Stones of Nairobi Read online

  “Well, then,” I said, unsure if I should feel disappointed or relieved that Mr. Timmons had acquiesced so readily to the plan. Certainly, it was a strange set of collaborators with which we found ourselves.

  Clearing my voice of any hint of doubt, I asked, “When do we depart?”

  Chapter Twenty

  “IF THE ROPES snap, and I die, I shall not be impressed,” I informed my demon guide as I tugged my knee-length leather trench coat around me to ward off the cold wind.

  Koki turned her beautiful, dark face to me, her full, almost purple lips lifting in the slightest of smiles. “Neither would I,” she said.

  I scoffed at that. What would she care if the gondola plummeted into the shallow ocean and smashed upon the rocks glittering just beneath the turbulent surface? She would merely transform into her giant Praying Mantis form and crawl away.

  Such dark musings and unnatural preoccupations over dying were precisely why I generally refused to leave home without consuming breakfast. The morbidity of my thoughts was entirely justified considering that we’d departed before dawn, and I hadn’t had so much as a cup of tea to fortify me. It was a wonder I’d had the presence of mind to strap my new bow onto my back before we flew away on Nelly, aiming for this wild part of the southern coastline.

  “Don’t worry yourself,” she said. “I won’t let anything of the sort happen to you.”

  “Why are we here?” Gideon whispered to me as he floated through the gondola’s side. “There’s nothing over there but stones and skeletons.”

  “Gideon—”

  “Yes, I know,” he huffed and then attempted to imitate my voice while waving his arms in a dramatic fashion: “Being dead is no excuse for bad manners, etcetera, etcetera.” Crossing his arms, he continued, “Although I don’t see why you’re so fervently opposed to me floating through walls. Anyone who cares for manners can’t see me.”

  “That’s a point,” Koki commented.

  “No, it’s not,” I argued, although I was at a loss to explain why not.

  Gideon chuckled and shrugged his translucent shoulders. He certainly wouldn’t have to worry if the ropes broke. I opted to overlook his bad ghostly habits, but discounting his question was more of a challenge. To distract my restless thoughts, I fixed my gaze upon the ginormous, castle-sized boulder jutting out of the ocean ahead of us.

  I determinedly ignored the swaying of the gondola, the delicate nature of the ropes that held us suspended between sky and sea, and the likelihood that I wouldn’t survive the day. If the ropes didn’t give way under the strain of our weight, then surely the two small columns of rock holding up the giant boulder would collapse. How was it even possible for the mansion on top to still be standing on such a precarious pedestal?

  As the gondola squeaked along the ropes, I studied the mansion. According to Koki, it had been built by a prince for one of the numerous women in his life. It was hewn from the same material as the boulder, its roofs curved in a pointy, oriental style. There were a few trees gripping the sheer sides, but they were the only signs of life, apart from the shrieking of a pair of seagulls, the hissing wind and the splash of waves underneath us.

  I wondered what the chances were of being offered a spot of tea upon arrival, and decided that they were very slim.

  Despite these attempts at distraction, I was all too acutely aware of the emptiness of space beneath me. I won’t deny my relief when the gondola swung into an opening in the rock, its swaying motion halted by a wooden platform against which it scraped. I did manage to restrain the urge to leap out of the little death trap, but Koki saw through my attempt at bravado and snickered.

  “Welcome to the House of Stone, Miss Knight,” Koki said with a grand gesture of her hand and anything but a welcoming glitter in her dark eyes.

  “I can’t imagine why it’s called that,” Gideon said to me in his whispery voice, grinning at his own cleverness.

  “Indeed,” I muttered, in no mood for frivolity.

  I tapped my fully loaded walking stick against the rock floor. While I’d made frequent use of the metal fist at the top of it, one of my favorite features was the blade that popped out of the other end.

  Koki eyed the device with a good deal of hostility, and well she should, for she’d had a previous encounter with that blade. I tapped the stick against the ground again and enjoyed her reaction. Despite the recent improvement in our relationship, I still didn’t entirely trust her or her motives. And who knew what dangers might await within.

