Kingdom of Ash and Soot Read online

  Why is she traveling with an Indian? And what are they talking about?

  When I heard Lady Penelope say “Artha,” in her mix of lilted language, my heart jumped.

  Why is my grandmother arguing about a dead man?

  A second later, I frowned. That did not make sense. Was it possible I had heard her incorrectly?

  Lady Penelope went back to ignoring Harshad. She returned her focus to us, and somehow she gave the impression that the argument with Harshad had never happened.

  “Well, Eleanora, Benedict, there is no need to worry about all the details tonight. Now, I will need you to go and collect your things and bring them back to this wing of the house. You will have new rooms while I am here, and my servants will see to your needs.”

  Ben and I remained unmoved, and she seemed to be at the end of her patience.

  “Go,” she instructed. “It is for the best, after all. Your stepmother will be tempted to take her anger out on you, especially since she knows she cannot touch me. We should at least agree that for now, you will be safer with me.”

  Ben clenched his fists, and I had to wonder if he was upset at Lady Penelope for successfully making her point.

  “You have already had a long night. Nothing good comes from talking business or making deals when you are tired.”

  We filed out of the room, passing the other guard. I watched as he shifted, burying even further into his cloak as I passed.

  I was confused, but Lady Penelope and Harshad once more began to talk, and I forgot the strangeness of it all.

  Remembering my time in the city, watching Dr. Artha’s funeral procession, meeting with Ferdy and Mr. Clavan, fighting with the Turkish thief, and seeing Lord Maximillian and Teresa Marie, I decided there was a lot that was extraordinary about the day. Lady Penelope—my estranged grandmother—suddenly did not seem so unusual.

  Unable to help myself, I let out a tired giggle.

  “What are you laughing for?” Ben snapped. “There is nothing funny about this, Nora.”

  “You didn’t see her battling with Cecilia and Alex.” I wrapped my arm around his. “Come now, Ben, it might not be funny, maybe, but it is still not bad. Cecilia’s angry, and there is nothing she can do about it.”

  “There doesn’t seem to be much we can do, either,” Ben pointed out. “We are dependent on Lady Penelope now.”

  I thought about the letter Lady Penelope had in her hands, the one she had given to Cecilia. She was clearly here on some kind of business. What it could be, and what it was, I was not sure. But she was our family, and I told Ben as much. “Surely there is nothing inherently dangerous about that.”

  “I don’t know, Nora.” Ben sighed. “Did you hear her, at the end? She’s talking about making business deals. That hardly seems like the terms you would use to describe family matters.”

  He did have a point.

  I hated how he had a point.

  “But she promised us she would take care of us.” I nearly jumped in excitement. “Just think of it, Ben. If nothing else, Liberté could be ours at last!”

  “The devil always offers you everything you want,” Ben said darkly. “But there is always a price to pay. Always.”

  “We have already paid it. All these years of serving in our own household, under a tyrant of a woman and a beast of our stepbrother, and not to mention the pampered princess who masquerades as our stepsister.”

  “Only to now find ourselves dealing with an even more dangerous woman.” Ben sighed. “Our dream of opening our own bookshop and lending library is not worth the cost, as far as I can see right now. Liberté will have to wait, so long as we know there are invisible strings attached to anything Lady Penelope has to offer us.”

  “You certainly have a way of dampening my spirits,” I muttered.

  “I’m allowed to do that, since I am the only one who cares enough to raise them,” he said. “Now, as much as I hate to agree with Lady Penelope on something, she was likely right about Cecilia. Go and get your things and come back here quickly. If Lady Penelope is interested in making a deal with us, she is unlikely to harm us.”

  I rolled my eyes. “How does it feel to be suspicious of people all the time? To always feel like everyone is going to treat you horribly?”

  “I find it is easier to live with their derision than my disappointment. Being a cripple in a society that has no use for you will remind you of that every day.”

  “Oh, Ben. Please don’t think that. You know I was only teasing ... ” Before I could embrace him, he twisted out of my grip and headed down the dark hall toward his own room.

  I watched him until his shadow disappeared around the corner hallway, and then I hurried out to the barn to collect my things. Ben was right to be worried, but I still believed I was right to be hopeful.

  Wasn’t I?

  I glanced up at the ceiling, ignoring the fine craftsmanship of the stonework to look for the face of God behind the darkness. “Well, Lord, this certainly has been a long day,” I said with a tired sigh. “I can only pray for your peace in the night.”

  *6*

  ◊

  By the time I woke up the next morning, having barely slept at all, nothing happened that made things seem any less surreal.

  I doubted Cecilia felt any different. I did not know the specific details of Cecilia’s pain, but through the stone walls of the castle, her muffled cries and disparaging howls rang out from the midmorning hour until noon. Even from my new room two hallways down, I could hear her constant wailing and gnashing of the teeth as she fought with Lady Penelope.

  Sometime after Lady Penelope’s servant brought a plate to me for lunch, there was another knock at my door.

  “Who is it?” I called, quickly stuffing the book I had been reading behind one of the larger pillows of my bed. I frowned at my practiced movement; it was an old habit, but I was not sure if I would be able to break it.

