But this fact remained-the beast had been ascendant, for that one moment. How could she trust that it would not happen again and again, until the beast was all there was left?
She was still mulling that over when Master Pao's tea went to work.
Cameron was dictating the most difficult letter of his life; Pao would surely repudiate him for it, but there was nothing he could do about that. Pao must know the whole truth now, for if Rose went to him for help, he must be fully aware of the situation she had faced. He had revealed the whole of his transformation and why it had happened, why he had brought Rose here, her growth in Magick, his growing love and need for her, and finally the murder at his hands-or teeth-of du Mond.
'She may turn to you; in any case, please, Pao, watch over her while she is within your sphere. If I had not been so certain that she could not remain here and also remain sane, I would not have let her go. She is probably in shock, and definitely vulnerable. Take care of her, if she will let you. I beg of you, for her sake, if not for mine.' He fell silent for a moment, and the Salamander stilled. 'Sign it, Respectfully, Jason Cameron.' The Salamander burned the last of the letters into the page, and he took the missive and sealed it into an envelope, handing it back to the Elemental. 'Now take it directly to him, and wait to see if he has a return message.'
The Salamander nodded wordlessly, and it and the envelope vanished. Cameron hid his head in his paws and dug his claws into his scalp.
When he had returned to the house, he had locked himself into his chambers, then gone into a frenzy of telegraphing: ordering up the train, passing orders on to his agent. When all of his orders had been confirmed, he sent the Salamanders to Rose's rooms to put the rest of his hasty plan into motion.
She could not possibly want to remain here. That much was certain; what woman could have faced what he had done and have any shred of feeling left for the monster that had done it?
He must give her the means of escape from this place before she felt trapped, did something rash and tried to run away from him by herself. That was the only course of honor left to him. And after that? Somewhere, at the back of his soul, there was still a tiny shred of hope. She might, possibly, consent to return-but only if he could guarantee that the beast would never break loose again, and only if he gave her this means of escape freely.
I will drug myself senseless if that is what it takes to bring her back....
The body. He must get rid of the body.
'I have burned the attacker to ash, Firemaster.' His special Salamander appeared at his elbow. 'The ash is scattered. The train is coming, the woman is going down to the platform to wait for it. She seems unwell.'
'She is unwell,' he told it. 'Watch over her. Protect her, if you can.'
The Salamander vanished.
Was she still wearing his watch? She seemed to put it on automatically; he called up the link in his mirror, and saw to his relief that she was. She was at the platform, and more Salamanders had already delivered her luggage; she was sitting on the steamer-trunk. She was wearing light gloves and long sleeves that would conceal her mistreated hands; she not only had sense to do that, she had the sense to wear a modish, but very concealing veil, as well. He had telegraphed the men that an emergency had come up; that they were to insert the train as soon as the track was open, and make all speed into the city. He knew them; they were good men. They would not tarry, but would get her and her things into the carriage and get out on the main track as soon as the signals cleared. They would not plague her with questions-they probably would not look at her too closely. From now until the time she reached the hotel, she was safe.
The Salamander he had sent to Pao returned at that moment-and it had a folded sheet of Pao's handmade paper with it. He snatched it up and unfolded it.
The Dragons are restless; I am attempting to calm them, but fear the wont. I will help as circumstances permit, but cannot now. Trust in your courage and her heart. Pao.
His first reaction was relief so great it made him lightheaded. Pao had not cut him off! That was better fortune than he'd had any reason to expect-
But hard upon the relief came irritation-why the devil did the man have to speak like a damned fortune- cookie! The Dragons are restless indeed! Just what was that supposed to mean? He had never discussed Eastern Magick with Pao; didn't the old goat remember that? All they had ever discussed-in the rare moments when they were in a less-than-public place-was Chinese Herbalism as it related to Western Magick and Western medicine.
Trust in your courage and her heart. Charming sentiment, but not too damned useful.
