“I'm going on break.”
The foreman for the shift's eyebrows furrowing in agitation. “Break?” he says. “We basically just got here, it's only five after ten.”
“I've dumped my mana already,” two thirds of it, “and I've got an extremely important errand I have to run. Extremely important. Work with me. If there's any little things you need me to charge specifically for you, if there's anything you need me to get done, I'll do it. But right now I've gotta go.”
“I can't just have you run off unsupervised. Jacob made it clear part of this was making sure-” The guy shutting up real quick.
“Making sure you keep an eye on me.” Pulling at my collar. “They already have their eyes on me.” Rocking back on my heels and using my hand to help me think. Today is day four and this guy looks sorta familiar. “Is this personal? Were you one of the people I ended up killing back then? Because there was nothing personal about that. Wrong place at the wrong time.”
My explanation not having the desired effect. He may have taken it pretty personal.
“You are not going on break. There's plenty here for you to do until the next tick.”
“You listen to me, you piece of shit. I'm trying to be polite, but you're beginning to piss me off.” Jabbing with my finger. “Tonight I'm going to be having a heart to heart with that masochistic phony and his plus size, petty tyrant wife because they haven't been upholding their end of our agreement. I could walk outta that door right now, if I so chose, without even bothering to tell you, but I'm doing you a courtesy because their failings ain't yours. You and I got no problems, as far as I'm concerned, and if you've got any problems with me then I'm willing to try and fix 'em. You think I'm fucking around? You go ahead and try me.” My finger ending up giving his face a series of pokes by the end of my rant.
“Go on your break.” Quiet. More angry than anything else. “When you get back we'll get things straight.”
“Thank you. If you have any special requests, I'll do my best to help - when I get back.”
Doing an about face and walking out of the warehouse, leaving the suspicion and resentment and under-the-skin crawling feeling of House Haven behind. Heading northeast toward the town square and stopping by the bank on the way to my destination, and discovering Nightfall had upheld his promise. My balance now several thousand in the positive.
Getting to the fountain and looking to the north, in the direction of the inner wall. A large, open, but well guarded, gate. The main entrance to the noble district and castle used by no one with any sense. The city garrison crawling with guards and watchful eyes and right next to it, my destination. The attached jail.
If Sly is telling the truth then Stormhawk didn't grab Kate. Either she's being cautious – more than likely, she can probably feel hostile intent – or she's been detained and is in the process of reeducation. Less likely, but still possible. Had to stay away from her apartment while wearing this strangling collar or they'd be led straight to it, but her boyfriend is scheduled to be released for killing me pretty soon. Hopefully she knows what happened and comes to pick him up, but if she doesn't show then he can relay a message. The guards at the entrance all looking at me with that old suspicion and some with another, much newer, expression. Leering. Word has definitely gotten around since the harbor. There's one of the posters Stormhawk had been putting up, right there.
“Coming to turn yourself in, eh?” The question out of the guard's mouth before mine even had a chance to open.
“Just visiting. Thanks.” The piece of shit guard smirking and a couple others coming over. Their stances and posture sloppy. Taking me too easy. Well, it is broad daylight. Guess they figure they don't have much to worry about - and they're right. “Can I go in?”
“Visiting? Yeah, alright. The jail's over there but I'm sure you know the way.” Giving a dismissive wave of his hand.
Walking to one side of the gatehouse and in the heavy door. Yeah, visiting. A search? There's nothing on me. Yeah, fine, not my first time here. Don't get too handsy or you'll lose 'em. That was not a request so consider yourself lucky that you're only in time out. As far as I'm concerned you're all things, which means one or two or ten of you dropping dead doesn't mean jack. You call us Outsiders because you think we don't belong here, but the truth is none of you are even real to begin with. You're all less than dirt, as far as I'm concerned. You understand? Good. Let me in.
Getting through several locked metal doors and checkpoints. Turning the corner and the object of my search turning her head at my approach. Not particularly please. Fair enough, she's sensitive. Everything all sort of seemed like it was going wrong – things aren't exactly going a hundred percent, yet – but little by little that's all starting to change. It's up to me to be happy enough for the both of us right now, to let her know everything is going to be alight, and then to make it right.
“Kate, I was so worried.” Burying her in a hug. “You're doing alright? I'm sorry about all this, you know, I'm sorry about all of it, but seeing you here is such a relief.”
“Please let go of me.”
“Oh, shoot, sorry. I kinda overdid it.” Releasing her and smoothing out her clothing some. We're even wearing a similar color scheme. “Kate, I've got to fill you in on what's been going on.”
