By Grace Alone (The Death Dealer Book 2) (11 page)

Kit tutted and patted Jack’s knee. “I’m not here to divulge gossip. So tell me, where have you been since leaving Glenbard?”

~*~*~

Ridley and Grace were enjoying a walk around Glenbard before the sunset. At least Ridley was enjoying it; Grace was morose. Ridley had spent much of her day at the Angel and she’d run into Kay. Their meeting was pleasant. Ridley counted the
Dawn
’s captain as a friend, but the talk often turned to boasting on Kay’s part. There was a brief mention of the fountain incident.

After the fountain tale, Ridley walked to Seafarer’s Way and collected Grace, who had been cooped up inside all day. It was doing her mind and heart no good to lock herself away so. Ridley chattered on about topics that were safe to discuss. The heat, the performers in the night market, when Donald would return from Nareroc. They could argue about Nathaniel and complain about Jack on a different day.

The evening may have turned out better if they hadn’t come across Jack and Kay in the night market. Ridley saw them first and attempted to turn Grace back. Grace plodded along, her head down, but it was Kay who ruined everything.

“My goodness! Ridley, dear. How nice to see you!”

Grace’s head shot straight up. Her gray eyes narrowed and her fists balled. Ridley didn’t mind Kay, but the woman was being intentionally cruel.

“Out for a nice evening walk?” Kay asked. She held Jack tightly by the arm and dragged him over to them. Jack looked as miserable as Ridley suddenly felt. “We are sharing a meal before going back to our lodging.”

“
Our
lodging?” Jack asked. Ridley thought it might have been an act to spare Grace, but Jack looked genuinely confused. He pulled himself free of Kay.

Grace didn’t let Kay respond. Even if Ridley had the reflexes to catch Grace, she wasn’t sure she could overpower her friend. Grace lunged at Kay; jumping and wrapping her legs around the taller woman, bringing her to the ground. Jack went down with them, caught by Kay’s flailing arms.

In the midst of her wild thrashing, Grace kicked Jack in the stomach. Fortunately he managed to roll away before she could do any more damage. Her main focus was on Kay. Grace knelt on Kay’s shoulders, raining down punches on the captain. Jack recovered long enough to pull Grace off, kicking and screaming. Ridley rushed to help Kay, but mostly to hold her back. The captain was going to be in a murderous rage.

The musicians, dancers, jugglers, and contortionists were forgotten in the wake of the brawl. People crowded around to see what was happening. Kay shrieked profanities while Grace fought against Jack’s grip. Her feet were off the ground and she kicked wildly, trying to get to Kay.

“I’ll kill you!” Grace shouted.

“I’ll cut your pretty face, girlie!” Kay retorted, and suddenly a dagger appeared in her hand.

While Grace had learned a bit of knife fighting from Ridley, Kay was a professional. If she got a hold of Grace, the fight would be over in a few bloody moments. Luckily, Jack had a firm hold on Grace so she couldn’t reach her own dagger.

People cheered and placed bets. It didn’t much matter who won, though. It was quality entertainment to see a fight between the
Dawn
’s captain and Glenbard’s noblewoman. The ring of people opened begrudgingly for two guards to get through.

“What sort of trouble is this?” the taller and older of the two guards said. As fast as it had appeared, Kay’s dagger was tucked away again.

Grace was red faced with a running nose. Kay’s lip was bleeding and she had a murderous look in her eyes. Ridley stood awkwardly between the women and Jack held Grace in a tight bear hug.

“No trouble,” Ridley said. “A demonstration!”

Every guard knew Ridley and knew who she allied herself with. Kay and Grace weren’t reputation free, either. Neither man honestly believed that this was merely a demonstration.

“A spat among friends,” Jack said; releasing Grace from the bear hug, though he kept a firm hold on her wrist. “Tempers flare easily in this bunch.” He stepped toward the taller guard, and with his free hand he passed off a few pieces of silver. “Nothing for anyone to worry about.”

