The Clockwork Wolf (30 page)

“You're perfect.” I picked up the boy and hugged him tightly before I sat him on my lap. “But you have to come out of there before the possession becomes permanent, and then we need to help Doyle.” I explained what had happened to the inspector.

“That's not good news.” Harry clambered down and paced in a small circle. “If I dispossess the boy now, dawn will render me powerless. We may not find Doyle before sunrise.” He skipped a few steps and stopped in surprise. “It seems my host has no objection to sharing his body a bit longer.”

“In a day his spirit will begin to wither and fade,” Dredmore warned. “I believe he will mind that.”

“Do you think I want to be a helpless child again?” Harry demanded. “I'd rather spend the next fifty years driving
you
about town.”

“Boys.” I smiled brightly at both of them. “There's a beater coming toward us.”

The patrolman walked up with his trunch in hand, but as soon as he saw us he tucked it into his belt loop. “Sir, madam. Bit late to be in the park, don't you think?”

“We'll be departing shortly,” Dredmore said. “You can be on your way.”

“Now don't be cross with the nice officer, dear.” I drew Dredmore's cloak round me as if I were cold to better hide the state of my gown. “It's our little boy, sir. You see, he begged to take a turn in the park. Had quite a fit about it, in fact. I told my husband it was an indulgence, but he insisted the boy will sleep better.” I turned to Dredmore. “Didn't you, darling?”

“I suppose I spoil him now and then.” Playing along, Dredmore seized Harry and sat him on his knee.

“You're a lucky lad, then,” the beater told Harry. “Every time I threw a tantrum as a boy me da would only give me a thrashing.”

“Mortals,” Harry muttered, and yelped as I gave him a surreptitious pinch. In a higher, sweeter voice he said, “I am, sir, thank you.”

I saw the beater frown and realized Harry's grimy face didn't fit his part. “We'll go home and put him straight to bed now, Officer, after I give him a good scrub.” I held out my hand to Harry, who grabbed it and leapt down. “I don't know how my boy manages to get himself and his garms in such a dreadful, dirty state. Why, to look at him you'd think he was nothing more than a street urchin.”

“Aye, he does look the part.” The beater eyed Dredmore. “It'd be best if you abide by the curfew, sir,
and keep your wife and boy home. Until the hostilities are done the militia'll be patrolling the streets with us, but we'll be occupied with rounding up the heathen population and carting them off to detainment.”

“What hostilities?” Dredmore asked at the same time I said, “Why are you arresting natives?”

The beater looked incredulous. “Everyone was notified by tube. Didn't you get the curfew order?”

“Our port is being repaired,” I said quickly. “What has happened, Officer?”

“Well, the tribes have surrounded the city, madam.” He gestured toward the east. “They've blocked all the roads and set up camps.”

Dredmore also looked to the east and then at me. “For what purpose?”

“I don't know all the particulars, but my sergeant said they're wanting something that was stolen from them,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “They've told the mayor he has until tomorrow night to send it back.”

“And if he doesn't?” Dredmore asked.

The beater eyed me. “Begging your pardon, madam, but you might want to take the boy for one last turn round the fountain.”

I nodded, taking Harry's hand and walking slowly about the fountain. When I returned the beater had gone, and Dredmore looked grim.

“Well?” Harry said. “What do the heathens say?”

“If their relic is not returned, the tribes will march on the city.” Dredmore looked to the east. “At which time they've promised to kill us all and burn Rumsen to the ground.”

The curfew prevented us from searching for Doyle, and the tribal blockade made a successful retreat to Morehaven improbable. Since Lykaon had discovered my identity, I could not go to the office or my goldstone, which left only one safe haven for the three of us.

“You can't bring a little one in here, Miss Kit,” Wrecker said from the door slot. “Some of the gels are still engaged, and the rest are lolling about half dressed.”

“I'm not a child, you idiot,” Harry said before I could persuade Wrecker. “Nor is there anything in there I haven't seen a thousand times over in the flesh and spirit. Now open the bloody damned door.”