“You really don't.”
“I know what you're thinking. Whatever I tell you here, someone's going to be asking you to spill the beans on whatever it is. I know how they work. It's all real tiresome and predictable, but they still have to do it because that's basic tactics. But I have nothing to hide so tell 'em the truth, if they ask, or tell 'em whatever. I used to think it was me who was hiding, but I've come to realize that now I get to shine the spotlight on all of them. So don't worry about it.”
“Basic tactics.” Wolfe bringing a hand up to cover her face and muttering something. “I guess you're right, they did ask me to spy on you, but I'm not going to do it.”
“Good.” Something in her response, the way she said it, the hesitation at the start and then the resolve at the end, making my gut clench. “How're you doing, Kate? You seem very upset.”
“I'm meeting my boyfriend at jail because he murdered someone.”
“That's, um, that's a good reason to be upset. How's your relationship been going with him.”
“It's fine.” Monotone.
“He made it real quick on me, I want you to know, so you shouldn't be too angry with him.”
“Wait, you're the one he - I guess that would - who else was with you?”
“Magpie and that Blood Mage, Julie. They put me on trial but then we all ended up being found guilty.”
“Grace and... all three of you?” Wolfe's stony indifference beginning to crack. Then reforming. “Trial for what, exactly?”
“Corrupting the innocent.” Wolfe giving an almost imperceptible shake of her head. “Listen, like I said, he was considerate about it, so don't be too harsh on him.”
“Harsh on him? That's totally beside the point. Wait a minute, all this craziness, this is just another day for you, isn't it?”
“Kate, everything's been weird with me for awhile, but now things are finally settling out. Granted, I've been to this jail on more than one occasion so this, in particular, is nothing new to me, but actually finding you here and getting to talk with you is such a welcome surprise. I am so, so relieved you're okay. Lane was saying how he was going to be keeping an eye on you and tracking you down and I was starting to get worried they were going to grab you and then throw you in a hole and try brainwashing you and maybe torturing you and-”
“I'm here. I'm fine.”
“Good. So here's the news: I've got a plan in the works. I'm rehabilitating my image for the next couple months. Giving back, making restitution, making peace with any and all aggrieved parties. More importantly, I'm also getting people together so when all that's done with, we can get to doing what needs to get done. I've got some living space lined up, but that's also a work in progress. The whole process isn't going to be instant, but-”
“Good luck with that.”
“...thanks. You don't seem very enthused. I need you onboard. You're a big part of the reason I'm even doing this.”
“What do you think I'm going to add? Somehow I don't think I factored all that much into your plan.”
“Kate, that's not true. I thought you said you weren't going to hate me - I think you even promised me you wouldn't.”
“I don't-” Wolfe breaking eye contact before continuing, “I don't hate you, but now I really know who you are. You're a bad person - you're legitimately a very bad person - and I don't know that I want to be around you anymore.”
“I'm only a bad person to my enemies.”
“Which is anyone who gets in your way.”
“You've gotten in my way, on more than one occasion. It takes a lot more than merely inconveniencing me to get on my bad side.” Wolfe glaring at me. “What have I ever done to you?”
“Do you think that's all I care about? Only the things that you've done to me?”
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“That's all I'm concerned with. I'm not going to waste my time or my brainpower or my breath thinking about let alone jumping through hoops for people I don't know or care about. They're not important to me and they may as well not even exist.”
“That is so...” Shaking her head. “You want to know what you've done to me? You've hurt people in front of me, and I let you do it. You've murdered people right in front of me, and then I let it go. You brought me underground to fight those awful things, to help me, you said, but was that really to help?”
“It did help. Did your nightmares stop, or not?”
“You, the thing that was you, killed all those people at the gala, and that's what caused them in the first place. Maybe it wasn't you doing it, maybe that was ultimately someone else's fault, but it still happened because of you.”
“But what have I done to you?”
“You don't...” Shaking her head, again. “I've allowed myself to become a worse person since I've been around you. I tried to, I dunno, fit in, so I understand that's on me - my actions are on me - but if I wasn't around you things wouldn't have happened like they did.”
“That sounds like an excuse, and I wouldn't say you've become a worse person. Not at all. Standing up for yourself, standing up for me when I needed you, that makes you a better person as far as I'm concerned. Even if you think some of what you've done isn't good, I'm not responsible for all the ugliness in the world, and that's what you were contending with when you made some of those decisions, so you shouldn't beat yourself up about that, either.”
