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Chapter Text

Women like Jessica Lockwood were what the mythical sirens had been based on. It was the only explanation. Why else would Lucy let her get her into these sorts of messes if the young woman wasn’t able to cast some sort of spell over her?   

Because it was Jessica’s boundless curiosity that had them chasing the bone glass over London, risking their lives in an endless search for answers. And that search for answers had brought them to Fittes House, in the middle of the ‘Fittes at 50’ ball, breaking into an archive of forbidden psychical research called the Black Library. It was something that George had helped with endlessly even though he hadn’t bothered to come with them.

And they’d found it, the book they were looking for. Jessica had found the Confessions of Mary Dulac and waved it around like a trophy just as they heard the door opening. They’d both dived for cover at the end of bookshelves, chests heaving as they listened.

“It’ll be quieter in here,” a voice said.

Lucy’s stomach dropped. She knew that voice. Penelope Fittes.

They would be caught breaking into the Black Library but Penelope Fittes herself. And there was no way that the woman wouldn’t recognise them. Even if she hadn’t come over to talk to Lucy face to face just before they’d crept off to steal the book, almost every woman at the ball had been foaming at the mouth with silent rage over Jessica’s natural beauty, charm and elegance. There was no way that Penelope wouldn’t recognise the dark-haired young woman immediately.

With a glance toward Jessica to ensure she was concealed, Lucy dared to peek out of hiding.

“So, what have they been saying?” Penelope continued.

The agency head had been followed in by two people, neither of whom Lucy recognised. The first was a man. He was tall, hair back in a bun. He wore dark clothing and had a grand rapier strapped to his side. His hands were pulled behind his back in a marked respect.

“The members feel you aren’t helping them sufficiently with their work,” he said.

“They’re getting restless.”

That little interjection had come from the second member of Penelope’s entourage. He was a handsome boy, young enough to be Lucy’s age. He wore a suit as if he might have been one of the guests at the party but he has his rapier at his side – which had ben forbidden to the guests. His dark hair was cut short, leaving Lucy able to see his sharp features in all their refined glory. Lucy was sure, had he been a guest at the party, she would have known about it from the line of girls vying for his attentions.

“You said it best,” Penelope replied. “Their work. If they’re not up to the challenge, I fail to see how that’s my problem. I’m not their nursemaid.”

“Quite,” the man said.

“But you are their inspiration,” the boy tacked on.

Lucy was able to catch the smile that played over Penelope’s face at the compliment. She glanced toward Jessica, wondering what their next move would be. Jessica seemed content to wait them out. She had that eerie calm on her face, that look she gave when she was drinking in new information, letting it wash over her like a tide.

“They’d do well not to forget that,” Penelope remarked. “But I do have something for you to pass along. Quell their complaining.”

Lucy watched as Penelope opened one of the display cases of items in the room. The man moved closer, the boy hanging back.

“Repaired and tested,” Penelope said, passing a blue box with golden trimmings to the man.

Lucy recognised it. She had examined it before, seen the harp on it. The item had something to do with Fairfax, with those ghost goggles he had been wearing.

“It’s working again. You can tell them it’s a token of goodwill. From their inspiration. Actually, your apprentice can.”

Both Penelope and the man turned to the boy. He stood straighter, eyebrow quirked up with curiosity as to why the job had been given to him. Penelope took back the box and slowly approached the boy. She pressed the box into his hand and cupped his cheek almost motheringly.

“Thomas, could you take this to Mr White? We just need a word.”

“Of course, Miss Fittes.”

“Off you go,” Penelope told him.

The boy nodded, once to Penelope and then once to the man. Then he turned and headed from the room. There was silence for a long second, until it was obvious Thomas had disappeared.

“I’m worried about him helping you with this,” Penelope said. “Lockwood’s involved.”

Lucy glanced toward Jessica. At the mention of her name, Jessica had stood up straighter. She dared to look around, studying Penelope and the man.

“If she sees Thomas, she won’t let him go,” Penelope said.

“He wouldn’t go with her. He’s loyal to us,” the man replied firmly.

