“We’re going back to our temple chambers now,” Drake said. “Unless there’s anything else super important and secret you actually want to tell me?”
“Only that I would suggest we keep my return secret for now. Other than Lady Skybreak, who is a dear friend, there are not many still alive who know me in this realm.”
“So how should I introduce you to the others, then? Since I can’t call you Lady Gloomwood, and you can’t introduce yourself with a lie?”
“Simply call me Lady Marissa. Does Zuri still work in the manor as our mediator?”
“Sure.”
“She is the only person who may recognize me. However, I am far less concerned about those in the manor knowing my real identity. We can control the flow of information from there, and we can decide whether to announce my return once we’re home.”
Now that he was starting to work past the initial shock of seeing his mom here, Drake’s well-justified manor lord paranoia was once again starting to reassert itself. “So why did you flee this realm? Is it something I need to worry about?”
“You need not worry,” Marissa assured him. “The threat I fled is long past. My only intent is to serve and protect you however I am able. I treasure you. The rest is immaterial.”
Drake couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious when his mother said that, especially now that he knew she couldn’t lie. If she had been keeping him at arm’s length since high school to make sure he grew up strong and independent, it had worked... some. But it had also made his life lonely, frustrating, and devoid of anything approaching what felt like a real family.
He’d had friends growing up, sure. He’d also had girlfriends, even a few serious ones, and having a house all to himself had certainly made it easier to get laid. He’d even thrown a few wild parties before he got tired of cleaning up the mess all those drunken idiots left behind.
But still, it would have been nice to have a mom. Not a landlord who checked in on him every few days and donated her portion of the rent and bills. That was pretty much all his mother had been to him from his freshman year in high school until he moved out, and after... they’d spoken on the phone a few times a month. Typically about his lack of finances.
“Well... I’ll introduce you as Lady Marissa, then. A friend of the noble court who is going to be advising me on some matters when I ask for your advice.”
She smiled. “That should work well.”
Drake knocked on the door. Since his mother refused to answer his questions about anything that mattered, there was no point in speaking more about any of it. He was also now starting to suspect that whatever had happened before he was born was something that Marissa might not even want the noble court knowing about. Which is why she wanted to wait to talk about it until they were back home in Gloomwood Manor.
Back home. Safe in their own walls. As it turned out, Gloomwood Manor had always been his true home. He’d just spent twenty-three years living somewhere else.
Alongside his mother, who would henceforth be referred to only as “Lady Marissa”, Drake walked through the many halls of the Temple of the Eidolons with an escort consisting of four capital guards. There were plenty more throughout the halls, far more than there had been even when he arrived for the cabal. The Judge was showing strength.
It had been a bloody cabal. Two manor lord seats now sat empty, Blackmane and Frostlight. Another, Redbow, was now an enemy of the noble court, having fled the capital before he could be arrested for his part in Westin Proudglade’s scheme to tilt the table in favor of his father. Ashwind remained effectively paralyzed while Redbow held his son hostage, and Proudglade would be weeks or even months in grappling with its loss of noble favor.
And the loss of his youngest son.
With some time to think about it, Drake would not have executed Westin. Prison would have made more sense, and rehabilitation if it was possible to find some way to keep his rarity in check. Being able to change memories couldn’t just be used for evil.
Westin could have made people forget traumatic events or even provided pleasant memories. Drake suspected Westin might have taken pleasure in helping others with his rarity. Yet thanks to this world’s rather final system of justice, Westin couldn’t do any of that now.
Westin would never have a chance to be redeemed. He’d never have a chance to atone for his actions. That idiot had set out to save his world and almost doomed his own family, and for his bravery, he’d lost his head.
Drake would spend the rest of his life knowing he was the one who sent Westin to the executioner’s block. It had been necessary to protect himself and his manor, so he didn’t regret it. Stopping Westin had to be done. But it sucked he couldn’t take pleasure in his victory.
They arrived back at his chambers and knocked. Nicole opened the door, and she grinned as she looked between them. “Lord Gloomwood! I had no idea you were bringing another consort to join us today! Will you two be retiring to your room?”
“Another consort?” Marissa asked curiously.
Drake glared at Nicole. “This is Marissa, a friend of the noble court. She will be advising me in matters as necessary.”
“My mistake!” Nicole inclined her head to Marissa. “You’re just so gorgeous I assumed you must be one of the capital’s famed courtesans.”