Wolfe inhaling, trying to calm herself down. “You made Matt into a murderer.”
What an absolute load of - does she actually think? - wait, she's upset, that's why she said it. She's upset because she feels like she's been betrayed. She shouldn't, but she does. Fuck. Maybe she should.
“Kate, I'm so extremely disappointed in you for saying that. I know you're upset, I know you're venting, but don't you dare try and pin the blame for that last one on me. I'll take the blame for a bunch of the rest - I'll take the credit for trying to help you, too - but that last one is on him, which you know full well.”
“I want you to answer one question. Honestly. You said your plan,” the word drenched in contempt, “ involves me. Why do you want my help?”
Oh, that is definitely a loaded question. Wolfe's eyes narrowing. She knows - she probably knows better than anyone - and she can feel my emotions so there's no slipping around it. Okay, pure honesty.
“Fine, I'll acknowledge it. The elephant in the room. A big part of why I need your help is because of what you can do. We both know that, so there's no use pretending it doesn't factor in.”
“That's what I thought. You want to use me.”
“Kate, since I first met you I've legitimately been trying to help you. I do have a little sister - I didn't lie to you about that, I actually haven't lied to you about much of anything - and when we first went out you and Evie reminded me of her, so I decided to help you two that cycle.”
“Isn't planning contingencies more of what you were doing?”
“I- I dunno. Maybe I was. Not consciously, but maybe. You guys took pity on me when I needed it, and you guys definitely needed my help, so I decided to take you under my wing. It wasn't more complicated than that. Yeah, I need your help because of what you can do, but much more than that I need your help because I trust you. Because I value our friendship.” Her eyes narrowing again. “I guess you don't feel the same.”
“Our friendship.” Wolfe letting the word hang. “Is that what it was? I'm not so sure about that anymore. You're not a bad friend - you've actually been much better than a lot of the people I've known - but you've also scared the hell out of me on more than one occasion. Each time after it happened I told myself that I'd been overreacting, but I don't know if I ever really believed it. I've personally witnessed some of what you're capable of, and I've felt your emotions as you were doing it. In the past several days I've heard about so much more, and I think I can believe what I've heard. I'm glad that I met you – at least, I'm glad that we met when we did – but I don't know if I can get past all of that, and I'm genuinely sorry that I can't. I like you – I love you – but the way you can be frightens me. It frightens me terribly, and because of that I'd rather not be around you anymore.”
“You're much braver than you think you are, Kate.”
“Maybe. If there's anything you've shown me, maybe it's that, but I'm still not in the mood to see or talk with you again.”
Opening my mouth to argue, but then thinking better of it. “Thanks for putting up with me for as long as you did.”
“You're welcome.” Measured and even, and then the girl pointedly looking away. A sendoff suitable for a stranger.
She's beyond upset, and this isn't some emotional outburst. She's come to this decision after thinking about everything long and hard. Time is all it'll take. Give her some time to feel less betrayed and stay out of her way in the meantime. Maybe write her a letter in a few days begging for forgiveness. Maybe write her once a cycle.
“Macarthy, where do you think you're going?” A random guard interrupting my wanderings. Wasn't the exit somewhere over here? No, got all turned around and went the wrong way. “Are you turning yourself in for something?”
“No, I, uh-”
“You're Macarthy?” A woman's voice from the side. She looks somewhat familiar. Tough placing her. Squinting.
“Five. What are you doing here?” Stupid question, there's only a small list of offenses that mandate jailtime. But Five's in here? She graduated from pickpocketing, or maybe she snatched something really valuable. Charity latched onto Wyrmsblood and Five, well, Five's in here for some reason. The guard clearing his throat. “I'm just visiting.” My explanation not particularly satisfactory to the guard.
“Give us a couple minutes.” Five pouting at the guard and reaching a hand through the bars. “Please?” Something passing between the two. The guard giving me a final suspicious glance, but then walking away. “Are the rumors I've been hearing true?”
Stuck in a jail cell and yet she looks so carefree. Amused. She doesn't look very stuck.
“It's true. Why are you in here?”
“That is so amazingly funny.” A slender hand covering her mouth and a tittering laugh coming out, setting my teeth on edge. “I should ask you the same question. You back to killing people, Mac? From everything I've heard, it sounds like it. Heh. Mac.” Five abandoning any pretense at holding back and busting her gut. “You're way too dainty to be Mac. Heck, even I'm taller than you.”
