“It’s us,” Maldynado said.
“Are you all right?” Books asked.
Amaranthe lowered the weapon. “Yes. Did yousee anyone? Did you
Given that they dragged no prisoners betweenthem, the latter seemed unlikely, but Akstyr wasn’t accounted foryet. Maybe he had had better luck.
“Sorry, I was busy getting shot,” Maldynadosaid.
In the poor lighting, she could not see if hewas bleeding, but the way he reached for his temple and thenlowered his hand to check it made her suspect so.
“Can you walk?” Books asked. “I think theyset the fire in that building down there. If so, they must havebeen trying to hide something, to destroy evidence perhaps.”
Before he finished the words, Amarantheforced her legs into a jog. “Let’s check it. Where’s Akstyr?”
The back of her head sent a pulse of painthrough her skull with each step. She probed her scalp gingerly,and her fingers met dampness. What a night.
“I’m not sure,” Books said. “I saw him racinginto an alley. I think it was him. He must have seen someone.”
Amaranthe thumped her fist against her thigh,torn between wanting to race after him to make sure he did not getin trouble and wanting to investigate the building before theflames burned away any evidence that might be inside. “Whichalley?” she asked.
Books hesitated, then pointed at one a half ablock down the hill. Amaranthe veered toward it, but when shereached the mouth, she could not see anyone. Several alleys openedto the left and right before the main one emptied onto a street ablock away.
“Could be anywhere,” she muttered.
“Let’s check the building,” Books said. “I’msure he’ll be fine.”
Amaranthe was not, and she did not want tolose any more men, but she let Books lead her away. Maldynado hadstopped to gawk at the wreckage revealed by the clearing smoke.Warped and charred, the vehicles slumped like candles melted downto stubs. Though warehouses and commercial buildings filled theseblocks, Amaranthe doubted that explosion would go unreported forlong.
Shaking her head, she followed Books to atall, double-door entrance-one large enough to accommodate arailway carriage. Smoke poured out, and he had pulled his shirt upover his nose. Flames continued to burn at the ground-level window,and fire danced behind the upper floor windows now, too.
Even before Amaranthe stepped inside, dryheat blew over her face. The rail carriage sat in the middle of anopen bay. Flames crackled and danced along the wooden ceiling highoverhead, but the fire had not damaged the carriage yet.
She rifled through a pocket and found thekerchief she had used earlier in the night.
“The flames have likely compromised thestructural integrity of the building,” Books said.
“That’s his way of saying we’re stupid to goinside, right?” Maldynado asked.
“I believe so.” Amaranthe went in anyway,heading straight for the rail carriage. Hot air and light assaultedher already beleaguered eyes, and tears streaked down her cheeks,cool against skin flushed from the heat. “Spread out and searchthis floor.”
A board fell away from the ceiling andthudded to the cement ahead of her. Flames licked the charred wood.She ran around it and circled the carriage, hoping one door wouldbe open. None were. She tugged her jacket off, wadded it up toinsulate her hand, and reached for the handle.
The heat seared her flesh even through thecloth barrier, and she yanked the door open as quickly aspossible.
A ceiling beam snapped, and half of itdropped, smashing onto the engine of the rail carriage.
Amaranthe gulped. Wisps of charred paper andwood floated in the air, and even with the kerchief over her mouthand nose, hot fumes seared her lungs.
Using her boot, she nudged the door openwide. Nothing rested on the carpeted floor or black-velvet bencheson either end. A shirt or jacket hung over the back of one though.Amaranthe doubted it would reveal anything useful, but she lungedin and grabbed it.
“Amaranthe!” Books yelled.
She jumped out of the carriage. “What?”
“Over here,” he called from the far corner ofthe bay, somewhere behind the carriage. “You’re going to want tosee this.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Maldynadosaid.
Amaranthe eased around the carriage andspotted the two men behind a low wall that partially hid a bank ofstanding lockers. Books was staring at something on the ground, hisface twisted in a horrified rictus.
Maldynado backed away, his expression grim.“I can’t look at that.”
Amaranthe took a deep breath and joinedBooks.
The woman’s body on the ground did notsurprise her, but its nudity and the scars gouging the torso did.Though the smell of burning wood-burning
The scars seemed systematic rather than theresult of sword or knife fighting. Some were stitched and partiallyhealed while others appeared more recent. Though blood saturatedthe blonde hair, the face was oddly unmarred.
A jolt of recognition went through her. Itwas Fasha, the woman who had first alerted Amaranthe to thekidnappings. Either that, or the missing sister was a twin, butgiven that Fasha had failed to show up for their lastmeeting…
“Some of those scars.” Books coughed andcleared his throat. “Some of those look like they’re over thereproductive organs.”
Amaranthe stared at him. “What are yousaying? Someone removed her organs?”
“It seems likely someone did
Another beam snapped, and burning shards ofwood fluttered to the floor.
“We ought to get out of here,” Maldynado saidfrom a few feet away. “I’m sure you two can further discuss thecreepiness of this whole situation outside.”
“Good idea,” Books said, stepping pastAmaranthe.
“Wait, we should remove the body,” she said.A doctor could tell them more about the cuts and if anythingwas…missing. “Can you help me-”
A massive crack boomed above her head.Burning boards plummeted toward her.
Amaranthe leaped back. Someone’s hand grippedher collar and yanked her further. Charred wood and rubble from thefloor above buried the body and hurled smoke and ash into theair.
The rag about her mouth did little to keepfine particles from invading her throat. Coughs wracked her body,and she bent over, trying to find air. The heat and fumes broughtdizziness, and blackness encroached upon her vision again.
More wood snapped overhead. An arm snakedaround Amaranthe’s waist, and she found herself slung oversomeone’s shoulder.
“Help you get out of here?” Maldynado askedin response to her request. “Why, yes, yes I can.”
When Amaranthe opened her mouth to protest,another series of coughs sent spasms through her body.
“You approve?” Maldynado said.“Excellent.”
Despite her reluctance to leave without thebody, a surge of pleasure raced through her when they steppedoutside and cool night air replaced the heat of the building. Rainsplattered the back of her neck, and she didn’t mind it onebit.
“Dear ancestors,” Books said, “what amess.”
“Me?” Amaranthe croaked.
“I believe he’s referring to the crash youinstigated,” Maldynado said.
He had not set her down yet. Amaranthe, buttin the air, torso dangling down his back, twisted her head to theside to view the tangled metal carnage in the middle of thestreet.
