As the woman took her last breath, the world shattered. The cobblestones collapsed under me, plunging me into nothingness. I screamed as I reached a hand up, or what I thought was up. Darkness surrounded me as I fell through time and space. My stomach jumped to my throat, and the air whistled around me.
Was this what happened when the memory holder died while I was Slipping? Normally, everything dissolved around me like rain smearing a painting.
My spirit slammed into my body—my cold, wet body—still sitting in the fountain.
“—yra! Kyra! Are you all right?”
I blinked and met Desmarc’s worried green eyes. My gaze darted to the towering trees and the shadowy garden path. The heady scent of the chrysanthemums proved that I was back. I was safe.
“Are you all right?” Desmarc asked again.
“I’m fine.” And I was. There was no murderer here. A chill crept down my back, and I shivered in my sodden clothes.
“Are you sure? You were screaming.”
“I was?” I exhaled shakily. That had never happened before, but then, I’d never seen anything quite so traumatic. “Oh, yes, the cold water was quite shocking.”
Desmarc helped me stand, and his gaze raked over me in concern before catching on the bodice of my dress. My soaked white dress with a now very see-through material except for what the leather corset covered. My cheeks flushed.
He took off his jacket and wrapped it around me, enveloping me in its musky scent. “What happened?”
I gave him a grateful smile and pulled the jacket close, relishing its warmth. “I fell.” It was the only excuse I could give since no one except Papá knew about my ability. Besides, it was true enough.
I gripped the cold metal of the bracelet I still held tighter and hid it inside Desmarc’s jacket.
His eyebrows drew together, and he wrapped an arm around me and urged me back toward the party. “Let’s get you inside.”
“I don’t want to go back.” I worked to lower my voice and smother any trace of panic that might’ve leaked into my expression. Could the killer be inside? That might explain how the bracelet had ended up out here. “I think Papá would prefer if I went home. Can you imagine the scene I’d cause like this?” And I definitely couldn’t meet Professor Sophronia this way. I needed to go home, dry off, and figure out what to do next.
“Then let me escort you.” Despite Desmarc’s firm tone, his gaze flicked back toward the party.
“You should stay,” I said. He shook his head and opened his mouth, but before he could protest, I added, “We can’t both disappear from our engagement party.” Even having one of us leave was a terrible idea, but I could at least claim an illness. And since I couldn’t talk to Desmarc about why I was so shaken—not yet, anyway—it would be easier to work through things on my own.
He stared at me for a long moment.
Would there come a time when I’d know him well enough to read the furrow in his brow or to decipher his calm mask? Or for him to tell when I was lying?
“You said yourself it’s all about meeting people.” Though I held his jacket lapels together with one hand, I placed the other on his chest and looked up at him with what was hopefully a reassuring smile. “I don’t want you to miss this, and Papá will be happier if at least one of us stays.”
“All right.” Desmarc nodded slowly, his lips pursed. “Then let me call my steamcab for you.”
“I’d hate to ruin your seats.” I gestured to my soaked gown. “I’ll hail one on the street.”
He sighed. “At least let me do that much.”
“Thank you.” I started to take off his jacket. “Will you tell Papá I’m not feeling well?”
He pulled it around me again, then wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me down a separate path. “I’ll take care of your father. You just take care of yourself.”
Gratitude rushed through me. I wanted to tell him the truth so he could accompany me home, but Papá’s warnings from my childhood were ingrained too firmly. Tell no one about my cursed ability—at least not until Desmarc and I were married. I couldn’t risk losing my shot at freedom.
A twig cracked under his foot, and I jumped.
“Are you truly all right?” Desmarc asked again.
“I’m fine.” I gave him another quick smile and tucked my shaking hands in the folds of his jacket. After a minute, we exited through a side gate and stood on the cobblestone street.
Desmarc raised a hand, and a steamcab pulled up next to us, its large, spoked wheels clattering against the cobbled street. It wasn’t unusual for them to hang around large parties like this since passengers from the Upper Chimes often tipped generously.
The driver ducked his head at us and spoke loud enough to be heard over the sound of the steam puffing out of the engine at the back. “Where ya goin’?” Though he said nothing about my apparel, his mouth twisted down at the corner as he took in the puddle accumulating beneath my gown, clearly regretting his decision.
“Take her to Annandale Manor,” Desmarc said.
