A Study In Ashes Part 58

He was instantly calmed. The details didn't matter. Saving his family did. If surrender was his final card to play, his last weapon to save them, so be it. "Then consider my death yours."

Very well, Tobias Roth. Are you prepared?

Agony racked him, bowing his back until he heard bones crack. Why not? He could no longer speak, but he somehow felt the Black King understand his thought.

One of the Wraiths pulled out a long and evil-looking knife, but it was as nothing next to the dragon's talons.

EVELINA'S GORGE ROSE. She was certain she would pa.s.s out and clung to Nick with clammy fingers. Her mind couldn't grasp what she was seeing, and wouldn't accept that there was nothing she could do.

"Remove the others!" said Lord Fawkes, sweeping a hand toward the archway. "The king is at work."

The Wraiths surged forward. Alice screamed again, the baby's wails multiplied by his mother's terror. Evelina plunged toward Tobias.

"Evelina, wait!" Nick leapt after her, grabbing her elbow. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

He was probably right, yet she refused to turn away. She'd felt Tobias's illness at Baskerville Hall, but had not fully understood it at the time. Now she could sense his death hovering, too near for any healing magic to help him-but loss and grief insisted she be there at his side. "Tobias!"

"Silence!" Lord Fawkes demanded. "Get back with the rest."

But Evelina wasn't moving, so neither was Nick. She could just see into the tight circle around Tobias. The Black King was so close that his breath stirred his hair, and one wickedly curved claw was pressed to the hollow of his throat. Tobias cried out in agony, twisting against the pain as his flesh succ.u.mbed to the Scarlet King's poison. He was dying. The only question was whether the dragon or the toxins would get to him first.

"Evelina!" Nick said again, grabbing her elbow. "What are you thinking? Because if you're seriously planning to take on the entire Black Kingdom, I need to know."

"I need to stop this!" She needed Tobias alive. She needed everyone out of there safely. But the dark magic she felt coursing through the dragon was enormous-too much for her to fight. She had to use her wits, not spells. "My lord king," she cried out, "if you have superior magic, do you not have superior powers to heal?"

I do, but why would I do such a thing? Do not look for mercy from me.

"Why not show mercy? What about building alliances? Working with the rest of the Empire? What about governing your realm?" She heard the Wraiths stirring, but she couldn't tell if that was good or bad.

My realm? This is the pit where all the outcasts are flung, away from the sun and the sight of Man. Once I ruled empires. Now I am the steward of the dung heap. There was no missing the sourness in his tone. I was tricked into this realm by your ancestors, little mouse. Do not mistake me for a friend.

"But you're the conduit of all the magic here. You have immense power."

I am but the lightning rod the power uses to enter this world. That is why I have lived so long. The power of the underground needs a king to be its avatar.

Evelina licked her lips. As long as the dragon was talking, Tobias lived. She seized on another question. "What would happen if you weren't here?"

My power would shatter and the Black Kingdom would fall. Those who dwell beneath the streets would be free to roam in the world above.

Evelina quailed. The creatures would be loosed upon London? That wouldn't end well. "But-"

Remove her! the Black King commanded. I will have peace while I eat.

Lord Fawkes was suddenly in her way, forcing her back at knifepoint. "The king demands silence."

Ignoring Fawkes's weapon, Nick stepped between them, putting a hand against the Wraith's chest. "Would you care to think about where you're pointing that blade?"

Taking advantage of the distraction, Evelina pushed past Fawkes and thrust herself nearer to the dragon, reaching for the creature's aura of power. She had a half-formed notion that she might be able to steal its stronger magic and use it as her own. But then the dragon's claws plunged home, and Tobias gave a final roar of agony. As she felt his life flutter, Evelina screamed her fury.

Sight, sound-all sensation from the physical plane left her. What remained was the shifting vision of power in her mind's eye. The dark fog of the Black King's magic consumed Tobias's life, swallowing it down like mist blotting out a star. Stop it! she raged, thrusting her power at the beast. It bounced off like pebbles against a mountain.