The corner of Penelope’s mouth twitched upwards.

“I know. But I’d rather not have to face that situation. I’d rather not have him face that situation. Keep him to the shadows when you can.”

The man assured Penelope he wouldn’t let Thomas be seen.

“Good.”

Penelope shifted before turning to go.

“I’d offer you a drink, but I’m sure you have somewhere more… exciting to be.”

It had all gone wrong. From the moment Penelope had left the room, the man had been onto them. He’d managed to corner Jessica, seemed to recognise her as he trapped her with his golden sword. There had been a panic in his eye, clearly wondering if she had seen Thomas. Lucy had intervened, given them both a chance to run.

They’d burst out into the corridors, racing to the main party in the hope they would be able to hide themselves amongst the guests. By the time they’d made it that far, security were already sealing off the exits.

Lucy’s heart was pounding as they skidded to a stop on a balcony, looking around desperately for some escape that had been forgotten. As least, she was. Jessica’s eyes were playing over the guests below.

“Where is he?” she demanded.

“We need to go!” Lucy all but screamed at her.

They still had the book. They were about to be caught in Fittes House with a stolen book, having overheard information they shouldn’t have, knowing that Penelope Fittes had some link to a man who had tried to kill them. Didn’t Jessica understand who desperate their situation was?

“You saw him! Point him out!” Jessica urged, turning to Lucy.

“Him?” Lucy choked out, bewildered.

What could Jessica be thinking about that was more important than them making their escape?

“Thomas,” Jessica told her.

Realising there was no way she was going to be able to get her supervisor to leave without giving in, Lucy rushed to the balcony. She stared down at the party below, a sea of smart suits and sparkling dresses. Her chest was heaving. Blood raced past her ears. Why was she playing ‘Where’s Wally?’ when they should be running for their lives. After a few moments, Lucy shook her head. There was no way she was going to spot…

“There! There he is!” Lucy hissed, pointing down to where Thomas was talking to an older man in an expensive suit.

Jessica turned to look. And stared. She stood frozen for a second.

“No. It can’t be.”

Lucy didn’t know what Jessica could possibly be thinking. She didn’t care. All that mattered was them getting out of Fittes House before the man with the golden blade found them or else Fittes security caught them.

She grabbed hold of Jessica’s arm and tugged.

“We need to go,” Lucy urged once more.

It seemed enough to break the spell Jessica was under. She turned, glancing from exit to exit, seeing each of them was blocked. Lucy wondered if they might be able to hide and find a phone, if they’d be able to get word to George so he could tell them about some secret escape from the building only he knew about.

And suddenly Jessica was pulling away. Lucy waited for her usual smirk, the way her eyes lit up when she had thought of something clever. It never happened. Jessica merely closed in on the ghost alarm and pulled it. The lighting turned an eerie purple, salt filling the air. Chaos descended. The guests shouted and screamed and headed to the exits. The sudden rush was more than enough to instantly overwhelm security.

Jessica strode through the chaos like she hadn’t noticed it, like a mountain weathering a storm. Behind her, Lucy was buffeted about, doing all she could to keep Jessica in sight. Eventually she caught her on the stairs.

“What’s going on? Who was that?”

“I think… I think Thomas is my brother,” Jessica said.

Chapter Text

To say their schedule for the night had been an interesting one would be an understatement. Lucy and Jessica had stolen from Fittes and barely escaped the building. Then they’d immediately met up with George and Flo where they had handed over the book and rushed to a warehouse so they could gatecrash an auction being run by a criminal mastermind.

As she as Jessica crept into the building, Lucy had wondered if Jessica realised how unusual this was for an agency. Jessica probably didn’t care. She gave all these grand speeches about the search for knowledge, about how agencies should reserve the right to decide where their business ended and began, at least until they fully understood the problem. Lucy had to admit that she didn’t understand half the arguments Jessica made but they were frustratingly convincing all the same. Jessica had an easy authority to her voice, one that combined with her charm to ensure it didn’t sound like she was looking down on anyone. Lucy was sure Jessica could convince a person to willingly get ghost touched for the sake of scientific endeavour and they’d not even question it. A statement which went double for any boy but George who seemed mostly immune to Jessica’s feminine wiles.