Marissa laughed merrily. “That’s kind of you, miss...”
Drake pushed his way past her. “This is Nicole. She’s annoying.”
“And so very brave!” Nicole reminded him as she stepped aside to allow Marissa into the chambers. She closed the doors behind them. “By the way, lord! Darion wishes to speak to you. I understand it to be a matter of some urgency.
“Yeah?” Drake didn’t glance at her. “What is it this time?”
“He wouldn’t say. He would only say that he once again begs for your help.”
Drake sighed and rubbed his temples. “Whatever. Where is he?”
“He awaits you on the balcony, lord.”
“I assume you cleared that?”
Nicole smiled impishly. “You may assume whatever you like.”
Marissa offered him a curious glance. “This Darion is... a friend?”
“A thrall,” Drake said. “And a good man. I can’t seem to solve any of my problems, so maybe I can solve his.”
“Then allow me to advise you,” Marissa said eagerly.
“Sure. Whatever. Knock yourself out. We’ll try ‘take my advisor to work’ day.”
He led his mother through the main chamber and out on the balcony. He found Darion standing outside with Emily. He also found them standing closer than was likely proper and speaking in low tones. He wished they’d just fuck already.
Since he’d arrived, Darion had somehow avoided even the most blatant propositions from the women of Gloomwood Manor. He’d done it without offending anyone and without reducing his alluring charm. Drake honestly had no idea how the man managed or why he cared... but he could respect it. Darion, at least, was a man he could respect.
The tall man glanced at Drake out of the corner of his eye, stiffened visibly, and snapped to attention and he stepped away from Emily. “Lord Gloomwood!”
“That’s me,” Drake agreed. “You wanted to see me?”
Darion now looked visibly unsure of himself. “If this is a bad time...”
Drake scowled at him. “Out with it. What’s wrong? What’s the problem?”
Darion opened his mouth, then hesitated. What was this? Drake realized now the man looked almost as nervous as Lark had looked the day she’d suggested him. Finally, he spoke.
“Lord... this is actually about my sister.”
“Lark?” Drake frowned as he remembered her thoughtful, kind, and objectively gorgeous face. “Is she okay?”
Darion’s thousand-watt smile immediately returned. “I can see you still remember her. And yes, she is fine... in a matter of speaking.”
Drake huffed. “Just give it to me straight.”
“Well... she now has nowhere to live, lord.”
So Lark was now homeless? How had that happened? Drake had a sneaky suspicion he knew, and it both pissed him off and made him feel guilty.
“I thought she lived at Lark House with the other courtesans.”
“Not any longer, lord,” Darion said. “She resigned three days ago.”
Which was the day after the cabal. Shit! He had gotten Lark in some sort of trouble?
Drake took a step forward before he realized it, which he also realized had caused Darion to take a step back. Now the man looked nervous. His confidence was shaken.
Drake visibly calmed himself. “I’m not pleased to hear that news, but to be clear, I’m not mad at you. In fact, I’m very glad you told me about Lark’s troubles. I intend to fix this.”
Darion smiled. “I’m so relieved. River tried to make me promise not to say anything about her situation, but I refused. She was quite cross with me this morning.”
River must be Lark’s real name. Drake decided not to inquire further about that. He didn’t want to show too much interest in Darion’s remarkably attractive sister. He definitely didn’t want to give his mother the wrong idea about what he’d been up to in the capital city while she was making the long trek down the Noble Road.
Drake considered her reasons for keeping quiet. “So why didn’t... River... come to me about this herself? Does she need a loan? A job?”
He could give her a job. She’d proven remarkably resourceful during Darion’s rescue, and adding a savvy femme fatale spy to his manor would rule. She wouldn’t be seducing him, but if she was comfortable using her feminine wiles on others, she could be a valuable asset in Samuel’s spy army.
“She already considers herself in your debt, lord,” Darion said. “I begged her to bring this matter to you when it became clear she could not find employment. We argued for days. She refused, and she also forbade me to bring it to you as well.”
“Yet here you are, bringing it.”
“The last thing I would ever wish to do is betray my sister’s trust,” Darion said firmly. “But I fear, if she continues down this path and her options to survive dwindle, she will do something rash. Something that she cannot easily undo. I need your help to prevent this.”
More riddles. “What’s she going to do? Run off and join the circus?”
Marissa elbowed him lightly.
“What?” Drake said irritably. “Don’t you have circuses here?”
