‘Aaron stared at the map with one brow raised, sipping from his iron goblet. Baptiste sighed heavy, gentle eyes on Dior. “What does the Beast want with you, mademoiselle? Why does Fabién Voss care for you at all?”
‘“I don’t know.” She swallowed, looking at her scarred hands. “Danton said something about a black crown. That even the Forever King would do homage before me.”
‘“Lies drip from the tongues of the Dead like honey. We can put stock in nothing he’s told you.” Aaron met my eyes, firelight reflected in his own. “What of this masked one who hunts you? Liathe, you said? I’ve not heard the name before.”
‘“Nor I. But she’s powerful, and has gifts of the blood I’ve never seen.” I shook my head. “I don’t know her game. But she and Danton seem at odds. Both want Dior alive, and neither can be trusted. We need to lure the Beast in, put him in his grave, then get Dior to San Michon before more enemies descend.”
‘“I’m surprised you put any trust in the Ordo Argent, brother,” Aaron said, watching me carefully. “After all they did to you and Astrid.”
‘“How is your lioness, brother?” Baptiste asked, sparing me a smile. “And your cub? She must be a proper little dame by now.”
‘“Almost.” I smiled, water-thin. “She’s eleven.”
‘“Give her a kiss from Uncle Baptiste when you see her, eh?”
‘“I know the Order didn’t treat Gabriel fair,” Dior interrupted. “But Sister Chloe believed the answer to daysdeath was inside those walls. She died for that belief, and not alone. Rafa, Bellamy, Saoirse, Phoebe – I owe it to all of them to see this through.”
‘“Poor Sister Chloe,” Baptiste murmured, looking into his glass.
‘Aaron nodded, making the sign of the wheel. “I was ever fond of her.”
‘Dior chewed her lip, looking to my old friends. “Listen, I’d no idea Gabriel was going to bring me to a place like this. We had nowhere else to go. But still, you’ve every apology I can muster for putting all this on your shoulders. I’m sorry for—”
‘“No apologies, Mlle Lachance,” Aaron replied. “I trust Gabriel de León with my life. If he vows you’re a cause worth fighting for, then fight we shall, and with all heaven’s grace.”
‘“I don’t want anyone else dying for me …”
‘“A good thing we’ve no plans to.” The Lord of Aveléne drew up his sleeves, and I saw the silver tattooed there, the story of his youth and faith and fire still etched upon his skin. “I know it doesn’t look much, but if the Beast of Vellene thinks he’ll storm this castle with a few rotten mongrels, he’s in for a reckoning, sure and true.”
‘“God is on our side, mademoiselle.” Baptiste smiled, squeezing Dior’s hand. “And a few of my own innovations besides. I’ll show you before mass, if you like?”
‘“Mass?” I frowned, pouring another cup.
‘“It’s prièdi, brother.” Aaron scratched his neat beard, thoughtful, looking to Baptiste. “And after that, a feast, I think. What say you, love?”
‘Baptiste slammed a fist on the table, making the goblets jump. “A grand idea!”
‘Dior frowned. “I don’t want to put you to any trouble …”
‘Nonsense!” the blackthumb bellowed. “Too long has it been since we had an excuse for song and laughter. And in nights dark as these, who knows when we’ll have occasion again? A feast, Mlle Lachance! We insist! To embrace old friends, and welcome new.”
‘“We may not have an emperor’s larder.” Aaron smiled to me. “But I’ll wager our fare is a damn sight better than this bastard’s cookery.”
‘“Here now,” I growled. “I’m not that bad.”
‘“He does try,” Dior sighed. “But his mushroom ragout … isn’t the best.”
‘“If you think that’s bad, you should try his trailbread,” Aaron laughed. “Old Master Greyhand almost wrote to the Pontifex to have it declared a crime against God.”
‘“Fuck yourselves,” I chuckled. “All of you. Treacherous dogs.”
‘Baptiste grinned and slapped my back, and I couldn’t help but stand and embrace him once more. I’d no ken just how much I’d missed these men, this brotherhood, and the thought that they’d put all they had on the line simply because I asked them … God help me if I almost didn’t weep again, then and there.
‘Baptiste led us on a tour of the ch?teau as promised, and I could see he and Aaron hadn’t been idle. Aveléne had been impressive when Astrid and I first visited, but in the decade past, Aaron and Baptiste had turned the old ruin into a fortress. Beyond the walls around the mont’s base, only a single winding road led to the castle gates. If pressed, the folk from the town below could fall back inside the keep, and Baptiste’s grand design.
‘“Engineering works all along the battlements,” he said proudly, striding the walls with one hand entwined with Aaron’s. “Fire throwers and ballista, barrels full of coal. We’ve a chymical still where the old stables used to be, churning out wood alcohol pure enough to burn like tinder.” He glanced to me. “I don’t recommend you drink it, mon ami.”
‘I winced, sipping from my new flask. “Couldn’t be worse than this vodka.”
‘“It’ll send you blind, Gabe. And mad.”
‘“As I say …”
‘“We’ve a hundred brave warriors,” Aaron continued, leading us through the crowded bailey, the song of soldier and steel. “Well trained, well armed. We have scouts afield, so we’ll spot any army long before they arrive. Eyes to see and fangs to bite.”
‘“I could use a few phials, if you’ve spare,” I said softly.
‘“No fear. We’ve a goodly stash.” Aaron nodded, patting my arm. “Not the finest quality, but wretched often wander this way, and I still enjoy the H—”
‘“Oh, Mothermaid, they’re beautiful!”
‘Dior ran across the bailey to a broad covered pen. Inside were more than two dozen dogs – stout and hardy Nordlund hounds with thick fur, grey and mottled, and bright blue eyes. Dior knelt beside their pen, and the big dogs sniffed her hands, licked her face as she grinned in delight. “I’ve never seen so many, so big!”
‘“We’ve been breeding them a while now,” Baptiste smiled. “We use them for sledding on the river when it freezes over. Trade runs down to Beaufort, so we’re not cut off come the winter snows.”
‘“Could you use them to get to San Michon?” the girl asked.
‘Aaron and Baptiste exchanged a glance, and the blackthumb rubbed his chin. “We’ve not much occasion to visit there, chérie. The monastery still stands – the Forever King took one look at it and decided it wasn’t worth besieging. Fabién’s eye has ever been on the east, and Augustin. The silversaints guard our north flank, and for that we give thanks. But Aaron and I have no desire to eat at a table where we’re unwelcome.”