I opened my mouth to tell him that Violette was doing a fine job of that herself through her affair with Klaus, but Levitt spoke first, his voice low and cold.
“That’s enough.” He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “I’m tired of my time being wasted again and again with fabricated crimes. I have better things to do with my days than entertain your baseless accusations, Violette.”
Her jaw dropped, and she squared her shoulders. “You would side withKitover your own blood?”
“My own blood is lying to me”—he fixed her with a sharp glare—“and I can’t fathom why. But that is not a conversation to be had here.”
Merrick sat forward in his chair and extended his arm in my direction. “How could you discount these accusations?”
Levitt rose to his feet and loomed over Merrick, who had the good sense to shrink back in his seat. “I know exactly how Kit feels about my sister,” Levitt said, “and he’s proven time and again that he’d rather drown than kiss her. There’s no chance he would have done anything untoward.”
He turned his attention to the men standing on either side of me. “Even still, please share what you discovered when you interviewed Kit’s neighbors so we can put this to rest.”
The man on my right stepped forward. “Their stories corroborate Mister Koesters’ accounting of the events of the evening. They didn’t hear much of the conversation on the front steps, but they confirmed that Missus Yost was only inside for a few minutes before Kit ushered her out and she stormed off. There simply wasn’t time enough for what Missus Yost claims happened to have happened.”
Levitt nodded. “Thank you, Eugene.” He sank into his chair. “Who would find this man guilty?”
Klaus and Merrick raised their hands.
“And who would find this man innocent?” Levitt asked.
He and the other three Sentinels raised their hands.
With a nod, he turned to me. “The Tribunal has spoken. Kit, you’re free to go. I’m sorry to have dragged you in again unnecessarily.”
His attention shifted to Merrick as Eugene and the other Sentinel steered me back toward the door. “As for you and Violette,” I heard him add, sounding every bit the man of authority he was, “I can’t very well put you in cells upstairs, but Icanconfine you both to your home for the next two weeks. Should you continue your crusade against Kitorhis recruit, you can be assured of more serious consequences in the future. Do I make myself clear?”
I swore I could hear Merrick’s teeth grinding from across the room. “Very clear, Your Eminence,” he grit out.
“Don’t make me regret my mercy, Merrick,” Levitt continued. “It’s worn quite thin with you.”
The last thing I heard as the door swung shut behind us was Merrick’s grumbled assent.
When we emerged from the hall into the atrium, it wasn’t as empty as it had been on our way in. In addition to the pair seated as usual behind the table that faced the main doors, I spotted Thoma leaning against the altar while Penny paced in front of him.
A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. Clearly, it had been too much for Thoma to keep my intended away from here.
The sound of our footsteps brought Penny to a halt. His worried expression shifted to one of confusion when the two Sentinels bid me goodnight then disappeared down the hall to the left.
I made my way toward him and Thoma, and they met me in the middle.
As soon as he was close enough, Penny reached for my hand, but he hesitated before making contact and started to drop his arm back to his side. Accustomed to the hands-off rule outside of the house or the sheltered corner of the forge. But I was done with that, even more now than I had been when we got back from the fourth Oath. If Anders hadn’t told Merrick about Penny and me, it wouldn’t take long for Vi to make the connection if she hadn’t already.
I closed the distance between us and caught my fingers in his. Surprise smoothed the wrinkle between his brows, and his green eyes sparkled with joy before his concern caught up with him.
“What happened?” he asked. “What did they want? Why were you in there and not Levitt’s office?”
I chuckled and gave his hand a squeeze. “I’m fine, Pen. We’ll talk about it at home.” I glanced at Thoma over Penny’s shoulder. “Come on. We’ll grab some food at the tavern, then head back. I don’t want to have to tell this story more than once.”
27
Penny
Two days after our return to Ashpoint, life was getting back to normal. A slightly better version of normal considering Merrick and his treacherous wife were under house arrest, murderous Anders was locked in an Ossuary cell, and I was engaged.
Kit said I didn’t have to hide the leather cord secured snugly around my wrist, so I didn’t. I rolled up my sleeves and went without gloves, grateful for spring coming on and shooing away some of winter’s chill.
While the smithy demanded Kit’s return and attention to a steadily growing pile of orders, I avoided it. I had the excuse of a dinner to prepare for—our second meeting with the members of our resistance—but my evasion ran deeper than that. The close call in Wendwood with the sights and smells of fire and the aftermath of their mission reduced to ash and embers still haunted me.
