Page 55

“He wasn’t going to take you. He was going to question you and put you in the forest afterward, he said. I wouldn’t have done it, otherwise.”

“I see. That’s all right, then.”

Gus smiled at her happily.

“Well, let’s get going. Why don’t you lead the way?” she said.

He moved down the road obediently, and she watched carefully as he walked through the web.

It melted as he touched it, and she couldn’t see any other reaction. She was very interested to learn how it worked.

Just to be sure there wasn’t more to it, that it didn’t pacify or lull its victims, she climbed the fence, walked around the wooden pole, and then climbed back over. She had to hurry to catch up to Gus, who forged ahead.

She let him go at his own pace. Marchant would know how long it usually took him to reach the meeting spot after he walked through the web, and she didn’t want to interfere with that. Much.

“Wait,” she called, just as he reached the gap in the hedge that led to the meeting place.

He stopped, looking at her expectantly.

“You can tell Marchant you weren’t able to capture me and the lieutenant, because we’d already left early this morning.”

She was wearing her riding gloves and she hovered nearby, ready to pull the net off Gus just before they reached the clearing.

She didn’t know how quickly he’d come back to himself, and whether he’d understand what had happened to him, but she decided it was worth the risk.

If Marchant saw him wearing the net, he would know nothing Gus said was true.

“I wasn’t?” he asked. “Is that right?”

“It’s to stop you getting in trouble with him,” she reminded him. “You failed because the confusion isn’t so strong in the town anymore.”

“Oh, yes.” He said it slowly. “The inn was full, too. It was clear they were more aware. You were more aware.”

She nodded, and he nodded back.

“Thank you. Yes, that is a good story to tell.” He turned down the narrow path and as he did, she lifted the net off him, holding it away from her body.

She let him walk on, and she used her other hand to scrunch the net up into a tiny ball, then pulled the glove on her hand off, turning it inside out and wrapping the net up in it. She slid it into her coat pocket, and kept her other glove on.

She could almost hear the shouting of her father from beyond the grave for putting herself so close to someone who trafficked in people just like her.

Then she shut the door on the voice and slid into the woods, keeping off the path, moving slowly to make as little sound as possible.

She heard voices from up ahead, and crept closer, but there were too many chances to be seen, so she got down on hands and knees and crawled forward until she could hear the conversation.

“What do you mean, they aren’t confused anymore?” Marchant’s voice was deep and smooth. It was a shock to hear him.

“They aren’t like they usually are. Vague, you know? Forgetful.”

“You noticed that?” Marchant asked.

“It was obvious. But whatever was making them so befuddled seems to have gone.” Gus sounded cheerful.

“And those two who came in late last night were gone in the morning?”

“Left early, the innkeeper said. Back to Illoa.”

Marchant swore softly. “All right. Go stay at Nena’s for two days, then go back to the inn. If they went to fetch reinforcements, they’ll take at least a day to get to Illoa, a day to get back, but most likely more.”