At the name, the man straightened and bobbed his head again, all traces of a frown gone.
“Sorry about my dress,” I said to the driver as I climbed into the cab’s enclosed portion, doing my best to keep Desmarc’s jacket between me and the velvety seat cushions. I gave Desmarc another grateful smile before he closed the door behind me. After handing the driver a few coins, he turned and made his way back down the path.
The driver headed toward the Tenth Chime. In less than a quarter of an hour, I’d be safe at home. The rumble and hiss of the engine, the clack of the wheels, and the plop plop plop of water dripping off the edge of my dress and onto the floor created a rhythmic reassurance that soothed my frazzled nerves.
I pulled a lever on the side of the cab, and vents released warm air into the interior. Twisting the bracelet around and around in my hands, I stared down at it and shuddered. Blighted aether. I’d left my glove at the fountain. I must’ve been more shaken up than I’d thought if I’d forgotten my glove. I’d have to be careful not to touch anything with my bare hand until I got home again. People were safe, but I also didn’t plan to be touching any of them either.
If Papá found out I’d taken my glove off, and in public no less, he’d be furious. At least there was no danger in touching the bracelet now that I’d spent its emotional energy. An object could only make me Slip once, and the Slip lasted as long as it had the emotional energy. Once the energy was gone, I came back to the present, and it was nothing more than a normal object again.
Then again, I was basing this off of everything I’d taught myself since there wasn’t anyone to teach me—as far as I knew, there was no one else with my ability—but this last Slip was hardly like the other times.
I passed pedestrians hurrying down the street, eager to get home to their families and completely unaware of the killer on the loose. The memory of the woman’s gasp echoed in my ears. The sound of her body thumping to the ground. The man’s whispered, almost reverential, “Thank you for your service.”
How strange to kiss a woman, then kill her only for a bit of jewelry. The thought didn’t sit right with me. Maybe the man had wanted it to look like a robbery. He obviously wasn’t truly after her jewelry if he’d dumped the bracelet in the fountain. But why bring it to a fountain in the Eleventh Chime if that woman had been killed in the First? I had to be missing something.
I should report the murder to the Iron Watch, but was it worth the risk of going behind Papá’s back? I’d been so careful to play the part of the perfect daughter these last few years, but Slipping in public and going to see the Blue Capes would infuriate Papá if he found out. He’d watch me more closely than ever, and what little freedom I still had would be gone—along with my chance at meeting Professor Sophronia before the wedding.
But how could I simply let that man walk free after killing someone?
My breathing sped up at the thought of the murderer. I curled my hand around the thimble to try to calm my racing pulse. According to Geneve, Mamá had never hesitated to do what was right. She stood up for those in the Lower Chimes, found ways to help, started charities, and freely gave of her time.
Regardless of how scared I was or what I was risking, it was time to be more like Mamá, no matter how much Papá loathed it.
Or maybe I was just telling myself that because the woman had reminded me of Mamá. I squared my shoulders and curled my hands into fists. Whatever it took, I wouldn’t let that killer go free. I couldn’t do anything about the sickness that had stolen Mamá, but I could at least help catch this man who stole someone else’s loved one from them.
After all, maybe it was the red wire of fate that had brought me to the bracelet. If I hadn’t gone in search of Professor Sophronia, I never would have found it, and if I hadn’t found it, I wouldn’t know about the murder. I tightened my grip on the bracelet and stuck my head out the window to speak to the driver, but then realized we were almost home. It would be better if I changed clothes first. It would cost me an extra half hour, but I’d draw less suspicion if I didn’t show up in my engagement gown soaking wet.
A few minutes later, we arrived home, and the man drove off. I rushed inside and Cogsley, my favorite server bot, helped me change into the plain cotton tunic with a high neck, linen vest, and leather pants I often wore when Geneve and I delivered our monthly donation of clothes to the Lower Chimes. I dried my hair as best I could and braided it back, then pulled on a hood and dropped my knives into the sheaths in my boots.
“Take care of my mother’s dress for me,” I called to Cogsley before rushing back outside. I yanked on a fresh pair of leather gloves and walked a ways from our property so no one would recognize me, then I hailed another steamcab.
“Can you take me to the Iron Watch?” I asked the driver. I’d report the murder and leave before anyone figured out who I was.
The new driver, who was so pale it looked like he’d absorbed the moonlight, ducked his head, and I climbed inside.