Still Lucy was wondering if she had built up the same sort of immunity because as Jessica was pulling on a cloak they had found which would allow them to disguise themselves, Lucy caught her arm.

“Is your head in the game?” Lucy asked.

“What?” Jessica frowned.

“You’ve seemed all distracted since we left the Fittes Ball,” Lucy hissed. “And you were talking about having a brother. I didn’t know you even had a brother.”

Jessica frowned. For a moment Lucy was sure she was going to shut down all discussion with that stoney look she got whenever someone tried to talk about her past. Lucy could remember Jessica giving it to Kipps that day when they had killed Fairfax and he had made some mention of old times. George had explained it as there once being some flash-in-the-pan relationship between the two of them but Lucy wasn’t sure if that was all of it. Maybe it was her talent or feminine instinct or simply not being George but Lucy was sure that was a complicated mess of feelings between Jessica and Kipps that was going to eventually need untangling.

“I don’t. Not… Just forget about it. Put those robes on before someone catches us.”

“No,” Lucy told her. “I won’t forget about it because you clearly can’t.”

Jessica stared at her. For a moment Lucy was sure Jessica was going to snap at her. Instead the young woman grimaced.

“He died. I had a brother and he died when I was twelve. Ghost touch. Just nine years old and he died. But I never saw the body. They never showed anyone in my family the body even though I asked. I wanted to see him one final time and they wouldn’t. They said it would be too much for me. But maybe, maybe they got to him in time, gave him the adrenaline before it reached his heart. But he lost his memories and Penelope decided to make him her… Her pet.”

Lucy couldn’t help but notice how desperate Jessica sounded. It was like she was pleading with the universe to be right, to have this little miracle. And Lucy knew she deserved it. Jessica had lost everything.

But Lucy was a realist. Miracles didn’t happen.

“Why would Penelope Fittes do something like that?” Lucy said, pleading with whoever was listening that Jessica might see sense before her heart was broken and she was forced to grieve her brother again.

“Anthony, my brother, was an incredibly talented seer. I believed he might have been the talent of your generation before you came along. If Penelope Fittes wanted a kid, she would have wanted him and I don’t think it is coincidence she is calling him Thomas as in Tom Rotwell, the world famous seer.”

“Well, if you think he’s your brother we should DEPRAC,” Lucy said.

Jessica shook her head, saying that she didn’t believe for a moment Penelope would let DEPRAC near the young man to test who he was. She sighed.

“Regardless of who he is, even if he is my brother, we cannot let bad people get their hands on the bone glass. That could be the answer to all of this, the Problem, everything.”

There was a pit in Lucy’s stomach as she stood in the crowd. She knew the plan. She knew it was a simple plan, one that she hoped would prove to be a good one.

But she also knew Jessica did not have her head fully in the game. She kept looking around as if Thomas might somehow have shown up at the auction. Of course, he hadn’t. And even if he had, Lucy doubted Jessica would be able to recognise him in the crowd of people wearing hoods.

Lucy hated that she felt relieved when the slimy, terrifying Julius Winkman began the bidding on the bone glass. It meant it was almost time to put their plan into action, almost time for them to make their escape. And then they could take the bone glass to DEPRAC and go home to work out what to make of this Thomas/Anthony mess. Maybe George would know. Maybe there were some lurid rumours at Fittes about Penelope having some secret love child she was keeping hidden from the world.

Winkman’s bidding started at £50,000. A sea of paddles, each bearing a number, were raised in response. The bidding raced up to £80,000 in a blink and Jessica gave Lucy a meaningful look. It confirmed something they had already known: there was a power to the bone glass that even adults could sense.

Lucy felt her hands itching as she reached for the flares they were going to use as a distraction.

The bidding rocketed past £100,000, past £150,000. Fewer and fewer paddles were being raised but a few dedicated bidders were continuing to battle it out.

