Chapter 17

Lily felt the room tilt on its axis. "No," she whispered, the single word barely audible

She looked at Eberwyn, at the malicious joy etched on his face, and knew instinctively that he wasn't lying. But it wasn't the whole truth either. She'd learned the hard way that Lord Eberwyn was a master of deception.

She forced an incredulous laugh. "Really? Is that the best you can do? Honestly, I thought you might be a bit more original than that. You really expect me to believe that Oskar would betray the Order of the Osprey?"

Eberwyn's smirk broadened, his eyes glinting with amusement at her reaction. "Ye dinna have to believe me. Ye'll see it soon enough for yerself."

"You said you'd tell me where Oskar was if I treated Alfred. I've done that," she said, glaring at Eberwyn. "So where is Oskar?"

"Right now?" Eberwyn said, tapping his chin with one finger as though deep in thought. "I'd say he's in the lower town, reestablishing his place in his old crew."

"Old crew? What do you mean?"

Eberwyn chuckled, clearly enjoying the confusion on Lily's face. "Ye dinna know? Before Oskar joined the Order of the Osprey, he was part of the criminal network here in Edinburgh. A very valuable member, I might add. His talent for... shall we say, unconventional problem-solving was quite inventive."

Lily wanted to slap his smug face. You think you know everything? she thought. Well, you don't. Oskar has already told me all about Bryn and his former gang and I don't believe a word coming out of your lying mouth.

Eberwyn waved a hand as though suddenly bored. "Enough of this. Can Alfred walk now?"

"Only if he wants to cripple himself permanently," Lily snapped. "He needs to rest that leg. If he puts weight on it he could make things worse."

"I'll walk," Alfred said. "I'll do what needs to be done."

Eberwyn nodded and Lily narrowed her eyes. "What needs to be done? What are you talking about?"

Before Eberwyn could answer, the door creaked open and a burly guard stepped in. His craggy face was lined with the marks of a life hard-lived.

"Well?" Eberwyn demanded, turning to face him.

The guard glanced at Lily and then back at Eberwyn. "We've done as ye ordered," he said. "We've made a cellar beneath a shop look like a hideout and paid two witnesses to testify that they saw Alfred there."

A triumphant grin spread across Eberwyn's face. "Excellent," he crowed, clapping the guard on his burly shoulder.

Alfred? Hideout? Witnesses? What were they talking about? A cold shiver of dread slid down her spine. Just what, exactly, were they planning?

Eberwyn glanced through the window at the position of the sun. "Alright. Alfred, we'd better get going. Timing is everything, and I reckon our friend Oskar will have done what we need him to by now."

Alfred nodded, then grunted and pulled himself painfully to his feet, aided by Alice.

"What are you doing?" Lily demanded. "What are you up to?"

"Naught that concerns ye," Eberwyn replied. "Alice, take her back to the cellar."

Alice reached for Lily, but she sidestepped swiftly. "I won't be going anywhere until I get some answers!"

"Ye dinna have a say in the matter," Alice retorted, lunging for Lily once more. But Lily was too quick. She twisted out of Alice's reach and stumbled back.

"What have you done to Oskar? What are you planning?"

With a snarl, Alice lunged and grabbed her, fingers curling around Lily's arms in a pincer grip. "Quit yer damned hollering."

"No!" Lily shouted, struggling against Alice's hold. "Get your hands off me!" She twisted and turned, trying to wrench free of Alice's grip. "Let me go!"

She managed to twist herself around and yank one arm free. Her fist shot at Alice's face but missed and made contact with her shoulder instead. Her fingers brushed against something metal and closed around it instinctively, ripping it from Alice's dress. The momentum of Lily's swing took them both toppling over.

Lily landed on top of Alice with an ‘oomph'. The woman twisted like a snake and suddenly it was her on top, straddling Lily's chest.

Pain ricocheted along Lily's spine and down both legs, bringing tears to her eyes, but she bit her lip, refusing to cry out. She wouldn't give these people the satisfaction.

"Ye are beginning to annoy me," Alice hissed, pressing her face close to Lily's. "I could just kill ye right now."

"Get off!" Lily snapped, thrashing wildly beneath Alice.

Eberwyn stepped forward. "Enough!" he said. "We dinna have time for this!"

With a grunt, Alice pulled herself up from the floor. She yanked Lily to her feet with a force that left Lily's arms smarting. She twisted Lily's arm up her back and marched her towards the door.

Lily didn't fight this time. Instead, her fingers closed around the bit of metal she'd ripped from Alice's shoulder, keeping it out of sight. She had to be smart if she was going to find a way out of this.

And she planned on doing just that.

AS THE GUILD HOUSEcame into view, Oskar missed a step. Clenching his fists, he pictured Lily's face, recalling her deep, intelligent eyes, her full lips, that self-deprecating smile. It was the only thing that would give him the courage to do what came next.

