6. Kit #2
Already, all of my old friend’s personal effects were gone.
Knickknacks had been piled in a crate by the door—presumably to be discarded—and precarious stacks of documents and letters threatened to collapse beside the hearth in wait for a fire to burn them away.
All that remained were the books lining every available shelf and the heap of my father’s journals in the center of the desk.
Merrick settled in the chair in front of them and leaned his head against the upholstered back with his eyes closed.
He was trembling slightly, and he swallowed hard as he gingerly tucked the stump of his arm against his chest. Up close in the bright light beaming through the eastern windows and the sallow flicker of candlelight, he looked even more pale and sickly than he had outside.
I remained standing inside the door. Shock and disbelief had given way to wariness during our trek up the stairs, and I was too jittery to sit.
I wanted to pace to burn off some of the nervous energy that had made for a fitful night’s sleep, but I didn’t dare.
I didn’t want to give Merrick any reason to watch me with extra scrutiny and find the weak spots in my wavering defenses.
Better to look as composed as possible for as long as possible.
When silence stretched around us too long for comfort, I tugged at the strangling collar of my robes and hazarded to speak first.
“Tough night.”
Merrick’s eyes cracked open, and his gaze settled on me. He gave a dismissive wave of his left hand. “Just the burdens of leadership,” he said, sounding bored. “But I’m well-equipped to deal with them, so you needn’t concern yourself.”
His eyes closed again, and I took a deep breath to settle the ire prickling up the back of my neck.
How could he be so calm about all of this?
Sure, he’d come out on top, but he knew what Levitt and I had been planning. I was still a threat. He had to know that. What I didn’t know was why he chose to make me his Shroud Warden with full awareness that I’d been working against him.
“What are you playing at, Merrick?” It was a struggle to keep my voice even when I felt anything but. “Can we dispense with the posturing and pretense? It does nothing but waste time, and we both know this isn’t what you wanted.”
This time when his eyes opened, they stayed narrow, and his top lip curled into a snarl. He sat forward and propped his left elbow on the desk.
“You seem to have developed quite the following here. Your little band of allies spent the entire night barking at my door like a pack of wild dogs, and clearly, you’re the only one who can call them to heel.
” He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and his expression smoothed.
“They demanded your release, so I gave them one better: their champion in a place of power. Now, whoever follows you, follows me. If they don’t, they will be disposed of. ”
He pushed up to his feet and crossed to the windows overlooking the square, then gestured for me to join him.
I wanted to root myself to the spot, not to be anywhere nearer to the new Right Hand than I needed to be, but one sharp look when I didn’t comply quickly enough was all it took to destroy that resolve.
My disobedience didn’t only threaten my own wellbeing, but Penny’s too.
I’d been aware of it since we arrived in Ashpoint months ago, and I was even more aware of it now.
I approached the windows and stopped at Merrick’s side.
“Let me be clear,” he continued. “I’m allowing you the privilege of keeping your entourage, but the moment one of them becomes a problem…” He motioned to the square below where two men were dragging the fur trader’s body out of the pool of his own blood.
My stomach churned, and I couldn’t stop myself from imagining Penny in his place. Dead because of me.
Merrick clapped his hand on my shoulder and leaned in, his voice low. “I will exterminate every one of them. Starting with my half-brother.”
I tried to keep my face blank while sagging under the weight of Merrick’s grip. He knew too well how to manipulate me. I couldn’t deny that it worked.
“A man who doesn’t crumble under the weight of leadership shouldn’t cower in the face of the disgruntled common folk,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound as desperate as I felt. “If they do anything to step out of line, as you said, I’m responsible for them. The punishment should fall on me.”
Merrick laughed and pushed away, causing me to stumble against the windowsill.
“And let them make a martyr out of you? I think not.” He returned to his seat at the desk and cradled his right arm to his chest again.
“They ceased to be common when they threw their lot in with you. Now they are co-conspirators, and they will be treated as such. You’ll just have to live with watching every one of them die. ”
I turned toward the scene below as the two men hefted the fur trader’s body into a handcart.
If I wasn’t careful, that would be every single one of my friends.
Every member of the resistance. Penny. I had so recently given up sole responsibility for taking down the Bone Men, only to have it all pile back on my shoulders in the blink of an eye.
It was going to crush me, one way or another.
Merrick shifted behind me. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him turn to the pile of journals before him and flip one open.
“As I said, there’s much to be done.” He spoke like I was an afterthought to whatever he planned to read. “You’ve been relieved of your duties at the smithy. Not to worry though. I’ve assigned a man to take over in your stead.”
He motioned toward the open doorway and the second room across the hall.
“That office will now be yours, but don’t expect to spend much time there. Preparations for the Vessel will keep you quite busy.”
He finally looked up from the journal and fixed me with a look of disdain. “Work begins immediately.” There was an air of finality when he finished with, “I’ll see you in the morning. I expect you to be dressed appropriately.”
I accepted his dismissal and took my leave, making my way down the Ossuary stairs and through the atrium to the front door. I hesitated there knowing what I’d see on the other side, and not wanting to face whoever was still waiting.
I hoped Rosie had gotten Penny home. Away from the body being carted out of the square.
Away from the questions from everyone who was as blindsided by the happenings of the last eighteen hours as we were.
Away from the threat of his half-brother perched at the top of his tower looking down on the rest of us.
Not that home was much safer. I wasn’t sure there was anywhere in the province we’d be safe, now.