  Not one renowned for patience, Koki cleared her throat, her dark, lithe limbs flexing in anticipation. “Come along, Miss Knight, I have other places to be, where the people are still alive and the sport is fresh.”

  She waved toward a couple of skeletons seated against the wall and strode into a damp, narrow tunnel lit with torches that sputtered in the whistling, salty breeze.

  “What a delightful home she has acquired,” Gideon murmured to me.

  “This isn’t hers,” I replied in a whisper.

  The tunnel widened into a corridor lined with more skeletons dressed in scraps of leather and metal armor. I wondered what had happened to these people, apart from the obvious fact that they were now dead. More pressingly, I wondered what would become of me.

  “It is rather peculiar that he’s here of all places,” I commented. “Even more peculiar that we’re working with him and not against him.”

  “Strange times, strange bedfellows,” Koki cooed.

  “Don’t trust him,” I warned. “We may need him for now, but that’s all.”

  “I applaud your distrustful nature,” she said in a mocking tone. “But surely you’ve forgiven him. After all, he only kidnaped you.”

  “And murdered my parents on Prof Runal’s orders,” I snapped.

  She glanced back at me, a somber and (dare I say) almost compassionate expression in her eyes. “I wasn’t aware of that,” she said softly before smiling and adding, “Come closer, Miss Knight. Don’t worry, I won’t bite you.” She chuckled as she eyed the metal contraption that had replaced my hand.

  Gideon hissed by my side, and I gripped my walking stick tightly. Before I could summon a suitably cutting retort, the corridor opened up to a room lit by a central fire pit that did little to dispel the damp and gloom. At one end, a window allowed in a faint, watery light; at the other, a hefty, stone throne jutted out of the rocky wall. A skeleton sat on either side. Carved for a goliath, the royal chair currently held a less than imposing figure in its stone curves.

  But if a mansion can balance on two small pillars of rock in the midst of the ocean, then a dwarf called Nameless can sit upon the throne of a dead prince.

  I nodded to the psychotic dwarf, hoping that he would inspire Koki to wring his worthless neck and wondering if I’d be home for my afternoon tea.

  “Mrs. Knight,” Nameless squealed in delight, “what a pleasure.”

  Koki snickered, and I knew why: the voice didn’t match the appearance.

  Nameless was well proportioned for one of his species and muscular, with an intelligent, handsome face and a regal bearing. He was dressed as an Englishman would if about to venture out on a fox hunt. His dark hair was slicked back with a heavy application of oil and ended in a ponytail; his ample mouth was framed with a sharp goatee and long mustache, as if the length of the facial hair could make up for his lack of height.

  But when he opened his mouth, the posh Londoner accent had a strangely feminine pitch to it. This oddity was accentuated when he was pleased, as he was just then. I glanced at Koki who returned my brief gaze with her bemused one.

  Smothering my smile, I stared into the cheerful eyes of our host. The brightness in his eyes, however, could only disguise the cruel glint from those not accustomed to the study of character. Well I knew the deviant nature of the dwarf and his sinister ways.

  “The pleasure’s all yours,” I replied. “I must say I was surprised when Kam informed us that you are now here as our ally.”
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br />   “It seems I am no longer welcome in Europe,” Nameless admitted, feigning a tragic sigh. “A few of the more moderate members of the Society’s Council believed my methods to be somewhat extreme.”

  His lips curled momentarily in an unbecoming snarl, his handsome face marred by the result. A smile followed, smoothing away the angry lines. “Your beloved and, need I say, hypocritical Prof Runal was one such individual. It seems he wasn’t in favor of me kidnapping you for the cause.”

  At the mention of my previous mentor and father-figure, my metal hand twitched over the deep pocket of my trench coat. The motion did not go unnoticed.

  “Is something the matter, my dear Mrs. Knight?” the dwarf asked, his voice oily, the false concern grating.

  I forced a smile while relaxing my hands. “It’s Mrs. Timmons, actually.”

  “Congratulations, then.”

  “Indeed.” I paused. “Prof Runal was unhappy about the use of nefarious methods to achieve a goal? I find that hard to believe.”