“£500,000.”
The voice cut over the crowd, bringing an end to the bidding. Gasps filled the air before a wave of sceptical murmuring swept over the crowd. Jessica peered back, seeing the bidder held the ‘66’ paddle. She nudged Lucy, gesturing toward the glares. It was obvious that the bidding was about to come to an end. Even if there were people willing to pay that much for the item, such a jump had thrown them off balance.

But the flares snagged inside the folds of the cloak. Lucy fumbled with them, giving Jessica an eyes wide warning that she was not going to be able to set their distraction going any time soon.

Jessica nodded.

She raised her paddle in response to Winkman’s calls for £520,000. Lucy glanced at her like she was mad but knew the play. Jessica was buying time. Regardless of the price, they had no intention of paying and they had no guarantee the man she was bidding against had much of a plan to wait around once he had won his prize.

Before Winkman had even been able to come up with the next level of bidding, the stranger with the ‘66’ paddle called out £550,000. Jessica countered less than a moment later, driving the bidding up to £600,000. Just as the man called out £650,000, Winkman’s wife turned to him. She whispered something into his ear. A terror settled in Lucy’s stomach. She remembered Mrs Winkman capturing her and Jessica when they had first encountered Winkman, how she had seemed very happy indeed with the prospect of watching them both die slow and painful deaths.

Winkman moved to the centre of the stage, making it clear he was about to speak.

“Esteemed guests, your enthusiasm for this item exceeds my high expectations. Might I ask that you approach and provide proof of means before we proceed?”

Lucy stared at Jessica. The young woman and George kept the exact figures of company finances close to their chest but Lucy got the impression the only time Jessica saw a number even close to £650,000 on her statements was if she was looking at how much she owed one bank or another. There was no way Jessica was going to be able to provide that sort of proof of means and they both knew it. She caught Lucy’s eye, gesturing down to the flares once more in a silent plea that Lucy get the distraction working as soon as possible.

And then Jessica sashayed to the front of the room with all the confidence of an invited guest. Lucy wondered if Jessica was remembering the way Winkman had not been able to keep his eyes off her when he had her captured and strapped to a chair. Surely Jessica didn’t think she would be able to flirt her way out of such a mess?

She might look like a goddess but surely she didn’t think she would be able to convince a psychopath to not only let her go but let her leave with the bone glass.

The man Jessica had been bidding against reached the front first. He handed over a small folder that Lucy imagined contained all the paperwork one collects when running a criminal empire. Winkman studied it closely and seemed satisfied. Then he turned to Jessica, hand out expectantly.

Lucy managed to free the flares but couldn’t get the fuse to light. Her hands were shaking too much. They’d barely escaped Winkman the first time. How on Earth had she let Jessica walk her into going to back into the man’s presence a second time?

Just as Winkman was getting impatient with Jessica’ fumbling about in the folds of her cloak, a door opened to the side. Lucy watched as a heavy-set man strode across the stage to Winkman. He whispered something in the relic man’s ear, Winkman smirking for a moment. Then his eyes played slowly over the crowd.

“I’ve just been told we have an uninvited guest.”

Lucy’s stomach dropped. Had George gotten worried, decided to follow them in? Had Flo gotten too close to the building and been caught? She desperately hoped not.

“Do you want to see him in case you decide to claim him? Or shall I have him stowed away for me to have some fun with in private later?” Winkman asked.

There was a cry from the crowd for the guest to be brought out but Lucy got the impression it was nothing to do with wanting to see who the guest might be associated with. They were hoping for a show, eager to see the intruder satisfy their blood-lust.

Lucy sent up a silent prayer than it was not George and was sure Jessica was doing the exact same.

Winkman smirked at the thug who had came to talk to him and told him to bring out the guest. Within moments of the man leaving, two of Winkman’s heavies were dragging in a struggling young man between them. A third trailed behind, holding a rapier.

Lucy almost wished it was George. At least with George she knew how Jessica was going to react.

Because it wasn’t him.

It was Thomas.

