Bones and Ashes Page 23

  “After she died, I tried to find her body, not so I could destroy it like Matherson’s, but so I could bring her back.”

  “Bring her back?” Surely he couldn’t mean it.

  “Your grandmother knew what I was planning. She had Helena’s body moved to an unmarked grave. I could still do it, Raiden, if you could find out where your mother is buried. Help me find her grave and I will bring your mother back. It’s what you want, isn’t it?”

  Once, she would have given anything to have her mother back, but now she didn’t know.

  “You cannot ask that of her,” Xan said.

  The Duke ignored Xan. He gazed at Raiden.

  “I don’t know where her body is,” Raiden said. She was glad she didn’t know.

  He put his hat on and picked up his cane from where it rested against the wall. “If you find out where your mother is buried you can contact me here.” He drew out a card from his breast pocket and handed it to her. “Xanivar.” He nodded to Xan and then left.

  They stood in silence until the sound of his footsteps had disappeared. “Your grandmother always thought he should have paid for what happened, that he didn’t suffer enough,” Xan said. “But no amount of him suffering would bring Helena back.”

  “You should have known she killed Matherson. You should have done something.”

  Xan bowed his head. “Yes, I should have.”

  “What will happen if she escapes from the mirror?”

  “I will never allow that to happen. She will never be able to hurt you again.”

  He meant to reassure her. He believed he could protect her; he couldn’t. She didn’t need him to.

  “Does Blaize know about her mother?” Raiden asked.

  “She knows nothing. She was told her mother died.”

  “I think she knows.”

  “That’s impossible.”

  Raiden had seen Bernadette in Blaize’s room the day she had taken the imp back, when she had tried to strangle her. Blaize must be talking to her mother through a magic mirror.

  Xan took out a pocket watch from his breast pocket. “There’s somewhere we have to be.” He offered her his arm and she took it. She looked back at the mirror before they rounded the corner to see Bernadette watching them, a smile on her lips.

  Outside the palace, Grust waited with Xan’s carriage. The minotaur sat atop the driver’s box. The carriage, made of iron, had been reinforced to take his weight. Four creatures pulled it. They looked like oxen that had been cross bred with some sort of demon.

  Xan opened the door for her. Raiden said nothing as the carriage left the palace and joined the traffic. She had crumpled the Duke’s card in her hand. She smoothed out the creases and stared at the tiny print. All she had to do was find out where her mother was buried and she could have her back.

  “It’s never the same,” Xan said. “You’re not the same person you were when you were alive. She would look like your mother, and sound like her, but it wouldn’t be her. She’s been gone for too long now. Let her rest in peace.”

  Raiden slipped the card into the pocket of her dress. “Will you stop me if I try to find her?”

  “No. I will not betray your confidence again. I will advise you and guide you as best as I can, but I won’t stop you.”

  The carriage had stopped across the road from a cemetery. Grust opened the door, nearly ripping it off its hinges with his immense strength. Raiden felt like a doll compared to him as he helped her down.

  “What are we doing here?” Raiden asked.

  “There’s someone who wishes to see you,” Xan said.

  The cemetery was a maze of tombs and graves. Stone angels looked down, standing guard over their dead charges. One turned its head as they passed. Few could afford to have a stone angel guard their corpse from grave robbers. Ghosts wandered among the graves. Cemeteries were busy places. Some of the mausoleums were used by the occupants as houses, although the Inquisition was trying to stop the dead from living here.

  Xan stopped and lifted her hand from his arm. “I’ll stay here. He’s waiting for you further on.”

  Raiden carried on alone. Gravel crunched under her boots. Up ahead, a solitary mourner stood by an open grave. The funeral had taken place recently; the grave hadn’t yet been filled in. The coffin was crisscrossed with iron bars stamped with elaborate symbols. No one would ever be able to steal this body from its grave.

  Aren stood looking down at the grave, lost in thought. He wore a black armband over his suit and a black neck tie. He looked up and smiled as she walked up. He held out his arms to her and she ran into them. He hugged her tightly, lifting her off her feet.

  “I was so worried about you,” he said. “When I heard what happened.” He set her down and pulled away, so he could look at her. “Whatever possessed you to come that night? You should have stayed away.”

  Raiden smiled back. “I couldn’t leave you there.”

  He slipped his arm around her waist and together they looked down at the coffin.

  “You buried my zombie,” Raiden said. It seemed so long ago since she had stopped her carriage and ordered Tobin to pick up his body from the side of the road.

  “He saved my life. It was the least I could do.”

  “Who laid him to rest?”

  “The Marquess. I couldn’t find another necromancer who would agree to do it. They’re too afraid of the Inquisition.” He turned to face her. He looked at her gravely. “I have to say goodbye to you.”

  “No!”

  “I promised Her Grace we wouldn’t have any more contact. I gave her my word. She agreed to let us say goodbye.”

  She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face against his shoulder. She didn’t want to let him go. She had saved him, but she had still lost him.

  “I have to go. Xan is waiting for you.” He pried her arms from around his neck, but kept hold of her hands. “Don’t ever stop being you. I don’t want you to be like other girls. Stay stubborn and difficult.”

  He kissed her forehead. She watched as he walked away. She had lost them all - Peters, Tobin, Marielle and now Aren. She had lost everyone who loved her. Tears ran unchecked down her face. Aren looked back and smiled at her sadly before he disappeared out of sight.

  She turned to go back to Xan and nearly ran into Valic. He stood behind her, his hands in his pockets. He wore a top hat and black wool coat.

  “You’re in pain.” He touched her cheek gently and wiped her tears away with his fingertips. It was the briefest touch, but it sent shivers down her spine. “You love him.”

  “He’s my cousin.” He frowned. He didn’t seem to understand. It was as if he couldn’t comprehend their relationship. She looked down at the ground, to where her shadow was and where his should have been. “You don’t have a shadow.”

  “No,” he said, as if it was of no consequence.

  “What do you want from me?”

  He pulled out a gold pocket watch from his breast pocket. Instead of numbers, the timepiece had strange numerals and several dials and hands. “It isn’t time yet.”

  “Time for what?”

  His dark eyes met hers. “I’m sorry I didn’t save you from the fire. I would have, but I’m forbidden to interfere. I’ve pushed the boundaries already.”

  “You haven’t answered my question.” She stepped back. “I don’t think you should come near me again.”

  “I don’t have a choice. You should speak to your father.”

  “My father?” Raiden frowned. “What does he have to do with any of this?”

  He looked past her. “Your friend is coming. I have to go.”

  She turned around to see Xan heading toward her. When she turned back, Valic was gone.

  Xan came up to her and took her hand in his. “It’s over now, Raiden,” he said. “You do not have to fear again.”

  Adults were so naïve. Just because he said she was safe, didn’t mean that she was. It wasn’t over. Bernadette would try to find the last pi
ece of the mirror; the vampires and the fairies still wanted the amulet. A war was brewing between the living and the dead and an archdemon was following her. This wasn’t the end.

  About the author

  Gemma lives in the UK with her dog and various other animals. Bones and Ashes is her first published novel. The second book in the series Masks and Mirrors will be available soon.

  The River Maid, a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid set during the Napoleonic Wars, is available now.