  “I’m sure you do,” he replied. “Unfortunately, the old dog has developed something of a conscience after all these years. Shocking, I know.” He sighed and shook his head at the thought. “At any rate, Kam graciously extended me sanctuary from the Society in return for the use of my renowned skills.”

  “Sanctuary? Here?”

  “Oh, yes,” Nameless said, nodding gravely. “Although it may not be safe for too much longer.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice conspiratorially. “They’re coming, you know. Your professor and the rest of those Society miscreants want this continent under their domain.”

  ”Their ambitions might outstretch their capacities,” Koki said, her melodic voice interjecting into the conversation. “We have more at our disposal than flimsy shields and wooden arrows.”

  “And what about your own ambitions?” I asked the dwarf. “The last time we spoke, you were set on exterminating all the non-humanoid paranormals from Europe.”

  “You remember!” He clapped his hands. “I didn’t think you cared.”

  “I don’t,” I retorted. “Or at least, only so far as it impacts my friends.”

  “You have friends?” Nameless appeared genuinely amazed. “How disappointing. They are such liabilities. Speaking of which, how’s Gideon?”

  I glanced around. The ghost had vanished. “Avoiding you, I dare say. The last time we met, you locked him in an energy-trapping jar, an experience that nearly drained him of life.”

  Giggling, Nameless stood. “He shouldn’t worry. I lost that contraption when you and your pesky cousin crashed my zeppelin.”

  “Only after you kidnapped us,” I said, narrowing my eyes.

  “Such a grudge you hold,” he chided me. “At any rate, I’m developing a more powerful energy-trapping device. It should be ready in a day or two, and will greatly assist us in our new endeavor.”

  “There’s no ‘us’,” I snapped. “You are not—”

  “Now, children,” Koki interrupted me, her tone indulgent, her expression bemused. “Let’s try to get along, or at least not kill each other.”

  Nameless giggled again. “We were just reminiscing.”

  “As much as you would love to reminisce,” I said through gritted teeth, “I really would rather not. Shall we proceed with the object of this visit?”

  “Ah, yes,” Nameless said. “The assassination of Liongo.” He rubbed his small hands together, his eyes twinkling with whatever perverse joy the thought provided him. “I have a plan, Mrs. Timmons.”

  “I’m sure you do,” I said, forcing my facial muscles into a semblance of disinterested politeness.

  His smile widened. “And you’re not going to like it.”

  In that he was correct: I didn’t.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “DO YOU THINK this plan of his will work?” I asked as Nelly landed near the barn.

  My thoughts had been consumed by Nameless’ grand plan during the entire flight back to Nairobi. Even the rainstorm that Nelly thought fit to enter — rather than fly over or around — didn’t unduly distract me, although it did drench me through to my skin. Only when she plummeted through a flock of migrating Egyptian geese did I shift my focus elsewhere; a mouthful of feathers will do that to a person.

  Koki slid off Nelly and brushed off a few leaves and extracted a feather from her closely cropped hair. Satisfied that her hair and the colorful material draping her tall form were clear of debris, she straightened and returned my gaze. “If Kam agrees to his role, it could work.”

  “And if it doesn’t?” I fretted with the reins. “We will all be exposed to Liongo’s wrath, not to mention Le-Eyo’s attention.”

  “Le-Eyo’s too lazy to do his own dirty work,” Koki scoffed. “And failure is not an option, unless you are content with dying.”

  “Not particularly,” I admitted. “What if Liongo isn’t interested in fighting Kam? Maybe death has a mellowing effect. What if after a few centuries of wandering around the Underworld, Liongo wants nothing more than to go home and settle down?”

  Koki flung back her head and laughed. Once she’d recovered from her fit of ghastly hilarity, she said, “Miss Knight, I’m glad I never killed you when I had the chance. You do amuse me so.”

  Her expression grew somber. “Liongo could be dead a few thousand years and still would not forgive the treachery of his son. Mark my words: once he receives the challenge from Kam to fight for the throne of Pate, he will be so blinded by rage that he will race to the appointed place of the duel where we will be waiting for him. Against one of us, he would be triumphant. But against our combined strengths and using Nameless’ device, he will fail and fall.”