You interfere, came the Black King's voice. It was the booming of the ocean in sea caves, as old and worn as the rock itself.

I have the right. He is dear to me.

For the first time, she felt the tug of curiosity in the beast. Who are you?

While the Black King had taken her measure before, this time it was more than a cursory flick of the tongue. His mind drilled into hers with the force of one of the Gold King's war machines. I am Evelina Cooper. I have put magic into machines. I destroyed Her Majesty's Laboratories and the sorcerer Magnus. I have fought against the Steam Council.

And this gives you the right to raise your magic against me? The dragon sounded amused, but sleepy now, as if a full stomach took the edge off its concentration. You are just a beginner.

There was barely a spark remaining of Tobias's life. Evelina grabbed that sliver of light and held on. The dragon was consuming not just his body, but also the essence that held the spice and sweetness of his death. She couldn't let that happen. Nothing would remain of his soul, not even sc.r.a.ps enough to haunt her.

Tears burned Evelina's face. Whatever had happened between them, she still loved Tobias-no longer as the man she would marry, but now as an old and comfortable tenderness. They'd come so far together, and Evelina yearned to see him happy. To lose him now would be a defeat her universe could not abide. But all that was left of him was a guttering flame.

Then Evelina was roughly hauled away as the Wraiths circled their master. Bound to Tobias, she felt the slice of flesh from bone as his mortal flesh was destroyed. The huge fangs of the Black King bit deep, then the sharp knives and needlelike teeth of the Wraiths. Bones broke with white-hot torment, and the flame of life sputtered, but Evelina would not surrender. Screams ripped from her as she thrashed against the Wraiths, agony blowing past whatever controlling magic they possessed.

Desperate, she wove her dark power into a binding, winding it protectively around the sc.r.a.p of Tobias's life, feeding magic to the embers of him like tiny bits of kindling. Weaker than the Black King's, her own power was subtle enough to sustain life, but not enough to rebuild it. For that, she reached deep into the dragon, to the magic that filled the Black Kingdom like smoke, and fed it into her spell.

But the dragon wasn't willing to share its power. It slammed back against her, buffeting against her with the force of a gale. Evelina braced herself, shielding Tobias as she pulled more and more from the beast to protect the flickering sc.r.a.p of life. It was power such as she'd never seen-such as she was sure Magnus would have taken for himself-but she didn't need it. Tobias did.

How did you find your way through my defenses? Snarling, the dragon stopped feeding and turned its attention to her. She didn't know the exact answer, but before the creature could react, she lunged for the center of its magic, yanking free great chunks of it and packing it around Tobias's life force.

Stop! the dragon thundered, smashing her down. It was a blow meant to pulverize, but she let the force take her, offering no resistance. Still, it crushed her consciousness to the point of agonizing pain.

No! Summoning what strength she still possessed, her power surged forward, ignoring the danger to seize upon the core of the dragon's essence. You must help my friend!

But the beast was having none of it, and crashed into her again, twisting violently against her magic's hold. Something tore, and for an instant she wasn't sure which one of them it was, but a blinding flash exploded in her mind, leaving a sensation of searing heat.

She was snapped back to reality by a roar such as she had never heard. It filled the cavern, the sound kneading against the stone walls like something thick and elastic. She covered her ears, dropping to her knees and curling into a ball until her bones stopped vibrating. Blinking stupidly, she uncoiled one degree at a time. The memory of pain had left her rubber-limbed and weak, even if it was not her own.

She pushed herself up on an elbow and saw Nick facedown on the ground. Shocked back to herself, she scrambled over to him. "Nick?"

Keating's voice slid out of the shadows. "Lord Fawkes knocked him down. Your pirate is a good fighter, but no match for a Wraith. Nonetheless I do not think he is badly hurt."

Since Nick's pulse and breathing were fine, she decided that Keating was telling the truth. "Weren't you locked up?"