Ridley
was
worried, though. Kay was already furious about the fountain, and now Grace had split her lip in a public brawl? She wasn’t about to forgive that. The guards yelled for the crowd to disperse and moved off when most of the gawkers drifted away. Then the guards moved some paces away, although they kept their eyes trained on the four troublemakers.

“Take Kay away. I’ll get Grace home. And talk her down, for god’s sake!” Jack instructed Ridley.

~*~*~

Jack dragged Grace away roughly. She fought him the whole way, clawing angrily at his hand. The marks from her nails hurt, but still he refused to let her go. He was afraid she’d run right back to finish her fight.

“She’s going to call for your blood!” Jack yelled exasperatedly; stopping and ducking them into an alley.

“So?” Grace yelled. “Take her to your bed again! She’ll feel better then!”

Jack let Grace’s wrist go and his mouth hung open in amazement. A few beats went by before he found the words to speak. “Kay Lansa has never been in my bed. Was
this
why you didn't come to see me? Who said she has?”

“She did.”

His laugh was a mistake. Grace’s eyes shot daggers at him, but he couldn’t help himself. He gently rapped on her skull with his knuckles. “She’s always trying to wind you up. I took the
Fearless Dawn
from Nareroc to Glenbard because she was headed that way. I didn’t enter her cabin and she’s not been in my lodging.”

Grace knocked his hand away. “I don’t believe you.”

He’d said he loved her and then he ran away. He had yet to give her a reason why. He told people it was because she was too young, because they were too different. Neither of those reasons was true, so it stood to reason she wouldn’t believe him now.

“I know,” he said. He crossed his arms over his chest. She did the same. “You should stay with Ridley and Thom tonight. I’ll talk to Kay.” He’d even bring her to his lodging if it meant she left Grace alone.

“I’ll walk you home. Then I’ll find your guard and have him take you to Ridley.” She looked up from her shoes. His brow was creased and his eyes were sad. “We can be civil for a short walk, can’t we?”

Grace let Jack lead them on. She fell in step behind him, keeping her eyes on his heels. Outside her lodging, Jack pulled her into a hug.

“Kay refused to take Harris onto the
Dawn
and he’s been hiding out near the Emerald Rose ever since. He hasn’t left the city because he wants to exact his revenge on Marcus for killing Adam. He’s mad with rage and drink. I’ve seen him out at night, sulking around, and others have too, but when anyone tries to catch him he’s like smoke. Moore and Captain Ericson came to see me. They want you to meet with them to break your alliance with the Guild. Get out of Ridley’s house at two, and they’ll be waiting for you at Diggery’s Temple.”

Jack released Grace from the hug, almost pushing her back from him. Grace couldn’t believe he was still going to help her. It almost came as a relief, since Grace genuinely didn’t want to do it alone. And Thom and Ridley weren’t exactly avenues of help.

“I’ll run to the Lane guard house and see if I can fetch your sergeant for you.”

For a moment, Jack hoped Grace would stop him. He stood an extra few seconds waiting to see if she would.

Instead of stopping him she simply asked, “Why?”

It gave him pause. He knew the question was coming. He’d spent long nights asking it to himself over and over again. “I couldn’t protect you.” Grace took a step back, her face scrunched up in disgust, and he put up his hands in defense. “You carry around a lot of guilt, and I wasn’t able to protect you from it. But I was a fool and a coward to think that was reason enough to go.” He flashed a sad smile. “I’ll send Sergeant Moore this way.” And he was gone before Grace could even respond.

~*~*~

Nathaniel was waiting outside for her when she came back downstairs with a sack of clothing. Hidden in the depths of her sack was her Death Dealer garb, with the exception of her leather jerkin. If Kay ransacked her room, she wouldn’t question the jerkin alone. Grace tied her short sword to her belt and hoisted the bag over her shoulder.

“Geared for war?” Nathaniel pointed to the sword.

She had it sheathed, but it was an open act of aggression if Kay saw her. She wasn’t about to leave her sword behind in case Kay did try to waylay her. “I feel safer having it.”

“Your friend Jack seemed fairly unhappy at your current predicament.”

Grace looked up him. He looked bemused that he’d been summoned to walk her to Marcus’s. “Thank you for coming to see me safely through the streets.”