Marissa smiled at Darion. “Your loyalty to your sister is obvious, as is your love for her. I see no harm in bringing this matter to Lord Gloomwood’s attention. Please. Speak freely.”
“Yes,” Drake agreed. “Your sister is a good person, and... I owe her. Really. So just tell me what she’s planning and why, and what you think I can do to help.”
Now Darion once again looked a bit uncomfortable. “First, I must ask a sensitive question. When you commissioned her services, did she... entertain you?”
“Not like you’re thinking. We’ve talked, and I’ve found her both insightful and kind. She was also a big help at the cabal. But that’s it.”
Darion breathed what might be a sigh of relief. “Then it would seem you understand that she has other talents beyond those she employed at Lark House.”
“Sure.” For example, given she had taken out both mercenaries assigned to keep her contained during Darion’s rescue, she was pretty good at killing people.
“She could serve you, lord,” Darion said hopefully. “As a domestic in whatever capacity you see fit. Her cooking skills are excellent, and she is trained in all manners of court etiquette. She also has a lovely singing voice, so if you have need of a bard...”
“So you want me to hire her before she joins the circus.”
Marissa elbowed him again. He elbowed her right back.
Darion didn’t seem to notice. “She has savings, but without the ability to find employment in the capital, those will dwindle rapidly. And so she has, against my suggestion, sought other employment. Yet if you accept her, she will not need it.”
Drake nodded. “So what if I just got her a job at another house? Or in the noble court?”
Marissa touched his hand. “Respectfully, lord, that may not be possible.”
Drake glanced at her in annoyance, then remembered... this was his mother. “Why wouldn’t it be possible? Can’t we just tell them we’ll cause a stink if they don’t take her back?”
“That would depend on why she was removed.”
“Well, I’m pissed they let her go in the first place! That’s like... firing a whistleblower?” Drake turned back to Darion. “Were the other manor lords involved in River’s resignation?”
“It was her decision to leave,” Darion said.
“So she doesn’t want to be a courtesan any longer?”
“I only know that Lark House received a message from several manor lords that should my sister remain under their roof, their services would no longer be required. Moreover, the same message was forwarded to all courtesan houses in the capital.”
So if Lark House, or any house, put Lark—or River—on their staff, the other manor lords would blacklist all their courtesans among their manors. And, likely, strong-arm anyone they worked with to the same.
“Those petty motherfuckers,” Drake said. “Which manors gave that ultimatum?”
Darion looked alarmed as he considered Drake’s choice of wording, but valiantly moved on soon enough. “I am sorry, lord. I don’t have that information. I don’t think River even knows who gave the ultimatum, but you can imagine why she chose to leave Lark House voluntarily.”
“So she wouldn’t put all her co-workers out of work.” Drake sighed and rubbed his temples, then frowned. “Wait. What about Fox House?”
“What of them, lord?”
“I hired a courtesan from there as well. Did he get the boot too?”
“I do not know, lord. I’m only familiar with the courtesan houses that serve men.”
Drake couldn’t just ignore this. He’d hired Lark and Fox. He’d brought them to the cabal and they’d done exactly what he hoped, baiting Lord Redbow into using his only two witness calls on people who he thought were in the room. He simply hadn’t known his clever gambit would cost them their jobs.
He glanced at Marissa. “What can we do about this?”
She visibly considered. “We could continue to contract courtesans from whatever house this young woman worked at, and suggest our allied manors do the same. But we cannot force the other manors to serve them contracts, nor do we have any real pull with those they command. As for this young woman, I doubt anyone in the capital will employ her now.”
Drake didn’t like the fact that he had so few options. But the first thing, he decided, would be to find out what Lark—River—actually wanted. She had struck him as a confident, smart, and resourceful woman. It could be her brother was worrying about her for nothing.
Still, it was his fault she had lost her courtesan job... or rather, the fault of the petty manor lords she’d helped him screw over. He should find her and speak to her before he left the capital, and find Fox as well. He needed to know both of them were all right.
“Lydia?” he asked the air beside him.
Lydia hurried into the room as if she’d been listening just outside. “Here, lord.”
She was always right where he needed her. He reminded himself to give her a raise when they got back to the manor... or something to show her how much he appreciated her.
“I need your help to find the courtesans we contracted to come with me to the cabal a few days ago, from Lark and Fox Houses.” He glanced at Darion. “What’s your sister’s full name?”
“River Bressos, lord.”
