Reckless

Jacob nearly stumbled over a dead rat as he entered the dark passageway. The Empress had them fumigated regularly, but the rodents loved the dark corridors. Every three yards there were peepholes in the walls, each approximately the size of a thumbnail, which were hidden on the other side by ornamental stucco or behind two-way mirrors. In the first room Jacob checked, he saw a maid dusting the furniture. The second and third rooms had been turned into temporary offices for the Goyl. Jacob instinctively held his breath when he saw Hentzau sitting behind one of the desks. But it wasn't for him that Jacob had come.

The air was musty in the passageways, and the confined space made his heart beat faster. He heard another maid softly humming to herself, the clanking of porcelain — and then a cough, very close. Jacob quickly switched off his flashlight. Of course. Therese of Austry had all her guests watched; why should her greatest enemy be treated any differently, even if she was giving him her daughter?

A gas lantern appeared around a corner up ahead, illuminating a pale man who looked as if he spent his entire life in these dark spaces. Jacob squeezed into an alcove, holding his breath until the spy had shuffled past him and out through the hidden door. He was probably going to fetch whoever was relieving him. Jacob wouldn't have much time.

The spy had been watching the very room Jacob was looking for. He recognized the Dark Fairy's voice even before he saw her through the tiny hole. The room was dimly lit by a few candles, and the curtains were all drawn, though a trickle of sunlight seeped underneath the pale yellow brocade. The Fairy was standing by one of the curtains, as though she wanted to shield the King from the light. Her skin shone through the darkness like moonlight made flesh. Don't look at her, Jacob!

The King of the Goyl was standing by the door. Fire in the dark. Jacob sensed his impatience even through the wall.

"You're asking me to put my faith in a fairy tale."

Every word filled the room. His voice resonated with power as well as his ability to control it. "I admit it amuses me that those who'd like to see us crawl back into the earth seem to believe in it, but surely you don't expect me to be that naïve? No man's skin can guarantee what more than a hundred thousand soldiers have fought for. I am not invincible, and no Jade Goyl will change that. Even this wedding will only buy me peace for a while."

The Fairy tried to reply, but he cut her off.

"We have uprisings in the north; the east is only quiet because they're more interested in slaughtering each other; in the west, Crookback takes my bribes and arms his troops behind my back, not to mention his cousin on the island. The onyx Goyl despise the color of my skin. My munitions factories can't keep up with my trigger-happy soldiers. The field hospitals are overflowing, and the resistance has just blown up two of our most vital railroads. As far as I remember, none of that was mentioned in the fairy tale my mother told me. Let the people believe in the Jade Goyl and lucky stones, but these days the world is made of iron."

He put his hand on the door handle and looked at the gold fittings on the door. "They do make beautiful things," he murmured. "I just wonder why they're so obsessed with gold. Silver is so much more beautiful."

"Promise me he'll be by your side." The Fairy raised her hand, and all the gold in the dim room turned to silver. "Even when you exchange your vows. Please!"

"He is a Man-Goyl! As far as my officers are concerned, not even the jade can make up for that. And he's less experienced than any of my bodyguards."

"And he still outfought every one of them! Promise me!"

He loved her. Jacob saw it on his face. He loved her so much it scared him.

"I have to go." He turned around, but the door didn't open. "Stop that!" he barked without looking at the Fairy.

She dropped her hand, and the door sprang open.

"Promise me!" she said again. "Please!"

But he left without an answer, and she was alone.

Now, Jacob!

His fingers searched for a hidden door, but they found only wooden panels. The Fairy was walking toward the door through which the King had left. Come on, Jacob! She's alone now! There'll be guards outside that door. Maybe he could kick in the wall. And then what? The noise would immediately summon dozens of Goyl, not that she needed them to kill him. Jacob was still in the dark passage, unsure what to do, when one of the guards entered the room.

Jade.

It was the first time he saw his brother in the gray Goyl uniform. Will wore it as though he'd never known anything else. Nothing about him hinted at the human he had once been. His lips might have been a little fuller and his hair a little finer than that of the average Goyl, but his body still spoke their language. He looked at the Fairy as if she were his world.

"I hear you disarmed the King's best bodyguard." She stroked his face, the face her spell had turned to jade.

"He isn't half as good as he thinks he is."

His brother had never sounded like this. Will had never been spoiling for fights or been keen to measure his strength against others'. Not even with his brother...

The Dark Fairy smiled as Will's fingers closed almost tenderly around the hilt of his saber. Stone fingers.

I'll have you pay for him, Jacob thought as his heart drowned in hatred and helpless pain. Your sister has already set your punishment!

He'd completely forgotten about the spy. The man's eyes widened as the light of his lantern brought Jacob into view. Jacob smashed his flashlight into the spy's temple and quickly caught the slumping body, but one of the scrawny shoulders brushed against the wall, and his lantern crashed onto the wooden floor before Jacob could catch it.

"What was that?" he heard the Fairy ask.

Jacob extinguished the lantern and held his breath.

Steps.

He reached for his pistol, but then realized who was coming toward the wall.

Will kicked it in as if it were cardboard. Jacob didn't wait for his brother to push through the splintered wood. He was already stumbling back along the dark passageway when the Dark Fairy called the guards.

Stop, Jacob! But nothing had ever frightened him as much as the sound of these footsteps pursuing him. Will could probably see through the blackness as well as Fox — and he was armed.

Get out of the dark, Jacob! He's got the advantage here. Jacob tore down the curtain as he stumbled through the hidden door into the open.

The sudden light blinded Will. He held his arm in front of his face. Jacob quickly struck the saber from his hand.

"Leave the sword where it is, Will!"

Jacob pointed his pistol at him. But Will bent down anyway. Jacob tried to kick the saber away from his hand again, but this time Will was quicker. He will kill you, Jacob. Shoot! But he couldn't. It was still the same face, even if it was now cast in jade.

"Will! It's me!"

Will slammed his forehead into Jacob's face. Blood ran from his nose, and he barely managed to deflect the saber before the blade could slash open his chest. Will's next stroke cut into his arm. His brother was fighting like a Goyl, cold and precise, without any fear. "I hear you disarmed the King's best bodyguard." He isn't half as good as he thinks." Another strike. Fight back, Jacob!

Blade struck against blade, sharpened metal instead of the toy swords with which they had fought as children. So long ago. Above them the sunlight was caught in the crystal blossoms of the chandelier, and the carpet beneath their feet bore the symbols on which the Witches danced to summon spring. Will was panting. Both of them were breathing so heavily that they noticed the imperial guards only when they cocked their rifles. Will backed away from the white uniforms, and Jacob instinctively stood in front of him, protecting his little brother as he'd always done, but his brother no longer needed his help. The Goyl had also caught up with them. They were coming through the hidden door. Gray uniforms behind them, white ones in front. Will only lowered his sword after one of the Goyl barked an order at him.