Page 106 of Mistress of Bones
“Hence Esparza?”
“Hence Esparza.”
“Why not just take her away?”
Nereida didn’t answer. Her hand drifted to the bump under her waistcoat on her left side. Her favorite sword, Sangrienta, hung at her right. He touched the hilt of his own Valiente. As the second-in-command of the Royal Guard, he was expected to carry it with him at all times—during court sessions, during formal meetings, during dances and gatherings. But what good did a rapier do against secret scheming, faceless witches, and his own ignorance?
“This is related to the things you’re keeping from me, isn’t it?” he asked.
“I am sorry, De Anví.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to ask her to call him by his first name and finally get his wish, but he thought better of it. This sudden camaraderie was born of necessity, not a true willingness to become closer to him. His name on her lips would have to wait.
“Who is that?” Nereida asked, now alert.
A man was approaching the house. He knocked on the door, and light poured out when it opened, illuminating his profile.
“Isile Manzar,” De Anví said. “One of De Gracia’s friends.”
Sometime after Isile’s arrival, the entrance doors opened again, revealing De Gracia and two armed men.
“De Gracia’s personal guard? Where is he going?” asked Nereida.
“It would seem either he no longer worries about Del Arroyo’s fate,” De Anví said, “or…”
Nereida smiled. “Or he’s about to take us to her. The man dotes on her.”
De Gracia led them across town to a house in a quiet neighborhood by the edge of the delta. Four more people joined De Gracia’s group, some wearing different symbols on their cloaks and tabards, some wearing none at all.
“This doesn’t bode well,” Nereida said, watching them enter the building. “He’s gathering a small army inside.” She turned to De Anví. “We’re going to need men of our own, in case we need to fight.”
De Anví understood what she wanted from him, but he was loath to leave her behind. “Come with me,” he urged.
“Someone must stay in case he decides to move.”
“Tonio can.” De Anví made a signal with his hand, and his personal guard stepped out from the shadows an alleyway behind.
Nereida startled. De Anví snorted. “You think me so careless as to travel without him during Noche Verde? He will keep watch, and he knows how to contact me if De Gracia’s small army decides to make a move before we’re back.” To Tonio, he added, “Follow if he leaves, but do not interfere.”
Nereida weighed her options in the light of the approaching dawn, then touched the bundle hidden under her waistcoat. “Very well. I shall trust you.”
De Anví put a hand to his chest. “By the Blessed Heart, I won’t let you down.”
XXXVMISTRESS OF BONES
Well, Azul thought to herself,that was a foolish thing to do. Barging in, too focused on finding more bones to wonder if Sergado might already be there, waiting for her.
“Why didn’t you stay at home, as I asked you to?” said her brother. “I was on my way to Almanueva.”
The men blocking the way between Azul and Sergado waited silent and still for their orders. Such control her brother had over these bodies, it was still hard to comprehend. “I’m not interested in you, Brother. Only in my sister’s bones.”
“Why not simply ask me?”
At the reminder of his deceit, fury and shame rose within Azul. “Ididask you, remember? I won’t ask again. You’ll either string me along or lie to me, or both, as you’ve done so far. And if instead you decide to be truthful, the price you’ll ask of me won’t be something I’d be willing to pay, will it?”
“So, you’ll simply take?”
Azul waved at the contingent of living corpses surrounding her and Sombra. “Isn’t that what you do? It must run in our blood.”