"The Wraiths never made it that far before they were tempted back to the spectacle out here. They left us to fend for ourselves against the inmates of this pit."

"Where's Edmond?"

"The fool prince is guarding my daughter, thinking I'm going to collect you and Captain Niccolo so that we can all escape together. I'll bet you a shilling which one of us will survive to rule the Empire."

"So why aren't you running?"

"Your pirate has something of mine. We're overdue for a chat about stolen property."

"Athena!" Evelina sucked in her breath, trying to steady herself to face this new threat.

Keating gave a derisive snort. "Indeed. I suppose I should thank him for revealing what it can do."

She rose slowly, glancing at the Black King's bulk. The great serpent had fallen to its side, shudders running through it. Wraiths were scattered on the floor, still as death. Blood seeped in a pool near its head.

"I wouldn't look too closely. There's not much left of my son-in-law."

A sound escaped Evelina's throat, remembering the slice of fang in flesh. "Did he ..."

"Bedtime snack." Keating's voice was hoa.r.s.e with disgust. "It put them to sleep. All that poison is bound to give the lizard nightmares."

But it wasn't poisoned nightmares the beast was having. She'd somehow hurt it, and the Wraiths along with it. She guessed the vampirelike creatures were tied to the dragon through shared magic, and whatever damage she'd done to the Black King had shocked them, too.

Keating stepped forward, holding one of the Wraith's weapons. Evelina quickly stepped between him and Nick.

The Gold King's yellow eyes were both angry and amused. "How did you get away from Dartmoor?"

"Magnus. In the end, I killed him," she said bluntly. There was no time to waste on a battle of words. Besides protecting Nick, she needed to save Tobias-if there was enough left of him to save. The flicker of his life was cupped in her magic like an egg in a nest, but it wouldn't survive long. She could feel it fading already, dragged away piece by piece into the source of the dark magic as she wasted time on the Gold King. Anxiety made her heart race, leaving her slightly breathless.

Keating made a noise of distaste. "Good riddance to the sorcerer, but that leaves you. We had an agreement, but it's clear you can't be trusted."

"Me?" But she stopped there. Enumerating the ways Keating had betrayed her loved ones would take all night-and right now she simply needed him to be quiet and go away.

"You."

He raised the weapon-or started to. Impatient, Evelina raised a shield, slamming it into him with the force of a frying pan. He flew backward, a blast of blue fire shooting toward the ceiling. She almost enjoyed his look of surprise, but it didn't last. Staggering, he caught himself and took aim again.

But by then Evelina had rushed him. There was no time for bargaining and finesse. She was fighting for people she loved. She grabbed Keating's coat with both hands, pulled him close, and unleashed the dark hunger. It rose on a wave of anger, smoky and hot, and she made no effort to hold it back. Keating had no idea what to do. He was lost the moment she touched him.

There was no resistance, not like there had been with Magnus, and no uncertainty. This was retribution. It was for the thousands of lives broken for want of clean water, or heat, or medicine. It was for the Red Jack and the thousands of dead she had seen that day. It was for Nellie Reynolds and all the lives lost in Her Majesty's Laboratories. It was for Nick, and Tobias, and Jeremy, and Alice. And it was for her.

She took no pleasure as Keating fell dead to the ground at her feet, but the world seemed a fraction cleaner. And then she turned and threw up.

There wasn't much in her stomach, but it still seemed to take forever to vent her revulsion. Some of it was simply the thought of any iota of Keating inside her, but more of it was that she'd done too much magic that day. Overfilled and overstretched, her power spilled over, tipping and splashing like an imaginary cup. Every nerve in her body jumped, sending more bolts of pain and nausea through her gut. Flashes of light speared her vision, dazzling her until she didn't know if she knelt or stood or had collapsed utterly to the floor. When she reeled forward, she felt the brush of Keating's sleeve against her hand and she shrank back, repelled by even the dead sh.e.l.l of his being.

