‘I shook my head, looking Bellamy over with new eyes. “And your seventh?”
‘The young man smiled, gently putting his lute away. “I’ve not found it yet, Silversaint. That is why I left my Augustin, and my empress divine. To sing the truth of the world, I must see it first. And when I find that song, to her arms I shall return.”
‘A strange silence fell then. Windswept, yet somehow warm. And into it, Dior spoke the question burning in everyone’s mind.
‘“What are we going to do now?”
‘Chloe and Bellamy looked to me. Rafa stared yet at the carnage around us.
‘“There are no horses in the stables,” I sighed. “But there’s some food yet unspoiled in the refectory. Vodka in the distillery. Things will look less dark with something hot in our bellies.” I glanced to Chloe. “Mayhaps you and Dior could help Rafa cook a meal, Sister?”
‘Chloe met my eyes and nodded. “Busy hands, busy minds.”
‘She walked across the carnage to Rafa, standing still and silent. Taking the old priest’s arm, she murmured, and he blinked as if remembering where he was, allowing himself to be led away, beyond the arched oaken doors and out of sight. Bellamy came down from the walls. Saoirse joined me as Phoebe drifted out of the gates like smoke.
‘I laced my collar up about my face, looked from soothsinger to slayer.
‘“Let’s get burning.”’
XIV
LIATHE
‘THE STINK OF charred meat was thick on my tongue. We’d set the bodies burning a few hundred yards down the hill, smoke drifting skywards into thickening snows. I was throwing the last of them on the pyre – a boy, maybe twelve years old – when Phoebe came bounding back up the road.
‘The sun hadn’t yet fallen; the lioness moved in a soft blur through the long shadows, all golden eyes and rust-red fur. Saoirse knelt in the frost as the beast loped up to her and circled once, growling, tail lashing side to side.
‘The slayer’s eyes narrowed, and she looked at once to me. “Strife comin’。”
‘“Danton?”
‘She shook her head, slung her axe off her back. “The other one.”
‘I looked down the hill, jaw tightening as I saw a faint spot of blood-red stalking towards us through the falling grey.
‘“The monastery is holy ground. Both of you, get back inside. Now.” I glanced to Saoirse, flashed her a small smile. “Pretty please with sugar on top.”
‘The slayer scoffed, and we retreated back through the gates. Bellamy stood on the battlements with a tallow-soaked quarrel loaded in his crossbow and a burning barrel beside him. I waited with Saoirse just inside the open gates, armed and ready.
‘The bodies were gone, but the scent lingered, the knuckle-deep clawing of old blood on the back of my throat. The thirst was a constant pain now, my fangs grown long in my gums. But I pushed thoughts of blood aside as best I could, watching that figure come on like wolf to wounded deer, until she stopped but a few dozen yards from the walls.
‘The highblood stood in the dying light, locks of dull midnight-blue parted about her face, running thick to her waist. She wore her long red frockcoat and tight black leathers, silken shirt parted from her pale chest. Her face was obscured by that porcelain mask, black lips and dark, kohled lashes. She was slender, tall – just a maid when she was murdered. But her eyes were bleached with time – a dead thing’s eyes, drained of all light and life. Looking to Bellamy on the wall above, Saoirse and me waiting just beyond the threshold, she flipped her frockcoat hem back and gave a formal, strangely masculine bow, like gentry at court. Her voice was soft as shadows, marred by that slight, slurring lisp.
‘“Good evening, Monsssieur, Mademoissselle, Chevalier.”
‘I glanced to the sun on the still-warm horizon. “Not yet it’s not.”
‘The vampire looked past me to the buildings behind. “Where isss the child?”
‘“You’ve got balls, bitch. Coming to holy ground with the sun yet up.”
‘“The one who comesss behind us will not be so polite as to asssk at all. But we will repeat ourselvesss once.” Those pale eyes fixed on mine. “Where isss the child?”
‘Phoebe bared her teeth in a soft snarl as Saoirse rested Kindness on her shoulder. “I dare ye step across that threshold to look for him, leech.”
‘The vampire didn’t blink. But my eyes were now fixed on the sword in her hand. The weapon was gently curved, long, graceful as its mistress. When I’d seen it in the dark by that watchtower near the ?mdir, I’d thought the blade had simply been soaked red with the blood of the wretched she’d killed. But now, with bones burning and tongue parched, I realized the sword wasn’t just drenched in blood. It was made of blood.
‘Her blood.
‘“Who are you?” I demanded.
‘The vampire bowed again, deeper this time. “You may call usss Liathe.”’
High in the reaches of a lonely tower, a swiftly scratching pen fell suddenly still. The Last Silversaint drained his glass to the dregs as the historian of Margot Chastain, First and Last of Her Name, Undying Empress of Wolves and Men, blinked once. Jean-Fran?ois’s voice was still sweet as smoke, but a fury boiled beneath his honey-smooth tones.
‘Liathe.’
Gabriel leaned forward to refill his glass. ‘Oui.’
‘I knew you were a fool, de León. Yet the mind still boggles to know you name me leech whilst having kept company with the queen of them. To think of—’
‘Careful, coldblood. You want the truth of this tale, best let me have the telling of it. What you know and what you think you know are two different beasts entire.’
The vampire scowled. ‘As you like it.’
Gabriel raised his goblet. ‘Awfully generous of you.
‘“You may call usss Liathe,” the vampire said, bowing. “Though we suspect you care lessss for Who and more for What, and we have no time even for ssso small a thing as Why. Danton Vosss is scant hours behind us. He has been tracking you since the Dílaenn, and every maggot-ridden foulblood for miles has been gathered to hisss pale banner. And when he arrives, at the edge of night, the Beassst will murder you all and take the cup in his father’s name. The child hasss but one chance to survive.”
‘Liathe combed a long, black lock from colourless eyes.
‘“Usss.”
‘Saoirse scoffed. “So concerned with Dior’s well-being, are ye?”
‘“We have guarded your steps for weeksss now. An inquisitor’s cohort out of Sul Ilham laid low by our hand. Another from León. The bloody band who committed the carnage upon which you stand has eluded usss, but since word of the ruckuss you caused in Lashaame reached the Tower of Tearsss, the entire Inquisition has been brought to bear against your little company.” She tilted her head, eyes narrow behind her mask. “Why do you suppose you have ssseen neither hide nor hair of them?”
‘I sniffed hard, spat thick. “I can smell your bullshit from here, leech.”
‘“We have eternity.” The coldblood sighed, tossing her silk scarf over her shoulder. “And yet, not a moment more to waste on nonsense such as thisss.”