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That got my attention. She was fishing for information like she was suspicious of me. “I came here eight months after the Square of Immolation, when that was still the only thing anyone talked about, five years ago. I promised the officers that I’d let them know if I found anything, so I’ll be sure to call them about the evidence.”
She waved a hand airily. “An obsession isn’t evidence. There are no signs of struggle in here, so there’s nothing to tell.” She frowned as she really looked at me. “What happened to your face? Didn’t you go home and rest?”
“Someone’s dog got loose,” I said with a shrug. “That’s terribly kind of you to worry about me, but I couldn’t sleep after what happened to Bert.”
“And Horace. I wondered how you got an apartment at the Lydian. That’s a pretty lush love nest.” She honestly thought that I was Horace’s lover, and that’s how I’d gotten my job at the library? Was she really that stupid? A degree wasn’t everything and if I was anything, it was competent at my work.
Could I punch her for being so insulting to both of us? “We were just friends,” I said quietly. “We weren’t in any kind of illicit relationship.”
She laughed. “Don’t be so defensive, Libby. It’s natural for two adults to take comfort in each other.”
I gave her a tight smile and headed for the door with that symbol burning in my brain and my heart. I was sick with rage that I’d almost forgotten about, rage that had kept me killing for Mother Mercy for thirty years, rage that had ignited when I was a child and saw my dad’s ripped and drained body.
I walked out of the library, down long dark halls, while my fingers twitched with death spells, endless death spells that I wanted to use on somebody. I went home, tired, but unable to sleep with a burning growing rage that would erupt at some point in a mess that no one but Cross could clean up. Maybe I should go back to killing for the House of Mercy. If he ran it, he wouldn’t mistreat his weapons.
In my apartment, I went to the cross, to the petals that glistened red like blood and ran a hand through my hair. I was too old to be swept away in a killing spree just because I stumbled on a mark that was as tantalizing as it was impossible. I yawned and headed to my bedroom, only to find Pansy sprawled on the middle of the mattress.
I got dressed in my pajamas and climbed into bed, his warmth and sleeping snorts somehow soothing all the old wounds in my heart. No, I wasn’t the same young vengeful person I’d been, but I was still going to find everything I could about that symbol, and I knew just where to start.
I went to the Healery first thing in the morning. Anna was in her courtyard garden, weeding her carrots and singing nonsense to Peter, her squirrel.
I crouched down next to her. “Anna, is Gabby around? I need to talk to her about skateboards.”
She blinked at me for a moment, not entirely sure who I was, before she smiled in recognition. “Sushi.”
“Skateboard,” I said with a grin. “Let’s get sushi tonight. Put an alarm in your phone so you can call me and remind me. Do you remember the guy last week?”
“Oh, yes. Gabby keeps talking to me about it, the one who stopped the car so you wouldn’t be killed. Rynne made it sound much more thrilling than it was. Gabby wants me to date him if you don’t.” Her eyes twinkled as she stroked Peter’s head with her dirty fingers, then went back to pulling a weed. “What do you think? Am I his type?” She batted her dark lashes and I couldn’t help snorting.
“Are you trying to get me riled up with jealousy? You are! It won’t work. He’s all yours if you want him. The Library was attacked yesterday, and Bert’s unconscious while Horace is…” I shook my head and her smile disappeared.
“What can I do to help? I can go over to the hospital. Is he at Wins or the Bell? Write down instructions, and I’ll…”
I reached over and hugged her, then pulled away, shaking my head. “No, I want you to stay out of this. I’m just here to commission a skateboard from Gabby. Sushi tonight, okay? Oh, and I got a dog.”
Her eyes widened. “A dog? Really? Is it your midlife crisis rearing its ugly head, or is it something else?”
“I’m this sector’s new musical maintenance specialist. Don’t ask.”
She stared at me, eyes a bit blank. “Musical maintenance specialist? You mean one of those people who goes around tuning the lamps? Good for you. That’ll get you out of that dusty library more often, and we all know how much those lamps need tuning.” She patted my knee. “It looks like your life is shaking up and good things are right around the corner.” She was always the optimist.
I handed her the note to pass to Gabby about the skateboard and then took the long way into Song via a sushi place I’d never been to before. Who eats sushi for breakfast? I know, but it was the perfect protein punch that would help me deal with the undead.
I went down a large elevator until I reached the street level of Song, stepping out on the opposite side of the city from the last time I’d descended. I had a bag over my shoulder stuffed with notes on infernal and heavenly fire. Hopefully The Scholar actually did want them and would be willing to trade information for them.
Not many Song residents were stirring at this time of day, since most were nocturnal, but enough people looked my way to make me nervous. My fingers kept wanting to weave death spells, but I gripped my bag’s straps instead.
The doors of the lab were closed this time, the red torches out, only the LED strips on the path showing me the way up to the dark door.
I knocked. I kept knocking until the door was yanked open and a snarling vampire who was not the Scholar stared at me, his fangs vanishing as he slammed the door on my face, leaving me standing there feeling like I was being watched. I saw movement in my periphery and looked up to see a figure pinned high up on the wall upside down. The light wasn’t good enough to make out more than that, and my position made it hard to get a good perspective, but someone had definitely stuck a body to the wall of the lab.
The door opened again a short time later, and it was the Scholar that time, but he didn’t have a jacket on over his white shirt, and looked tired if vampires ever looked tired.
“Miss Morell,” he said, blocking the door with his body.
I slipped past him, brushing against his side as I ducked under his arm. “Mr. Stead. I brought my notes, but I’d like some information in exchange for them. Do you have some time to barter, or are you busy?” The hall was empty this time, so my voice echoed off the arched ceiling high above.
“You came through Song twice? How surprising is your new leaf of indomitable fearlessness. Horace’s murder should inspire more caution in you. I am not busy, or I was, but I’m not now that you’re here, except that I am occupied with you, of course.” He sounded tired, his voice rough and growling.
