Page 66 of No Man's Land

He was about to meet a witch. It seemed incredible. Itwasincredible. In fact, everything that had happened to him since first meeting Alex had been incredible.

Logically, he should wish he’d never laid eyes on the man, that he’d never snuck away for a quick smoke that morning inthe salient. Logically, he should wish he’d never heard of any of this supernatural nonsense.

But logic must have deserted him because as he glanced over at the man by his side, his determined, impatient gaze fixed on the door, Josef felt a betraying flutter in his chest. What did it mean that Alex had defied The Society to protect him from Dutta? What did it mean that all Josef could think about was saving Alex from his fate?

Something, surely. Something men like them weren’t supposed to have.

A noise came from behind the door. It sounded like a chair being pushed back, voices, and the stomp of heavy feet. Then the door swung wide, and he was met by the sight of a red-headed woman, solidly built, dressed for an office. Her expression was pure disappointment.

“Rats, I thought it was the tea trolley.” Then her expression changed. “Oh, beg pardon, m’lord.” Her gaze slid sideways to Josef and narrowed. She recognised him, and he recognised her.

“Violet?” he said, putting the pieces together. “I thought you worked on the ambulances.”

“I do. Some of the time.” Over her shoulder, she called, “Lottie, it’s Lord B and that bloke what was asking questions at St. Thomas’s.”

Josef was struggling to keep up, but then another woman appeared at Violet’s shoulder, and he knew her too: Lady Charlotte Wolsey.

Dr Wolsey, he presumed.

“Mr Shepel,” she said, eying him sharply. With a warning glance at Alex, she added, “He’s a journalist, works for theClarion.”

“Yes, I know. May we come in? I need your advice about something... Society-related.”

Her lips tightened. “I assumed as much.” Her gaze flicked to Josef again and stayed there, astute and assessing. “Close the door behind you.”

With that, she crossed the room—a reasonably sized office—to the bench on the far side where an assortment of jars and bottles held various plant specimens. The walls were lined with shelves crowded with similar bits and bobs, along with more books than Josef had seen outside of the library. “Find a seat,” she called while she rummaged in a stack of papers, apparently found what she was looking for, and turned back around.

Meanwhile, Alex had pulled out a chair at the large table in the centre of the room. It was equally cluttered with papers and specimens and any number of things Josef couldn’t identify. Josef did the same, sitting next to him.

Lady Charlotte—Lottie—took a seat kitty-corner to Alex. She wore her light brown hair piled up on top of her head, not cut short in the modern fashion, and had a narrow, inquisitive face. Intelligent eyes of a wishy-washy grey. “Well,” she said, “my first question is what’s happened to you? And my second is does The Society know you’re here?”

Alex set his hat on the table, atop a pile of papers. “No, in answer to the second question. As to the first...”

He glanced at Violet, who’d stationed herself at the bench, leaning back against it with her arms folded. There was something of the guard dog about her, Josef thought.

“As to the first,” Alex repeated doggedly, “I had the misfortune to be bitten by a ghoul last night.”

“Bloodyhell,” Violet hissed, starting backwards, staring at Alex in alarm. “And you camehere?”

“It’s all right,” Josef said. “He won’t bite.”

She gave him a dark look. “Yet.”

“It was less than eight hours ago,” Alex told Lottie. “Is there time?”

Her expression grew keen, eyes glittering. “You want a cure,” she said, surprised. “That’s against Society rules.”

“I know.”

“I can see why they don’t know you’re here.” When Alex only inclined his head in agreement, she said, “You, of all people, know the risk of defying them. So why are you?”

Without looking at Josef, Alex said, “Mr Shepel is in some danger because of me. I intend to ensure his safety.”

Josef didn’t argue, however much he baulked at all thenoblesse obligecrap; conveniently, it masked a more complex, dangerous truth.

“Laudable,” Lottie said, her attention turning to Josef. He had a strong feeling that she was seeing more than was visible to the naked eye. “And surprising.”

Alex gave a slight shrug. “Is it possible? Can you help me?”

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