He struggled furiously as he was dragged in front of Winkman. Harsh kicks to the back of his knees forced him to kneel before Winkman. He surveyed him with a dark chuckle, grabbing the young man by the chin and examining his handsome face.

“Anyone want to claim him?” Winkman asked.

“I’ll bid on him!” a voice called from the crowd.

Laughter erupted from the gathering. Lucy watched as Jessica’s hand snaked into the fabric of her cloak and searched for her rapier. She truly believed Thomas was the brother she had lost. Lucy was sure of that. And she was not going to let Winkman hurt him or sell him off.

“He’s mine,” a voice said.

Lucy turned, looking in the mass of hooded cloaks to see which had spoken. She realised it was the man Jessica had been bidding against. He reached up and pulled back his cloak, revealing the man who had trapped them in the library, the Fittes minion with the golden blade.

“He’s my apprentice. I told him to wait outside.”

Thomas, head hanging, nodded his agreement.

“Well, he decided to have a look around my storeroom,” Winkman said.

“I apologise for his behaviour. I can assure you he will be punished,” the man with the golden blade said.

He stepped toward Winkman and Thomas, clearly intending to collect the young man. Winkman arched an eyebrow at him.

“Did I say you could have him back?” he asked. “I caught him and I have always operated on the policy of ‘finders keepers’.”

As Winkman spoke, he released his hold on the young man’s jaw and stepped away. He backed up toward the bone glass and peeled back the silver net for just a moment. Thomas screwed up his eyes and flinched away. Lucy couldn’t help but think of what Jessica said, about her brother having sight. Thomas clearly did too.

“Oh, and the lad has talent too. Quite the package.”

Winkman paused for a second, scanning the crowd to consider what he was going to do. Lucy was sure he was trying to gauge the feeling, work out what would win him the most money. Lucy’s eyes fixed onto Jessica. She had not looked away from Thomas since he had been dragged in, giving Lucy no way of seeing her face. But the young woman had clearly closed her hand around the hilt of her rapier, ready to draw it the moment she understood what way the tides were turning.

It was only then that Lucy remembered she was meant to be trying to light the flares. She fumbled with the lighter once more, struggling to get it into position.

“I have an idea that I think will make this evening the most interesting it can be. I’ll auction off the bone glass and then I’ll auction off the young man. His master’s proof of means only covers up to £750,000 and bidding on the bone glass is already up to £650,000. Even if he wins that auction, he’ll only have £100,000 to save his apprentice from ending up going home with one of the other fine businessmen here today and having the apprentice of the man who owns the bone glass… That’s got to be a powerful negotiation tool. And that’s if you even intend to give the young apprentice back.”

“What if I decide to let the bone glass pass?” the man with the golden blade asked. “I’m not winning that bid.”

There was nothing in his voice but Winkman chuckled.

“But I recognise you. I even think I know who you work for. And your boss will not be happy if you let something so powerful go.”

“Surely she won’t be happy if you let your apprentice go either,” Jessica replied.

Her message was clear. Screw the bone glass, save Thomas. The man with the golden blade gave her a strange look. Lucy could tell he was studying what limited snatches of Jessica’s face he could see, trying to work out who she was. Thomas tried to battle to his feet but Winkman’s thugs slammed him back down onto the stage. Mrs Winkman walked over to him, tracing a nail down his cheek.

“Do you want to bid for him?” Mrs Winkman asked, looking at Jessica. “Do you find him attractive?”

Jessica faltered, stumbling over her words. Especially when Thomas turned his head to look right at her.

“He looks like his father,” Jessica managed.

Thomas could do nothing but stare.

Lucy felt heard the crackle of the fuse of the flares burst into life. She grinned, throwing the fuses with all her might at the stage.

Chaos rained. People began to shout and scatter. The stands at the front were knocked down, the relics and sources they held thrown about. Lucy heard the sound of ghosts filling the air, watched Jessica lurch forwards. She grabbed the bone glass with one hand, Thomas’ arm with the other. Then she turned and ran, dragging a shell-shocked Thomas with her.

