Page 56 of Apple Boy

“But I couldn’t leave you out there alone; I near went mad when he locked the door.” He admitted.

“I know. I felt it too—I could barely breathe I was so angry. I had to free you, or I believed I would burst like an over-ripe tomato.” I was still in two minds about Evan. I understood now that he was protecting Adam, but still, he could see that I was Adam’s companion, and yet he’d left me sitting in the middle of a brawl.

“Okay, I have an idea. Let’s separate Evan and McBain. Tip him back, and we can drag him outside.”

Adam rushed to open the tavern door and, huffing and puffing, with Adam taking most of the weight, we dragged McBain, his metal boot heels scraping a gash into the timbers of the floor in his wake. We positioned him facing the pig of a sailor who had tried to bar our entry to the tavern. He had stilled with his flagon to his mouth. McBain was repositioned so his punch would land on the flagon. Adam’s shoulders shook with laughter and his eyes watered. We were having far too much fun.

We did one last check around the tavern to ensure that no one would be killed when all was set in motion, then we took shelter in the hall beside the doorway with a pile of dust that had once been a door.

“We shall try to reverse our actions–restore the door and set time on its path again,” I decided. Adam faced me and then said, “One more thing—” His hands clasped my face, and he tasted my lips, ever so gently, then pulled back and smiled.

“I wanted to kiss ye in public, just once,” he admitted. My heart fluttered with the sentimentality of the gesture. We smiled knowingly at one another and then I drew the Star-fall from my pocket and we clasped hands.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

AFTERMATH

Adam and I joined hands, and at once we knew how to set all back in motion. We stood in the hall looking out into the tap room as a pulse of power exploded from us. Our awareness entwined, we were outside of our physical bodies creating one being of unfathomable power. Together nothing was impossible.

We set to work.

The dust reassembled itself as a solid oak door. The sailors, who had in one moment appeared inert and locked in the fight, completed whatever motion they had been carrying out before we made our magic. They now stood confused holding peculiar kitchen implements. Adam and I unclasped our hands and separated. Such was the desire mingled into our magic I missed Adam as soon as he let me go, but we both wanted to witness the aftermath of our work.

The barkeep known to all as Gabe Arden awoke and punched dead air then fell over. He clambered to his feet looking confused and disgruntled by the absence of Rogan McBain. He sent his bleary gaze around the destroyed interior of his tavern and then as if drawn by our magic, he set his confused gaze on Adam, who, to his brother’s knowledge seemed to have escaped from behind a solid locked door.

Then, a minute later Ivon’s man Luca rushed into The Half-Mast Tavern with Ivon swaggering drunkenly behind him, the piercing shrill of Watchmen’s whistles slicing the stormy night air. It appeared that Evan’s back-up was on the way.

“Everybody stay where you are. You’re under arrest for affray,” Evan roared, “And… God knows what else!” he mumbled and rubbed his hand across his face appearing to be equally as befuddled as his wounded patrons.

I thought someone would attempt to escape, but not one sot disobeyed him. After the trouble they had caused it was good to see McBain’s henchmen slink like scolded dogs to collect their employer who was knocked-out after he’d punched the flagon and smashed it into the thuggish seaman’s face. Without even a roar of derision, McBain’s men dragged the bulky unconscious body of their boss with them to the Watch wagon that had pulled up in the street and submitted to their arrest.

I remained in the hallway with Adam, Ivon, and Luca while the Watch picked through the detritus of bodies and made their arrests.

“Not these four, they’re with me,” Evan instructed when a sour-faced Watchman came to question us. Evan took his brother aside, and they shared private words. Looking at the ruination of the pub, I noted that the lantern lights burned rose-gold, just the same as the lights at the Great Council tower.

Adam seemed a little more contented after his conversation with his brother, and when we left the tavern the second group of Mortdel’s men were running down the street, their polished helmets shining, and red cloaks flowing behind them. Adam turned and waved to his brother who stood outside the ruined tavern shaking his head at the late arrival of the squad.

“The morrow then!” Adam called, and Evan nodded.

It was dark, icily cold and the wind cut through the fabric of my cloak. I was a little dazed after having used magic twice in quick succession. And I was learning that the aftereffects of sorcery were of an urgent, carnal nature. I felt a warm, lascivious tightening in my gut and my prick throbbed. My baser instincts ached for Adam, for his soft, warm mouth upon mine, his long firm fingers burning upon my skin, and the push and pull of our naked lust. In a sparking side-glance, I knew Adam read my thoughts. If we had been walking alone, I could have pulled Adam into a filthy alley and, caring not a jot, bid him to take me roughly against the wall. We traded a fevered glance, and yes; we most definitely wanted the same thing, but the fire we had unleashed using magic would need to be kept at bay until we found ourselves alone.

Luca did not ask any questions about what happened in The Half-Mast tavern, but from a curious look in his eye, I understood that he knew something out of the ordinary had occurred. He led us silently through the dank, stinking alleys of Cheapside, an unsheathed blade in his hand hidden beneath his cloak. Luckily, he did not need to use it. This night had already been more eventful than any of us bargained for.

Luca took the lead until we happened upon the main street, then he flagged down a public carriage and bundled Ivon, Adam and me into it and sent us on our way home to Copperdall.

I do not know if the aftereffects of our magic made my uncle feather-headed or if he was so far in his cups he could not form a cogent thought, but he’d forgotten about the strumpet he had arranged to tumble. During our walk through Cheapside Ivon had not uttered a word, merely mumbled incoherently. In the coach, he splayed on the banquette seat and was snoring as soon as we turned from the dockside street and headed toward the city market.

I hoped, for the safety of Adam and myself that nobody would recall the night’s sorcery, and just put their strange memories down to the effects of a bad cask of ale.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CONSUMMATION

We arrived at Copperdall with the chimes of the twelfth bell calling in the hour. Uncle Ivon was so imbibed that his valet, the butler, and under-butler carried him up the stairs and to his chamber.

I was so relieved to be back at the house after the night we’d had. We hurried to our chamber to discover a welcome fire blazing in the hearth and a tray containing two glass tumblers and a bottle of Brandymeade.

The candles in the wall sconces burned rose-gold, and I knew then for sure that our magic reached as far as The Gentries district. I worried about the ramifications of such a blast of magic in this of all cities, but let my concerns melt away at feeling Adam’s gaze burn upon me.