The two of us took off down a narrow passage between the buildings, heading toward the church.
“How do we know the one we’re looking for is alive?” Meridan asked.
“We don’t.”
We continued on, ducking under lines of old clothing hanging on ropes and leaping over crates filled with rotting fish and crab carcasses. The more we ran, the more I felt lost and in the narrow passages, I’d misplaced the steeple.
“Which way?” Meridan said.
I chose a direction at random. When we came out onto a main street, I saw the tall steeple before us, the front of it charred and blackened from a recent fire. I spun, looking at the buildings lining the road across from it.
I saw a wooden sign hanging above one of the establishments. It was swinging on a single chain, but I could still see the emblem on it. A hammer and sword crossed had to mean metalwork.
The front door of the building was thick with metal hinges. I nudged it open, stepping inside to find a dark, drab place coveredin dust. It felt empty, but the two candles burning on the table near the front door said otherwise.
Looking around, it was larger than it appeared outside. There were basins of water and bins of metal scrap arranged along one wall. The smell of burnt coal and iron invaded my senses.
“Addison!” I called out, not wanting to waste time searching for someone who likely didn’t want to be found. “If you’re here, I’m with your brother, James.”
The sound of something hitting the ground and rolling along the thick wood drew my eye. A woman, small in stature but solidly built, stepped out from behind a large, stone forge fire that was unlit. Chestnut hair was wrapped in a thick braid, and tiny scars peppered her round face, likely from prolonged work in harsh conditions, like hovering over hot embers.
“Addison?”
Her eyes widened with fury. She was wielding a hammer when she bared her teeth.
“Liar. You’re one of them.”
I shook my head, raising my hands in surrender. Meridan, less inclined to relinquish her weapon, stood ready to attack if the woman advanced.
“We need to leave,” I said.
“Leave?” she snorted. “With you? For what? Another sacrifice to those fucking monsters! And what the fuck is she?” she gestured at Meridan. “A goddamn ghost?”
She roared, charging at me with the hammer. When she swung, I pivoted and the hammer crashed into the wooden wall, making a deep hole. When she couldn’t dislodge it right away, I clutched her shoulders, throwing her onto her back and straddling her. She thrashed, kicking out her legs like a lamb trying to avoid slaughter. I could have pulled out my knife. Instead, I pulled Vidar’s cutlass from its sheath and held it to her neck, making sure she got a glimpse of the bronze.
It had the desired effect, at least. Or perhaps it was just the feeling of cold metal against her neck that made her stop struggling.
“Bronze? Since when do you bitches carry bronze?” she hissed through clenched teeth.
“Since Vidar Woelfson gave it to me to find you.”
Her eyes narrowed at me. She had no reason to believe me. Not after what the sirens had done to her town. Even from her smithery I could smell the stench of the bodies in the square and it likely wasn’t the only pile.
“Vidar Woelfson?” she snorted again as if about to laugh. “The greatest hunter of sirens gave you his cutlass to—”
I moved the blade so she could see it. “Lady Mary,” I cut her off. “He said your mentor made it.”
Two creases formed between her confused brows as her eyes soaked in the unique look of the weapon. When realization hit her, she snapped her gaze toward me, thoughts running rampant behind her stare. Then she bucked, trying to throw me to the side.
“Get the fuck off of me,” she cursed.
I stood, stepping back to give her space as she scurried to her feet. Gaining some distance, she turned to face us again, straightening the fitted leather vest she was wearing. She studied me for a moment and then turned her gaze on Meridan, cocking her head curiously.
“What the hell is she?”
“Like me,” I said. “But different.”
“You’re saying James’s captain,Bone Heart, gave you that blade to come here looking for me? If you’re not a siren and I’ve died and gone to hell, tell me now, because that is harder to believe than the shit happening here the last couple weeks.”