Lucy expected Thomas to struggle as she and Jessica dragged him down the corridors, chased by Winkman’s men. But he didn’t. He let them pull him along, barely saying a word as Jessica and Lucy tried to put together a plan.

“Our exit’s blocked,” Lucy managed.

“We’ll have to go up,” Jessica said, holding the bone glass close.

They sprinted up one set of stairs, about to take the next when they heard voices coming from above. Men were coming down and Lucy was sure they were going to take Winkman’s side. Jessica seemed to think so too. She pulled them off down one corridor of the abandoned building, into a small and dirty office. Letting the door shut behind them, Jessica threw her body against it, keeping it closed.

“Is the bone glass secure?” Jessica asked. “Can either of you sense anything?”

Lucy and Thomas, both breathless, shook their heads. Jessica nodded and stuffed the bone glass, silver net and all into her bag.

“You okay?” Jessica asked, turning to Thomas.

He had a bruise forming on one cheek. Clearly Winkman’s men hadn’t cared about hurting him when they had subdued him.

“You said I looked like my father. Do you know my father?”

“Knew. I think,” Jessica said. “I will explain everything when we are safe, I promise. But right now if Winkman catches us he will probably have us all killed.”

Lucy battled to rip off her cloak, finding it and the fabric of the dress she was wearing underneath was making it all but impossible to move properly. She had the feeling she was going to need to be able to move fast if she, Jessica and Thomas weren’t all going to end up locked away in whatever dungeon Winkman liked to send his new toys too.

“Okay, we’re going to have to make a break for it soon. We can’t be that far from the Thames,” Jessica said. “We’ll have to jump for it.”
Lucy grimaced but agreed. She hated how Jessica Lockwood was always forcing her to jump off things and hated how logical the young woman was about such things too. She always made jumping seem like the best solution.

“Thomas, what about you?” Jessica asked.

Both girls turned to stare at Thomas and Lucy found herself blushing. His eyes had been firmly fixed onto her. She’d never realised how intense his eyes were before, never got to see them up close. They were astoundingly deep and mysterious and yet had light dancing through them.

And Lucy couldn’t help but notice another thing.

He looked like Jessica. He had her same pristine paleness, the same well-born features. His dark eyes and darker hair almost matched entirely.

They really could be siblings.

“What about Golden Blade?” Thomas asked.

“Who?” Lucy asked.

“My mentor.”

Jessica shook her head.

“No. We’re not going back for him. He would have chosen the bone glass over saving you. Don’t try to tell me otherwise.”
“His employer would have paid for my safe return.”

“But you would have been sold to someone else. Even if it was just for a day, who knows what they could have done to you?” Jessica snarled. “No matter how fast Penelope Fittes could make a deal to get you back.”

“You know about Miss Fittes?” Thomas pressed.

“I know she is not who you think she is,” Jessica returned.

“Whatever might have happened doesn’t matter right now,” Lucy reminded them. “We need to get out of here.”

Jessica sighed up agreed. She turned to the door before glancing back at Thomas.

“Can I trust you to say nearby?” she asked.

“I don’t want to be caught by Winkman if that’s what you’re asking. But I’m not convinced I want to go with you either.”
It seemed to be enough for Jessica. She opened the door and crept out. The corridor seemed empty. Every shout they could hear seemed to be coming from below. Lucy wondered how many of the adult guests had ended up ghost touched by the escaping visitors. She hoped none of the canaries had been caught up in it though. They didn’t deserve that.

They took the next set of steps two at a time. Jessica led the way, Lucy picking up the rear. She didn’t want to risk Thomas trying something. Even if Jessica was convinced that he was her long lost brother, even if he seemed like a reasonable person, he was working for Golden Blade, the man who had tried to kill them. Lucy wasn’t going to take any chances.

Lucy was beginning to think they might actually be able to make it to the roof of the five-storey building by the time they reached the fourth floor. And then she got a very rude awakening. She heard a yelp from Jessica as she reached the stop of the stairs, watched hands reach out to snatch Thomas as he followed. Lucy managed to stop just before the final step but there was no use. One of Winkman’s muscle bound thugs appeared at the top of the stairs. He grabbed her wrist as she went for her rapier and tugged her toward him, twisting her so her back was against his chest. Lucy struggled desperately but knew there was no chance of her getting free, not when the man was so much stronger than her.

