Page 95 of No Man's Land

“Not really. You’ve broken your leg.”

“Ah.”

Josef’s heart did another elated cartwheel at that little ‘Ah’ because it was so very Alex. So very human.

“Even so, I’d rather not be hauled about like a sack of potatoes,” he said. “Help me up.”

Reluctantly, Josef did, one eye on the others as he pulled Alex upright. They were hurrying towards him, the Witch Light bobbing and growing brighter. Behind them, a faint violet haze hovered over the closed door. No ghoul came through it.

When Josef looked back at Alex, he found they were standing face to face, hands still joined, Alex watching him intently. Then, very quietly, he said, “You came back.”

Josef’s throat closed again. “Told you I would.”

Alex squeezed his hands, hard, but there was no time for more because the others had reached them.

“Lord Beaumont,” Lottie said, smiling. “You look better.”

Alex’s eyebrows hit his hairline. “Lottie? What on earth—?”

“No time for that now,” she said crisply.

Then Dutta joined them. He had one gun in his hand, the other tucked into the waistband of his trousers. “Beaumont,” he said, as though they were meeting in Hyde Park.

Josef felt Alex stiffen in alarm. “What areyoudoing here?”

After a pause, Dutta said, “Saving your life, it appears.” Another silence followed, sharp as a blade. Then he said, “That enchantment won’t hold them for long. I suggest we make a run for it.”

“Then help me with him,” Josef said, looping one of Alex’s arms over his shoulder and sliding his arm around Alex’s waist. It felt good to have his warm body close, to feel the play of Alex’s muscles as he moved, and Josef had to struggle to keep his relief from showing.

Dutta hesitated, but then nodded and came to support Alex’s other side.

The women took the lead, Witch Light held high, and the three of them followed. It was faster this way, if more ungainly, with him and Dutta supporting Alex between them. They struggled along in silence for a few minutes until, in a low voice, Alex whispered, “The Society is involved with this?” He sounded doubtful.

Dutta said, “Not exactly.”

“Meaning what?”

“Let’s just concentrate on getting out in one piece, shall we?”

Josef agreed. Alex was breathing heavily, the effort of hobbling along costing him too much. “Save your breath for walking,” he said. “We can talk later.”

Alex pursed his lips and didn’t answer.

From behind them came a dull thud, then another, as the ghoul tried to get through the door at the bottom of the stairs. For now, whatever Lottie had done to it seemed to be holding,and ahead Josef could see the door which would lead them back into the abandoned train tunnel and from there to King William Street station. The door stood ajar, just as they’d left it. Thank God.

“Perhaps I could try another enchantment?” Lottie suggested from up ahead. “Seal this door, too.”

“Oh, give over,” Vi said crossly. “You can’t hardly walk straight, let alone cast an enchantment. We’ll have to wedge this one shut.”

It sounded like a good idea. There was plenty of debris in the tunnel that they could use, left over from where the tracks had been removed. All they needed was a little time to get Alex back to the old station, up the stairs—he grimaced at the thought of that spiral staircase—and out into the daylight.

If it was still daylight.

“Not far now,” he told Alex when they reached the door. Lottie stopped to light the way while Violet pulled the door wider to let them pass. It was too narrow to fit three abreast, though, so Dutta slipped free and went ahead, leaving Josef to support Alex as they hobbled through the doorway and down onto the track bed.

Alex cursed softly as his leg was jostled, and Josef winced. “Sorry,” he murmured, tightening his grip, trying to take more of the man’s weight.

“Never be sorry,” Alex whispered back, close enough that Josef could feel the warmth of his breath against his ear. He felt weak again with relief that Alex was here, still alive and himself.

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