He looked back to Lydia. “Did you get Fox’s real name when we hired him?”
“No, but I can acquire it from his house,” Lydia said confidently. “You wish to contract the two of them again?”
“I’m not sure if it’ll be a contract if they’re no longer employed, but I do need to talk to them both. So... organize a search party. Make sure they know to come here.”
“I will depart at once.”
“Not you,” Drake cautioned her. “I need you here with me. But send whoever you see fit to locate them both. Make sure they know I plan to help them, if they need help. This isn’t some manor lord’s attempt to tie up loose ends.”
Darion gasped. “You think someone has her tied up somewhere? Again?”
Drake mentally resisted the urge to facepalm. “No. It’s an expression.”
“Forgive me, lord.” Darion bowed his head again. “I was so worried about my sister, I spoke out of turn.”
“It’s fine.” Drake turned back to Darion. “Now, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to find your sister, and I’m going to give her all the aid I am capable of giving her as a manor lord. She served me well. I intend to see she’s taken care of.”
“Thank you, lord!” Darion looked so grateful Drake almost felt uncomfortable.
Lydia stepped to Drake’s other side. “Find your sister and bring her here to us. As for her employment... or lack thereof... we will discuss that when you return.”
He nodded. “My sister and I maintain a small apartment. With luck, she’s still there.”
“Check there first,” Lydia agreed. She looked to Drake. “I will send Alice to inquire at Fox house about Fox’s whereabouts. She will return him here. Is that acceptable, lord?”
Drake took a moment to think. Alice was a young scullery maid with dark hair who worked with Tamara. If he recalled, the first time they met she’d said “D’aww!” when he asked Tamara to make clothes for Robby, Anna’s creepy spy doll.
Anna still had the doll. He just had brand new eyes now. Gems that were green, but weren’t constantly spying on them for another manor lord.
“You’re sure she’ll be okay on her own?” Drake asked.
“Oh yes, lord. Alice has run errands for me before. She is careful and dependable.”
“Then yes,” Drake said. “That’ll work.”
Darion inclined his head. “With your leave, lord, I’ll depart at once to find my sister.”
“You’re dismissed.” Drake looked out across the Alicean Bay. “And I could use a drink.”
“We’re going back to our temple chambers now,” Drake said. “Unless there’s anything else super important and secret you actually want to tell me?”
“Only that I would suggest we keep my return secret for now. Other than Lady Skybreak, who is a dear friend, there are not many still alive who know me in this realm.”
“So how should I introduce you to the others, then? Since I can’t call you Lady Gloomwood, and you can’t introduce yourself with a lie?”
“Simply call me Lady Marissa. Does Zuri still work in the manor as our mediator?”
“Sure.”
“She is the only person who may recognize me. However, I am far less concerned about those in the manor knowing my real identity. We can control the flow of information from there, and we can decide whether to announce my return once we’re home.”
Now that he was starting to work past the initial shock of seeing his mom here, Drake’s well-justified manor lord paranoia was once again starting to reassert itself. “So why did you flee this realm? Is it something I need to worry about?”
“You need not worry,” Marissa assured him. “The threat I fled is long past. My only intent is to serve and protect you however I am able. I treasure you. The rest is immaterial.”
Drake couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious when his mother said that, especially now that he knew she couldn’t lie. If she had been keeping him at arm’s length since high school to make sure he grew up strong and independent, it had worked... some. But it had also made his life lonely, frustrating, and devoid of anything approaching what felt like a real family.
He’d had friends growing up, sure. He’d also had girlfriends, even a few serious ones, and having a house all to himself had certainly made it easier to get laid. He’d even thrown a few wild parties before he got tired of cleaning up the mess all those drunken idiots left behind.
But still, it would have been nice to have a mom. Not a landlord who checked in on him every few days and donated her portion of the rent and bills. That was pretty much all his mother had been to him from his freshman year in high school until he moved out, and after... they’d spoken on the phone a few times a month. Typically about his lack of finances.
“Well... I’ll introduce you as Lady Marissa, then. A friend of the noble court who is going to be advising me on some matters when I ask for your advice.”
She smiled. “That should work well.”
Drake knocked on the door. Since his mother refused to answer his questions about anything that mattered, there was no point in speaking more about any of it. He was also now starting to suspect that whatever had happened before he was born was something that Marissa might not even want the noble court knowing about. Which is why she wanted to wait to talk about it until they were back home in Gloomwood Manor.