  “It’s me.” Ben entered, his own lunch tray in hand, and I hurriedly took it from him as he moved toward the window seat in my room. “I can take care of it myself,” he said, annoyed by my help.

  “I know you can. I’m just being polite, Ben.”

  “We’re family. There’s no need to be polite.”

  “Then choke on your food and see if I care.”

  It felt good to have things back to normal between us.

  Ben grinned. “That’s better. But if I do, you better hope I choke only after I finish telling you all the gory details of Cecilia and Lady Penelope’s argument.”

  “You were eavesdropping?”

  “This is my house, and I’m allowed to go where I want within it,” Ben said. “Even if Cecilia and Lady POW are arguing over it, Otec was supposed to leave it to me, and Lady POW will leave it to me when she’s gone.”

  “Lady POW?”

  “Her full name is Lady Penelope Ollerton-Wellesley. I shortened it to Lady POW, for her initials. Her name’s too long.” Ben shrugged.

  I smiled, nearly laughing as I recalled Ferdy telling me my name was too long, too. “Maybe it’s a family trait.”

  “Huh?”

  “Never mind,” I said, brushing it aside. “Lady POW seems like a good name for her, anyway. She seems quite powerful as a lady, and one who is used to getting her way.”

  Ben nodded. “I’ll give her that. She could most likely walk into Market Square and convince the vendors to give her their goods for free.”

  “From all the disruption I heard this morning, I’ll bet Cecilia experienced something like that.”

  “She did.” Ben chuckled. “Among other things, the engagement is off between Alex and Lady Teresa Marie.”

  “What?”

  “His Grace was clearly much happier about it than Cecilia. He was still trying to curry favor with Lady POW as he left the library. He is going to stay with us another day or two, and then I believe he will leave.”

  “I can’t believe it. That was all Cecilia had worked for these past ten years.”
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br />   “Lord Maximillian told her to write to him if it became acceptable to discuss marriage at a later date.”

  “What did Cecilia say?”

  “Nothing. Lady Penelope interrupted and told him that I was allowed to choose my own bride.”

  Ben’s face was stoic and stubborn; he would not allow me to know how he felt about that particular topic. I thought about how he had believed, all those years before, that he would never marry because of his leg, and because he had no inheritance.

  After a long moment of silence, I finally giggled softly. “Well, you said we were at her mercy, but it seems she will allow you to make that decision on your own at least.”

  Ben snorted. “Lady POW also said she intends to give you a Season or two before she will consider marriage a priority.”

  I was the one who ended up choking. “What?” I sputtered, sending a cloud of crumbs flying all over the floor. Ben thumped me hard between my shoulders before I was able to articulate my surprise better. “What did you say?”

  “She’s intent on giving you a Season,” Ben said. “She’s going to buy you a whole new wardrobe and send you out to the marriage mart.”

  I groaned.

  “Calm down. You’re already a lady. Now you just have to act like one.”

  “I guess,” I said slowly, “with Lady POW as my example, that does not appear to be as bad as it sounds. If I can give scathing lectures to my stepmother in public, at a party she is throwing herself no less, that would make it worth it.”

  It was Ben’s turn to scowl.

  I flicked my nose at him, using one of Tulia’s silent insults. “Come on, Ben, I don’t think she’s bad,” I said, putting my lunch tray aside. I paused for a moment before I added, “And I don’t know if she knew about us before, either. She called me ‘Eleanor,’ like Máma, when she first saw me. She did not seem to know about you, either, when I asked.”

  “She’s still dangerous, even if she didn’t purposefully neglect us. I overheard one her servants call her the Iron Dowager. Apparently, she is formidable, in addition to her impressive wealth and prestige.”

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

  “Of course it is bad for us. We are at her mercy.”

  “Not entirely. Cecilia’s been banished back to half of the manor’s rooms, right? She told the Duke I was going to have a Season, so that means she really does want to do something for us. And if you are worried about it, we just need to assert our compliance comes with a price, too.”

  When he said nothing, I tugged at his arm. “Come on. Let’s go and talk with her. We’re rested, and she’s done with Cecilia. Surely we can discuss everything now.”

  Ben groaned, but he walked with me toward the library. From his dragging foot, I could tell Ben was only going along with my wishes. I scowled at him, silently reminding him the only other option we had was to do nothing.

  Neither Ben nor I had ever been any good at doing nothing if we could help it.

  As we passed by the doors to Lady POW’s bedchamber, we could hear her arguing with Harshad again. Immediately, Ben quieted his footstep and shuffled up against the door.

  I gave him a disapproving look, but rolled his eyes. Before I could tell him to ignore her, and that everyone should have a right to some privacy, I heard my name.

  “—Eleanora is a clearly fine young lady with spirit, just like her mother,” Lady Penelope said. “She’s just the element we need as a new cover.”

  Ben’s eyes snapped to mine, and I knew he was silently telling me he had been right to mistrust her.

  “Pepé, stop this nonsense. Dezda did not tell you about them, remember?”

  “So?” I could almost see the angry snarl on Lady POW’s face through the door.

  “She likely thought it was for the best,” Harshad said.

