Page 160 of Blood and Moonlight

CHAPTER 65

Though we should keep the appearance of mourning, I can’t bear to sing along with the crowd as the Sun dips below the horizon at Lambert’s funeral. Neither can Remi, who stands next to me with his collar pulled up to hide the raw marks on his neck from the noose. My hands and other wounds are already healed thanks to Athene’s bloodstones.

“Enjoy your place in hell,” Remi mutters as the last of the orange light vanishes. I glance around nervously, but no one seems to have noticed as they draw out the last note of the hymn.

“Someone could have heard that,” I hiss once everyone nearby has moved out of earshot.

Remi snorts. “I hate this pretending. All those speeches about what a loss he is to his family and the city, how the Beyond has gained a soul of Light.”

Officially, Lambert’s death was a tragic accident while searching the Sanctum for a criminal, but coming so close on the heels of Juliane’s death, there are already whispers that it was a suicide. Oudin denies it but not too vigorously. Either explanation is preferable to the truth.

“If we want Magister Thomas released, we need to show we’rewilling to play along,” I remind Remi. “The provost will be watching us.”

“I don’t think he’s watching anything.”

I’m inclined to agree. The Comte de Montcuir stares blankly at the fading horizon. He looks like he aged twenty years in as many hours, but I have little sympathy for the man after what Oudin told me.

The mourners depart quickly, as they did two nights ago with Juliane. It seems grief is as uncomfortable for people to witness as mental affliction. The last to leave is Lady Genevieve d’Ecre’s family, and I’m surprised to see Oudin giving his brother’s fiancée extra attention and holding her hand longer than I would expect. “What do you think that’s about?” I ask Remi quietly.

He shrugs.

At last everyone else is gone, and the comte returns to the house without a word. Oudin rubs his face tiredly as he walks to meet us. “Would you mind giving me a hand?” he asks Remi. “We can talk about the deal I had to make.” His dark eyes shift to me. “Cat should stay, too, as it concerns her.”

I glance at the blue-violet sky to the east. Gregor and his companions will retrieve Simon from the Sanctum soon, before the full moon is high enough to shine on the reflecting pool. My promise to join the song tonight was his condition for the rescue, and I’m eager to fulfill it for more than one reason. “If it won’t take too long,” I say.

We follow Oudin inside. Lambert’s coffin was closed just before sunset, but within it he’s dressed to hide his wounds, including a scarf around his neck. Oudin leaves briefly and returns with a hammer. Remi offers to hold the nails while his friend sets the first in place.

“I’ll start with the good news,” Oudin says. “The magister will be released tonight.”

I almost weep with relief. “Thank you.”

He drives the nail home with one blow of his hammer. “Don’t thank me yet.”

Remi offers him the second. “I imagine your father set certain conditions beyond our silence.”

“Not just for you.” Oudin takes two tries to hit this nail, missing completely the first time. “It’s not settled yet, but I’ll probably be marrying Lady Genevieve in Lambert’s place.”

I don’t know which of the two to feel more sorry for. “How do you feel about that?” I ask. “How does she?”

Oudin shrugs. “She didn’t cry, so that’s a start.” He holds a hand out, and Remi drops a nail into it. “I guess we’ll both make the best of it.”

“That’s a big sacrifice,” Remi says cautiously. I think he’s asking if his friend intends to give up his night life.

“It’s funny,” says Oudin, focusing on the casket. “But it doesn’t feel that way. For the first time in my life, I don’t have a sense of being trapped. The only things worse than what happened in our family—thatwerehappening—was having to pretend they didn’t. Maybe that’s what drove my brother to his madness. I preferred drink andskonia.” He strikes the nail with a loudbangas though to emphasize.

We all live in cages. Only those of us who are lucky get to choose which ones.

Oudin looks up. “Our secrets aren’t gone, of course, but they’re in the past. Now that I don’t have to live every day in a lie, I don’t mind being sober. I actually feel hopeful.”

Remi offers him another nail. “Then I guess I should say congratulations.”

“Thank you. I just hope it lasts.” Oudin avoids looking at me as he moves to the lower end of the coffin. “That wasn’t the only thing I had to agree to.”

We wait and he clears his throat. “I have to lead a hunt for Simon tomorrow.” My heart punches my ribs like a clenched fist. “I have a week to return with his body, or one that looks like it.”

I gasp. “You’re not going to—”

“Kill anyone?” Oudin chuckles humorlessly. “Of course not. There are plenty of dead out there to choose from.”