The Devil's in the Wind

Chapter Thirty-Seven

              Natalia and Inej raced out of the thumb nave but the second they existed Jesper was hurrying towards them.

   'Jesper, where—' Inej started.

   'Gun,' Jesper demanded.

   Without another word, she unslung it from her shoulder. He snatched it from her, running back toward the cathedral. The siren sounded. Too late. Natalia could see Jesper start to panic. The siren rose and fell. There were shouts inside the cathedral. People were running for the main doors; soon they'd spill over into the thumb, seeking another way out.

   'Jesper?' Natalia said from behind him.

   Jesper raised his rifle. He seemed to focus.

   'Inej,' he said, 'if you have a spare prayer, this would be the time for it.'

   Jesper fired.

   'What did you just do?' Natalia asked.

   Jesper shrugged. 'The same thing I always do. I took a shot.'

   'Well, let's hope it worked,' Natalia murmured.

   Nat led the other two out of the thumb nave and they had to push their way through the tide of people trying to escape down the center aisle. When she saw Kaz she scanned him. He looked as fine as he did before the auction started.

   'Kuwei—' said Inej.

   'We can't help him now,' said Kaz.

   'Wylan!' Jesper said, taking in the cuts and rapidly forming bruises. 'Saints is all that real?'

   'Anika and Keeg did a number on him.'

   'I wanted it to be believable,' said Wylan.

   'I admire your commitment to the craft,' said Kaz. 'Jesper, Inej, stay with Wylan. They're going to want to question him.'

   'I'm fine,' said Wylan, though his lip was so swollen it sounded more like, 'I'b fibe.'

   Kaz spared a single nod for Matthias as two stadwatch guards lifted Kuwei's body onto a stretcher. Instead of fighting the crowds in the cathedral, they headed for the arch that led to Ghezen's little finger and the exit beyond. Matthias trailed them, pulling the medic along. There could be no questions surrounding Kuwei's survival.

   Natalia and Kaz followed them into the nave, but Nat paused at the archway. She looked over her shoulder and made eye contact with Van Eck, surrounded by furious councilmen. Her own words came roaring back to her. One day, you're gonna see me again. Once, and only once. Let's see how brave you are then. She waved at him and tracked the nervous bob of Van Eck's throat.

   They raced up the pinky nave and into the chapel. But the door to the street and the canal beyond was locked. Behind them, the door to the chapel banged shut. Pekka Rollins leaned back against it, surrounded by four of his Dime Lion crew.

   'Right on time,' said Kaz.

   'I suppose you predicted this too, you tricksy bastard?'

   'I knew you wouldn't let me walk away this time.'

   'No,' Rollins conceded. 'When you came to me looking for money, I should have gutted you and your friends and saved myself a lot of hassle. That was foolish of me.' Rollins began to shrug off his jacket. 'I can admit I didn't show you the proper respect, lad, but now you've got it. Congratulations. You're worth the time it's going to take me to beat you to death with that stick of yours.' Natalia drew her sword. 'No, no, little girl,' Rollins said warningly. 'This is between me and this skivstain upstart.'