Page 145 of Blood and Moonlight

CHAPTER 58

Now I must sit through dinner with him. The food tastes like sawdust, so much that I voluntarily eat more fried turnips than I ever have, simply because I’m not paying attention to what’s on my fork. I find myself looking at Mistress la Fontaine every few bites. Does she know what Remi is?

Or has she been covering for him?

Oudin arrives for Remi as we clear the dishes away. “Are you ready to go?” he asks.

I blanch at the thought of them on the streets tonight. Remi sees it and misunderstands. “It’s not what you’re thinking.” He leans down to take my healed hand, fascinated once again by the white scar. “Simon of Mesanus still hasn’t been found, and Oudin and I are meeting with a group of men to augment tonight’s watch.”

I must look frightened, because he bends down to put his lips to my ear. “I promise if we’re the ones who find him, I’ll give him a chance to explain himself before we take him to the provost.”

He sounds earnest, but it’s clearly a lie. “Will Oudin’s brother be joining you?” I ask.

Remi shrugs like he hadn’t thought of involving Lambert,but there’s a spark of jealousy in his eyes. “Will you stay home, tonight? Please?” he asks. “I just want you to be safe.”

I’d planned on going to see Simon under the guise of visiting Marguerite, but I agree. Otherwise Remi might try to follow me.

“Thank you.” He releases my hand. “Any chance I can borrow your knife? I’ve misplaced mine.”

I have no excuse to say no. Without a word, I unhook the short dagger from my belt, realizing I’ve sat through all of dinner with my safety rope still looped around my waist. I offer the knife to Remi, trying to both smile and look worried. The latter is rather easy, and I stand on my toes to kiss his cheek. Maybe if he thinks he has no competition, he won’t do anything terrible, at least tonight. “Be safe,” I tell him.

Oudin raises his eyebrows but says nothing.

Remi backs away, a confidence in his stance unlike the juvenile swagger I’m used to. For the first time, it strikes me that he’s a grown man.

But then, a child could never do the things he’s done.

Once the door closes behind them, I collapse against the wall. I need to get to Simon as soon as possible, but there’s no way we could bring Remi to the provost ourselves.

There’s only one person I can think of to ask for help.

I feel guilty going to Lambert, especially considering Simon’s earlier jealousy and suspicions, but he doesn’t know about those. However, it’s probably not safe to leave for at least an hour.

To pass the time, I help Mistress la Fontaine in the kitchen. She seems to think my sudden interest in domestic chores has something to do with Remi’s proposal. Since she’s pleased with the idea, I make no effort to dissuade her. Sun knows how much longer she’ll be happy.

When she finally goes upstairs to bed, I force myself to wait another quarter hour. With only two minutes left, there’s a gentleknock on the front door, and to my relief, it’s Lambert himself. I let him into the workroom, telling him how glad I am to see him.

“Father has me looking for Oudin,” he says grimly. “But he’s not in any of the usual places. I was hoping you would know if he was with Remone.”

“They’re out together,” I reply. “Helping patrol the city and looking for Simon.”

He nods. “I imagine Simon is long gone from Collis by now, though.”

I hesitate, unsure how to tell him I know that’s not true. “The killer isn’t Simon, it’s Remi. I don’t know how I didn’t see it until now, but it’s been him all along.”

Lambert gapes at me. “Remi as in the man who’s like a brother to you?” His voice rises. “Remi as in the man who’s out in the dark right now withmybrother?”

“Shhhh!” I wave my hands at him. “Yes, I’m sorry, I couldn’t do anything to stop him from going out. If it helps, I see no reason why he’d harm Oudin. But I was about to come find you with what I realized.”

Lambert exhales. “I suppose you’re right.” Then he blinks. “You were going to come to me?”

“Of course,” I say. “Who else would I go to?”

He shrugs and avoids my eyes, the tips of his ears turning pink. “Simon, for one, but I guess you don’t know where he is.”

I bite my lip. Gregor will be furious if I bring another Hadrian into his Quarter, but this is a matter of life and death. “Do you trust me?”

Lambert wrinkles his brow. “Of course I do, Miss Catrin.”