“Looks like we’ve caught the three troublemakers,” the man restraining Jessica remarked. “Winkman will be pleased.”

“You should let us go,” Jessica told him. “We’re agents. You know better than to mess with agents.”

“Agents know better than to mess with us,” the man holding Thomas said, cackling like a hyena.

Thomas tried to elbow him in the gut but it only made him laugh more.

“Well you’re about the learn that neither agent nor relic man should mess with me,” a new voice remarked.

Lucy looked down the stairs, seeing the Golden Blade was standing there, rapier in hand. He dove toward the man holding Thomas, thrusting his rapier through his chest. Thomas broke away and swung a punch at the man holding Lucy as Golden Blade dispatched the man restraining Jessica.

There were shouts from below and one of the men still standing shouted for assistance.

“Come on,” Golden Blade told Thomas, directing him down the corridor.

“You coming?” Thomas asked, looking at Jessica and Lucy.

The two girls were hesitant. Lucy trusted Thomas but she didn’t trust Golden Blade as far as she could throw him. But the decision was made for them. Winkman appeared at the bottom the set of stairs, a snarl on his face, more men at his back. They set off running.

The four exploded out onto the roof, Golden Blade barricading the door. Then he turned to Jessica and Lucy.

“I’d like my bone glass now,” he said, one hand outstretched.

“Your bone glass?” Jessica scoffed. “It is not yours. You were losing the bidding.”

“I was bidding with real money,” Golden Blade pointed out.

He examined his rapier, glistening with the blood of Winkman’s thugs. Then he studied Jessica. She was still wearing her cloak, face covered. Lucy guessed Jessica liked the advantage of Golden Blade not being able to see her face.

“You know, Lockwood, we don’t have long before Winkman’s men arrive. You don’t want us to be standing here negotiating when they arrive. They’ll kill us both quickly but our apprentices… They’ll be worth keeping around to sell.”

Lucy stared. The threat was all but a confirmation. Golden Blade had worked out Jessica thought she and Thomas were related. And why would his mind have leapt there so quickly if that wasn’t the truth.

Thomas was Anthony Lockwood.
And Golden Blade knew Jessica would not risk losing her brother, not so soon after she had found him again.

With shaking hands, Jessica pulled off the satchel bag she was wearing, the bone glass inside.

“Jessica,” Lucy warned.

She wanted to call the Golden Blade’s bluff. He might talk a big game but he was human like the rest of them. Lucy couldn’t imagine he would be down to die to make a point.  

“Thomas, could you be a good pet and fetch?” Jessica called in a patronising tone.

If Lucy hadn’t been convinced Thomas was Jessica’s brother before, the glare would have cinched it. He glared just like his sister did, every ounce of fury in his eyes. Looking toward Golden Blade, however, Thomas was nodded toward Jessica.

His glower didn’t falter as he approached Jessica who glanced toward Lucy. It was the smallest glance, the quickest movement, but Jessica was a good supervisor. She knew how to communicate quickly and silently.

And the look she gave Lucy told her to be ready.

As Thomas reached her, hand outstretched to take the bag, Jessica tossed the bag to Lucy. Lucy scrambled to catch it. She cushioned it against her body, determined to not let the bone glass shatter. By the time Lucy looked over once more, Thomas was pinned against Jessica’s chest, rapier at his neck. Jessica began to back away, glowering at Golden Blade.

“You stay right there,” Jessica growled. “Me and Lucy will be taking the bone glass and Thomas.”
Golden Blade took another step, testing her resolve. Jessica’s rapier shifted closer to Thomas’ neck.

“You aren’t going to hurt him,” Golden Blade said. “You’d die for him.”

Jessica gestured for Lucy to back up toward the edge of the roof. Lucy did so, seeing George and Flo were waiting just off the side. They’d set out a net, ready for the bone glass.