Back home. Safe in their own walls. As it turned out, Gloomwood Manor had always been his true home. He’d just spent twenty-three years living somewhere else.
Alongside his mother, who would henceforth be referred to only as “Lady Marissa”, Drake walked through the many halls of the Temple of the Eidolons with an escort consisting of four capital guards. There were plenty more throughout the halls, far more than there had been even when he arrived for the cabal. The Judge was showing strength.
It had been a bloody cabal. Two manor lord seats now sat empty, Blackmane and Frostlight. Another, Redbow, was now an enemy of the noble court, having fled the capital before he could be arrested for his part in Westin Proudglade’s scheme to tilt the table in favor of his father. Ashwind remained effectively paralyzed while Redbow held his son hostage, and Proudglade would be weeks or even months in grappling with its loss of noble favor.
And the loss of his youngest son.
With some time to think about it, Drake would not have executed Westin. Prison would have made more sense, and rehabilitation if it was possible to find some way to keep his rarity in check. Being able to change memories couldn’t just be used for evil.
Westin could have made people forget traumatic events or even provided pleasant memories. Drake suspected Westin might have taken pleasure in helping others with his rarity. Yet thanks to this world’s rather final system of justice, Westin couldn’t do any of that now.
Westin would never have a chance to be redeemed. He’d never have a chance to atone for his actions. That idiot had set out to save his world and almost doomed his own family, and for his bravery, he’d lost his head.
Drake would spend the rest of his life knowing he was the one who sent Westin to the executioner’s block. It had been necessary to protect himself and his manor, so he didn’t regret it. Stopping Westin had to be done. But it sucked he couldn’t take pleasure in his victory.
They arrived back at his chambers and knocked. Nicole opened the door, and she grinned as she looked between them. “Lord Gloomwood! I had no idea you were bringing another consort to join us today! Will you two be retiring to your room?”
“Another consort?” Marissa asked curiously.
Drake glared at Nicole. “This is Marissa, a friend of the noble court. She will be advising me in matters as necessary.”
“My mistake!” Nicole inclined her head to Marissa. “You’re just so gorgeous I assumed you must be one of the capital’s famed courtesans.”
Marissa laughed merrily. “That’s kind of you, miss...”
Drake pushed his way past her. “This is Nicole. She’s annoying.”
“And so very brave!” Nicole reminded him as she stepped aside to allow Marissa into the chambers. She closed the doors behind them. “By the way, lord! Darion wishes to speak to you. I understand it to be a matter of some urgency.
“Yeah?” Drake didn’t glance at her. “What is it this time?”
“He wouldn’t say. He would only say that he once again begs for your help.”
Drake sighed and rubbed his temples. “Whatever. Where is he?”
“He awaits you on the balcony, lord.”
“I assume you cleared that?”
Nicole smiled impishly. “You may assume whatever you like.”
Marissa offered him a curious glance. “This Darion is... a friend?”
“A thrall,” Drake said. “And a good man. I can’t seem to solve any of my problems, so maybe I can solve his.”
“Then allow me to advise you,” Marissa said eagerly.
“Sure. Whatever. Knock yourself out. We’ll try ‘take my advisor to work’ day.”
He led his mother through the main chamber and out on the balcony. He found Darion standing outside with Emily. He also found them standing closer than was likely proper and speaking in low tones. He wished they’d just fuck already.
Since he’d arrived, Darion had somehow avoided even the most blatant propositions from the women of Gloomwood Manor. He’d done it without offending anyone and without reducing his alluring charm. Drake honestly had no idea how the man managed or why he cared... but he could respect it. Darion, at least, was a man he could respect.
The tall man glanced at Drake out of the corner of his eye, stiffened visibly, and snapped to attention and he stepped away from Emily. “Lord Gloomwood!”
“That’s me,” Drake agreed. “You wanted to see me?”
Darion now looked visibly unsure of himself. “If this is a bad time...”
Drake scowled at him. “Out with it. What’s wrong? What’s the problem?”
Darion opened his mouth, then hesitated. What was this? Drake realized now the man looked almost as nervous as Lark had looked the day she’d suggested him. Finally, he spoke.
“Lord... this is actually about my sister.”
“Lark?” Drake frowned as he remembered her thoughtful, kind, and objectively gorgeous face. “Is she okay?”
Darion’s thousand-watt smile immediately returned. “I can see you still remember her. And yes, she is fine... in a matter of speaking.”
