33 – Misdirection

  Ward set the four golden, hundred-glory coins on the table inside his and Haley’s new suite. Lisa stood nearby, and Ward could see that she was nervous. Her hands were clenched before her, and she idly massaged her palm with her thumb as she pressed her lips together stoically. “Hey, Lisa,” Ward said, glancing at Haley, who’d taken a seat at the table, “you don’t have to stay here to watch this, but if you do, you need to know that I’m not blaming you if it turns out your group was behind the robbery. That would be like me taking the fall for all the dirty shit some of the cops in my department got up to.”

  She nodded, her hair bouncing with the motion; she’d tied it back in a ponytail when she’d gone to wash off Ward’s blood. “Thank you, Ward. I’m more worried about how it will color everything I thought I knew about my father and Mr. Thiel.”

  “Yeah. Well, I hope it’s not him.” Ward shrugged.

  Haley hummed as she stacked the four coins atop each other. “You think they’ll show us what we want? I bet there are lots of secrets most coins could tell.”

  Ward took his jacket off and hung it on the back of one of the chairs. “I think we have a good chance if the spell can be cast on them as a group. I don’t know if it’ll work that way, but if it does, I bet the four coins together don’t have too many secrets to share.” He glanced at Lisa again. “Ready?” She nodded, and when Ward looked at Haley, she had her ears plugged. He cleared his throat and then stared at the stack of four coins, uttering the words of power, “Shrovak gnyrath!”

  The spell flowed smoothly from his mind and off his silvery tongue, but when it emerged into the air, it hissed and seethed, rushing into the room, rattling the windows, and stirring up a breeze that nearly extinguished the gas lamps. The shadows in the corners of the room seemed to roil and billow outward, flowing together to pitch the room into darkness. In those depthless shadows, haunting blue-green lights began to form, and as Ward watched, they grew and stretched, taking on the shapes of men—four of them—standing huddled together on a small quay with silvery, ghostly water lapping at the wooden planks.

  Lisa drew a sharp breath as the men’s faces took on definition, and Ward glanced at her. Her eyes told the tale; she knew one or more of the men. When he turned back to the ghostly scene, one of them spoke. The speaker was dressed like a businessman, unlike the other three, two of whom Ward recognized as the robbers who’d invaded his room. “Make it quick, and if you’re caught, bite your tongues. I can barter with the watch for your release, the Gravel Pit being full as it is. Mention my name, however, and you won’t live through a single night in holding. Understood?”

  “Aye, milord,” the biggest of the three said—the man Ward had cleaved with his sword. “And the lady?”

  “Don’t you worry about the lady! If I’m happy, she’ll be happy.” The man in the suit—middle-aged with a wide, drooping mustache—wore octagonal spectacles that obscured his eyes with reflections of ghostly blue light. He reached up to adjust them and then asked, “You know what you’re after, yes?”

  The big man grunted and nodded, nudging one of the smaller men, a fellow Ward didn’t recognize, with his elbow. “She said a box sealed with somethin’ what looks like lead, yeah?”

  The smaller, wiry man nodded. “Aye.”

  “If you can get the safe open, all the better. Try not to make a scene,” the businessman said. “Your payment.” He tossed a small pouch to the bigger man that clinked with the tell-tale music of gold. As the big man snatched it out of the air, the ghostly scene began to fade, and the shadows retreated to the corners of the room.

  Ward hadn’t realized he’d started to growl, but when he whirled on Lisa, he saw her backing away, her face white. “They weren’t talking about me, Ward!” she cried, frantically patting her sides and waist. Was she looking for a weapon? Ward took one long stride and grabbed her shoulders, pushing her back to the wall, rattling a nearby painting. He leaned close, and he knew his teeth were bared.

  “Ward!” Haley cried. “What are you doing?”

  Ward put his nose almost right against Lisa’s neck, noting how she trembled, how her breaths were short and quick. He huffed out a hot breath and then sniffed. She was perspiring, and it had a sickly, cloying odor that he’d never noticed before, but something in the back of his mind was absolutely sure of what it meant. “Fear,” he growled.

  “Of—of course, I’m afraid, Ward! Your eyes have gone all wolf and…” She licked her lips, trembling violently as Ward pulled back and stared into her bright, faintly glowing emerald eyes. “And y-your teeth!”