He'd paid Bryn and enlisted the services of his gang as Eberwyn had instructed him, but that was not the end of his duties to the Order's enemies.

Screwing up his courage, he strode to the door and knocked before he could change his mind. The slot in the door slid open and Oskar spoke the code word. A moment later, the door opened and Oskar strode in.

"Oskar!" Torvik bellowed as he stepped inside. "What can we do for ye?"

"I need a word with Kai."

"He isnae here," Torvik replied, scratching at his bushy beard. "He's out with the patrols looking for the Brewers, but he shouldnae be long. Ye can wait in his study if ye like."

Oskar nodded tightly, trying to hide his relief. This was the first stroke of luck he'd had since this whole business had started. If Kai wasn't here, it made his job a whole lot easier. He wouldn't have to face his commander, wouldn't have to lie to his face, wouldn't have to act like nothing was wrong, all the while hoping that his commander and friend didn't see right through him.

Nodding his thanks to Torvik, he strode along the corridor and into the warren of rooms and passages that made up the Order of the Osprey's guild house.

Finally, he reached a stout wooden door and knocked. When there was no answer, he let himself in. The room beyond was definitely Kai's. Perhaps it was normally a neat, orderly study, but now it looked like a whirlwind had passed through. Kai's gear trailed across the back of a chair and onto the floor, there was a platter of half-eaten food on the desk, the pallet in the corner was unmade, and the desk was strewn with books and papers piled in haphazard fashion wherever Kai happened to drop them.

Kai Stewart might be a formidable warrior and a brilliant tactician, but tidy he was not.

Oskar frowned. How was he supposed to find what he needed in this?

He crossed to the pile of clothes strewn across the chair and checked the pockets. All empty. Next, he picked up the leather satchel that Kai had hung on the back of the door, but that didn't contain what he wanted either.

He paused in the middle of the room, hands on his hips, and looked around. He moved to the desk and searched the cluttered desktop, running his fingers over the various papers and books.

Sitting down in Kai's chair, Oskar crossed his arms and contemplated the chaos around him. He noticed a thin leather-bound notebook half hidden beneath a stack of books and documents on the corner of the desk. He carefully pulled it out, revealing a hidden drawer beneath. He opened the drawer. Inside was a single object: a signet ring bearing the spread-winged shaped of an Osprey.

Kai's seal.

Oskar picked up the ring, turning it over in his hands. Such a small thing. Insignificant. And yet it spelled Oskar's doom. He dropped it into the pocket of his tunic and climbed to his feet. He'd almost made it to the door when it burst open and Kai came striding in.

"Oskar!" he said brightly. "Torvik said ye were waiting for me. What are ye doing here? I thought we agreed ye would guard Lily?"

"Aye, we did," Oskar replied, a little flustered at his commander's sudden appearance. "But she's at the town house and safe for a little while. I just came to see if there is any news of Magnus and Emeric." The lie sat heavily in Oskar's gut, like a granite boulder.

Kai's expression turned dark, something like fury flickering in his normally bright blue eyes. "Nothing yet, although I hope that's about to change."

"How do ye mean?"

"I've just received some good news. Lord Eberwyn has managed to capture Alfred Brewer. Found him hiding in an abandoned cellar in the city. I've just come straight from a meeting with the magistrates and the king's justiciar."

"Eberwyn found Brewer?" Oskar said, trying to keep his voice steady, even though his heart was suddenly thundering in his chest.

What was he playing at? Why would Eberwyn hand Alfred Brewer over to the authorities? It made no sense. Unless...

Oskar went cold. Eberwyn had ordered him and Bryn to break someone out of gaol. No. It couldn't be. Could it?

"His trial has been set for tomorrow," Kai continued. "The justiciars are ironing out the finer points of the proceedings. Conall is still with them and he'll let us know when we can go and question Alfred. Dinna worry, my friend," he said, clapping Oskar on the shoulder. "He'll talk. We'll find out where Magnus and Emeric are, one way or another."

"No," Oskar said, shaking his head. "It's not that simple. Ye canna trust him."

"I dinna trust him," Kai said with a frown. "But what can he do now? He's locked in a cell."

But not for long, Oskar thought.

It suddenly felt as if the room was shrinking around him, trapping him in its suffocating walls. He looked at Kai, who was still speaking, but the words washed over him like the distant hum of a bee.

He couldn't do this. He just couldn't.

He needed to tell Kai everything. His commander was a brilliant strategist, so he'd be able to devise a plan to rescue Lily, Magnus and Emeric. Wouldn't he? Oskar had no idea where they were being held. He'd been blindfolded as he'd been escorted away from their lair and didn't even know what area of the city they were being held in. Would Kai be able to elicit a rescue before the Disinherited got word of it and killed the prisoners?

