He kissed her goodbye. And he wanted to be gentle, but it was a clash of their mouths, nips with their teeth and gasps that made a shiver trace his bones. He felt Iris cling to him, and he knew if he didn’t pull away from her that instant, he never would. He would follow her into her flat. He would peel away their damp clothes and lie beside her in bed. He would hold her to his heart and pray the morning never came.
“Goodnight, Winnow,” he whispered, setting the sword in her hands. He took a step back, surprised how the distance made it feel like a rib had cracked. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“All right,” Iris said.
Neither of them moved. They had forged a plan to meet up in the north side of town, Iris and Attie using Dacre’s invitation for safety as a cover. Roman would hopefully have the key the girls needed to hand off to them at half past eleven. If he failed to snag it, then they would fall back to the only option they had: Roman would sneak them into the mansion and clear the way to the parlor door.
“I’ll wait here,” Roman said. “Until you make it safely inside.”
Iris took a step away, still facing him.
He watched as the lamplight gilded her, then she turned and hurried up the stairs to the apartment. He watched, hands in his pockets, heart in his throat, until he made sure Iris had entered her flat and closed the door behind her.
Only then did he surrender to the shadowed streets, heading north of the river.
To the place that he called home but felt like the furthest thing from it.
* * *
All right.
That empty phrase had been the last words she said to him.
Iris felt numb as she stepped inside the flat, locking the door behind her.
All right, as if they were meeting up for tea tomorrow. As if the world wasn’t about to collapse and burn.
“Iris? Is that you?”
She snapped out of her daze when she heard Forest’s voice drifting from the kitchen.
“Yes.” She set the sword on the sideboard and hurried to meet him in the center of the room, letting him sweep her up off her feet in a bear hug. The air was squeezed out of her; Iris almost laughed. It reminded her of the embraces he used to give her in the old days, when their mother was still with them. Before things had fallen apart.
“Gods, Iris.” Forest set her back down, cradling her face in his calloused hands. “I was worried about you.”
“I know, but I’m fine.” She smiled to reassure him. “Just a few scratches on my knees.”
She had called the mechanic shop that morning from the Tribune telephone, knowing news of the Green Quarter bombing was going to spread. She had never heard Forest’s voice shake like it had on the line, and she felt guilty that she was getting home so late.
“Is Prindle here?” she asked.
“No, she’s with her family tonight. And you should have been home hours ago.”
“I had something urgent to deliver to the printer. It took longer than I expected.” She walked to her room, thoughts tangling together. “And there’s something I need to tell you, but let me change my clothes first.”
“Funny you say that,” Forest said. “Because I have news for you as well.”
Why did Iris’s heart twist? Why did she assume it was something bad?
“I’ll make us some tea,” her brother offered, as if sensing her trepidation.
When Iris reemerged into the living room, Forest was sitting on the couch. A pot of black tea with two chipped cups was waiting on the table, and she accepted one gratefully, wrapping her cold fingers around the porcelain.
“You go first, Forest,” Iris said, settling beside him on the cushion.
“Well,” he began, but hesitated, scratching his jaw. It looked like he was trying to grow out a beard, but it was still too sparse. “You know I went to the doctor last week? He gave me medicine to ease my symptoms, which have been helping, but he also wanted to take an X-ray. So he did and … I had another visit with him yesterday about the results.”
Iris braced herself for anything. She felt light-headed as she said, “What were they, Forest?”
He sighed, staring into his tea. “They found bullet fragments still in me. I think when Dacre healed me, he left them behind intentionally. To serve as a punishment if I ever broke away from him. Maybe he even thought the pain would eventually drive me back to his side. But now I realize it’s been gradually making me feel sick, a little more each day.”
Tears welled in Iris’s eyes. She set her teacup aside and turned to face Forest on the couch, reaching out to take his hand.