He chose a long strip of laminar alloy taken from the ballistic drapery.It’s a nasty crop of near-liquid metal that’ll bite much deeper than any whip, belt or cane.Lachlan hears it swishing on the floor like the tail of an impatient dragon.Alistair stands across from his children.
Only when he gives a nod does Fenwick begin.
?
Lachlan is hospitalised due to blood loss.
He’s given transfusions in the medical suite of the Estate and a four-day stay.Carrigan visits him three times a day for rundowns.They’re on bad terms.Whatever tenuous friendship they had before is now stretched past breaking point and Lachlan knows it’s all his fault.He pulled her into this, and he’s the one making the mess.She glances at his wrist tattoo whenever he tries to apologise, to… well, he can’texplainany of it but at least put his side across.She simply shuts him down and stays focused on the work.
Each of the lashes needs several stitches and his back is disfigured for life.
On the third day, Alistair brings both kids to visit.It’s so strange seeing him with Mimi and Jules, jarringly wrong.
‘There, see?He’s doing much better today,’ Alistair tells his daughter who climbs eagerly up on the bed and throws herself into Lachlan’s arms while Jules hangs back.‘How are you feeling, Lachlan?’
‘Fine, sir.’
‘I hope you know that we still very much consider you a part of the family.You were instrumental in crafting a cautionary tale for lower tiers as well as teaching my children a valuable lesson about respect.Would you like reconstructive surgery for the scarring?’he offers lightly as if carrying a tray of delicacies and encouraging Lachlan to sample one.
‘No, thank you, sir,’ he says.‘I’d prefer to remember it.’
He’ll remember sunshine and grass and cartwheels.
‘Excellent.You’ll be back on your feet for the party?’
‘I will, sir.’
‘Then I’ll leave you to it.’
Mimi completely ignores him.Jules gives a curt nod.
When he’s gone, Mimi whispers, ‘I was so good, Daddy!Did big pretend like Jewel told me to.’
Jules moves closer, amber eyes lifting to Lachlan.‘I explained that what you did was wrong and it’s bad to disobey father.’
Mimi pulls back, makes a sad face.‘Very,verywrong!’she declares, over the top.Lachlan is glad that Jules did that.They have to teach Mimi how to lie sooner or later.
‘We still get to go outside,’ Jules tells him, ‘so that’s good.’
Lachlan smiles.‘Fantastic.’His back is a tapestry of white-hot agony.Painkillers don’t work.He’s immune to all but the strongest, but it doesn’t matter because he has Mimi in his arms.‘So, how’s Mari?’
?
Two days before the party, Lachlan is operating at one hundred percent again and dreading this party because no matter what they do, it will never be completely safe.He has to prioritise, so he does.
Fenwick hasn’t apologised for whipping him and Lachlan hasn’t apologised for threatening to shoot him, a threat he would have wholeheartedly carried out, but they’re professionals so the planning goes well, enacted to the letter.
The Estate is made ready for what feels like royalty.
Blaire outright tells Lachlan when they’re alone,two button privacy,that she’s his friend and whatever he does going forward, she has his back.
‘That means a lot,’ he says, a little awkwardly because he’s not good at making friends, worse at keeping them.‘I’ve got your back too.’
‘Yes, darling, but mine isn’t quite such a mess.’
He chuckles, likes her dark sense of humour whenever he gets a glimpse of it.‘True.Look, I need your help with Carrigan.’
Lachlan knows he’s almost completely lost her at this point.
