Tallulah POV
The keys jingled together as I locked up the shop for the night. Flipping the sign on the door over to closed, I gritted my teeth as the muscles in my hand seized up. I flexed my fingers, trying to ignore the gnawing pain in my joints. My hands were my pride, even though my age was beginning to show more—hours of stitching left them stiff and achy.535Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybSoYcHuHh
Behind me, Manon hummed to herself as she cleaned up the trimmings of cloth and thread that littered the floor. The sound grated on my ears. The girl was completely tone deaf. Sighing, I looked her way. Her red hair swayed with her gentle movements, dancing like a soft flame.
"Manon..."
She spun around with a guilty smile. "Sorry."
"Yeah, you look it," I said softly.
She stuck out her tongue, green eyes full of merriment and mischief. The girl had always been wild and spirited. It was in her nature as a burner. Something I should've worked harder to quell because if the Presidium caught wind of her being a fire mage, they'd ship her off to one of their camps. If only my heart was less foolish. Thankfully, my connections had kept her safely hidden in plain sight. A decent forgery and a steady stream of cash could go a long way.
My lips twitched. "For that, you will do Mr. Werner's fitting tomorrow."
"Oh, come on." She threw up a hand. "You know he creeps me out."
"Well, with the money he spends here every month...he can afford to be creepy."
"Have Gardenia do it."
I tilted my head. "She is more pleasant than you."
"Hey. I'm pleasant," Manon said, lips puckering into a pout.
"A pleasant pain in my neck."
Her green eyes narrowed, shooting invisible fireballs at me.
"But the problem with Gardenia is she's about as smart as a box of rocks."
Manon snorted a laugh, not even trying to hold it back. She might be quick to anger but it was just as quickly snuffed out.
"No, you'll be the one to do it," I said, my tone firm. "And I don't want to hear another word about it."
There was a moment of tense silence. I could see the frustration burning in her eyes. She wanted to argue more. I arched my brow and watched her shoulders slump. "Yes, Ma'am."
"Now, go take those extra rolls of fabric down to the basement."
There was some grumbling as she placed the broom against the wall and gathered the heavy rolls of fabric from my workbench in her arms. She glowered in my direction before she disappeared into the darkness of the basement. I shook my head and smirked, turning back to the shop. The dress I'd been working on most of the day was set up on a mannequin in front of my workbench. It had taken me three days to get it all together and my hands felt the labor of every stitch I'd made.
There wasn't much I could claim with how watchful the Inquisitors in this city had become. My magic was growing rusty. I was a dried-up mage—but for a dried-up mage, I was more than half-decent with a needle and thread. There was a reason that my shop stayed busy, despite the boom in technology that people had access too. This shop was my pride and joy. It was all I had been left with after the war ended. The Magistrate and his Inquisitors made sure of that.
The sharp, rattling of the glass on the front door had me spinning quickly. I met the desperate gaze of the woman through the glass. Her dark eyes were rimmed with red. Wild, frizzy curls framed her thin face. She didn't look like much. A strong wind would've blown her over. Beside her was a young girl and she tightened her grip on the woman's hand. She couldn't be more than twelve. A gangly thing. Looked like she could use a proper meal.
I crossed the room. "We're closed."
The woman's gaze shifted from mine to the dark street behind them. The distant horn of the ferry filled the silence. I found myself searching the darkness as well. A heaviness settling in my stomach. My visitor fixed me with her wide eyes once more. "Madam Tallulah, right?"
"That's right." I frowned. "Who's asking?"
"Mami sent me. I live above her club. I have a problem and she said that you could help me."
"Mami has a big mouth," I grumbled. That Nymph and I were going to have words. "As I said...we're closed."
"Wait—"
"Come back tomorrow, and we'll talk," I said, reaching for the drawstring to drop the blinds.
"Paej."
The whispered word caused my hand freeze.
"Please, please...We need to get out of the city. Tonight. Can you help?" Her voice cracked.
Curse my foolish heart.
With a heavy sigh, I unlocked the door. If it weren't for the child, I would have turned her away. The woman looked like she'd be nothing but trouble. And I was feeling too old and tired for trouble tonight.
"Thank you, thank you," she said, bowing her head over and over as they entered the room. The dirty stench of the city clung to their clothes.