  Before I could question her logic, Gideon appeared before me, an incensed wraith. “When did you last feed Shelby?” he hissed.

  Koki smirked. “Ah, yes. You two have a baby now.”

  Sliding off Nelly, I yanked at the reins and led her into the barn. “I’m sure she’s tolerably well, Gideon. I fed her this morning before we flew out, and Jonas is around. Oh, hello, Jonas.”

  Someone snorted, and I couldn’t be certain if it was a horse, a man or a demon. At any rate, I was grateful Jonas was there to manage Nelly, for I wanted nothing more than a pot of tea at that moment.

  “No tea for you until you feed Shelby,” Gideon lectured, his pale form hovering before me, his angelic features uncharacteristically fierce.

  “Oh, Gideon,” I huffed, irritated that he knew me so well.

  “Gideon’s here, then?” Jonas grunted and abandoned his position sitting on a three-legged stool. “Ask him to tell you what he did.”

  “What who did?” I asked and regretted it when I saw Gideon’s face shift into a beatific smile.

  “Ah huh,” Jonas said as he pushed Nelly into her stall. “Him, that ghost.”

  Koki leaned against the barn’s entranceway. “What new entertainment can be found in the residence of Miss Knight?”

  “Not entertainment,” Gideon hedged. “We were merely carrying out what she asked of us.”

  “Wait,” I ordered, holding a hand up. “I didn’t ask you to do anything.”

  “I did wonder where he’d wandered off to while we were with that dwarf,” Koki said, every word jiggling with amusement. “I can’t imagine what could be more intriguing than a conversation about assassinations, but clearly he found something.”

  “Gideon. What. Did. You. Do,” I said, pausing between each word.

  “You asked Jonas to tell Yao to get the letter,” Gideon said, all innocence and wide eyes. “Naturally, he asked me to assist him, and how could I say no when it was for such a good cause. You know how I adore Mr. Timmons.” With that, he popped out of sight.

  I closed my eyes, hoping the vertigo I was experiencing was due to the lack of tea and breakfast, and not to the fear of what misdemeanor those two mischievous beings had perpetrated.

  “The letter,” I repeated.

  “Oh yes, them, they found the letter,”
Jonas confirmed, after which he sniggered.

  “Dear God,” I whispered in the vain hope that some divine being would intercede on my behalf with a miracle.

  Instead, a woman screamed.

  Needlessly glancing about to confirm that the scream hadn’t issued from within the barn, I marched outside and to the cottage. My boots stomped onto the defenseless grass and my walking stick whacked against a few bushes along the way as I visualized what I would like to do to a certain Adze and his ghostly accomplice. Koki and Jonas trailed behind me, no doubt anticipating an amusing scene.

  I strode through the kitchen, ignoring Shelby’s woeful mewing, and into the sitting room. Scuffling from the spare room alerted me to the presence of unwanted visitors, and I veered to the doorway. There I halted, astonishment rendering me momentarily speechless.

  “Miss Knight,” Yao greeted me with a grin. “Yao is no letterman but he found the letter.”

  Gawking, I waved a hand as a blanket-covered and vaguely humanoid bundle on the guest bed moved.

  “There was a human attached to the letter,” Yao explained with utmost sincerity in his eyes. “And she wouldn’t let go of the letter. So of course Yao had to carry her away as well. Gideon was a good assistant even if he is a ghost.”

  A squeak slipped out of me.

  “It appears Miss Knight has been stunned into silence,” Koki noted behind me. “It truly is a miraculous day.”

  The bundle shifted again, and a head poked out of the blanket. Fortunately, both the eyes and mouth were covered with strips of cloth but enough was exposed for me to verify that it was Miss Baxter.

  “Oh, my,” I said weakly and leaned against the doorframe for support.

  “Me, I’ll make some tea,” Jonas grumbled, having divined the necessity of the substance.

  “I’d be most grateful,” I whispered, wondering how fast water could boil.

  Miss Baxter grunted and wiggled.