“What sort of guardsman would I be if I left you to Captain Lansa? I got this scar…” He rolled up a sleeve to reveal a white scar on his forearm. It was small, but it had been deep at one time. “From Captain Kay’s first mate.” He took the sack from her and put it over his shoulder. “That woman and her men are a menace.”

Grace turned them toward Marcus’s home. It was nice to have Nathaniel walking beside her. He was welcome stability in the sea of insanity she currently found herself in. It was a shame she had ever thought to abuse his goodwill for information.

“Kay will eventually calm down and leave Glenbard,” Grace said.

“If she doesn’t, I’ll see she gets carted away.” He smiled at her in the fading light.

She led them on, her eyes scanning all around them. Even if Ridley had kept Kay occupied, she couldn’t do it forever.

“I’d like to apologize again,” she said suddenly. “For trying to trick you into giving up information.”

Nathaniel shrugged. “You’re not the first pretty face Marcus sent my way, though you’re the only one to apologize. I know how things work on the Lane and in the Guild, and I know where your loyalties lie.”

Grace stopped walking. She put her hands on her hips and tried to compose herself. It would do no good to scream in the middle of the street. “You take me for some thief? I’ve pledged no loyalty to the Guild! Nor have I ever picked a pocket, cut a purse, or stolen into someone’s house to pilfer and loot.”

“I didn’t say you had, but you’re friends with Ridley and are in Marcus’s good graces.
And
you tried to question me; quite clumsily, I might add. Tell me, if not with your Guild friends, where do your loyalties lie?”

“The Death Dealer,” she blurted out, then quickly covered her mouth.

Nathaniel shifted her bag to his other shoulder and cocked an eyebrow. “The Death Dealer? How does a barmaid get close to such a man?”

“He is close to Marcus, and I’ve met him a few times. Once or twice he’s approached me for information. He asked me to question you, wanted to know if you planned to hunt and kill Harris Atkins or if you really planned to bring him to king’s justice as you told me. I don’t spy for Marcus.” Grace bit the inside of her cheek at the lie, but she never broke eye contact. “And I know you have a meeting with him tonight.”

Nathaniel started walking again and Grace moved up beside him, matching his slow gait. “And what game is the Dealer playing, or can’t I ask?”

“He doesn’t want the Guild to murder Harris or the Guard to torture him, but beyond that I can’t say what he’s up to.” Grace hoped the lie stuck.

Nathaniel nodded. “The Death Dealer,” he repeated. “You’re loyal to him?”

“I’m loyal to the chivalrous ideals taught to knights such as my father, uncle, and cousin. I think the Death Dealer tries to live up to those ideals, even if he falters from time to time. If the Dealer wants to drag Harris Atkins into the magistrate’s court, then I will help. I think it is a wise idea for the two of you to meet.” Grace stopped them before Marcus’s house. “This is it.”

Nathaniel went up the walk first. He knocked on the door, letting go of Grace’s hand only momentarily. Ginger wasn’t the one who answered, however; it was Thom. A surly looking Thom. His expression softened when he saw Grace standing behind the guard.

“Miss Hilren?”

“I’m having a few problems with Kay and I thought it’d be safer here.”

Thom stepped away from the door, “Please come in, dear girl. Sergeant,
you
aren’t allowed over the threshold.” The thief waved Grace in but blocked the path for the guard.

Grace dropped her bag on the floor of the kitchen. “I’d like a word with Sergeant Moore alone, Thom.”

Thom eyed Nathaniel suspiciously, but walked away into the house to leave the two alone. Grace closed the door and stood before Nathaniel.

“Thank you for walking me here.”

“Thank you for the truth.”

Grace felt a knot in her stomach. She wanted Nathaniel to believe she wasn’t a spy for Marcus, but she didn’t want to continually lie to him. Their goals concerning Harris matched too closely to be acting like enemies.

“How long do you think you’ll have to stay here?” he asked as he looked up at Marcus’s house.

Possibly forever
, Grace thought. Aloud she said, “Until that woman calms herself.”