Gilded Hearts (The Shadow Guild Series) (16 page)

“He’s gotten his wrist slapped by the Masters.” Samuel wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her close. Her heartbeat immediately increased at the feel of his warmth pressed to her side and the scent of his cologne reaching her.

“Unlike you, I know what my duties and responsibilities are. I don’t run off half-cocked into the night without a second thought to the people left behind who’ll be forced to clean up my mess.”

“Fuck you, Emmet.” Samuel dropped his hold on her and stepped away. “You know nothing about what I had to do. You’re nothing more than a privileged brat.”

“Enough!” How could the two of them bicker like children when there was a double murderer on the loose? Piper stepped away from Samuel, deftly avoiding his touch. “The two of you need to stop this and work together.”

“No.” Their voices mingled together perfectly.

“Well, you’ve managed to agree on something.” Piper made her way to the bed and sat on the edge. There were too many threads floating around, none of which made sense. She needed to see the bigger picture. “What are we doing here?”

“We’re wasting time.” Dennison shook his head. “On my way here I picked up an early edition. It seems our killer was tired of dwelling in anonymity.” Pulling the folded paper from his coat, he handed it over to Samuel.

The paper was still crisp as Dennison shoved it into his hand. A single sheet, but it told Samuel everything he needed to know.

Dear God.

“He’s taunting us.” Samuel tossed the paper into the fire.

“For all we know the killer isn’t even an archivist. He could be an albino, or trying to trick us into thinking he’s a part of the guild. Whores are murdered all the time. There’ve been no indicators that this killer is attached to the guild beyond a slur and some hazy impressions from a prostitute.”

“He is.” Samuel got to his feet and walked to the window, tossing Dennison a tube. “That’s a letter he sent to me after the first killing. It seemed like the ravings of a lunatic when I first read it, with no clues for me, so I dismissed it. But now I’m beginning to understand. Jack
is
somehow connected to the Archives.”

Many times in his life, Samuel had dreamed about the closure of the Archives. He’d been there with his foster father when protesters filled Memorial Square and shouted for the king to close the doors and execute all of the extractors. This had been shortly after his own escape from the grasp of the Guild Masters, the hate and bias against the Archives rolling off the throng of people that writhed together in the square. Their feelings were so strong it had made him ill. He had his own reasons to distrust the archivists, but even he couldn’t understand the force of their emotions.

The Hudson’s Bay Company had added its own protestations, a surprise given the company’s own dabbling with the same questionable technology and their continued ties to the crown. They’d publicly stated that they should have greater involvement with the Archives, as it was their technology that fired at its heart. The Archives had grown too secretive, the Company’s leadership had argued, and an “independent” third party should take on the role of advisor. Samuel remembered his adoptive parents’ snickers at the irony.

But nothing came of the outcry. The crowds slowly dispersed, the members drifting back to their shops and merchant stalls. The Hudson’s Bay Company representative disappeared back into the ether, hidden once more behind the wall of silence.

And the Archivists continued their work, collecting and storing the memories of the dead. Influencing the king, advising on trade and foreign relations.

Still, the idea of an archivist going mad and killing women made Samuel’s stomach turn and his head throb. Most of the men and women who wore the guild colors were good souls.

All of their lives would be in danger if Jack were revealed to be one of them.

Piper shared a long look with Dennison. “We need to tell him about the cult.”

“What?” Samuel pressed his back to the window. “Cult?”

“Miss Smith, there is still no proof—”

She quickly filled Samuel in on the details they’d learned from Doctor Constantine. The King’s Sentry had been made aware of the doctor’s conflicting loyalties, but had no proof he’d done anything close to treason.

“And Jack has one of these tattoos?”

“Annie had one as well. There is a chance she’d met Jack through the cult. Or because he was trying to get into it.”

“I don’t remember seeing it on her body?”

“Whoever did this to her had disfigured her arm.” Piper shivered. “I think he was trying to obscure the tattoo, put some distance between her and the group.”

“The cult isn’t implicated in the murders, though, and the good Doctor Constantine was sending us on a wild goose chase.” Dennison sat once more into the chair, but this time he looked exhausted. “We are no closer to discovering the truth than we were a week ago.”

“But we have Annie’s memories in my head now. Between the three of us, we should be able to determine who killed her and Mary.” There was a note of determination and certainty he’d never heard from her before. She had changed and grown in remarkable ways since his departure, and he was only now beginning to appreciate them.

