4. Chapter 4
Chapter four
“You followed directions. Grand job.”
The rain-soaked child from the evening prior sat upon Lux’s rough stone step, her golden hair dried and shining. The building was narrow but tall, with a truly awful seamstress' shop above Lux’s home, and an apothecary above that. Lux had no markings about her door to identify whom she was or what she did. If her services were required, she was found. If not, she enjoyed her life of solitude. All nine years of it.
The young girl’s expression hardened at her tone. “Yes, I did. Now will you please bring my brother back?”
Lux pushed the hair from her face. “If you’ve the goldquins.” The girl presented a frayed pouch that jingled and clanged. “Excellent. Where is he?”
She followed the child around the building’s corner. Lux couldn’t claim more than an average height, but this girl was positively tiny. She couldn’t help but be impressed the girl had lugged her towering brother to her door, not once but twice.
Propped against the uneven brick was a body, head covered with a potato sack. Lux raised her eyebrow in a silent question.
“I can’t look at him.”
The derisive huff died before leaving her lips as the sudden memory of her own unavoidable response to a certain liquid she would-not-think-about pushed into her mind. She said nothing. Instead, she gripped the brown boots laying before her own feet—and pulled.
The girl bolted forward, probably not wishing for her brother’s head to collide with the cobblestones as he was yanked unceremoniously from his upright position. Glowering at Lux, she gently lowered him to the ground.
“Don’t glare at me, child. It’s not like he can feel it.”
“Child? I’m twelve!”
“Really?” Lux couldn’t prevent the vein of incredulity from entering the question. She’d have guessed nine, and that would have been generous.
“Yes. And you don’t look much older.”
Lux wasn’t. Not really. She’d just celebrated her seventeenth birthday with a small, frosted cake and a lone, drippy candle a month ago.
Another unhappy memory to add to the treasure trove. Lux’s mouth pinched. “Enough of this. Take the feet, girl. I’ll get his shoulders.”
Huffing, arms aching, and much, much too warm, Lux heaved the stiff body onto the table. This usually wasn’t a part of her job. She wiped her forehead.
“I’m Aline by the way.” The girl leaned against the table, breathing heavily.
“Lovely.” She whipped the sack from the body’s head, inspecting the grey skin and fixed pupils. “When did he die?”
Aline had backed away, avoiding her brother’s unseeing gaze. “Eleven hours ago.”
Lux sucked in through her teeth. “Devil’s tits. Why’d you wait so long?” She would have to work quickly. Without a care for Aline’s sensitive disposition, she stripped the body, covering it immediately after. Spinning, she dumped her purse on the counter, thwacking at the greeting tendrils.
“Get off , you blasted plants!”
The howler’s tooth felt like it took an age to grind, but she had the potion ready minutes later, swirling thickly in the bowl.
“That stinks something awful.”
“The living stink worse.”
Aline curled her lip at the comment, though her eyes hinted toward interest when Lux dipped her fingers into the bowl. “You paint…bodies?” Aline stepped closer and didn’t back away even as the mutilated chest and abdomen were revealed.
Lux’s heart began to pound at the extent of the stab wounds. She kept painting on the paste regardless. Dried blood didn’t bother her so much. It wasn’t wet. It wasn’t warm, and she inspected the wounds as she worked, looking from them to Aline and back again.
“Yes, it’s my favorite pastime. How did he get these?”
Aline had gone a sickly green. She covered her mouth with her hand, shaking her head. “I don’t know. I heard a loud noise, and when I opened the door, he was lying there. Blood everywhere...” The girl stopped talking, focused now on steadying her breaths.
“Turn around.” Aline obeyed and Lux swept the rest of the concoction onto his hips. “Did you hear about the two people who were murdered last night?”
Aline turned back, mouth a perfect circle. “No.”
“Stabbed. Apparently, the assailant was as well…” She let the sentence hang.
Aline’s face darkened, staring at her brother’s mangled chest. “He would never! He’s the kindest person I know.” With snapping, deep brown eyes, she flung her defiant gaze to Lux’s.
“If you say so. But if I’m bringing back a killer, don’t think you won’t be staying here until he answers my questions.”
Aline squared her shoulders. “You aren’t the Shield. You can’t force us to do anything.”
Lux stepped back, palms up. “Then dead he’ll stay. I wonder how hungry the trees grow?”
The ultimatum had the desired effect. “Fine!”
“Good girl. Now go have a seat. This will take a bit, and I don’t want you peering at me with those doe eyes.”
