It didn’t appear there would be even a brush of sunlight today. With a final glance about the grim neighborhood, now the location of three inexplicable deaths, she slipped within the alley.
Lux perched like abird upon the back of a faded bench and chewed a buttery pastry in thought. The Light Market wasodious, a true testament to everything she loathed about people in their entirety, but the baker’s booth was worth the torture.
The poor in Ghadra were growing poorer, the line forging deep, separating the town by an unbridgeable chasm. And now death claimed them by new means. Lux finished the last of her sweet roll. Maybe she was reading too much into it. Perhaps it was spread through the water, soon to find its way into the mayor’s morning tea mixed with just a spot of liquor. Perhaps it would infect the entire malevolent lot of them.
Perhaps it would infect Lux herself.
She brushed sticky fingertips across the bench, wincing as a splinter embedded itself into her thumb. She sucked on the offended finger, eyes now trained on members of the Shield winding languidly through the market. A thin-lipped man caught her eye, and running tongue over teeth, he curved toward her.
Lovely.
The uniformed brute sidled up to her, completely undeterred by the fire burning behind her eyes. He rested a gloved hand beside her own leaving Lux no other choice than to draw hers immediately away. The wait for him to speak stretched abysmally long.
“I was wondering when I would see you again.”
He’d pitched his voice low, all syrup and smothering, and Lux didn’t bother hiding her grimace when she replied. “I’m not interested.”
He scoffed, disbelieving. “Not interested in a prestigious member of the Shield?” His hand crept closer.
“Oh! You didn’t mention theprestige.”
Lux thought she had slathered on the sarcasm thick enough, only to realize her mistake when he preened.
Men with brains this dim and egos this large never allowed ridicule to sink so far.
“Very prestigious. I expect to be proclaimed Captain by year’s end. Would you like to see my weapons?”
“No, tha—”
The guard pulled his jacket aside, and Lux couldn’t escape the expanse of knives decorating his chest in hidden sheaths, or the row of corked vials, tiny enough they would only allow one swallow. She stifled the huff of laughter in her throat. He mistook it for a gurgle of awe.
“Yes, impressive, isn’t it? These sleeping draughts work wonders. They go into effect immediately, just needing to pass over the lips.” A carriage ambled over stone behind them as the guard’s eyes latched onto her mouth.
She snorted.I dare you to try…
“If it isn’t my elusive necromancer!”
Lux’s body stiffened at that voice, though nowhere near as impressively as the Shield’s. Muscles as rigid as a board, he sprung to attention, arms flush along his sides. If her stomach hadn’t been twisting over the newcomer, she would have laughed.
The mayor stepped from the carriage.
She had effectively avoided him since his last revival, but there was nowhere to run now. Dressed in a maroon coat too short and striped trousers too tight, the rouge decorating his cheeks was much too red to mimic good health. With arms outstretched, the mayor greeted her like a long-lost daughter. She backed away lest he touch her.
“Mayor Tamish.” She inclined her head.
The squat man chuckled. “Oh, none of that formal nonsense. Call me Mayor.” Lux fought to keep her eyes from rolling upward. “Have you received my invitation?” Apparently mistaking her look of confusion for one of chagrin, he frowned in annoyance. “It is to be a masquerade this year. The mostbeautiful masquerade. And you have avoided them long enough. Iexpectto see you there.”
Devil’s tits. The mayor’s birthday party.
No, she hadn’t seen the invitation. Having been focused on more pressing matters, it’d been forgotten entirely.
Lux was about to concoct the most elaborate lie to excuse her from such a loathsome event when it died on her lips. The mansion was full of secrets. She knew that from her time there, of course, but now, she sought the answer to one particular question.
She smoothed her smug grin and said, “I’ll be there.”
“Doubtless.” Finally, that knowing leer she despised so much appeared on his face. “Now, onto the rest of my adoring citizens.” The mayor shuffled away, only to turn back. “I have heard a rumor,” his watery eyes watched hers closely, “that my favorite healer has returned from her adventure. She must come as well. We havemuchto discuss.”
Lux frowned after his retreating form.
