Obsidian Eyes (26 page)

“Allie just smashed Hamilton’s nose,” Duncan said, a large smile dominating his face.

“Hamilton ambushed her. Said he wanted to teach her a lesson. But Allie ended up giving him one,” Jared said.

Marshall looked at Jared. “Take a word of advice from a man older and wiser than you; sort your head out before that one decides to use her blade to sort it for you.”

Jared turned to regard him with hooded eyes. “It’s a complicated situation.” He didn’t bother to argue, he knew what Marshall referred to.

“No it’s not,” Marshall quickly retorted. “There are plenty of noble girls out there, but wild cats like that? Despite what the others will tell you, they’re far from common. Allie is only the second one I have ever encountered.”

Brief curiosity flickered in Jared. “What happened to the first one?”

“KRAC intelligence agents rarely die of old age.” Marshall raised his stump. “I lost this crawling across a battlefield so I could hold my wild cat while she died.” Sadness tinged his voice. “I want you to come back in two weeks with a different attitude, and Lithgow.” He reminded them of their mission. “General Galloway is expecting you, report in when you reach Edinburgh.”

Jared nodded and headed down the corridor with Duncan, who was uncharacteristically silent.

“Marshall’s right you know,” he said, giving his cousin a rare serious look. “You need to figure out what the blazes you’re doing. Allie’s a friend, and guild. You don’t play with that sort of girl, unless you want her fancy dagger sticking out of your chest.”

Jared let out a deep sigh. “I know what I want to do, but the fallout will be worse than Zeb’s weapon exploding.”

“Then leave her alone.”

“Not going to happen.” Jared’s fingers tingled, remembering Allie’s silken skin underneath them. He wasn’t letting her go, not without a fight.

Allie returned to her room to find Eloise in the throes of packing, so they could get away early in the morning for the term break. She looked up as Allie entered and immediately spotted the graze on her cheek and the redness around her throat.

“Good gracious,” she exclaimed. “Did Duncan do that in training? He needs a serious talking to.” She stood up from the fabric pile and clothing scattered around her feet. She leaned close to peer at the marks around Allie’s neck, distinct fingers on each side clearly visible.

“No, not Duncan,” Allie reassured her friend. “It was Hamilton.”

“What happened? How did he actually manage to lay a hand on you?”

Allie shrugged off Eloise’s concern. “Hamilton, his toadies and Madeline were waiting for me when I came out of the gymnasium. I figured it was coming, at least it’s over now.”

Or just starting
, Allie added, but she didn’t want to worry Eloise with that thought. “And anyway, this is just superficial. It will be gone in a few hours,” Allie said to placate Eloise.

“So what did you do to him?”

“I broke his nose. If I did it right he’ll have two black eyes by tomorrow morning.” Allie remembered the satisfying crunch of cartilage.

Eloise looked worried again. “Serves him right, but I don’t like Madeline being involved. I wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw her.”

Allie threw herself down on her bed and gazed up at the ceiling. “I’ll be glad to get away from here for a while. It’s been challenging these last couple of months.”

“Out of the fry pan into the fire though, isn’t it, with what you and Jared are cooking up?” Eloise commented as she moved about the room. She stared at the mound of clothing, deciding which to pack.

“We will get Zeb’s father back, and make them both safe,” she promised, thinking of a much simpler life in Egypt. Her most challenging decisions were what to steal for lunch and where to go for a swim. Now she had underworld plots to foil and aristocrats to fend off. And she still didn’t know if she wanted to fend one in particular away or not.

Friday, 23
^rd
September.

llie reclaimed her dagger from Marshall and instead of the anticipated lecture she met with a disappointed silence. Chastised, she approached the library in search of her grandfather and Weasel.

She dropped her large carpetbag by the door and listened for any clue to the whereabouts of either. Weasel normally recognised her stride in the corridor and waited for her to cross the library threshold. She headed off to one side, from whence vague rummaging sounds emitted. As she rounded a row of books, she spotted an enormous wooden packing case. With one side levered open, the lid hung slack-jawed as though it were a creature attempting to devour Alfred. He surfaced, his arms clutching a load of precious books.

“The new delivery arrived early then?”

“Yes, and you’re going to miss all the fun of cataloguing and finding places for them on the shelves.” Alfred laughed as Allie wrinkled her nose at the suggestion. “Yes well, I guess I have a slightly different definition of fun to you.”

“I’m about to head off, Poppa, so I’ll see you in two weeks’ time.”