"Don't thank me yet." I closed the door and locked it again. "This isn't a charity."
"Of course. Here—" She held out a piece of folded tapestry toward me, hands dirty and nails bitten down nearly to the quick. "Our payment."
I took it from her, lips pursed. Slowly, Iunfolded it to see what it was that she'd brought. People had brought me many things, some were great treasures and others were nothing but dust in the wind. This tapestry was something different altogether. It was heavier than it looked. The threads were broken and worn, most likely pulled from old clothes. Still, the talent and time that it would have taken to make something like this was to be commended.
The picture...
My heart began to race as my eyes worked over the image. Flames. New Delphine was burning. On one side were all manner of dark creatures dressed in Inquisitor colors, and on the other side, scoundrels, thieves, and warriors. Among them, I spotted some familiar faces. But it was Manon who stood out to me, red hair burning brighter than the flames.
I folded it closed and turned to the woman. "Who made this?"
"I did." Her eyes dropped to the floor.
A nervous tick, or a sign she was lying? I couldn't tell which. My eyes narrowed.
"What is the meaning of this? Some kind of threat?" I asked. My magic rose up inside of me. It had been a long time, but the air in the room answered my call, stirring and swirling around us.
"Please," the woman pleaded, hair whipping against her face. "I meant no harm. We were told you required payment, something special."
"You're a seer?"
"No—" She reached for the child, shoving her behind her back. My brows lifted in understanding. Foolish woman. She'd given everything away with a simple action.
"The girl, then?"
"Niech—" She slipped into a forbidden tongue. It was the language of the fae. So, I hadn't misheard earlier. She shook her head as if realizing her mistake. "No. No..."
"Do not lie to me." My tone was sharp. The air shook violently, rattling the windows.
"Tula. What's going on?" Manon asked as she rushed through the basement door into the room.
Panic flooded the woman's eyes. She blinked back tears. Her breaths turned shallow and shuttered. "Paej—"
There it was again. Fae speak. But this woman was no Fae, her features were too plain and her demeanor too submissive. Besides, most of the fae had retreated back to their hidden city when the war ended. They cared little for the plight of their own kind and even less for those of outsiders.
"Please, if they find out...Please, I cannot lose her. She is all I have left—"
I lifted my hand and everything was calm and quiet once more.
The young girl met my gaze as she peeked in my direction. She had big brown, almond-shaped eyes, half hidden behind bangs. It was the tips of pointed ear sticking out from her curtain of dark hair that confirmed it for me. A human with a touch of fae blood. Sometimes they manifested unique gifts, usually nothing of much concern to anyone. But there were a rare few whose talents were sought.
"Just like I thought, trouble," I muttered to myself, clicking my tongue off the back of my teeth.
"Tula?" Manon's voice had the image on the tapestry devouring my mind. If this young girl was a seer, then war was coming to New Delphine. It might be time to finally close shop. But I'd worry about that later. One thing at a time.
"You know the drill. Keep an eye out."
She nodded her head, gaze shifting to the windows at the front of the shop. Such a vigilant watchdog. Shaking my head, I crossed the room to the door that led to the basement. Casting a look over my shoulder to my visitors.
"Follow me and watch your step," I said before the darkness engulfed me, but I didn't need the light. I'd walked these steps hundreds of times over the past twenty years.
I flipped on the light switch when I reached the bottom, blinking back the sting as my eyes adjusted. The basement was dank, with walls made of brick. The room was crowded with crates and boxes. Some were extra materials and tools, but other held the treasures I'd collected over the years from escorting unregisters out of the city. Only I and Manon knew which were which. It was safer that way.
"So, what happens now?"
"Now we get you out of the city." I moved to a crate near the far side of the room, sat the tapestry down on top before I leaned my weight into it. Pain shot up from my hands and into my arms. "Are you going to just sit there or are you going to help me with this—"
The woman jumped to attention, scurrying to my side. Together we pushed, the wood creaking loudly under the force. Hidden beneath the heavy box was a trapdoor. The way I'd been able to conduct my side business without alerting the Presidium.
The young girl stepped toward us. "Is that a trap door?"
"It is," I said, slightly out of breath as I cast a look in her direction.