Piper didn’t look at Dennison throughout the exchange, but Samuel could still feel her interest. Growing up, Dennison used to tease her about her accent and her humble life before coming to the Archives. Clearly, they’d grown past their differences since then.

Samuel had been a fool to think he could push his way back into her life. Despite how close they’d come to falling into bed with each other, he was the intruder here. Dennison might have more of a claim on her heart and life than he realized. Forbidden love was sometimes the strongest.

Piper turned her face, breaking the contact, and deftly stood, forcing both men to shift aside. “What we need is a plan.”

“Agreed.” Samuel got to his feet, rising to his full height. It gave him the advantage of several inches over Dennison. “We need to gather what resources we have, and backtrack Annie’s last few days. That should lead us to the killer.”

Dennison snorted. “Unless it was a totally random act.”

“It wasn’t.” Piper spoke at the same time as Samuel. A light blush covered her cheeks, but she pressed on. “She learned something, and I suspect Mary was aware of the same thing. It got them both marked for death.”

“Has she said anything else to you?” He hated the idea of that woman’s thoughts and feelings rolling around inside Pip. It was too tempting a corruption, begging him to exploit it.

“No, but I can feel that she isn’t telling me everything. It’s like she’s grown comfortable inside my head and knows if she says too much, I’ll get rid of her.”

“As you should. The longer she’s in there, Miss Smith, the more potential damage will be done to your mind when the memories are wiped. Even now she could be entwining herself with your thoughts, melding your personalities together.”

“I’m well aware, Emmet.”

“Then we need to fix this.
Now
.”

There was something in Dennison’s tone, bitterness long practiced that Samuel had never noticed before. “Spit it out, man. If you have a problem with me, then say it.”

As Dennison rose to his feet, it was clear he was no longer the isolated, impulsive child Samuel remembered. He’d been trained, developed an edge, and Samuel knew Dennison wasn’t afraid to use it. Coming nose to nose with his onetime friend, Samuel realized if things went badly, Dennison would make a powerful enemy.

Narrowing his gaze, Samuel shifted his stance to put his weight on his back foot. “You don’t want to fight me.”

“Scared I’m going to hurt you, sergeant?”

“Hardly. While you might be someone of importance in the Archives, out on the streets you’re only a zombie, having led a sheltered life.”

Dennison shoved Samuel’s shoulder hard. He didn’t move. “You’re a traitor to us.”

“I did what I had to.”

“What you had to do?” The shrill note in Dennison’s voice shot straight through Samuel. “You fucking left us!”

The punch was expected, even if the strength behind it was more than Samuel would have given Dennison credit for. “Not bad.” He rubbed his jaw. “But you’ll only get to do that once.”

Dennison growled and took another shot, even as Piper’s shouts filled the room. It was easy to sidestep the clumsy swing. Samuel grabbed him by the wrist and with a practiced twist spun Dennison around and pinned his hand high up along his back. Samuel leaned up and in until the stress on the other man’s arm was at the brink of breaking it.

“See, the thing is, Emmet, I might have once been one of you, but no longer. They wanted to use me for something. Not just being an Archivist, either. I don’t know what that was, but I was smart enough to get out when I could. Being out on the streets taught me how to survive. Being a sergeant taught me to how protect myself. So don’t fuck with me.”

“Sam, let him go.”

Dennison’s struggles had stopped, but Samuel knew there was still fight left in him. If he were to drop his arm now, he’d be dealing with another attack.

“Sam–”

“Back off, Pip. This is between us.”

“Don’t you dare talk to her like that,” Dennison ground out as Samuel leaned into his arm more. “Let me go!”

“Not until you calm down. We need to work together, or else we are all in danger. Understand?” Dennison’s struggles started to slow. “I said, understand?”

Piper stepped in front of them and pressed a hand to Dennison’s chest. “Please, Emmet.”

Dennison tensed beneath Samuel’s grasp before finally relaxing. “I don’t trust you, Hawkins.”

“I’d be disappointed if you did.”

“Once we solve this, don’t think for a moment I will stop the Guild Masters from doing what they need to. That includes getting that filthy whore out of your head, Piper.”

Samuel was about to release Dennison’s arm when Piper stepped close. She might have been a good half foot shorter than he, but there was no weakness or delicacy to her.

“Let me make something perfectly clear. While Annie might have been a prostitute, she was still a human being. Her life was worth every bit as much as yours or mine. When it comes time to put her to rest, it will be done with respect. Do you understand?”

“Piper—”

Samuel wrenched on his arm once more. “The lady asked you a question.”