Drake huffed. “Just give it to me straight.”
“Well... she now has nowhere to live, lord.”
So Lark was now homeless? How had that happened? Drake had a sneaky suspicion he knew, and it both pissed him off and made him feel guilty.
“I thought she lived at Lark House with the other courtesans.”
“Not any longer, lord,” Darion said. “She resigned three days ago.”
Which was the day after the cabal. Shit! He had gotten Lark in some sort of trouble?
Drake took a step forward before he realized it, which he also realized had caused Darion to take a step back. Now the man looked nervous. His confidence was shaken.
Drake visibly calmed himself. “I’m not pleased to hear that news, but to be clear, I’m not mad at you. In fact, I’m very glad you told me about Lark’s troubles. I intend to fix this.”
Darion smiled. “I’m so relieved. River tried to make me promise not to say anything about her situation, but I refused. She was quite cross with me this morning.”
River must be Lark’s real name. Drake decided not to inquire further about that. He didn’t want to show too much interest in Darion’s remarkably attractive sister. He definitely didn’t want to give his mother the wrong idea about what he’d been up to in the capital city while she was making the long trek down the Noble Road.
Drake considered her reasons for keeping quiet. “So why didn’t... River... come to me about this herself? Does she need a loan? A job?”
He could give her a job. She’d proven remarkably resourceful during Darion’s rescue, and adding a savvy femme fatale spy to his manor would rule. She wouldn’t be seducing him, but if she was comfortable using her feminine wiles on others, she could be a valuable asset in Samuel’s spy army.
“She already considers herself in your debt, lord,” Darion said. “I begged her to bring this matter to you when it became clear she could not find employment. We argued for days. She refused, and she also forbade me to bring it to you as well.”
“Yet here you are, bringing it.”
“The last thing I would ever wish to do is betray my sister’s trust,” Darion said firmly. “But I fear, if she continues down this path and her options to survive dwindle, she will do something rash. Something that she cannot easily undo. I need your help to prevent this.”
More riddles. “What’s she going to do? Run off and join the circus?”
Marissa elbowed him lightly.
“What?” Drake said irritably. “Don’t you have circuses here?”
Marissa smiled at Darion. “Your loyalty to your sister is obvious, as is your love for her. I see no harm in bringing this matter to Lord Gloomwood’s attention. Please. Speak freely.”
“Yes,” Drake agreed. “Your sister is a good person, and... I owe her. Really. So just tell me what she’s planning and why, and what you think I can do to help.”
Now Darion once again looked a bit uncomfortable. “First, I must ask a sensitive question. When you commissioned her services, did she... entertain you?”
“Not like you’re thinking. We’ve talked, and I’ve found her both insightful and kind. She was also a big help at the cabal. But that’s it.”
Darion breathed what might be a sigh of relief. “Then it would seem you understand that she has other talents beyond those she employed at Lark House.”
“Sure.” For example, given she had taken out both mercenaries assigned to keep her contained during Darion’s rescue, she was pretty good at killing people.
“She could serve you, lord,” Darion said hopefully. “As a domestic in whatever capacity you see fit. Her cooking skills are excellent, and she is trained in all manners of court etiquette. She also has a lovely singing voice, so if you have need of a bard...”
“So you want me to hire her before she joins the circus.”
Marissa elbowed him again. He elbowed her right back.
Darion didn’t seem to notice. “She has savings, but without the ability to find employment in the capital, those will dwindle rapidly. And so she has, against my suggestion, sought other employment. Yet if you accept her, she will not need it.”
Drake nodded. “So what if I just got her a job at another house? Or in the noble court?”
Marissa touched his hand. “Respectfully, lord, that may not be possible.”
Drake glanced at her in annoyance, then remembered... this was his mother. “Why wouldn’t it be possible? Can’t we just tell them we’ll cause a stink if they don’t take her back?”
“That would depend on why she was removed.”
“Well, I’m pissed they let her go in the first place! That’s like... firing a whistleblower?” Drake turned back to Darion. “Were the other manor lords involved in River’s resignation?”
“It was her decision to leave,” Darion said.
“So she doesn’t want to be a courtesan any longer?”
“I only know that Lark House received a message from several manor lords that should my sister remain under their roof, their services would no longer be required. Moreover, the same message was forwarded to all courtesan houses in the capital.”