  Ward felt a tug on his arm, and then Haley said, “Ward, leave her. She says it wasn’t her, and she’s right—she has good reason to be scared right now!”

  He grunted, releasing Lisa’s shoulders and striding over to the window. He cranked it open, suddenly claustrophobic. He couldn’t help noting that his nails had changed—hard, black, and pointed. Was he getting ready to go full wolf again? He didn’t want to. As the window opened and a cold breeze surged into the room, he inhaled deeply. His lungs expanded with the chilly air, and he blew it out. He repeated that process several times, and the wild, angry emotions began to fade. He was aware that Haley and Lisa were speaking softly behind him, but he didn’t try to listen. He focused on the cold night air and the blurry moon—obscured by clouds and smog.

  Several minutes might have passed, but to him, it felt like just a few seconds when Haley came to stand beside him. “Feeling better?”

  “Yeah, but goddammit, I don’t like losing control like that!”

  “Your eyes are back to normal. Let me see your teeth.”

  Ward grimaced at her, and she smiled and nodded. “You’re back to normal. Lisa’s gone to her room.”

  “Did you find out who that guy in the vision was?”

  “She says he works for her mentor, Mr. Thiel—for the Oathbound. He’s someone Mr. Thiel hires to get jobs done.”

  “What kinds of jobs?”

  “All kinds. He’s got the connections to make just about anything happen in Westview; it just takes money.”

  Ward nodded, taking another deep breath and leaning forward to crank the window closed. “And did Lisa have any idea who ‘the lady’ might be?”

  “She has some guesses. Apparently, Thiel isn’t the only member of the Oathbound in Westview.”

  Ward turned away from the window and walked to the wardrobe beside his bed. “We need to gather some more intelligence and come up with a plan. I don’t care what their intentions are with that artifact; I’m getting it back—it’s the principle. Lisa in her room?”

  “Yes, but Ward…” Haley’s tone was a little shaky, edged with tension as she trailed off.

  “What?” Ward shook his head, shrugging into his coat. “I’m not going to hurt her. I lost it for a second there. Maybe it was her reaction or her smell, but something triggered…you know what.”

  “That’s not what—I don’t think you’re going to hurt Lisa; I’m just worried about Grace. You’ve lost it twice since you changed in the woods. Don’t you think each time is burying her more and more? What if she’s already out of you? What if she’s floating bodiless around us, desperate for help?”

  “Lost it?”

  “Unless you’re telling me you crushed that man’s skull without, you know, the wolf coming out. It was definitely starting to come out when you confronted Lisa a minute ago.”

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  “What the hell am I supposed to do, Haley?” Ward felt his blood getting hot with the frustration.

  “Don’t do that!” she hissed, stepping closer to him. “Don’t get mad.”

  “I’m not…” Ward trailed off. He’d been about to deny being “mad,” but the truth was, he felt like punching something. “I’m not trying to, Haley. It’s an adjustment, I guess. I need to get better at anticipating the—well, the wolf’s reaction to things.”

  “So, keep it calm when you go talk to Lisa, okay?”

  “You’re not coming?”

  “Do you need me to?”

  Ward sighed, reluctantly nodding. “I’m not sure I would’ve backed off so quickly if you hadn’t been here. I need you right now, okay? If you’re right about Grace, I need to keep cool, and something about you calms the wolf down.”

  “It’s because it sees me as a packmate.” Haley chuckled and shrugged. “That’s my guess.”

  “I don’t like how we’re talking about it like it isn’t me. It is, all right? I think—I feel like it’s just…another part of me.”

  “Well, you see me as family, right?”

  Ward nodded and put an arm over her shoulders, pulling her into his side. “Damn right, I do.” Haley squeezed him around the ribs, and when they separated, he saw tears in her eyes. “Don’t worry about Grace. She’s tougher than you think.” Haley nodded, sniffing, and Ward added, “Come on. Come help me keep my cool while I talk to Lisa.”

  “Right. Let’s go.”

  Ward led the way to the stairs, down to their old floor, and up the hallway where a couple of hotel staff were still cleaning the area where Ward had killed the second robber. Looking past them, he saw that the door to their room had been hastily repaired with mismatching wood. He wondered what the scene inside looked like. He could smell the blood, but he supposed it might not be so apparent to “normal” people. He turned toward Lisa’s room and, a few seconds later, knocked on her door.

