Page 113

Mei

Exhausted from traveling, as well as the long discussions with both Astrid and her grandmother, Mei began getting ready for bed earlier than she normally would when in London. Returning to town hours, rather than the country schedule where almost everyone woke earlier and went to bed earlier, was going to be an adjustment.

Yawning, dressed in nothing but a nightrail, she was about to climb into bed when a sudden, sharp bang made her jump. Even though she was up in her bedroom, it was very loud.

“Who’s there?” Her grandmother called out from downstairs, her voice higher than usual.

There had been nothing normal about that knock, Mei realized.

Instead of hearing an answer, she heard another loud bang. As if someone was not knocking but was trying to break the door down. Mei whirled around and ran down the stairs, finding her grandmother standing in the center of the sitting room, staring at the door, as another bang filled the air. The front door splintered, and Mei’s hands flew up to her mouth to cover her shriek.

Her heart was pounding painfully hard in her chest, hands trembling against her mouth. The ball of fear that knotted her stomach made her feel nauseous.

“What do we do?” she whispered, running down to meet her grandmother. Grandmother did not even look at her.

“Go out the back, over the fence.” The instruction was brisk, tight. Mei could see that her grandmother was just as frightened as she was and just as unwilling to show it.

“You cannot climb over the fence.” Her grandmother was spry, but— That was when Mei realized that her grandmother wanted Mei to leave her here to face whatever was on the other side of the door.

“Absolutely not.”

Another loud bang and the wooden door cracked. Someone shouted outside, and she didn’t think it was the person trying to break down the door, but she also was uncertain if anyone would step up to help. Even if someone ran for the coppers, they might not make it back in time to help Mei and her grandmother.

“Mei—” Her grandmother started to round on her furiously, but it was too late.

The next bang shattered the door, knocking it off its hinges, and it sagged inward. Two men came barreling through, big and broad-shouldered, with caps pulled low over their heads. They wore nondescript clothing, not too rich but not too shabby. They were the kind of men who would not look out of place in most crowds in London.

“Stop!” Mei did not expect her command to do anything, but she found herself unable to keep the word back.

The one in front looked at her, and his eyes lit up.

“Come wit’ us, girlie, and we’ll leave your grandmother alone.”

Mei’s blood ran cold, but as a trade, how could she possibly refuse that?

“Absolutely not,” Grandmother said, grabbing Mei and pulling her back. It was such an unexpected move that Mei was not anticipating it, although perhaps she should have. Her grandmother shoved her toward the back door, moving forward to meet the two men before Mei could stop her. She stumbled several steps, crying out as the man in front backhanded her grandmother and sent her frail frame flying into the wall.

“Oi! You didn’t have to do that!” The second man grabbed the first, pulling him back. “She’s just an old lady.”

“She should have listened.” The first man was undeterred, shaking off the second man and heading for Mei.

With a desperate glance at the still form of her grandmother, Mei felt her throat close up. If she was dead… Mei stepped back into the kitchen and snatched up one of the knives.

The first man shook his head. “Oh, so you want to play rough, girlie?”

“Here now, there’s no need for that,” the second man said, lifting his head a little more. In the light, Mei could see a vicious scar, long since healed, across his eye. Some memory niggled at her, but she was too focused on her own safety and her grandmother to try to figure out what it was. “Just come with us, and he won’t hurt you.”

There was something fierce about the way he said the second part, as if he was willing to fight the other man to defend her. Not that Mei was going to trust either of the men, but if she could get them fighting each other…

“Are you going to stop him?” she asked defiantly, gesturing at the non-scarred man, as the one with a scar seemed he might have a conscience. Perhaps she could turn them on each other.

The first man laughed, a cruel sound. “He can try. It won’t matter to you, though; he’ll get the job done either way. You’re no longer welcome in England.”

Mei glanced at the second man, who appeared almost apologetic but did not meet her gaze. Blast. Whatever was compelling them to work together, it meant more to him than his morals. He did not want to hurt her, at least, and perhaps she could do something with that.

Her grandmother moaned, and Mei’s heart leapt with hope. She was alive!

“Enough,” the first man snarled, and jumped forward. Mei shrieked and slashed at him, but he knew what he was about. He grabbed her wrist, squeezing tightly, and she cried out again as the pain flashed through her, her fingers opening involuntarily. The knife went clattering to the floor, and she screamed again.