So if Lark House, or any house, put Lark—or River—on their staff, the other manor lords would blacklist all their courtesans among their manors. And, likely, strong-arm anyone they worked with to the same.
“Those petty motherfuckers,” Drake said. “Which manors gave that ultimatum?”
Darion looked alarmed as he considered Drake’s choice of wording, but valiantly moved on soon enough. “I am sorry, lord. I don’t have that information. I don’t think River even knows who gave the ultimatum, but you can imagine why she chose to leave Lark House voluntarily.”
“So she wouldn’t put all her co-workers out of work.” Drake sighed and rubbed his temples, then frowned. “Wait. What about Fox House?”
“What of them, lord?”
“I hired a courtesan from there as well. Did he get the boot too?”
“I do not know, lord. I’m only familiar with the courtesan houses that serve men.”
Drake couldn’t just ignore this. He’d hired Lark and Fox. He’d brought them to the cabal and they’d done exactly what he hoped, baiting Lord Redbow into using his only two witness calls on people who he thought were in the room. He simply hadn’t known his clever gambit would cost them their jobs.
He glanced at Marissa. “What can we do about this?”
She visibly considered. “We could continue to contract courtesans from whatever house this young woman worked at, and suggest our allied manors do the same. But we cannot force the other manors to serve them contracts, nor do we have any real pull with those they command. As for this young woman, I doubt anyone in the capital will employ her now.”
Drake didn’t like the fact that he had so few options. But the first thing, he decided, would be to find out what Lark—River—actually wanted. She had struck him as a confident, smart, and resourceful woman. It could be her brother was worrying about her for nothing.
Still, it was his fault she had lost her courtesan job... or rather, the fault of the petty manor lords she’d helped him screw over. He should find her and speak to her before he left the capital, and find Fox as well. He needed to know both of them were all right.
“Lydia?” he asked the air beside him.
Lydia hurried into the room as if she’d been listening just outside. “Here, lord.”
She was always right where he needed her. He reminded himself to give her a raise when they got back to the manor... or something to show her how much he appreciated her.
“I need your help to find the courtesans we contracted to come with me to the cabal a few days ago, from Lark and Fox Houses.” He glanced at Darion. “What’s your sister’s full name?”
“River Bressos, lord.”
He looked back to Lydia. “Did you get Fox’s real name when we hired him?”
“No, but I can acquire it from his house,” Lydia said confidently. “You wish to contract the two of them again?”
“I’m not sure if it’ll be a contract if they’re no longer employed, but I do need to talk to them both. So... organize a search party. Make sure they know to come here.”
“I will depart at once.”
“Not you,” Drake cautioned her. “I need you here with me. But send whoever you see fit to locate them both. Make sure they know I plan to help them, if they need help. This isn’t some manor lord’s attempt to tie up loose ends.”
Darion gasped. “You think someone has her tied up somewhere? Again?”
Drake mentally resisted the urge to facepalm. “No. It’s an expression.”
“Forgive me, lord.” Darion bowed his head again. “I was so worried about my sister, I spoke out of turn.”
“It’s fine.” Drake turned back to Darion. “Now, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to find your sister, and I’m going to give her all the aid I am capable of giving her as a manor lord. She served me well. I intend to see she’s taken care of.”
“Thank you, lord!” Darion looked so grateful Drake almost felt uncomfortable.
Lydia stepped to Drake’s other side. “Find your sister and bring her here to us. As for her employment... or lack thereof... we will discuss that when you return.”
He nodded. “My sister and I maintain a small apartment. With luck, she’s still there.”
“Check there first,” Lydia agreed. She looked to Drake. “I will send Alice to inquire at Fox house about Fox’s whereabouts. She will return him here. Is that acceptable, lord?”
Drake took a moment to think. Alice was a young scullery maid with dark hair who worked with Tamara. If he recalled, the first time they met she’d said “D’aww!” when he asked Tamara to make clothes for Robby, Anna’s creepy spy doll.
Anna still had the doll. He just had brand new eyes now. Gems that were green, but weren’t constantly spying on them for another manor lord.
“You’re sure she’ll be okay on her own?” Drake asked.
“Oh yes, lord. Alice has run errands for me before. She is careful and dependable.”
“Then yes,” Drake said. “That’ll work.”
Darion inclined his head. “With your leave, lord, I’ll depart at once to find my sister.”
“You’re dismissed.” Drake looked out across the Alicean Bay. “And I could use a drink.”