  When she didn’t answer immediately, he looked at Haley, frowning. “She say anything about going somewhere?”

  “No! She said she’d wait in her room for you to, um, cool off.”

  Ward nodded and knocked on the door, more forcefully this time. It rattled on its hinges, and a moment later, he heard the lock being disengaged. When it opened, Lisa stood there, hair wet and a towel wrapped around her torso. “Are you trying to knock the door down?”

  Ward tried to smile reassuringly and shrugged a little sheepishly. “I got worried.”

  “Worried I’d run off to my evil accomplices?”

  “No,” Ward sighed, “worried that I chased you away and the assholes who robbed us might have picked you off.”

  Lisa’s scowl evened out, and she nodded briefly, stepping aside. “Come in. I’ll go and finish dressing.”

  Ward and Haley sat at Lisa’s little table, and after a minute, Haley cleared her throat. “Well, it’s good she was here.”

  “Yeah. Glad I didn’t knock the door down.” Ward stretched his neck, shifting in his seat, and his chair squeaking in protest. “They make these chairs for little people. It makes the room look bigger.”

  “I don’t think that’s necessarily true,” Haley chuckled, illustrating by sliding side to side in her chair. “Do you want something to drink?” She gestured to a nearby counter where several decanters of different alcohols sat.

  “Do you?” Ward’s mouth had begun to salivate at the sight of the booze.

  She nodded. “I think it might take the edge off.” She walked over to the counter, and Ward closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing and trying to find his center. When he felt calmer and could hear the slow, steady thump-thump of his heart, he turned his gaze inward and looked at his prepared spells. He still had the remnants of Reveal Secrets floating there, ready to be cast again. He also saw the words for True Strike and Shadow Step. He figured if they were going after the men who robbed him, he’d want to get rid of Reveal Secrets and prepare Mana Bolt—his new spell. He wondered if there was a way to “forget” a spell without casting it.

  “Are you going to drink?” Haley asked, and Ward opened his eyes, blinking down at the tabletop where she’d set a glass with two fingers of amber-colored liquid.

  “Something strong?”

  She nodded, sipping her own glass. “To take the edge off, remember?”

  Ward nodded, taking a small drink of the stuff. It smelled and tasted like whiskey—never his favorite, but something he’d drunk plenty of over the years. It was warm going down, and he took a second, much larger gulp before setting the glass down. “That’s hitting the spot. Thanks, Haley.”

  “You're welcome.” She set her glass down, too, and Ward saw a third near an empty chair, prompting him to look toward the bathroom, where he could see shadows moving in the gap beneath the door.

  “You good in there, Lisa?”

  “I’m fine!” she called, irritation clear in her tone.

  “She needs a drink,” Haley giggled.

  Ward nodded, downing the rest of his whisky. He idly spun the glass on the table while he waited. He had half a mind to ask Haley for another pour, but he knew it wasn’t smart. He had a pleasant buzz and didn’t want to get sloppy or dull. Haley obviously had the same thought because she didn’t offer. A few minutes later, Lisa stepped out of her bathroom, hair dry—how had she done that?—some light makeup applied, and wearing a clean pair of white linen slacks and a matching top.

  The outfit looked comfortable enough to be pajamas but nice enough to wear out. Ward didn’t know what they were meant for, so he didn’t comment. Lisa saw the drink Haley had poured her and sat down by it. She lifted it toward Haley, and they clinked glasses. “Thank you,” she sighed after taking a sip.

  Ward decided to rip the bandage off, “I’m sorry.”

  “I understand, I think. You’re wrestling with your own issues, and I suppose I should be grateful that you were able to control your…impulses. Could you truly smell my fear?”

  “Yeah, and I knew what the smell meant on an instinctual level. It’s weird.” Ward wanted to change the topic, so he seized an opening as Lisa took another drink. “Do you know where that guy lives? The one who does work for your mentor?”

  “His name is Ambrosius Keene, and no, I do not have his address, but I’d wager I could get it.”

