Page 20 of Stalk the Dark
“She’s going to New Town,” Edwin answered for me. “She has errands to run.”
“Kassie will take you in the carriage,” she said around a mouthful of porridge. “She loves driving that thing. She’ll be down soon.” She frowned slightly. “Where is everyone?”
I was so confused right now.
“They’ll be down shortly,” Haiden said kindly. “Why don’t I make you some elderflower tea to go with that,hmmm?”
She perked up instantly. “Yes, please.”
Edwin tapped my arm and jerked his head toward the exit.
I drained my tea and followed him out into the corridor. “What’s wrong with her?”
“Wow, straight to the point. Um…Merry was hurt in the fire. She survived, but her memory is…broken?” He winced. “I’m not sure how to explain it. She seems to be stuck on the daybeforethe accident. Sometimes she can gather a week or so of new memories, so we tell her the truth of what happened, but then she’ll wake up one day, and it’ll all be forgotten. She’ll be back to the morning before the accident.”
The way he said accident…the slight hesitation before the word… “What actually happened with the fire, Edwin?”
His expression shuttered. “The team got trapped. They didn’t make it out. A beam fell…I’m not sure. You should speak to Padma.”
He was hiding something, and the time to push him for answers would come, but not now. Right now, my focus had to be on getting answers from the Order.
Why had they turned down Padma’s request? Or had she made a request at all?
Chapter 8
I’d been unconscious when they’d brought me to the chapter house, and my first proper look at it in the light of day showed a building that needed a lot of TLC. Large square windows sat beneath vaulted gables that jutted up toward an angry gray sky. A recessed wraparound porch was hidden behind worn balustrades that connected beneath crumbling arches, and ivy played havoc, digging its claws into the brown brickwork. My attention was drawn to the wooden perch built close to the porch with a bell attached to it.
Strange.
The carriage sat on the gravel drive, horses snorting mist and pawing impatiently at the ground, eager to be on the move.
It was a large carriage, black and sturdy, but not as plush as the one I’d entered Old Town in. Still if it wasmeant to transport the Singer brothers, then it needed to be spacious.
Ordell stood by the horses, whispering to soothe them. The dark hat on his head was a stark contrast to his golden features, eyes piercing beneath the rim. He strode to the carriage door as I approached, but I waved him off.
“I’ll ride up front with you, if that’s okay.”
I hauled myself up and parked my ass on the bench, regretting the move as soon as Ordell joined me.
It was an incredibly tight squeeze, and once we set off, it got worse, each sway of the carriage pressing me up against his taut frame.
My head came up to his shoulder when seated, and the smell of leather mingled with evergreen. A breeze lifted his hair, and the sweet scent of strawberries tickled my senses. It had to be his shampoo.
A winding track took us through woodland and onto a wider road.
“What do you think Ezekiel will do tonight?”
“I don’t know. But we’ll be with you. We won’t let anything untoward happen to you.”
Yes, I was safe but… “There’s nothing stopping him hurtingyou, though.” Crap. How had I not considered this?
“He can’t hurt us. The Order provided us with protection too. Emblems like yours.”
I glanced at his throat, but there was no chain visible. “You’re not wearing it.”
“I will tonight.”
Good. Knowing that Ezekiel couldn’t hurt them made us a stronger team. “Did you meet Ezekiel when you took your cargo?”
