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Authors: Anne Mallory
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through the bars toward her. Before she could move, something pinged off the iron and the claw disappeared inside the dank cell. A walnut rolled into the corner and wobbled to a stop.
She turned, but Noble was nowhere to be seen. Moving quickly down the hall, she was relieved when she turned the corner and focused on his back once more. She concentrated on him as she walked, the edges of his garments brushing each other as they met in perfect alignment along his shoulders, hips, and legs. Better to look at the cursed man than to see the monstrous conditions of the cells and inmates. To think about what Kenny might look or act like.
They took the last turn and she saw Kenny in an area by himself, as dreary and dark as all the others, but at least empty of the thousand soulless Hecatonchire eyes. He was absently picking at the buckle on his shoe, looking miserable.
“Kenny!”
His head shot up and he sprang forward, gripping the bars, his ripped shirt falling off one shoulder making him look even more gangly and lanky.
“Marietta!” He gripped her firmly as she tried to embrace him through the bars. “Finally! You are here to release me! It’s been wretched. I’ve ruined my shoes. My hair’s a mess.”
He touched his hair with one hand and maintained his hold on her with the other. “I’ve a lump on my head that still smarts. Some dilettante hit me!” She tried to say something but words kept falling from his lips, as if he hadn’t talked to anyone in a week. “Tackled in themiddle of the street. Thank God you are here. Where’s the key?”
“Er.” She untangled herself from his arms and the bars. “That’s a slight problem, Kenny.”
“Yes, I know! They’ve held me here for a week! The food is wretched and there are rats. Rats! I saw one try to steal my bread last night.” He sent a glance toward one corner of his cell and edged farther into the bars, gripping them like the other prisoners. “And the Middlesex murderer is somewhere in the prison. What if he murders me in my sleep? The guards mutter about him all the time. They’ve even forgotten to feed me meals because of him.” His stomach rumbled. “About time they nabbed the bastard, though I can’t say that I agree with them lessening my rations because of it.”
She took a firm look at her brother, who was inhaling deeply after spewing that all out in one breath. He didn’t seem to be suffering from insanity. “Kenny, you know why you are here, don’t you?”
He waved a hand. “They think I killed someone. Ha. As if I can stand the sight of blood.” He shuddered. “Knew they’d discover their mistake sooner or later. But it’s been a week! Outrageous. Where is the key?”
He looked so expectant that all she could do was blink. A hand came through the bars to grip her arm. “Marietta?”
She didn’t know how it happened, but she suddenly found herself disengaged from Kenny, with her brother holding his fingers in pain. Noble’s hand fell from her arm before she even realized it was there.
“Ouch. What was that for? Who are you?” Kenny asked, sucking one suspiciously clean finger into his mouth.
“That is of little concern to you. Do you really expect us to believe that you are that clueless as to why you are imprisoned?” Noble asked.
Kenny looked bewildered. Poor boy had never been the brightest tulip. “I’ve been falsely arrested, and Marietta has come to save me?”
There was so much hope in his face and she hated to be the one to ruin it.
“Yes, your sister has come to save you,” Noble said, surprising her. “Little though you seem to deserve it.”
Kenny’s eyes widened. He had always made friends so easily, unlike her. “I didn’t kill that woman. No one can believe I did.”
“Not only do they believe you killed her, but they think you killed two other women as well.”
Perhaps he wasn’t the quickest man, but Kenny wasn’t terminally stupid. Comprehension turned to horror. “They think I’m
She turned, but Noble was nowhere to be seen. Moving quickly down the hall, she was relieved when she turned the corner and focused on his back once more. She concentrated on him as she walked, the edges of his garments brushing each other as they met in perfect alignment along his shoulders, hips, and legs. Better to look at the cursed man than to see the monstrous conditions of the cells and inmates. To think about what Kenny might look or act like.
They took the last turn and she saw Kenny in an area by himself, as dreary and dark as all the others, but at least empty of the thousand soulless Hecatonchire eyes. He was absently picking at the buckle on his shoe, looking miserable.
“Kenny!”
His head shot up and he sprang forward, gripping the bars, his ripped shirt falling off one shoulder making him look even more gangly and lanky.
“Marietta!” He gripped her firmly as she tried to embrace him through the bars. “Finally! You are here to release me! It’s been wretched. I’ve ruined my shoes. My hair’s a mess.”
He touched his hair with one hand and maintained his hold on her with the other. “I’ve a lump on my head that still smarts. Some dilettante hit me!” She tried to say something but words kept falling from his lips, as if he hadn’t talked to anyone in a week. “Tackled in themiddle of the street. Thank God you are here. Where’s the key?”
“Er.” She untangled herself from his arms and the bars. “That’s a slight problem, Kenny.”
“Yes, I know! They’ve held me here for a week! The food is wretched and there are rats. Rats! I saw one try to steal my bread last night.” He sent a glance toward one corner of his cell and edged farther into the bars, gripping them like the other prisoners. “And the Middlesex murderer is somewhere in the prison. What if he murders me in my sleep? The guards mutter about him all the time. They’ve even forgotten to feed me meals because of him.” His stomach rumbled. “About time they nabbed the bastard, though I can’t say that I agree with them lessening my rations because of it.”
She took a firm look at her brother, who was inhaling deeply after spewing that all out in one breath. He didn’t seem to be suffering from insanity. “Kenny, you know why you are here, don’t you?”
He waved a hand. “They think I killed someone. Ha. As if I can stand the sight of blood.” He shuddered. “Knew they’d discover their mistake sooner or later. But it’s been a week! Outrageous. Where is the key?”
He looked so expectant that all she could do was blink. A hand came through the bars to grip her arm. “Marietta?”
She didn’t know how it happened, but she suddenly found herself disengaged from Kenny, with her brother holding his fingers in pain. Noble’s hand fell from her arm before she even realized it was there.
“Ouch. What was that for? Who are you?” Kenny asked, sucking one suspiciously clean finger into his mouth.
“That is of little concern to you. Do you really expect us to believe that you are that clueless as to why you are imprisoned?” Noble asked.
Kenny looked bewildered. Poor boy had never been the brightest tulip. “I’ve been falsely arrested, and Marietta has come to save me?”
There was so much hope in his face and she hated to be the one to ruin it.
“Yes, your sister has come to save you,” Noble said, surprising her. “Little though you seem to deserve it.”
Kenny’s eyes widened. He had always made friends so easily, unlike her. “I didn’t kill that woman. No one can believe I did.”
“Not only do they believe you killed her, but they think you killed two other women as well.”
Perhaps he wasn’t the quickest man, but Kenny wasn’t terminally stupid. Comprehension turned to horror. “They think I’m
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