  “I figure he’s where we ought to start.” Ward spun his glass idly, thinking of his next words, wanting to get things right. “Unless you have a good idea of the name of the woman who hired him. I’m assuming that’s what was going on. If Keene does jobs for Thiel, your mentor, he probably works for other Oathbound as well. It’s possible that you’re right, and Thiel wouldn’t orchestrate what happened here. If that’s the case, it means there are factions among the Oathbound, and you and he could be in danger.”

  Lisa set her glass down. “Why would we be in danger?”

  “Well, I doubt they intended for Keene to hire such sloppy assholes. I doubt they expected me to kill two of their thieves, and they definitely don’t know I can reveal their identities with magic. They might want to eliminate you to keep you from figuring things out and leading me to them. How would your mentor react to that, assuming he’s not one of them?”

  “I want to believe he’d go to war with them.” Lisa looked down, and Ward could see the wheels spinning. “Do you think they’ll try to harm him preemptively?”

  “I don’t know.” Ward shrugged and let his glass fall to the tabletop with a clatter. “I don’t know who we’re dealing with. Do you?”

  She looked up sharply and took a breath but didn’t speak immediately. When Ward continued to stare, Haley reached over the table to take his wrist, and he realized he was glowering. He inhaled through his nose, trying to send his burgeoning stress out as he exhaled. “Look, Lisa, I’m just saying, we can go after this Keene guy, but if you have an idea about who might have put him up to this, then we can skip a step and maybe get a jump on our enemies. Don’t get me wrong; Keene’s going to pay, but maybe not first.”

  “I believe I have an idea. I’ve only met her a few times, but she’s always made me uncomfortable, and Mr. Thiel has made remarks indicating he didn’t trust her. She’s high-ranking in the Oathbound, however, and I’m sure she’ll be hard to approach.”

  “Who?” Haley asked, saving Ward the trouble.

  “Dame Ruby LaVore. She has an estate just outside the city—a horse property. She’s known for her extensive stables, and most of the nobility own at least one of her famous Westview Chargers.”

  Ward pushed his chair out and stood, pacing toward the window. He wanted to get the artifact out of that woman’s hands, but he wanted to do things right. If he went in guns blazing, odds were he’d end up in some kind of medieval prison. Or, worse, he’d kill a bunch of people who didn’t need killing. He looked at Haley and Lisa, both watching him, both wanting to know what he was thinking. He stopped pacing, pleased to realize he was totally relaxed—no sign of his wolf alter ego. “Lisa, does Thiel know where I’m from?”

  “No, only that I first saw you in Tarnish.”

  Ward nodded. “How long would it take us to get to the next good-sized city if we were to go by land?”

  “Grove Spring is two days or so by carriage to the south. It’s about the size of Port Granite.”

  “Okay, here’s the deal. I want you to send a message to Thiel. Tell him I was robbed, and I’m furious, but that I suspect an old enemy of mine who lives in Grove Spring. Tell him you’re traveling with me as I hunt down the culprit.” Ward nodded, a slow grin spreading on his face. “Yeah, you send him the message right away; we’ll give one of the doormen a big tip to deliver it. In your note, tell him we’re leaving town on foot because I refuse to spend more money on a carriage or horses, and I believe I can track my old friend more easily on foot anyway.”

  “Um, all right. Anything else?”

  Ward chuckled, running through the plan and visualizing the details. He nodded. “Yeah. Tell him the artifact was stolen, and you’re worried because I told you my old friend is a madman.”

  “What’s the point of that, Ward?” Haley’s tone was skeptical, and Ward chuckled as he tapped a finger against his temple.

  “The point is that, if Lisa’s right and he’s not in on this robbery, Thiel will tell the rest of his buddies in the Oathbound—a bit of misdirection.”

  “Dame Ruby,” Lisa hissed, standing and walking over to the nightstand beside her bed. Ward saw why—stationery and pen.

  “Exactly. Once she learns we’re walking south of town, she’s going to see an opportunity to get rid of us and blame it on my mysterious friend. She’ll probably hire Keene again, but maybe she’ll send some of her own goons, too. The point is that whoever comes after us is fair game, and they’ll almost surely provide some more answers—hopefully an angle to get at Dame Ruby.” Ward smiled broadly, baring his white teeth and slightly overlarge canines. “After I’m done with them, that is.”