He reacted quickly, recognizing the signs of the magical fallout from previous close calls. “Maelis, how about you clean this man’s wound over here so I can take a look at those tourniquets?”
I nodded and walked over to the less injured people on the left side of the room. The urge to use my heka was almost overwhelming. Sweat coated every inch of my body, my legs felt like they would give out any minute now. That’s what it had always been like. My heka was calling to me, baiting me to get lost in its silent promise of oblivion and peace.
One breath. One act. One choice.
Do good. Stay clean. Hold steady.
It took me several tries to pick up the scissors and cut dressings and bandages into smaller strips, but with every small routine, my vision cleared a little bit, the familiarity of the task calming the swirling magic inside my veins.
That is until I heard a familiar voice behind me and the blood in my veins turned to ice. “Well, well, well… if it isnae our wee Nightpetal, up tae her old tricks again. Don’t be shy now. Come gie yer old pal a hug, aye?”
Chapter 3
Irecovered quickly, instinct kicking in and my magical high all but forgotten.
“Not here,” I hissed, my teeth clenched so tightly my jaw ached. I didn’t wait for Dr. Marris’s protest, I turned on my heel and strode out. Behind me, Bogus limped along on his nearly healed leg, an ever-present sadistic grin tugging at his mouth. I pushed down the corridor until I found an empty room to the left. It appeared to be a drying space, judging by the rows of washing lines strung across the ceiling. The air was thick with moisture and the sharp scent of wet animals.
Bogus slipped in after me, and the moment the door clicked shut, I whirled around to face him.
“What in the Fates are you doing here, Bogus? Who sent you?”
“By Ignara, I didnae think ye’d greet me wi’ open arms, but this? Bit harsh for an old mate, eh?”
I stepped closer. “Stop wasting my time, Bogus. What do you want?”
Being a few stretches smaller than him, I didn’t exactly cut a threatening figure. He could easily overwhelm me physically if he chose to. I had never been a good fighter, butI knew that for all his bravado, Bogus was terrified of my heka. My hand slowly moved towards the pocket where I kept my pencil and paper. That was all it took. Bogus’ eyes followed the movement, widening ever so slightly.
“I’m sorry. Just gie me ten minutes tae explain, Nightpetal.”
The use of my old nickname felt natural and yet it made my skin crawl. I had left that version of me behind, like a snake shedding its old skin.
I flinched as a memory slid up unbidden: Bogus standing inside the doorway of my old room, grin wide, as he let a man in. He winked at me like it was a joke, then stepped back as the customer’s eyes devoured me, hand already reaching for the hem of my dress. The smell of cheap wine and stale sweat filled the air; the mattress springs groaned under a greedy weight. I had forced a smile then, too young and practiced at pretending, and when the man leaned in, I’d recoiled as if burned. The memory made my skin prickle now, repulsion and a hot, helpless shame that still tasted metallic on my tongue.
My discomfort must have shown, because Bogus was grinning again. His unnaturally brown teeth, stained by years of chewing tobacco, visible even in the dimly lit room.
I took a step back. Moving my foot slightly to check that my dagger was still in place in my boots, I let out a heavy breath.
“All right, speak! My patience is thin, and I would hate for you to leave here missing something you value.” I pointedly looked towards his crotch.
The smile on his face fell.
“Ye’re lookin’ well, Nightpetal. Seems like ye’ve built quitethe life for yersel’ over here. We’ve been searchin’ high an’ low for ye, ye ken?” he drawled and raked his eyes over me. I swallowed down the sense of panic that threatened to overtake me, my heka restlessly pulsing underneath my skin. Never again would I feel comfortable with a man looking at me like he did.
“Why have you been searching for me? I left the Nest with the promise of Madame Celestine that I shall never hear of you again! You have three more minutes to give me a reason not to castrate you here and now, Bogus!” I said with more bravado than I felt.
That seemed to sober him up.
“I’m no’ here for Madame Celestine. Left her wee circle o’ whores not long after ye vanished. I’m workin’ wi’ the big lads now. Good folk, lookin’ to bring some real change ‘round here. I told them about yer powers, and they’re keen tae have ye on board.”
I was going to be sick. If Bogus had been talking about my heka, there was a real chance that the authorities had already caught wind of my whereabouts. Possessing and using magic was strictly forbidden and any fool who was unlucky enough to be born with it was transported to the colonies immediately.
“Keep your voice down. Who have you been talking to about my heka? I should kill you just for sharing a secret that wasn’t yours to share,” I rushed out. Anger and fear were a dangerous cocktail for someone like me. Someone always close to losing control.
If I didn’t know him well, I would have thought he was unaffected by my words. But like everyone, Bogus had a tell. His eyes shifted left and right before responding, a clear signthat he was nervous.
“Swear it, I only talked tae folk I trust. There’s a rebellion brewin’, and we’re gatherin’ support from all across the continent.”
I frowned. “A rebellion forming against whom? Is this how you and your comrades got hurt?” I asked.