Muttering beneath her breath, the girl abandoned Lux to her desired solitude. Eleven hours. One more and the soul brought back would be tortured beyond repair, a shell of what it once was, volatile and deadly.
She pressed her thumbs to the boy’s fixed pupils, stilling her shaking hands. The fire poker suddenly seemed too far away.
The girl had better not be wrong.
Everything about him was so warm. Warm brown hair above warmer tawny eyes, and golden skin.
He sat up slowly, turning to dangle long legs over the table. Staring at the wooden floor beneath, he breathed deep—once, twice—before lifting irises like liquid copper.
“Hello, Necromancer. I wondered how long until we would meet.”
Even his voice was warm ; it dripped over her like honey. His hand moved across his bare chest, but all evidence of death vanished with the incantation. Instead, intact muscles bunched and moved beneath the gesture, and Lux couldn’t help but track the progress. He wasn’t much older than her, she decided.
Her throat grew parched. She cleared it.
“Original introduction.”
“Yes, well…” His fingers rubbed the line of his shoulder as he studied her. “I remember your voice.”
She huffed at the reminder. “Your sister is persistent in her attempts at saving you. I turned her away the first time. You were bleeding out all over my doorstep.”
“… You can’t be serious. And you didn’t think to offer a child help?”
“She’s twelve. I don’t see how it should become my problem that you chose her door to collapse in front of.”
“Pardon me for not wishing to die alone.” A tick worked its way into his jaw, his stare making ribbons of her skin, but Lux couldn’t be bothered. Dealing with the dying was not—and never would be—in her job description.
His glower swept the room now, briefly assessing the stocked shelves and the crock in the corner, before landing on his bare knees. “Revival calls for this, does it?”
It’s just skin, you imbecile. A paltry suit over a skeleton. That’s all. Never mind that this particular suit was muscled and smooth and probably one of the more attractive sets she’d encountered. Lux shook herself. She’d never blushed before a revived body before; she wouldn’t this time, either.
“Unfortunately,” she said and meant it.
“Where are my clothes?”
At his question, she gestured to the stool near the door. He followed the movement, and then eyed her, waiting. She stared back.
“May I have them?” he asked.
“In a moment.” His eyes widened, but she pushed on. “I have a few indelicate questions for you.”
“Do you often interrogate your patients?”
“You aren’t my patient. I’m not a physician. And yes, I do, if necessary.” She didn’t add that it had never been necessary before. Her paste-dried fingers tightened on her skirt. “What do you know of the two murders that occurred last night?”
His lips fused.
Shoving from the table, he stood and scanned her length with obvious disdain before stepping toward her. Lux didn’t have anywhere to go with her back already pressed against the counter. She told herself later she wouldn’t have stepped back anyway.
“Thank you for your services.”
Turning, he swiped up his clothing, and Lux couldn’t hold her incredulous laugh.
“You’re not leaving until you answer me. I won’t be responsible for releasing a murderer onto the streets.”
He spun, clothes tucked under his arm, not the least bit self-conscious over his state. Lux didn’t move. He may have towered over her, all chiseled parts and beautiful eyes, but she refused to be intimidated by a naked man.
When he smiled it was all edges, and she blinked her surprise. “I’m sure you’ll be safe from any madman prowling the streets, love. The mayor would never tolerate the loss of a prized pet.”
Her lip wasn’t even allowed a sneer over the mocking endearment before her body flushed hot. Pet? A coil wound within her chest, ready to spring forth and devour the boy before her.
“I belong to no one. ”
He scoffed. “Yes, as evidenced by the good people of this town all reaching the ripe age of two hundred years and counting. But wait a moment… It would seem only the mayor’s immediate family possess that luxury.”
Lux’s lips compressed to a white line, seething. “You know nothing.”
The boy laughed, low and cruel . “More than you it seems. I know a pair of rapists were brought to justice. An abuser before that. Tell me what good you’ve done for this world that didn’t require gold to line your pockets?”
Lux flinched against his serrated words, at his hard eyes flashing with hidden emotion. Belting his trousers, he watched her, expectant, nearly eager , but she had nothing further to say. She feared if she were to open her mouth, a gut-wrenching scream would escape instead.
“Aline!” He seemed as though he would say more as he finished calling his sister but thought better of it. With a quick once-over of the plants swaying with agitation and a final glance at her, he strode from the room.
Lux didn’t move until she heard her door scrape open and closed. All the while the pressure in her chest grew, tight and heavy until she was sure her ribs would cleave in two.
He knew nothing.
The crock of gold erupted into a hundred sharp shards as it collided with the floor.