Letting her peals of laughter wash over me. It shouldn't be so goddamned irritating, but running into Five after dealing with Kate has got to be karma. The woman is never serious, whereas Kate rarely smiles, only when her guard is down. Flippant and rude while Kate is nothing of the sort. Mocking me strictly for her own amusement, when Kate never would. She could probably be convinced to join, but would be unreliable, whereas Kate would be there when needed - but now she doesn't want anything to do with me.
“Good to see you, Five. I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing.”
“Wait, you can't just leave.”
Just watch me.
Five opening her own cell door and following. Not a prisoner at all, it seems. “You're the most entertaining visitor I could've hoped for. Let's catch up.” Gesturing me back in the direction of her cell. Crossing my arms. Well, not doing anything else right now, and there's another hour fifteen to kill before my mana gets full. Taking a seat on her much thicker than ordinary prison issue mattress.
“What game are you running in here?”
“I'll tell you, but you've got to tell me what you've been doing – you're really Mac, right? I want to hear it from the horse's mouth. Tit for tat is only fair.”
“Alright. Why are you sitting around in jail?”
“Well,” Five suddenly fidgeting, “this is only during the day, and only on some days. I'm seeing somebody in here.”
“In lockup? Who?”
“No, he works here. He's one of the guards.”
Failing to keep the scorn out of my voice. “You're dating one of them?”
“Yeah.” Defensive. “Do you know how tough it is finding a good man? Especially in here because, well, you know. He's a widower and he's got kids already, so that big issue isn't really an issue.” Five making a very uncharacteristic expression for Five. “I'm just trying to create some semblance of a life however I can.” Her uncharacteristic expression vanishing. “And there's a market for Melder's stuff in here, with a decent markup. So that's me. Pretty boring, huh? I want to hear about you.”
***
“We've been thinking over your request.” Mister Garland's sleeve pulling up slightly, revealing currently healing wounds, as well as older scars climbing up his arm. “And your proposal.”
“And I've spent a few hours attempting to gauge reactions and change some minds.” Madam Garland tapping her ruby ring.
“Good. So we're all set then.”
Neither of them liking that quick response.
“You're not taking your responsibilities seriously,” says Madam Garland. “You've been slacking.”
“I'm getting what I need to get done, done.”
“Slacking.” The Augur - hovering near her mistress like an anxious midwife - offering her two cents. “And wandering anywhere and everywhere.”
“I hate that I have to keep bringing this up, but we originally agreed that I'd be able to get field time while I'm here. You've all been dragging your feet and my experience buffer is getting eaten away with each passing day. I won't let this state of affairs continue for another cycle, especially after being so rudely awakened last night. I will consider my half of our agreement satisfactorily upheld and then I'll wash my hands of the rest of it.”
“The main concern we have,” says Mister Garland, “is why do you feel the need to go underground? What are you scheming?”
“That's just where I've been hunting these past several years, is all. It's the hunting ground I know best and there's plenty of materials down there for your people to play with. I also heard something of a rumor - from an admittedly questionable source - but the more I've been thinking about it today, the more important it seems. I want to go down there and see how things are going.”
“How what's going?” says Mister Garland, after a long pause.
“I've heard the critters I've been hunting these past couple years might be getting uppity, so I want to go into their nests and bloody 'em. Give 'em a taste of what'll happen if they even dream of sticking their grubby paws into civilization. On top of that, killing them is good experience. That's mainly why I've been exterminating 'em.”
“That's why you've been persecuting the children of the Most Worthy?” Mister Garland's fingernails rending his garments and the flesh underneath, raking new lines. “All they desire is peace and for their journey through the wilderness to end.”
What a nutjob. Wait, heard all sorts of confessions over the years, and that sounds exactly like a confession. Something stinks to high heaven in this compost heap. Untrustworthy, him and her, both. Playing stupid games, making me ask mother may I for each and every little thing. This charade needs to end. Let it be done. Time to do it.
“We don't want you to go down there.” Madam Garland, a note of panic in her voice, quickly stepping in while her husband continues with his self flagellation. “Our members, that is, they don't want to go down there. Not with you - and probably not without you.”
“But-”
“You'll be joining them on their usual expeditions each day four. I'm certain there are reagents up here you can get for Bailee. If you want to go underground so badly you can spend the time convincing them, but I'm not going to waste any more of mine.”
“I guess that works.” Turning to leave before my rising temper creates an unfixable situation.
“Curtsy.” A bloated belch from behind. What an absolute, petty...
Spinning back and doing my best curtsy. Mister Garland mostly under control, pulling his sleeves back down to cover up the fresh wounds.
“Thanks for the friendly consideration. Missus. Mister.”