Page 109 of Of Fate and Phantoms
The bloodless lips of the corpse stretched thin. She went to spit on the floor, but the dead can't produce spittle. "Traitor."
Harriet's grip tightened on my arm. Tears spilled silently down her cheeks. I led her away and down the stairs. Gus, Seth and Lincoln followed.
"Shouldn't you question him further?" Seth asked, falling into step alongside Lincoln. "About the person who paid him, I mean."
"He won't give us an answer," Lincoln said. "I'll need to follow him or go through his correspondence. But not tonight."
"No," Seth said quietly, cradling his hand to his chest. "Not tonight."
"What if he tries to leave London altogether?" I asked. "Perhaps this will frighten him off."
"He won't leave without his pack, but I'll make arrangements to have him watched."
We walked as quickly as the injured men could go, passing two constables heading in the direction of Rugby Street. They didn't seem in any particular hurry and didn't stop us.
I worried that we wouldn't find a cab on such a miserable evening and indeed, there were no hansoms to be seen, but larger hacks waited outside St. Pancras station. We managed to all squeeze in one. Seth and Gus groaned as they sat, with me between them, and Lincoln winced when Seth accidentally trod on his foot.
We drove toward Mayfair first to take Harriet home. I didn't say the words to release the shifter's spirit until we were almost there.
"How did you know to come looking for me?" Harriet asked.
"Your husband informed us of your disappearance," Lincoln said.
She winced. "Was he very cross?"
"Very," I said. "Will he punish you?"
Her fingers wrung together in her lap then suddenly stilled. She smiled at her reflection in the darkened window. "We shall see."
"Did you tell King about us?" Lincoln asked.
"No! Not a word. I did not mention names, the ministry or Lichfield Towers. After the attack and before you joined us, I told him you were strangers, local troublemakers."
"He won't believe that now," I said.
"I won't tell him about you, I promise. I never want to see that man again."
"It's likely you will. You're part of his pack now. He thinks you belong to him."
She bit the inside of her lip and her hands resumed their wringing. "I only wanted to go for a run and meet others like me."
"I understand," I said gently.
Seth grunted and shifted his weight, only to groan again. "Next time you want to go for a run, come to Lichfield. I'll ride alongside you."
"Thank you, Seth, you're very sweet."
He didn't look at all sweet. He looked in pain, in between his scowls.
Gus checked his bruised and bloody knuckles. "Everything hurts. They were bloody strong."
"I feel awful," Harriet said, dabbing at her eyes with her little finger. "Everyone is injured because of me. And Charlie, you look like a bedraggled urchin. Were you up that tree? You poor thing. And Seth, your eye is closing up. Here, take my handkerchief and let me take care of you."
Gus rolled his eyes. "Heaven help us if that pretty face gets messed up. Don't want the golden boy to lose his looks."
"If I could be sure it wouldn't hurt me more, I would thump you," Seth said idly. "And my face is not pretty. It's ruggedly handsome."
"Who says? Your mother?"