Alfred put the books down on his desk and opened his arms wide to his granddaughter. Allie went to him and he stroked her hair. “Have fun with your friend and try to stay out of trouble.” He pulled back to give her a significant look over the top of his glasses.

“I’ll do my best, but I can’t make an unrealistic promise.” She gave him an impish grin and he laughed.

“Be safe in London.”

Allie held back her plans; she wouldn’t worry him by mentioning her summons. “Eloise is taking me shopping, I may never recover.”

He smiled. “Go then, leave me to my books.” He gave her one last pat and a push in the direction of her waiting bag.

“One other thing.” she added before leaving.

He looked up, her tone alerting him to the fact he was about to have something dropped in his lap that he would probably rather avoid.

“You may or may not have a rather difficult conversation with the Headmaster.”

“Oh? What have you done now, Allie?” her grandfather replied in a long-suffering manner.

“I broke Lord Hamilton’s nose yesterday, I’m not sure if he’ll mention it or not, but I thought you might want to be forewarned. He threw the first punch, so it’s not like I started it.” Her grandfather gave her a disappointed look, her second for the day.

She tried to make a joke of the situation. “Well at least I have made my mark on St Matthews.”

Her grandfather sighed and waved her away. Taking the hint, she grabbed her bag and scampered out of the library. She was relieved to escape the stone confines of the school, unsure whether she would be back.

The courtyard bustled with activity as students said goodbye and headed off in various directions. Not everyone left for the holidays. Many students would stay over, and it tinged their farewells with envy. Allie spotted Eloise off to one side and made a direct path through the crowd.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Eloise exclaimed when she spotted Allie’s lone bag.

“Yes, I travel light.” Allie didn’t have to worry about social events, so it wasn’t like she needed the vast array of clothing the other girls would pack.

“Well, we will have to fix that while we’re in London. You owe me a shopping trip, remember?” Allie groaned at the reminder. “Come on then, I had the carriage wait for us, our train leaves soon.”

Eloise hooked her arm through Allie’s to steer her over to the waiting conveyance. As they were handed up into the carriage, she spotted the boys off on the far side of the courtyard. Madeline had made up with Jared, her body draped over him and his face buried in her neck while she laughed. Only Duncan gave them a hearty wave as they pulled away.

“Looks like Madeline will be going with them.” Allie tore her eyes away from the entwined couple. “I don’t know if even Duncan would be strong enough to prise her off Jared now.”

Eloise emitted a ‘hrumph’ noise. “Personally I would like nothing better than to see them drop her over the side of the airship.”

Allie closed her eyes and indulged in the mental image of Madeline falling from on high. She waited for the satisfaction of the
splat
before opening her eyes again.

“I have heard she is heading to London though.”

“Jared’s a big boy,” Allie replied. “And he doesn’t look like he minds being caught by her.” It surprised her how, despite their fight, the sight of him with Madeline gave her an uncomfortable feeling deep in the pit of her stomach.

It was a short carriage ride to the new railway station and soon Allie and Eloise stood on the platform staring at the behemoth that would take them to London in record time.

“Lord it’s alive,” Eloise whispered.

The engine was enormous, gleaming black metal with copper strapping running over its body. It breathed steam as it chaffed impatiently at the restraints holding it in place on the rail. Its huge body shuddered with every snort. Its mechanics barely had it under control. The noise and vibrations roiling off it were overwhelming.

The passenger cars were pushed down the line and coupled to the monster. It screamed at the outrage, emitting a shriek so piercing it sliced through your body. Allie thought Eloise was going to swoon and put a hand on her friend’s arm as she swayed with the assault of the whistle.

“Life of a sort, thanks to the Stone of Coulags. They are sentient but blind, that’s why they scream,” Allie said. “They can’t see what is happening to them.”

Eloise’s eyes bulged as she stared at the straining beast. “That’s monstrous, to give it the ability to feel and to then blind it.”

“That’s commerce.” Allie watched the beast groan and rock back and forth. “They pull harder being sentient and use less fuel. Perhaps you could discuss sentient mechanics versus reanimated life with Zeb?”

“This way, ladies.” A well-dressed conductor gestured them into a carriage two back from the engine. Eloise gave it a wary look.

“It’s perfectly safe, miss.” Oblivious to the discomfort caused by the screaming engine, he helped them step up into the enclosure.

The noise diminished as soon as they entered their opulent carriage. The windows hung with dark blue velvet curtains, everywhere highly polished wood gleamed. Lush carpets underfoot matched the drapes, and under the windows sat chairs covered in silk of lighter blue hues.