“He's my grandfather,” I put in. “And he is—only temporarily—trapped in this body. The boy he's possessing won't actually see anything. I know how mad this all sounds, but please, Wreck. We need help.”

Wrecker eyed Harry. “Can't pick your family, more's the pity.”

Rina's man took us to an unoccupied parlor, where I dropped in a numb heap onto a chaise while Dredmore checked the windows and Harry began eating from a box of bonbons.

“The natives must have somehow discovered the relic was fake.” I covered my eyes with my hand. “Blue Fox
knew, and so did Night Snow, but they wouldn't have told them. Everything hinged on them believing they had the real skull.”

“He is not the only shaman to the tribes,” Dredmore said as he came to cover me with a velvet throw. “I daresay another exposed him.”

I lowered my arm. “We have to find Doyle, the real War Heart, and stop Lykaon and the Wolfmen. How are we going to do it?”

Rina came in and slammed the door. “I can't believe you're back again. Do you people have no other place to congregate?” Her gaze dropped. “A child. In my brothel?
Kit.
”

I didn't bother to get up. “Rina, you remember my grandfather. Harry, say something unchildlike, please, before she tosses us all out the door.”

“You needn't shout at her,” Harry said. “Gel's had a very trying night.”

“He looks nothing like your grandfather,” my friend said, glowering. “What he looks like is a kid.”

“Well, I'm not. I don't know exactly how old I am; I came into my prime round when that young messiah chap you mortals fuss over so much was born. His mum did deliver in a manger—poor gel, no money at all—but the bit about the star and the three kings?” Harry grimaced before he shook his head slightly.

“You knew Jesus Christ?” Dredmore seemed amused.

“Not personally,” Harry admitted. “Although I did bump into him when I left Egypt. Nice fellow, lots of friends. Decent carpenter.”

“I need a drink.” Rina headed for the libations cart.

I sat up and made myself focus. “Right, let's have at this. Lykaon is using the War Heart to bespell the Wolfmen and Tommy. We have to find it first, and once I break the spell we can attend to everything else.” I looked at Harry. “You know Lykaon. Where would he have moved it?”

“I don't know him that well, but I can track the magic back to the source,” he said. “I'll need to begin at the spell's end.” When he saw my face he added, “One of his Wolfmen will do.”

Rina thumped down her brandy decanter. “You are
not
bringing one of those beasts into my house.”

“We don't have to.” I regarded Harry. “Could you track the magic from a child sired by a Wolfman?”

He thought about it. “I can try.”

After some bickering Rina took us to Janice's room, where I explained what was needed.

“I don't know how my bun can help, but as long as it won't harm him . . .” She pushed back her covers.

I boosted Harry up to sit beside her, and watched as he placed his small hand on her bulging belly. “I don't remember her being so, ah, plump,” I murmured to Rina.

“She's been swelling up like a balloon ever since she stopped puking,” Rina muttered back. “I thought it might be bloat, but she says it's the baby. Claims you can even feel it kicking now.”

“It is the baby,” Harry told her, and smiled at Janice. “The ward I placed on the unborn speeds growth, so we can have it out of there quickly, before the protection wears off. Won't harm the babe.” He moved his hand and his brows rose. “Make that very quickly.”

“Can't wait to see the little rabbit,” Janice confessed. “Kicks so much, has to be a boy.”

A glow rayed out from Harry's short fingers, and then he removed his hand and nodded. “He's moved it to a house at the top of the Hill. Big, fancy place with white columns and a circular drive. Lots of red and blue flowers about it.”

“Is there a bronze statue of a portly man with no chin in the center of that drive?” Dredmore asked. When Harry nodded he turned to me. “I'll have to go and retrieve it.”

“If you try carting it about Lykaon will know,” Harry warned. “Take Charm with you. She can break the spell there.”

“I don't think I'll be admitted to the house,” I said. “But Lucien, you can open a window, surely.”

“Unless the militia has been sent to guard the household,” Dredmore warned. “Then even I may not be permitted access.”

