“I will.” I sniffed.
We ran into Thorne on the way out. He planted a kiss on Oss’s lips in the middle of the courtyard. A quick glance around proved everyone was watching. Damn, they were a sappy pair.
“I thought you were going down below?” Thorne asked.
“We don’t have the proper paperwork,” Oss scoffed.
“What paperwork? Aren’t you… their king?”
“That’s what we said,” I chirped, earning a huff from Oss and a bark of laughter from Thorne.
“They’re claiming we need one of the lords to sign some paperwork giving us access. We think they’re creating problems to prevent us from going down there at all. We don’t know why. Unfortunately, they’re magistrate men, and we can’t just push our way through if we don’t want to be shot or stabbed.”
Thorne winced. “I’ll come with you.”
“Don’t you have to work?” Thorne had the oddest hours.
“I helped with the pilot issue and got the cargo unloaded. The increase of air transport is causing some scheduling problems.”
“Why the increase?” Oss asked.
“Vahagn has been bringing in more imports lately.”
“Why?” Vahagn was a businessman who made his fortune transporting goods to and from Keys. He paid a percentage to the guard tower for labor and wear on the dirigibles serviced. He made his real money in luxury goods. The rich can never have too many ways to throw their money around.
“You didn’t hear it from me, but the ladies are arranging a carnival, and they need supplies.”
“The toff have too much time on their hand.,” Oss dismissed the actions of the titled ladies with a shake of his head like as dog dispelling water.
“It would generate revenue for the vendors and bring in some cheer.” I wasn’t completely against the idea. The town could use some brightening up.
“Hmm, we’ll see.” Oss stepped closer to Thorne until they were almost touching shoulders when they walked.
“Let’s worry about getting to Justin’s for now. We can argue about the gentry another day. Train or coach?” Thorne asked.
“If you’re paying, then coach. The train runs on a schedule and we’re trying to get things done quickly,” Oss replied.
“Where exactly is his mansion?” I asked once I caught up with Oss’s grueling pace.
“How do you not know that? You said you visited.”
I shrugged. “I’ve only gone once, and it was at night. I got the impression he’d prefer to keep the factions of his life separate.”
“What an ass.” Oss wrinkled his nose and clenched his hand in a familiar manner.
Thorne threaded his fingers through Oss’s bent ones. “I’d prefer if you didn’t stab my brother, love,” he interjected in a mild voice.
“You can’t have everything.” Oss flicked a piece of lint off his jacket. Imaginary, I presume, because Oss was never attentive over lint before.
Thorne laughed instead of arguing. I swear Oss found the calmest man in the city to be his partner.
We hailed a public coach, and it still took over an hour to reach Lear’s property. A large iron fence and an elaborate set of iron gates protected his estate from the common man. The Lear crest of a crow perched on the pommel of a sword was pressed into the gate doors. Two man-sized crow statues, with wings closed, stood as sentinels on either side of the drive. The patch of space between the gates and the mansion contained more clear land than I’d ever seen outside of a public park. Rich people really did have everything.
“A bit ostentatious,” Oss muttered.
Thorne’s face turned an attractive red.
We reached the gates only to find the same problem we’d had at the Tower. Guards.