"Kai," he began. "There's something I have to tell ye—"

As the words left his lips, there was a sudden commotion in the corridor outside. Before he could even react, the door to Kai's office burst open, and Lord Henry Eberwyn strode in. His gaze flicked briefly to Oskar before he turned to Kai.

"Everything is in order," he said breathlessly. "The trial will start first thing tomorrow."

Oskar's shoulders tensed and he felt his hands curling into fists, itching to slam his knuckles into Eberwyn's traitorous face.

"Aye, thanks to ye," Kai said, slapping Eberwyn on the shoulder. "If not for ye we might never have found the bastard. I dinna understand how we missed him though. The Order have scoured that part of town twice already."

"Aye," Oskar growled, glaring at Eberwyn. "Do tell us how ye managed to find Brewer when the Order couldnae."

Eberwyn shrugged. "Luck, I suppose. Some of my men overheard a conversation between two washerwomen. They were talking about seeing a light in one of the abandoned houses. When my men went to check it out, they discovered Alfred hiding there. Now that Brewer is in custody he can lead us to Emeric and Magnus. We'll find them in no time."

Eberwyn's gaze fell on Oskar. "Everyone will come out of this unhurt as long as we keep our heads and dinna do anything stupid."

Oskar knew the words were a warning. Do anything stupid, warn Kai or put the plan at risk and Lily, Magnus and Emeric will pay the price.

Fury bubbled in Oskar's veins, a white hot anger that he struggled to control. He felt a nerve pulsing in his temple, felt his teeth grinding together. It was all he could do to stop himself from grabbing Eberwyn around the throat right now.

"Oskar?" Kai asked. "Is everything all right?"

Oskar tore his gaze from Eberwyn. "Fine," he snapped. "Eberwyn is right. We need to play this correctly, make sure we dinna make any mistakes." The words felt like they were being torn out of his chest.

Kai nodded. "Aye, I know it. Dinna worry. We'll get to the bottom of whatever Alfred is up to and we'll find our missing friends." He placed his hand on Oskar's shoulders, his blue eyes penetrating. "I give ye my word on this."

Oskar nodded, wanting the ground to open and swallow him for his deception. From the corner of his eye he saw Eberwyn watching him closely. Then the lord cleared his throat.

"I'll go check on my men," he said. "Shall we, Oskar?"

He indicated the door. Oskar nodded.

"Give Lily my best," Kai said.

Oskar missed a step but then recovered himself. "I will."

He preceded Eberwyn out of the door and into the street. They walked in silence until they were out of sight of the guild house and then Oskar spun, grabbed Eberwyn by the shirt, and slammed him into the side of a building.

"What the hell is going on?" he snarled into the lord's face. "Ye better start talking or so help me, I'll kill ye right here!"

If Eberwyn was intimidated by Oskar's threat, he didn't show it. He merely raised an eyebrow. "We both know ye will do naught of the sort. If I'm not safely back within an hour, yer woman and yer friends will be killed." He glanced at the position of the sun. "Time's ticking, Oskar. I suggest ye let me go."

Oskar's hands tightened on Eberwyn's shirt. His knuckles went white with the pressure. He could feel the fine material of Eberwyn's shirt tearing under his grip. He was close to losing control, and he knew it.

"I willnae let ye hurt them," Oskar growled, his voice low and threatening. "I willnae let ye hurt any of my friends."

Eberwyn smirked, looking amused by Oskar's anger. "Ye are a fool if ye think ye can stand in my way. We both know that I'm better at this game than ye are. Now hand it over."

Oskar released him with a snarl. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out Kai's ring and dropped it into Eberwyn's outstretched palm.

"Good," Eberwyn said, holding up the ring and examining it. "I knew ye were the right man for the job."

"I've kept my end of the deal," Oskar said.

"Not yet ye havenae. Ye know what ye have to do next. Yer woman and yer friends will stay with us until ye've done what we've asked. Dinna even think of backing out or warning the Order. Lily and yer friends will pay the price if ye do."

Oskar could feel the pulse in his neck thudding violently. He wanted to punch Eberwyn in the face, wanted to break his bones, leave him a bloody, unrecognizable mess on the cold city streets. But he had to keep it together, he had to keep his promise to Lily. He had to keep her safe.

"Fine," he said through gritted teeth. "I'll do what we agreed. But if ye dinna keep yer end of the bargain, I will tear this city apart to find ye. Do I make myself clear?"

Eberwyn smiled. "Of course, my friend. Ye do have quite the temper, dinna ye? Now, I'd best be going. I suggest ye do the same. It's not long until the show begins and ye need to prepare."

With a final grin, Eberwyn sauntered off, disappearing into the city's labyrinthine streets. Oskar watched him go, his hands still trembling with fury.

Finally, he turned and walked away. It was only a few hours until sunset.

Only a few hours until all hell broke loose.