“Why should you have to climb through a window?” Rina demanded.

“Because Lykaon hid the skull in the Lord Mayor's manor,” I told her.

•   •   •

Before we set out for the Hill I had to tidy myself up. This also required the loan of a gown from Rina, who after seeing my arm volunteered to play lady's maid. She also rebandaged my arm and fashioned a new sling for me.

As she replaced my boots with a pair of more ladylike slippers, she glanced up at me. “How long has it been since you've slept, or had a meal?”

“I don't know.” I let my head fall back on the backrest of the dressing chair. “I don't care.”

“You're blaming yourself for Doyle. Don't look at me like that, I know how you are.” She put down one foot and started on the other. “The fact is you didn't put him in that contraption, and you didn't magic it inside him. So leave off the self-flagellation. You didn't ask him to go in that club after you.”

“That's because you did.” As her hands faltered I smiled a little. “You also told Dredmore where I was. How else could they have known I was there?”

“One's a copper, the other's a mage,” she scoffed. “Probably just came to them through the usual routes.”

“What I can't fathom is how
you
found out I was there. None of your girls service that club”—I paused as she muttered something filthy—“and the servants are too afraid to be bought. I'd say one of your johnnies must be a member. Who is he?”

She gave me a defiant look. “Doesn't matter who he is. He owed me a debt, so I cashed it in.” She went back to fussing with the slippers. “Wouldn't fancy him turning into a beast anyway. Doesn't get any from the wife, so he'd probably bash in here, hurt my gels, and wreck the place.”

“I think when I break the spell Doyle's going to die.” I sat up and inspected my slippered feet. “That will be on both of us. You for sending him, and me for killing him.”

“Aye, but he's a tough one, our inspector. He may surprise you.” She stood up and helped me to my feet. “You look very good in my gown. Try not to rip this one to pieces. Wait.” She plunked an enormous hat on my
head and secured it with a ruby pin. “Keep your head down and maybe her ladyship won't know it's you.”

I wasn't too tired to tell her how I felt. “You are the sister I should have had.”

“I love you, too.” She gave me a brief, hard hug. “Go on with you. The deathmage is waiting, and he's making everyone jumpy.”

I went downstairs to meet Dredmore, who gave me a nod of approval before leading me out to the carri. Connell took the back roads to avoid the curfew patrols on the mains but was stopped on the service road to the Hill by a band of militia.

“Turn it back, lad,” one of the sentries said. “There'll be no deliveries tonight.”

“Wait, Connell.” Dredmore got out and had a few words with the soldier.

I watched the suspicion gradually fade from the sentry's broad features and then the dazed smile appear before he waved back the other men.

“No worries,” he called out, “this one's got clearance.”

As we went through the roadblock I brushed an ostrich feather out of my eyes. “When this is all done, I may need you to have a chat with my neighbor about a borrowed horse.”

He took my hand in his. “Charmian, the spell Lykaon cast will be more pure and powerful than any you've encountered before now. If there is a backlash—”

“It will do nothing to me,” I said. “You, on the other hand, had better stand clear.”

Raynard Manor stood at the peak of the Hill, a very large jewel in the crown of the grandest houses ever built
for Rumsen's ton. I knew the governor was a frequent guest, as were most of the minor royals who came over from the queensland. Balls held by the mayor were rumored to be the most expensive and exclusive on the Hill, and were known to last as long as a week.

We were not permitted to drive up to the house, but instead were braced by a quartet of heavily armed nobbers guarding the gates.

“I have this,” I said to Dredmore, and leaned out the window. “I am Charmian Kittredge. My companion and I have been summoned to attend to the mayor's wife.”

“I heard about you from Jimmy.” One of the nobbers pushed back his cap. “You're the one what kept Herself from being attacked, he said.” He eyed Connell. “You and your friend can go up, but the carri and driver stay here.”

I nodded. “That's fine.”

He opened the door for Dredmore and then helped me down himself. “Sorry about the walk, but Herself don't like any mech near the house. Says the noise gives her the headache.”