"That's so cool. Does this go to the labyrinth?"
"Suri..." The girl's mother spoke her name low, shaking her head.
My lips twitched. "And how does a girl like you know about such a place?"
Suri shrugged her shoulders. "I've heard some of the people at Mami's talking about it. So, is that where it leads?"
"Suri." Her mother's voice sharpened. She looked to me with an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry. It's hard to keep an eye on her while I work. She's always been a curious kid...too curious for her own good." The last part was clearly more of a rebuke for her child.
"It's fine," I said, holding Suri's gaze. "This leads to a system of tunnels that run under the entire city of New Delphine. They can take you anywhere you want to go."
"Like the labyrinth?" she asked eyes alight with excitement.
"Sure. But these tunnels are special. They're enchanted with dark magic and all manners of traps to keep out unwanted, curious guests. A lot of people have entered and never come back out again."
Her gaze dropped to the door, and she swallowed hard. A little fear would do her well. I bent over and grabbed hold of the metal hoop. It took a bit of effort to get it open, my bones creaking and groaning like rusted hinges. When it was open far enough, I released my grip and let it slap hard against the ground. Dust and dirt plumed around our feet.
"Sure is dark down there," Suri said after a moment.
"Only for those who don't know where to find the light," I replied, conjuring a small smile from the young girl. The moment was lost at the sound of stomping feet on the floor above us.
"Tula...Tula." Manon rushed down the stairs. The old things creaking and groaning. I turned quickly. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were wide. "There are Inquisitors at the door."
There was a small gasp from Suri's mother.
"Silence," I said with a hiss. "Let me think."
This was the trouble I'd been afraid of. Someone must have followed them or they had an informant. My shop was filled with contraband, hidden though it may be. They'd sniff it out. There was nothing I could do to change what was about to happen. All I could do now was minimize the casualties. I never imagined myself as much of a hero, but here I was with an impossible choice. Suri's mother began muttering a faerie prayer under her breath. I didn't have the heart to tell her that the gods were long dead and if they weren't they certainly didn't care about any of us.
"I'll deal with the Inquisitors," I said, stepping forward. Manon shook her head at me but I just pushed her toward Suri and her mother. "You just worry about getting them out of the city in one piece."
Manon grabbed onto my hand as I turned from them, the unnatural warmth of her skin seeping into my weary bones. "They'll cleave you."
"Don't be so dramatic."
"Please, Tula. Let's all go together."
I met her turbulent gaze, and I was thrown back in time to the first time we'd met. She was a young mage of only twelve, and I'd caught her trying to steal food. In the days after the war, the Magistrate ordered his inquisitors to purge New Delphine. Any Mages deemed too dangerous or enemies of the Presidium were hunted down—innocent mages were cleaved because of their fear of what we could do. So much senseless death. My daughter—Manon's family...were lost. We were a gift to one another in the dark times. We'd become a makeshift family.
"This is my shop. I won't leave it to those monsters." I pulled my hand free. "Go Manon."
"But—"
"Do I need to repeat myself?"
She swallowed hard, holding my gaze. "No, Ma'am."
"You remember the way?" I asked, softening. She managed a nod. I reached up and grabbed her chin. Memorizing her face. A part of me knew this would be the last time we'd see each other. "And Manon, don't come back here."535Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFMmUudT4N
Her lips quivered before she pressed them together tightly. I released my grip and gently swept back the hair from her face. "Go, now."
There was a moment of hesitation, before resolve formed in her eyes. Manon may not have been the blood of my blood but she was mine in spirit. A familiar feeling settled in my stomach as she turned from me—panic, as much as I hated to admit it. I watched as they lowered Suri first into the darkness on the other side of the trap door. Then it was the mother, and finally Manon.
She met my gaze. I knew she wanted to ask me to go with them. It burned in her eyes, but she said nothing. I lifted my hand and patted my chest, above my heart. That was all I could manage. I'd never been good with goodbyes.
Then she was gone, descending down in the darkness below. As quickly as my body allowed, I closed the trap door and covered it back up. The banging on the door grew more urgent, loud enough for me to hear in the basement. With a deep breath, I took to the stairs and toward the fate I'd resigned myself too.535Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUUaNCEasZ
