik has let him crumple to the floor. He presses his fingers to the boy’s throat, frowns, then nods.

I want to be far from this place before Garret comes back to discover the theft. We might have had a few more undiscovered moments – but when he comes back to that mess of splintered glass and the broken-necked bird, there will be no doubt that someone has been in his territory and has stolen from him. He will find all his treasures gone, and he will know who took them.

The unicorns are at full gallop down the empty streets, and the carriage jolts and bounces, slamming the breath right out of me. The unconscious body slides across the floor and the head cracks against the wood of the seat. Isidro hisses in delight.

“Who is he?” I say to Jannik.

He’s breathing fast, holding himself tight as if all his organs are about to come spilling through his skin. I can taste his hunger, can smell the scriv in my own blood. Traces of fiery pain lash along my sides. Cuts. Or wounds from sharp nails. “What – what is this?” But I don’t need to ask. Jannik’s control is slipping, the walls of his house slowly dissolving. I do not know if I can stand to feel all that he is suffering. Coward.

I glance down at the boy vampire. His nails are ragged and sharp like an animal’s.

“He belongs to Garret,” Jannik says, the words bitten out between small gasps. “He’s had it – him – for years. We’re not certain how many.”

“Too long,” says Isidro. “The thing is mad. You can’t save it.”

We’re all thrown across the carriage as the unicorns veer around a bend.

“Fuck, f*ck, f*ck,” Isidro says. “It’s waking up.” He slams his foot down on the vampire’s face. There’s a crackle of bone and a wet meaty sound as the boy’s nose crumples.

“Will you stop!” I scream at him. “We’re almost there, and then we can sort out what we’re going to do with him – but not if he’s in pieces by the time we get there.”

“One less problem to deal with,” Isidro says.

“You’re scared of him?” I am incredulous “He’s barely more than a child.”

“I watched it chew on the hands of the last one of us who had the pleasure of being down there.” Isidro’s still yelling at me, his voice hoarse and frightened.

“What–” I draw back and look down at the bloodied face.

“Yes,” Isidro says. “Exactly.”

The carriage is slowing, the unicorns cantering then jolting into a trot and finally the slow amble before we stop. “We’re here.” I breathe properly, finally freed from a little of my fear.

The door opens and Master Sallow’s broad face looks in on us.

“Jannik,” I say. “You’ve bought nillies for blood-letting?” It has only occurred to me now that if he hasn’t replaced the lost stock, I’ll have to pay a servant to stand in as food. And I do not want to do that. Were it not for the scriv in my blood I could offer myself to Jannik, but I would not have Isidro touch me either way.