“You’re right. I won’t hurt him. But I know things that you don’t want him to know. One step closer and I’ll start whispering all the dirty Fittes secrets I know. Don’t you ever wonder what Fairfax told us as he was dying?”

That was a complete bluff. Fairfax had died in seconds, the only thing coming out of his mouth had been screams. But Lucy had told Jessica about the harp logo she had seen. Jessica knew Fairfax was connected to Fittes. And it worked. There were clearly lots of things they were keeping from Thomas, secrets that would probably cause him to question his loyalties.

Jessica was only a few metres away from Lucy.

“Throw the bone glass to our friends on the boat,” Jessica instructed.

“They can’t be trusted with it,” Thomas said. “The bone glass is dangerous.”

“So is Fittes,” Jessica promised him. “At least we intend to do what is right.”

Lucy brought the discussion to an end as she threw the bone glass. It landed in the net George and Flo had spread and Lucy shouted at them to go, that they’d catch up.

“You should not have done that,” Golden Blade said.

“Unlike you, we’re not worried about disappointing Miss Fittes,” Jessica smirked.

She took a few more steps back.

“Now jump,” she told Lucy.

Lucy wanted to protest but she could tell Golden Blade was getting impatient. Now was not the time to argue with Jessica. She climbed up on the edge and set a final glance toward Jessica and Thomas. Thomas had twisted in such a way that his eyes were locked onto her. Lucy found herself giving a small smile, a reassurance that she was going to see him again.

Then she jumped.

With Lucy safe and the bone glass gone, Jessica released her hold on Thomas. Even as she let him pull away however, she caught his arm and held his gaze, desperate to stop him from running straight back to Golden Blade.

There was so much of the brother she remembered on his face. The light in his eyes, the way he smiled, that little scar above his lip. He was Anthony, the brother she thought she had buried seven years ago. She could remember all the stupid games they had played, every meaningless fight she had endlessly regretted. She remembered the first night then they had lost her parents and she had held him and promised she would never let anything happen to him. Never.

And she had failed him. Fittes had gotten her claws into him, made him forget. How could she make him forget? How could her little brother’s face be so blank when he looked at her? There wasn’t even a flicker of recognition.

“I can give you answers about who you really are,” Jessica said.

Thomas grimaced and shook his head. He nodded back to Golden Blade.

“They’re all I know,” he said, quietly.

Jessica swallowed thickly but nodded. When she spoke, her voice cracked.

“I am not going to take you against your will. But if you ever feel in danger from Golden Blade or Penelope Fittes or anyone, find Quill Kipps and get him to contact me, okay. I’ll come. Don’t you think I won’t.”

Jessica turned, stepping toward the edge of the roof where she would see Lucy was swimming to shore. And then she stopped herself. She turned back to Thomas, throwing her arms around him. She hated that he didn’t return the hug. Instead he stiffened like he didn’t know what he was meant to do, his arms frozen by his side.

“Stay safe,” Jessica whispered to him.

Then she clambered up onto the edge of the roof and leapt into the blackness of the night.

Thomas turned to Golden Bade.

“Who was she?” he asked.

Golden Blade eyed him coldly. Then he approached the young man. He gripped his arm, tugging him away from the edge.

“No one important,” he said dismissively. “There’s a drainpipe over there for you to climb down. You should go back to Fittes House. Miss Fittes will not be happy to know what happened with Winkman. She’ll dislike that he threatened you. You need to talk her into not doing anything rash.”

Thomas nodded even as his eyes drifted to the edge of the roof once more. He didn’t believe Golden Blade. Not for a moment. That final hug had been too tight, too desperate. She knew him. She knew his family. He almost wished he had gone with her.

“Whoever she is is not your concern,” Golden Blade growled. “You don’t want Miss Fittes to be forced to hand you over to the Oedipus Society again so they can keep you out of trouble. You didn’t seem to enjoy it very much last time.”

Thomas felt a shiver race down his spine. He turned to Golden Blade and nodded.

“I’ll go straight back to Fittes House. And we can keep what happened with Winkman our little secret.”