Chapter 22 #2
I open my armoire to grab my nightdress. I need a bath, then dinner and a good night’s rest. Yet a large drawstring pouch made from dark blue velvet is laid on the bottom shelf. Beside it is a little paper box tied with twine. A parchment card sits atop the pouch, Cynthia written in inky cursive.
Only one person here knows me by my real name. My heart skips a beat as I take the pouch and open it.
Inside is a leather knife roll, six throwing knives slotted into it. I swallow as I slide one out and examine the polished blade. The craftsmanship is unmistakable.
Sebastian forged these.
Tears sting my eyes as I trace my finger along the lightening holes. They’re cut into moon phases, matching the engravings on the dagger Desmond won from me. The knife feels right to my magic, light enough to whip through the air at my mind’s command.
On the back of the card is a short note: Try not to leave them in a tree.
A genuine laugh slips out of me. I hug the knife roll, breathing in the woody scent of new leather. The prince of the High Court found my favorite blacksmith and had these commissioned for me. The surrealness overwhelms me so much that I laugh again.
Of course, I still miss the dagger Sebastian forged for my birthday, the one Desmond won from our duel. One day, I’ll win it back.
I slide the knife back into the roll and open the little box. Inside is a sweet roll drenched with honey. Gods, he even remembered that I gave away the one he bought me in Mythos.
I take a bite and moan. It’s everything I hoped it would be: sweet, sticky, and to die for.
“Cyn, you in there?” Maeve calls out from the hall. “Can I come in?”
I put everything back into the armoire. Standing, I notice a leather corset hung on the armoire’s rack. The pockets sewn between the boning are the perfect width for the six knives to slide into.
My breath catches. He’s thought of everything. Is this what his errand to Mythos was? Picking up the knives from Sebastian?
“Cyn?” Maeve stands in the doorway, a steaming bowl of pottage in her hands. “You skipped dinner, so I brought you a meal.”
I clear my throat and turn to face her. “Thank you. I planned to bathe first, but honestly, I might’ve gone straight to bed after.”
She chuckles as she places the bowl on the table, a spoon handle sticking out. “You worked hard today.”
I levitate the spoon from the pottage to my mouth, spilling only a little, then let out an impressed hum. It’s delicious, the rich broth seasoned with parsley and basil. The thieves are spoiling me rotten.
Maeve hurries out of the room while I eat. She returns with a vase of leafy stems and sets it on the table. Small white blooms lay in clusters, each with five triangular petals and golden stamens.
“That’s black nightshade,” I observe. “It doesn’t bloom this time of year.”
“I nurtured it.” She smiles lovingly at the flowers. “Nightshade is one of Min’s favorites—definitely behind catnip, though. Don’t tell her I told you. She’s a little embarrassed by how easily it excites her.”
We both glance at Min’s bed, already empty since she’s gone out for the night. “I won’t mention it.” Especially considering the blood-stained clothes in a pail at the foot of her bed. “Hers or someone else’s?” I whisper.
“I’ve stopped wondering,” Maeve replies. “I treat her when she needs it.”
That makes me smile. Maybe because it reminds me of a family—being there for each other, no questions asked.
“Why did you join the guild after leaving your grandparents?” I ask her. “An alchemist isn’t someone I imagined thieves would employ.”
“I stole from the wrong man.” She chuckles. “I was running out of food, couldn’t hold down a job in Mythos, and I felt so alone. What started as Nikolai fighting me for his coin purse ended with me coming back with him. I think he sensed I needed a home.”
“I see.”
She reaches for the nightshade, and the stems curl toward her fingers as if she’s made of sunlight.
“Alchemy is handier here than you might think. Smoke bombs for a quick getaway, acids that dissolve metal, and fumes that could knock out a whole room for minutes. They may not need me for the little heists, but for the big ones, I’m always ready to help. ”
“Do you ever go with them?”
She pauses long enough that her button-nose wrinkles. “I don’t.”
“Don’t get me wrong. Your headquarters is amazing.” There are too many reasons to list. The hot spring. Nog’s cooking. The downy bed that’s wide enough to sprawl on. “Yet, you’re a plant mage, right? Don’t you ever get tired of being in a cave?”
“Why would I?” Maeve replies, too quickly. “Nog lets me bake whenever I want. It’s safe here. And fungus is my specialty. Many species thrive in caves.” She reaches for the door. “Eat. It’s always easier to sleep with a full belly.”
I don’t understand. What is she afraid of? “You should come with Finnian and me on the heist in Mythos.”
She hesitates. “That’s not my job here. I’d only get in the way.”
“No more than I will.” I smile at her and hope it’s encouraging. “Come on, consider it female bonding time. A night on the town. You could use that, right?”
“Right.” Her nose scrunches as she thinks it over. “It’s tomorrow?”
“Yep. Finnian said to meet in the foyer. And please don’t tell Desmond I’m going with.”
That makes her laugh. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. Also. . .” The humor vanishes from her face. “I heard about what happened with the assassin, Cyn. Be careful. Gashil won’t spare anyone to get what he wants.”
And with that foreboding comment, she finally bids me goodnight and leaves. I sigh as I sit to finish the meal she kindly brought me.
Be careful.
That’s easier said than done.