  “Well, now she is dead, and it is up to me what we will do—both in regard to my grandchildren, and to the mission.”

  Mission? What mission? Ben and I exchanged a quick glance, before Lady POW and Harshad started arguing again.

  “Amir was right,” Lady Penelope said. “It is her. He was right about Eleanora. And I must honor my role as a grandmother, to both her and her brother.”

  “This will disrupt our mission.”

  “Hardly. This helps us, if anything. Dr. Artha was our lead contact, Harshad, and now he is dead. Lady Cecilia is in no position to be of any help. This is not the time to question the gifts of providence.”

  The world seemed to shift unexpectedly, as I realized my grandmother was interested in the death of my father’s former doctor—and she was interested in us, for some reason. Before I could voice my concerns to Ben, Harshad began to speak once more.

  “What will you tell them about their mother? And even if you tell them the truth, who is to say they will accept her legacy? They could easily reject us and leave us with a heavy liability.”

  “And what if they do accept our offer?” Lady Penelope countered. “It will be wonderful.”

  “It will be terrible.”

  “Likely a bit of both. Which will be all the better, if you ask me.”

  “Pepé, it will still be a liability.”

  “We’ve had worse!”

  “But what would you have me do? Teach them? That will take time away from our inquiries. We do not have time for this. More lives are at risk, as Dr. Artha has shown us.”

  “Then we will just have make it enough time. That is an order, and you will follow it, Harshad.”

  Harshad sighed, and I could hear his reluctant defeat. “The League is already not happy with you, Pepé, and this decision will call for a special council. The Order will not be able to help you this time.”

  “You can make the arrangements for that, then.” Lady Penelope paused. “Assuming you have enough time.”

  “You cannot just alter our plans.”

  “The plans were already altered, long before we arrived.”

  “Dezda would not approve of this!” Harshad hissed.

  “It matters not. She is not here. For now, I have heard your arguments, and I will take them into serious consideration, no matter how much I disagree with you.”

  “Your grief is blinding you to the truth,” Harshad said.

  “And your pride and arrogance have always blinded you,” Lady Penelope shot back. “That is why we work so well together, despite our past. We know each other’s weaknesses too well.”

  “Then you should consider listening to me more.”

  “What an appalling thought,” Lady Penelope said. “As I’ve already listened to you for quite some time, and I’ve found no such reason to bend to your wishes.”

  “You should still let them choose. Dezda regretted it in the end.”

  “She did not regret anything. She just wanted more. And as we now know, she was able to get it, clearly. But we will not argue over that now. I am the appointed leader here, and what I say will go through in the end. Send a summons to Eleanora and Benedict. I will meet them in the library.”

  “You have always been too stubborn,” Harshad said. “You are free to ruin your life, but I will not let you ruin theirs.”

  “It is their choice if I will ruin it or not. Besides, what would their alternative truly be? Cecilia seems to have done quite enough damage. Do you really think it is better that they stay here, under her authority? As I see it, better they are with us, than with her. And much better with us than being out on the streets.”

  Secretly, I agreed with her. I knew how terrible Cecilia was, and that alone was enough for me to hope for a better future with my increasingly odd, estranged grandmother.

  “You are not the only one who owes Dezda,” Harshad said.

  At his icy tone, a shiver went down my spine. I tugged Ben’s arm. “Come on,” I whispered. “Let’s just go to the library and wait for them.”

  It was clear Lady Penelope and Harshad would still need several moments to bark at each other. Their voices gradually faded as Be
n and I approached the library.

  “Well, that was intense,” I said. “Even through the door.”

  Ben nodded. “What do you think their mission is?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but I have a feeling I know what part of it involves,” I said, thinking of Dr. Artha. Before I could tell Ben what I suspected, I tugged open the door to the library. There was a shuffling noise and a grunt of surprise.

  That was when I saw him again.

  My eyes went wide and then narrowed in anger as I suddenly found myself staring at the Turk, the one who had stolen my father’s book.

  “You!” My mouth fell open in shock. There was no mistaking him. He had the same eyes, the same nose, even the same expression of registered surprise as he saw me.

  “Nora, what’s wrong?”

  I barely heard Ben’s question as I raced across the room to the bookshelf, lunging an attack at the man. In the brief seconds before contact, I saw that while his turban was missing today, his black hair was still elegantly combed back, his mustache was still immaculately trimmed, and he was still astonished that I would attack him at all.

  My fist managed to strike his torso with enough force to send him slamming into the bookshelves behind him; I was gratified to see I managed to land a successful blow once more. He groaned in pain before falling to the ground.

  “What are you doing here?” I demanded, preparing to strike again. “This is my home, and I will not let you steal anything else from me.”

  The man sighed. “Please,” he said. His English was without inflection, and I stopped.

  “You know English?” I asked.

  “Yes, much better than I know Czech. But I can switch to French, if you would like.” The Turk fell back on his bended knee in apparent surrender. I was disgusted to see there was a hesitant smile on his face as he looked at me, and I gritted my teeth at his gall.

  “Nora, who is this?” Ben asked. “What are you doing?”

  I pointed at the Turk accusingly. “This is the man who took our father’s book from me yesterday.”