And then, horribly, she lost her grip on Tobias. She grabbed for that last glitter of light, but it was like darting to catch a gla.s.s before it fell. Her magic brushed it, but she was too late. A piece of her heart went with him as he sank into the darkness, pulled down by the primal magic she'd tried to use to save him. A final stab of sorrow doubled her over.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She had power, but it hadn't been enough. The Black King's estimation of her as a mouse was completely true.

When the spasms finally stopped, Nick was stirring. She was empty, sc.r.a.ped hollow as an eggsh.e.l.l and just as vulnerable. Thought and emotion had deserted her. Wiping her mouth on her sleeve, she rocked back on her heels, trembling and cold. When she had enough control over her limbs, she went to Nick's side and helped him to sit.

"Keating?" he asked.

"Dead."

He squeezed his eyes shut and gave a slow nod, holding his head. "About d.a.m.ned time."

Evelina wrapped her arms around Nick, pulling him as close as she could. She needed his warmth and the rough brush of his cheek as never before. Tears leaked from her eyes.

"Hey," Nick whispered. "What's wrong?"

"I couldn't save him."

He stroked her hair. "I'm sorry. But you tried above and beyond what anyone else could have."

She gave a shuddering sob, but swallowed back her tears. There would be time enough to weep later, but they were still in a dangerous place. Tobias's face, and smile, and the sound of his cries flickered beneath the surface of her mind like a river beneath ice, threatening to crack her apart.

Nick got to his feet, pulling her up with him. "What's wrong with the king and his Wraiths?"

"We fought." Her numbed magic groped to read the dragon's life force, feeling like a limb that had gone to sleep. She was just able to touch the Wraiths' auras. They were weak, but alive. The Black King was another story. The dragon had yearned for death, and it had got its wish. Immortal did not mean invincible, especially when its will to live had worn away. "We fought, and we both lost."

Nick's eyes widened, but his only response was to slide an arm around her. They could both feel the magic of the place already weakening. "We need to leave," he said.

For an instant, she remembered what the dragon had said about the underground needing a king to keep its denizens in check-but she was too tired to hold onto the warning. It slipped away from her, carried off in the torrent of her sorrow.

"What about Tobias? We can't just leave him here." She was starting to sob, horror giving way to grief.

Nick pulled her close. "Think of it this way. He has an entire kingdom for his grave."

Unknown IMOGEN FINISHED REPAIRING BIRD'S EYE, WIPING THE LAST smudge of glue from the creature's bra.s.s hide. Bird blinked, c.o.c.king its head this way and that, then bobbing up and down with pleasure.

"Can you see?" Imogen asked.

Good as new.

"Hurrah!"

But I'd like to know why it is that every time I go on one of these adventures, I'm the one who requires rea.s.sembly?

Perhaps it is a commentary on your intelligence, proficiency, or skill level? Mouse suggested.

I don't take criticism from a rat.

Nor I from a creature that tastes best dredged in flour and submerged in a vat of boiling oil.

"Gentlemen, please!" Imogen cried. She was glad they were back to normal, but their bickering was growing tiresome.

You're quite right, said Mouse. We need to discuss next moves.

They'd seen no sign of Anna for what felt like days-although it was hard to tell exactly how long it had been since she'd rescued Bird. There had been enough time to visit Evelina, and then later slip into Poppy's dreams. That had been-interesting. Her little sister's sleep had been so restless, it was all Imogen could do to deliver her message about Evelina before Poppy bolted upright in bed, sending Imogen reeling back to the clock. That was a far cry from the Poppy she knew who required nothing short of wild horses to part her from her pillow. Why was she so on edge?

The only way Imogen would find out was by going home, and for that she would have to draw Anna out. "Nothing is going to happen unless she thinks she can catch me alone."

Do you want us to hide? Bird asked.

"No," Imogen said slowly, hating what she was going to say next. "I need you to go home. I have to finish this myself."

London, October 16, 1889.