Before Eberwyn could answer, the door creaked open and a burly guard stepped in. His craggy face was lined with the marks of a life hard-lived.
“Well?” Eberwyn demanded, turning to face him.
The guard glanced at Lily and then back at Eberwyn. “We’ve done as ye ordered,” he said. “We’ve made a cellar beneath a shop look like a hideout and paid two witnesses to testify that they saw Alfred there.”
A triumphant grin spread across Eberwyn’s face. “Excellent,” he crowed, clapping the guard on his burly shoulder.
Alfred? Hideout? Witnesses? What were they talking about? A cold shiver of dread slid down her spine. Just what, exactly, were they planning?
Eberwyn glanced through the window at the position of the sun. “Alright. Alfred, we’d better get going. Timing is everything, and I reckon our friend Oskar will have done what we need him to by now.”
Alfred nodded, then grunted and pulled himself painfully to his feet, aided by Alice.
“What are you doing?” Lily demanded. “What are you up to?”
“Naught that concerns ye,” Eberwyn replied. “Alice, take her back to the cellar.”
Alice reached for Lily, but she sidestepped swiftly. “I won’t be going anywhere until I get some answers!”
“Ye dinna have a say in the matter,” Alice retorted, lunging for Lily once more. But Lily was too quick. She twisted out of Alice’s reach and stumbled back.
“What have you done to Oskar? What are you planning?”
With a snarl, Alice lunged and grabbed her, fingers curling around Lily’s arms in a pincer grip. “Quit yer damned hollering.”
“No!” Lily shouted, struggling against Alice’s hold. “Get your hands off me!” She twisted and turned, trying to wrench free of Alice’s grip. “Let me go!”
She managed to twist herself around and yank one arm free. Her fist shot at Alice’s face but missed and made contact with her shoulder instead. Her fingers brushed against something metal and closed around it instinctively, ripping it from Alice’s dress. The momentum of Lily’s swing took them both toppling over.
Lily landed on top of Alice with an ‘oomph’. The woman twisted like a snake and suddenly it was her on top, straddling Lily’s chest.
Pain ricocheted along Lily’s spine and down both legs, bringing tears to her eyes, but she bit her lip, refusing to cry out. She wouldn’t give these people the satisfaction.
“Ye are beginning to annoy me,” Alice hissed, pressing her face close to Lily’s. “I could just kill ye right now.”
“Get off!” Lily snapped, thrashing wildly beneath Alice.
Eberwyn stepped forward. “Enough!” he said. “We dinna have time for this!”
With a grunt, Alice pulled herself up from the floor. She yanked Lily to her feet with a force that left Lily’s arms smarting.She twisted Lily’s arm up her back and marched her towards the door.
Lily didn’t fight this time. Instead, her fingers closed around the bit of metal she’d ripped from Alice’s shoulder, keeping it out of sight. She had to be smart if she was going to find a way out of this.
And she planned on doing just that.
AS THE GUILD HOUSEcame into view, Oskar missed a step. Clenching his fists, he pictured Lily’s face, recalling her deep, intelligent eyes, her full lips, that self-deprecating smile. It was the only thing that would give him the courage to do what came next.
He’d paid Bryn and enlisted the services of his gang as Eberwyn had instructed him, but that was not the end of his duties to the Order’s enemies.
Screwing up his courage, he strode to the door and knocked before he could change his mind. The slot in the door slid open and Oskar spoke the code word. A moment later, the door opened and Oskar strode in.
“Oskar!” Torvik bellowed as he stepped inside. “What can we do for ye?”
“I need a word with Kai.”
“He isnae here,” Torvik replied, scratching at his bushy beard. “He’s out with the patrols looking for the Brewers, but he shouldnae be long. Ye can wait in his study if ye like.”
Oskar nodded tightly, trying to hide his relief. This was the first stroke of luck he’d had since this whole business had started. If Kai wasn’t here, it made his job a whole lot easier. He wouldn’t have to face his commander, wouldn’t have to lie to his face, wouldn’t have to act like nothing was wrong, all the whilehoping that his commander and friend didn’t see right through him.