“Yes, yes,
dammit
, let me go.”

Piper stepped away, and only then did Samuel release him. He had to admit there was something satisfying in wiping that smug look off Dennison’s face.

“I believe Piper asked about a plan.” Samuel pushed down his doubt and grabbed the satchel Dennison had brought with him. Two pairs of radiation goggles, rations, a credit chip for the airships, and a few odds and sods of clothing. “We have leads on Doctor Constantine and the cult. Can Jones handle this?”

“With no difficulty.” There was no hesitation from Dennison, but Samuel still found himself looking to Piper for confirmation.

“He’s grown a lot over the years. I trust him.”

“Fine. Dennison, you meet up with Jones and follow up on Constantine. Piper and I will take the knowledge we have and retrace Annie’s steps. With luck, we’ll gain some insight into this cult and if Jack is somehow involved.”

Dennison’s frown could have meant so many things, but whatever thoughts drove the reaction, he didn’t voice them. Instead he snatched the goggles from the table where Samuel had dropped them. “You’ll need to keep to the rougher quarters of the city. While the Administrators aren’t scared to go there, it won’t be their first place to look for you.”

“Nor our killer.” He didn’t like it, but Samuel knew it was the best place to start. “I’ll get Timmons working on leads from within the King’s Sentry. If anyone can get the gutter folks to talk, it’s him.”

“Fine, but you damn well better keep her safe, Hawkins. I’ll kill you if anything happens to Miss Smith.”

“I am not incapable of looking after myself.” Piper punched Dennison’s shoulder. “Samuel and I will be in touch with you in twenty-four hours. That will give us time to determine our options.”

“That’s it? He beats me, now you expect me to simply leave you with him and trust everything will be fine?”

Piper opened her mouth to speak, but instantly snapped it closed as she screwed her eyes shut, doubling over. Samuel felt her pain as strongly as if it were happening to him directly.

“Pip!” Samuel raced to her side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her tight. “What’s wrong?”

“Miss Smith?”

The two men glanced at each other. Dammit, why couldn’t things go their way for once? Piper’s body shook beneath him, but she didn’t make a sound.

“Is it Annie?” Samuel kept his voice soft, not wanting to cause her more pain. “Pip?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“What is she saying, Miss Smith?” Piper shook her head, but Dennison pressed. “We need to know.”

“She… she’s telling me there are others.”

“Other what?” He gave her a gentle squeeze. “He’s right Pip, we need to know.”

“Women.” She groaned again, this time pressing her fists to her eyes. “She doesn’t want me telling you anything else.”

“We need to get that wench out of your head, Miss Smith. Lady of the evening or whore, neither will matter if she drives you mad.”

“Can you help her?” The last thing Samuel wanted to do was send Piper with Dennison, but if her life was in danger, then nothing else mattered.

“I’d have to take her back to the Archives to wipe her memories. It’s not something I can do without the machine. Not without destroying her mind, her personality, entirely.”

Piper groaned again as someone screamed outside.

“Shit. What the hell was that?”

Leaving Piper in Dennison’s care, Samuel strode to the window. Long shadows were cast across the cobblestones, concealing anything important from view. Another scream, shrill enough to turn Samuel’s blood to ice.

“Stay here with her. I’ll be back.” Samuel crossed the room, casting a quick glance at Piper before continuing on.

“Where are you going? You can’t leave her like this?” Regardless of what he thought about Dennison, at least Samuel knew Piper had a protector in his absence.

“Five minutes. I’ll check the alley to make sure we’re alone. Probably nothing more than a cat fight.”

Bolting from the room, he did his best to ignore the burst of anger from Dennison and panic from Piper. He had to make sure Jack wasn’t out there. Samuel stepped out into the street and headed directly for the alley. There was little point in hiding his approach. If they were in fact being watched, then the man already knew of Samuel’s intent.

The air was thick with the stench of rotten garbage and urine. The street cleaners rarely came to the rougher districts of New London. The automatons would be captured and stripped of their components by urchins and beggars, who’d rush to the markets to sell the scraps for coin and to curry favor with the clockwerkers and Hudson’s Bay engineers. Only those areas of the city heavily patrolled by the police and King’s Sentry were cleaned regularly.

Stepping over a puddle beneath a dripping steam vent, Samuel leveled his gun across his wrist and peered into the dark. A burst of laughter bounced along the side of the buildings from somewhere far in the night. Momentarily distracted, Samuel almost didn’t see the homeless man until he nearly stepped on him.