The Faintest Ink (Watty Winner 2015)

Chapter Seventy-Six

"I'm here." She sounded just as tired as him. This had to be fast then.

"You see that perfumery? With the curly sign? We're going to raid it."

She looked confused, but there was no time to explain. Their three followers weren't far behind. It was easy to move through a crowd when you weren't too fussed about who's feet you were stamping on.

He kept going, keeping as straight a path as he could, until the perfumery announced itself with a blast of musk. Then, checking the others were close behind him, he ducked his head below the level of the crowd and turned a hard left. A man, with more facial hair than the rats which clearly featured in his parentage, squealed as Viridian pushed him to one side and aimed for the door which was half hanging off its hinges.

Inside the rioters had already done their work. What was left of the stock lay smashed on the tiled floor, leaking flower waters into the floorboards. Smashed glass crunched under the soles of his shoes as he stepped to one side, moving to the window to wait for the others. Feeling faint from the floral fumes, he pulled a handkerchief free from his sleeve and plastered it over his nose.

Most of the glass panes had managed to survive, with only spider like cracks running across their surface to show what attacks had been inflicted on them, adding an eerie tint to the view. The seconds stretched out in front of him as he searched the sea of faces outside the window.

Madder struggled under his arm, but Viridian barely noticed.

"Papa?"

Viridian snapped back into the room, and with great care set the boy down on his feet. "Mind the glass," he said, before going back to the window. He was panicking now. Faces flashed past, distorted by the glass, but none were ones he recognised.

A yank on his leg made him jump, but it was only Madder tugging on his breeches. "It's alright, my boy. It's alright," he said, wishing he could believe it.

He had to go back out there and find them. He dropped his hand to the boy's head and stroked his hair.

He'd been a terrible father, and an even worse husband. What kind of man handed over their daughter's name book to some creep? Gods, this was all his fault. All of it. He knew the young earl was a manipulative sadist, and yet he took his patronage all the same. And he'd shown the man Blossom's name book. Like the damned fool he was. He swore before all the gods that if they all got through this, he would be a better man, that he would dedicate the rest of his worthless life to his family.

"Mama," cried out the boy and Viridian closed his eyes. He couldn't tell the boy that his mother was gone. He needed to get back out there and find her. Could he take the boy with him? No, it was too dangerous. Madder would have to stay in the shop. Perhaps he could be tucked away upstairs. That would be safe enough until he managed to get back. If he got back.

"Darling!"

Viridian's eyes snapped open. There, silhouetted against the light coming through the doorway, was Hope. Her red hair a fiery halo against the sunlight.

Madder ran over to her, flinging his tiny arms around her skirts and squeezing tight. Viridian wanted to do the same but he couldn't move. His jaw shook. He couldn't stop it.

Blossom, Lake and Ochre were just behind and Viridian found he was shivering all over.

He staggered towards them, kissing each one in turn, and burying his nose in Hope's hair, breathing in deep.

"Viridian?" said Hope, her voice muffled by his body.

He freed her from his embrace. "I'm sorry, I..." He stopped. She wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were fixed, unblinking, on something behind him.